Playing a role and getting into character is what you’re best at as an Actor. But is your resume not making the final cut? Take advantage of our resume templates to have a much better chance of passing the audition with a talent scout or recruiter.
Actor Resume Example MSWord®
Use our free Acting Resume template in Word format to ensure you get top billing when applying for a position.
Places, everyone – the best acting resume is about to take the stage!
As a skilled (or prospective) actor, your drama, dance, and performance skills are your best assets. But that doesn’t mean that creating a strong resume isn’t still an important part of landing the gigs you aspire to.
Landing your dream part, getting an agent, getting an Equity contract, or becoming part of a distinguished troupe of actors is no easy task.
And, when you add in the pressure of impressing casting directors and recruiters, it’s very useful to have an official document to represent yourself. Nothing says “I’m a professional,” like taking the time to put your talent on the page.
This ResumeGiants guide explains:
In the dark when it comes to what to put on a resume, where, and why? Check out this sample acting resume to get started:
Resume Example Copy to clipboard[Rebecca Hitchens]
[Stage Actor]
[601 Cherry Ln, Carlisle, NY 12212 | 207-574-8457 | rebeccahitchens@gmail.com]
>> Summary
Talented stage actor with over 8 years of professional experience in commercial and stage acting. Team player who is passionate and driven to take on the challenges of new, demanding projects. Bringing forth a strong work ethic and a desire to bring quality entertainment to all.
>> Experience
Stage Actor
Jefferson Playhouse | Jefferson, NY
Voice Over Actor
BoxTube Studios | Philadelphia, PA
Extra Actor
Feature Film: They Saw Her Dancing | Philadelphia, PA
>> Education
Bachelor’s in Drama Studies
Carnegie Mellon University | Pittsburgh, PA
>> Certificates
>> Skills
>> Languages
This sample combines our tips about formatting, writing, and organizing your acting resume to be sure that you’ve truly gotten all the information you want out on the page.
Feel free to use it as a reference as you begin to develop your own ideas!
As is the case for a theater resume, the acting resume format you’ll want to use depends on the role you’re looking to apply for.
For most, making an acting resume means creating a single page of information, including a headshot, about previous roles, experiences, and skills.
The format choices you make to organize these details can be the difference between a show-stopping resume and one that merely gets by.
Make sure to plan enough space to provide a potential employer with all the vital information they’ll need, including:
It’s a good idea to use a respected and well-known layout, like reverse-chronological formatting, to put your most recent qualifications in the spotlight.
“Reverse chronological formatting” refers to when you list your most recent job, degree, or experience at the top of each section, followed by your second most recent, and so on.
Ahead are a few more things to keep in mind as you create an acting resume template to begin building on:
Sometimes, the hardest part of making an acting resume is just getting it to look nice and organized.
That’s why we’ve created tons of resume templates, including options that work if you need a free acting resume template with photos, that can do the hard work for you.
Save your time and energy for what really matters: scoring an interview and, eventually, the role you’re after!
Your resume summary or objective functions as your “elevator pitch” and gives a casting director a well-rounded view of who you are.
It’s also the thing that will grab the attention of a potential employer and, as a result, can break or make your resume.
Regardless of which type of headline you write, you’ll want to find ways to break down your main qualifications into just a few, powerful lines.
This can take lots of practice and patience.
Try reading your headline to yourself to help you get an idea of how it flows, or consider creating a few different examples to choose from.
Having a hard time coming up with a truly impactful resume summary or objective? Save writing it for the end of the resume drafting process. Writing the other sections of your resume first can make it much easier to know which points you want to emphasize.
A strong acting resume summary does just what the name says: summarizes all of the key information that a casting director or employer needs to know about you.
The more examples and specific details you can provide, the better your summary will likely be.
Of course, it’s still important to avoid being too wordy. The last thing you want is to create a summary that’s so dense that an employer skips over it!
So, be sure to focus on what matters most. Reading your summary aloud is a great way to get a feel for how long and nuanced it is so you can make adjustments.
To showcase how a clear, detailed resume summary can change the way a potential employer sees you, we’ve created some examples: one poor, one strong.
Take note of the things that you think work and those that don’t. Which summary makes you want to learn more about the candidate?
Experienced actor with practice in film and on stage. Talented and capable of taking on any role.
Talented stage actor with over 6 years of professional experience in film and stage acting. Collaborative and highly-driven team member prepared for challenging, demanding sets. Award-winning stage performance in Les Misérables.
Even an acting resume for beginners should include a strong resume objective.
It can certainly be tricky to find ways to summarize who you are as an employee and an actor without much experience in the field, but it’s not impossible.
In fact, resume objectives are actually really great for entry-level applicants because they focus on accomplishments and skills rather than specific experiences.
You can make things easier by focusing on creating a resume objective that’s tailored to what an employer is looking for (and what you offer in response).
Take some time to identify keywords from the job description and find ways to emphasize, based on the experiences you do have, that you have what it takes to tick all the boxes a casting director is looking out for.
When writing an acting resume with no experience, consider bulking up your qualifications by including some references that can attest to your skills.
Even if these details don’t make it onto your resume itself, showing that you have connections with people who can speak to your talent can go a long way.
On the flip side, if you’ve got lots of experiences to describe but have a gap in your employment, are switching to a new field, etc., a resume objective is still a great choice.
Resume objectives make it easy to show who you are, even if your work history isn’t as recent or relevant as you might like.
As is the case when creating a beginner actor resume template, be sure to list specific accomplishments, skills, and keywords that connect your qualifications to the job in question.
New actor seeking a breakthrough role. Experienced with drama and connected with leaders in the industry.
Driven, passionate actor bringing distinguished educational and professional skills in television acting to the table. Strong reputation from a number of screen contacts for impeccable attention to detail and commitment to the craft.
The work history section of your resume is one of the most important; here is where you’ll list all the previous roles and the relevant experiences you’ve had.
If you have specific roles you’d like to note, be sure to include details like the production name, the name of the role, the location, year, etc.
It’s typically best to list your most recent experiences near the top of this section, but it’s also okay to prioritize the most relevant roles if it makes sense for the job you’re applying to.
Be sure to use power verbs and other strong language to describe your experiences in a way that’s engaging. You only have a minute or so to catch the attention of and impress a potential employer, so make it count!
Power verbs are those that detail not just that a task was performed, but how. If you want to describe your experience working with others, for example, works like “collaborated” are stronger than “worked with” since they provide a more purposeful and positive description.
Here are some examples that demonstrate how to make your experience stand out from the crowd: specific and powerful language, detailed achievements, and attention to details from the job description.
Stage Actor
The Carter Playhouse | Philadelphia, PA
2020 – 2021
Stage Actor
The Carter Playhouse | Philadelphia, PA
2020 – 2021
How do you go about writing an experience section when you have no actual experience to turn to?
By thinking outside the box. Even if you haven’t spent a lot of (or any) time acting, you can focus on the knowledge that you do have and find ways to connect it to the field.
If you’re looking to draft up an acting resume template with no experience, ask yourself what details – whether they come from a past job, schooling, or even your personal life – have led you to have an interest in the field in the first place.
Maybe you spent a lot of time involved in local and community theater during your childhood and developed a passion for the art. Or perhaps you really enjoy performing and have learned so through your position as a summer camp counselor.
Whatever the case may be, use your creativity to find ways to make your strengths work to your advantage.
And, remember that some work experience is better than none, even if it’s not the most directly-related job.
Take a look at the following acting resume example for beginners to get a feel for how you can make your own experiences pop:
Teacher’s Assistant
Shakespeare Acting Camp | Pittsburgh, PA
2019 – 2020
Teacher’s Assistant
Shakespeare Acting Camp | Pittsburgh, PA
2019 – 2020
Many actors begin their work in the field without any sort of formal degree, but regardless of how much education you have, it’s important to recognize that your education section is a great tool for showing your dedication to theater.
If you do have a degree or have spent time in post-secondary educational training, be sure to include details about this experience on your resume, especially if you attended a reputable program.
Those who hold degrees higher than a bachelor’s should omit details from older experience (i.e. high school) if necessary.
Likewise, degrees or training that are still in progress can be included; prioritizing your most recent, and therefore most relevant, credentials is key.
Here are some tips for things to mention as you break down your education on your resume:
Note any significant involvements. Being a part of a local community theater, student organization, etc. related to your field shows dedication but also showcases your skill set.
In your education section, be sure to focus on finding ways to connect the achievements and skills you’ve gained to the job description. To do that and avoid adding unnecessary details, ask yourself how the points you’re listing make you the best fit for the job, and make sure this idea is clear on your resume.
When listing your educational experience, make sure to mention only what adds to your resume.
Help your acting resume’s education section reach the spotlight by noting significant achievements and honors, and scrap unnecessary details that create clutter.
Theater Degree
Carnegie Mellon University | Pittsburgh, PA
2015 – 2019
Bachelor’s in Drama Studies
Carnegie Mellon University | Pittsburgh, PA
2015 – 2019
The skills section of your resume is an ideal place to communicate more of your strengths and abilities in a clear, easy-to-understand format.
It’s also a great time to fill in any gaps that you may feel exist elsewhere on your resume or take advantage of keywords and big ideas mentioned in the job description.
If you’re interested in applying for a role that involves lots of action sequences, for instance, mentioning that you’re skilled in combat and stunt work helps you paint yourself as the best fit for the job.
The best skill sections make use of both hard skills and soft skills.
Hard skills are those learned on the job and specific to a particular niche, while soft skills are more general and apply to different types of work.
Things like communication skills, acting training, and more are all relevant details to include.
Below are some more examples of special skills for acting resumes that you might want to incorporate into your own. We suggest choosing about 5 to 10 skills for a resume.
