GETTING STARTED
What Age Should Kids Start Acting?
There isn't one perfect age-and starting later doesn't mean your child missed their chance.
BY JENN BOYCE
FORMER HOLLYWOOD TALENT AGENT & FOUNDER OF THE HOLLYWOOD PREP
Every stage has its opportunities.
BABY
0 - 2
PRESCHOOL
3 - 5
CHILD
6 - 8
TWEEN
9 - 12
TEEN
13 +
THERE'S NO PERFECT AGE. WHAT MATTERS CHANGES AS YOUR CHILD GROWS.
I get asked this question all the time, and here's the good news: there isn't one perfect age to start acting.
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In fact, if you don't live in or near a major entertainment market, I don't want you stressing because you have an adorable baby and think you need to find them a Talent Agent right now.
Baby work can be very specific.
Productions may be looking for a newborn, and that's obviously a very small window. Or they may need a baby around 6-8 months old, and by the time your baby is 11 months, they simply don't fit what production needs anymore.
That doesn't mean you missed your chance!
Honestly, if you're living in a smaller town without access to a major market, I would much rather see you enjoy your baby and revisit acting when they're 3-or even better, around 6.
Why Does a Child's Age Matter in Acting?
Here's something most parents don't know when they're first getting started:
Child labor laws can actually affect casting decisions.
And they should! Those laws are there to protect young performers.
Under California’s entertainment work-hour rules, for example, a 6-year-old can work an hour longer than a 3-, 4- or 5-year-old when school is in session.
From a production standpoint, that extra hour can matter.
It's also one of the reasons being small for your age can sometimes be an advantage in this business.
If Casting can hire a 6-year-old who looks 4 or 5, they get the benefit of an older child who can hopefully take direction, stay focused longer and handle the environment a little more easily—plus that additional allowable work time.
That's a win for production.
What Are the Child Labor Laws for Child Actors?
Child labor laws and work permit requirements vary from state to state, and this is one area where I don't want parents relying on something they heard from another parent or found in an old Facebook post.
For state-by-state information, I recommend the Minor Performers Alliance. They have resources for parents covering child entertainment laws across the country, including whether your state requires a work permit and information on how to get one.
So, Did We Start Too Late?
Please don't get caught up in that.
You don't need to rush your child into acting because you're afraid there's some magical window that's going to close.
There are opportunities at different ages, and what we're looking for changes as a child gets older.
With very young children, personality is HUGE.
Are they outgoing? Playful? Comfortable around new people? Will they happily talk to someone they just met?
As they get older, we can start expecting more from them-the ability to take direction, stay focused, learn material and eventually have the training and skills they'll need to compete professionally.
Jenn's
Take
Instead of asking:
"What's the perfect age to start?"
I'd rather you ask:
"Is this the right time for MY child to start?"
Those are two very different questions.
And that second question is the one that really matters.
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