Actor/actress Legal, Social & Cultural Professionals
SaveWhat Does an Actor/actress Do?
Actors/actresses play roles and parts on live stage performances, TV, radio, video, motion picture productions, or other settings for entertainment or instruction. They use body language (gestures and dancing) and voice (speech and singing) in order to present the character or story according to the script, following the guidelines of a director.
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Where Do I Start?
Be In Touch With Your Body
The key aspects of applied anatomy, psychology, nutrition, physiology, and psychosocial studies and how they relate to the self-awareness of one's body.
Sign up to trackReady to go deeper? Pick up to 3 skills to focus on from the list below.
These are common skills for this role. Real-world experience matters more than ticking every box — use this as a guide, not a checklist.
Skills You Need to Become an Actor/actress
Essential Skills
Essential Skills
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EssentialBe In Touch With Your Body knowledge
The key aspects of applied anatomy, psychology, nutrition, physiology, and psychosocial studies and how they relate to the self-awareness of one's body.
No book recommendations available yet.
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EssentialAttend Rehearsals skill
Attend rehearsals in order to adapt sets, costumes, make-up, lighting, camera set up, etc.
Course recommendations coming soon.
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EssentialCreate Solutions To Problems skill
Solve problems which arise in planning, prioritising, organising, directing/facilitating action and evaluating performance. Use systematic processes of collecting, analysing, and synthesising information to evaluate current practice and generate new understandings …
Course recommendations coming soon.
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EssentialFollow Directions Of The Artistic Director skill
Follow the instructions of the director while understanding his creative vision.
Course recommendations coming soon.
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EssentialInteract With An Audience skill
Convey the artistic values of the art form(s). Respond to the reactions of your audience and involve them.
Course recommendations coming soon.
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EssentialMemorise Lines skill
Memorise your role in a performance or broadcast, whether it is text, movement, or music.
Course recommendations coming soon.
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EssentialPerform Live skill
Perform in front of live audiences.
Course recommendations coming soon.
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EssentialPromote Yourself skill
Market one's own strengths in terms of skills and knowledge.
Course recommendations coming soon.
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EssentialStudy Relationships Between Characters skill
Study characters in scripts and their relationships to each other.
Course recommendations coming soon.
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EssentialWork With Respect For Own Safety skill
Apply the safety rules according to training and instruction and based on a solid understanding of the prevention measures and risks to your own personal health and safety.
Course recommendations coming soon.
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EssentialAccept Feedback On Artistic Performance skill
Accept feedback, proposed discussions and avenues of exploration about the precision of movements, rhythm, musicality, precision of the performance, interaction with peers and stage elements, areas requiring improvement. Take feedback …
Course recommendations coming soon.
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EssentialAct For An Audience skill
Act in front of an audience, according to an artistic concept.
Course recommendations coming soon.
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EssentialAdapt To Different Roles skill
Adapt to different roles in a play, regarding the styles, ways of acting and aesthetics.
Course recommendations coming soon.
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EssentialAnalyse Own Performance skill
Understand, analyse and describe your own performance. Contextualize your work in one or various styles, trends, evolution, etc. Self-evaluate your work in rehearsals and performances.
Course recommendations coming soon.
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EssentialAnalyse Theatre Texts skill
Understand and analyse theatre texts; take an active part in the interpretation of the artistic project; conduct thorough personal research in textual material and dramaturgy.
Course recommendations coming soon.
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EssentialDeclaim skill
Speak for an audience with the expression of rhythm and vocal technique. Take care that articulation and voice projection are appropriate to the character or text. Make sure that you …
Course recommendations coming soon.
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EssentialEngage The Audience Emotionally skill
Create an emotional connection with the audience through your performance. Engage the audience with sadness, humour, anger, any other emotion, or a combination thereof, and let them share your experience.
Course recommendations coming soon.
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EssentialInteract With Fellow Actors skill
Perform together with other actors. Anticipate their moves. React to their actions.
Course recommendations coming soon.
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EssentialInterpret Performance Concepts In The Creative Process skill
Learn and research a part, in personal and collective research and rehearsal, build an acting performance respecting the concept of the show.
Course recommendations coming soon.
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EssentialRehearse Role skill
Study lines and actions. Practise them before recording or shooting to find the best way to perform them.
Course recommendations coming soon.
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EssentialRehearse With Fellow Actors skill
Rehearse lines and acting with fellow actors to be attuned to each other.
Course recommendations coming soon.
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EssentialStudy Roles From Scripts skill
Study and rehearse roles from scripts; interpret, learn and memorise lines, stunts, and cues as directed.
Course recommendations coming soon.
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EssentialWork With An Artistic Team skill
Work closely with directors, fellow actors and playwrights to find the ideal interpretation to a role.
Course recommendations coming soon.
Optional Skills (5 of 40 displayed)
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OptionalBreathing Techniques knowledge
The various techniques to control the voice, body, and nerves by breathing.
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OptionalPronunciation Techniques knowledge
The pronunciation techniques to properly and understandably pronounce words.
Recommended Books
1 book -
OptionalActing Techniques knowledge
The different acting techniques for developing lifelike performances, such as method acting, classical acting, and Meisner technique.
Recommended Books
1 book -
OptionalLiterary Theory knowledge
The different genres of literature and the way they fit into specific scenes.
No book recommendations available yet.
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OptionalMusic Literature knowledge
Literature about music theory, specific music styles, periods, composers or musicians, or specific pieces. This includes a variety of materials such as magazines, journals, books and academic literature.
No book recommendations available yet.
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OptionalPhotography knowledge
Art and practice of creating aesthetically appealing images by recording light or electromagnetic radiation.
No book recommendations available yet.
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OptionalVocal Techniques knowledge
The various techniques for using your voice correctly without exhausting or damaging it when changing voice in tone and volume.
No book recommendations available yet.
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OptionalCommunicate During Show skill
Efficient communication during live performance, anticipate any possible malfunctioning.
Course recommendations coming soon.
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OptionalOrganise Cultural Events skill
Arrange events in cooperation with local stakeholders which promote local culture and heritage.
Course recommendations coming soon.
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OptionalOrganise Rehearsals skill
Manage, schedule and run rehearsals for the performance.
Course recommendations coming soon.
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OptionalPerform Improvisation skill
Perform dialogues or actions spontaneously or without preparation.
Course recommendations coming soon.
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OptionalShow Confidence skill
Demonstrate degrees of maturity by fully understanding one's own qualities and abilities which can serve as sources of confidence in different situations.
Course recommendations coming soon.
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OptionalShow Intercultural Awareness skill
Course recommendations coming soon.
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OptionalSing skill
Use the voice to produce musical sounds, marked by tone and rhythm.
Course recommendations coming soon.
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OptionalSpeak Different Languages skill
Master foreign languages to be able to communicate in one or more foreign languages.
Course recommendations coming soon.
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OptionalStudy Media Sources skill
Study various media sources such as broadcasts, print media, and online media in order to gather inspiration for the development of creative concepts.
Course recommendations coming soon.
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OptionalWork In An International Environment skill
Guide your career to an international level which often requires the ability to interact, relate and communicate with individuals from different cultures.
Course recommendations coming soon.
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OptionalAssess Progress With The Artistic Team skill
Evaluating the quality of the performers' work and that of the collaborators. Develop recommendations concerning productions in progress. Aim to ensure smooth relationships and communications within the artistic team.
Course recommendations coming soon.
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OptionalAttend Read-through skill
Attend the organised reading of the script, where the actors, director, producers, and scriptwriters read the script thoroughly.
Course recommendations coming soon.
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OptionalConduct Background Research For Plays skill
Research historical backgrounds and artistic concepts of plays.
Course recommendations coming soon.
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OptionalDeal With Public skill
To adopt a pleasant, professional and positive manner with all customers, anticipating their needs and passing customer complaints to a member of the management team (if necessary) in a calm, …
Course recommendations coming soon.
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OptionalDevelop Magic Show Concepts skill
Develop the different components (e.g. musical, visual, lighting, magic content etc.) of a magic show.
Course recommendations coming soon.
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OptionalDevelop Puppet Shows skill
Develop shows with puppets.
Course recommendations coming soon.
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OptionalDirect An Artistic Team skill
Lead and instruct a complete team with the required cultural expertise and experience.
Course recommendations coming soon.
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OptionalLead Cast And Crew skill
Lead a film or theatre cast and crew. Brief them about the creative vision, what they need to do and where they need to be. Manage day-to-day production activities to …
Course recommendations coming soon.
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OptionalOrganise An Exhibition skill
Organise and structure an exhibition in a strategic way, making the artworks more accessible to public.
Course recommendations coming soon.
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OptionalParticipate In Tourism Events skill
Take part in tourism fairs and exhibitions in order to promote, distribute and negotiate tourism services and packages.
Course recommendations coming soon.
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OptionalPerform For Multiple Takes skill
Perform the same scene several times in a row independently from the plot until the shot is deemed satisfactory.
Course recommendations coming soon.
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OptionalPerform For Young Audiences skill
Perform on a level accessible to children and young adults, whilst also censoring unadvisable content.
Course recommendations coming soon.
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OptionalPerform In A Public Space skill
Use bodily actions to interrupt and interact with the structure of the public space.
Course recommendations coming soon.
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OptionalPerform Music Solo skill
Perform music individually.
Course recommendations coming soon.
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OptionalPerform Scripted Dialogue skill
Perform the lines, as written in the script, with animation. Make the character come to life.
Course recommendations coming soon.
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OptionalPerform Stunts skill
Execute various physical movements concerning the technical realisation of difficult acting performances.
Course recommendations coming soon.
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OptionalPerform With Motion Capture Equipment skill
Wear motion capture equipment while performing in order to provide multimedia artists with live material so that their animated creations resemble real movements, facial expressions, dance movements, or sports movements.
Course recommendations coming soon.
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OptionalPlan Choreographic Improvisation skill
Establish improvisation parameters of a physical, spatial or morphological nature. Clarify goals and uses of improvisation.
Course recommendations coming soon.
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OptionalPractice Dance Moves skill
Study and practice dance moves required in artistic productions.
Course recommendations coming soon.
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OptionalPractise Singing skill
Study and practise lyrics, melody, and rhythm of songs.
Course recommendations coming soon.
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OptionalShow Professional Responsibility skill
Course recommendations coming soon.
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OptionalStudy Music skill
Study original pieces of music to get well acquainted with music theory and history.
Course recommendations coming soon.
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OptionalWork With A Voice Coach skill
Course recommendations coming soon.