GETTING STARTED
What's the First Step If My Child Wants to Become an Actor?
Start by understanding your child—not by spending money.
BY JENN BOYCE
FORMER HOLLYWOOD TALENT AGENT & FOUNDER OF THE HOLLYWOOD PREP
When a parent tells me, "My child wants to be an actor. What should I do first?" I usually have a few questions before I have an answer.
First, tell me about your child.
Are they outgoing?
Will they talk to anyone?
Are they playful and comfortable meeting new people?
Can they listen and take direction?
And then I want to know something even more important:
Why do they want to act?
What is it about acting that they love?
Sometimes a child loves being on stage in front of an audience. Another child loves becoming different characters. Some kids want to be on a TV show because they think it looks fun. And yes, sometimes they want to act because they want to be famous. 😂
There's no wrong answer, but as a parent, I think it's really important to understand what's driving the interest before you start spending money or making big decisions.
What Kind of Acting Does Your Child Want to Do?
This is another question I would ask right away because "I want to be an actor" can mean a lot of different things.
Does your child want to do:
TV and film?
Commercials?
Theater?
Maybe a little bit of everything?
Those paths can be very different.
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The training can be different. The skills can be different. How you pursue the work can be different.
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You don't need to have your child's entire career mapped out—I promise! But having some idea of what they're excited about will help you make much smarter decisions about what comes next.
Before You Spend Money, Pay Attention to Your Child
This is where I would start.
Not with professional headshots.
Not with submitting to every Talent Agent you can find.
And definitely not by spending thousands of dollars because someone told you that's what you have to do
to get your child into acting.
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Start with your child.
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Watch them.
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Listen to them.
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Let them explore.
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Ask questions.
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Because before we worry about whether Hollywood is interested in your child, I want to make sure your child is actually interested in Hollywood.
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That’s the foundation everything else is built on.
Jenn's
Take
Because before we worry about whether Hollywood is interested in your child, I want to make sure your child is actually interested in Hollywood.
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