Acting Resume Template & Examples for 2024
See our professional acting resume templates and tips so you can impress casting directors. Pair your own resume with a compelling acting cover letter to show why you're the best fit for the role.
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Acting resume template (text format)
Actors need to use an unconventional resume format when applying to roles. Use this example for inspiration:
- Eye Color: Blue
- Height: 5’6”
- Hair Color: Brown
- Weight: 145 lbs
- Kids 2: The Return – Supporting, Allen Skim/Paramount Films
- Delaware is Burning – Actor, Greg Plinky/ABC
- Citizen Pain – Principal, Tom Stetson/Rockcount Studios
- Bill My Dad: Seasons 2–4 – Recurring, Ham Levin/NBC Studios
- Come and See 3: Resurrection – Principal, David Manne/Lighthouse Pictures
- Mac & Mildred Seasons 3–6 – Supporting, Kids Toons Inc.
- North Star Bank – Company Voice, North Star Financial
- Iron Gears: Retribution – Actor, TenCents Games
- Accents: French, Spanish, Italian, Russian, Cockney, Australian, Northern England
- Fluent in English and Spanish
- Conversational in French
- Singing (baritone)
Acting resumes by experience level
To help you write your own acting resume, we’ve put together resume examples for different experience levels:
Beginner acting resume
Take inspiration from this resume example if you’re applying for your first acting role:
Example highlights
- Projects: Because this aspiring actress lacks previous professional acting experience, she includes a projects section on her resume with descriptive bullet points under each entry. This way she’s able to demonstrate the acting experience she does have.
- Relevant coursework: When you’re a rising star, listing relevant coursework signals to casting directors that you’re serious about becoming an actor.
Experienced acting resume
When you have a few years of acting experience under your belt, this is what your resume should look like:
Example highlights
- Advanced training: This experienced actress shows she’s committed to developing her skills by including a section for acting training on her resume.
- Website URL: List the URL of your online portfolio in your contact information section so casting directors can quickly access your demo reels.
How to write an acting resume
Whether you’re a seasoned actor or actress or just starting out in the business, these three tips will help you put together an excellent acting resume and capture a casting director’s attention.
1. List your special skills prominently on your resume
Emphasizing your special skills will show casting directors what unique abilities you have that can help bring the role to life. List your special skills in a separate skills section on your resume to make them pop.
Here are some example of special skills for an acting resume:
- Accents
- Languages
- Singing
- Improvisation
- Dancing
- Musical instruments
- Stage combat
- Sports
- Stunt work
- Makeup artistry
- Animal handling
- Acrobatic abilities
- Gun handling
- Physical fitness
- Voice acting
- Stage management
- Prop making
- Driving
2. Include key information for an acting resume
Writing an acting resume is a little different from writing a regular resume. To impress casting directors, you’ll need to include:
1. Contact details
For example, name, affiliated union, phone number, and email address.
2. Online portfolio
Include your portfolio URL (if you have one) so directors can learn more about your previous work.
3. Physical attributes (also known as a bio)
For example, hair color, eye color, weight, and clothing size.
4. Agent’s contact information
Write “Represented by” followed by your agent’s name, agency, phone number, and email so directors can contact them directly.
5. Resume objective (optional)
An acting resume objective is a 2–4 sentence summary that summarizes your top special skills, awards and accolades, and professional experience.
6. Acting credits
Describe your previous work experience as a performer. An acting resume typically lists experience out in a three-part format: title, role, and director or studio.
7. Education and training
List any performance schools, master classes, seminars, or workshops that you’ve joined, including the name of the institutes and the year(s) you attended them.
8. Special skills
Mention the best skills for your resume and list them in columns to make them straightforward and easy to read.
9. Headshot
You can attach your headshot to the back of a printed resume (back-to-back) using staples or glue, or add a resume picture to the front of the page if you’re sending it by email.
10. Awards and accolades (optional)
Including a section for these accomplishments on your resume for acting shows that your talent and hard work has been recognized by others.
3. Organize your acting experience by category
Separate your experience into categories such as film, television, theater, commercials, and voiceover work to make it easy for casting directors to find relevant information.
Here are three examples of what this might look like:
Film
Lead Role – The Mystery Mansion
Director: Diego Torres | Blue Moon Productions | 20XX
Supporting Role – Summer Dreams
Director: Jane Davis | Sunlight Studios | 20XX
Television
Guest Star – Mystery High
Director: Lisa Kovalenko | Soundscape Productions | 20XX
Recurring Role – The City Life
Director: Michael Green | EchoWave Studios | 20XX
Commercials
Commercial Actor – Sparkle Toys
Director: Eric Williams | VocalVision Productions | 20XX
Voiceover Artist – FreshAir Detergent
Director: Sarah Lee | PrimeVoice Studios | 20XX
Additional resources
Are you an aspiring actor trying to break into the industry? Actress and USC film school student Makayla Lysiak shares her advice for new actors in this video:
Not sure what your resume should look like? The best way to learn is by taking inspiration from resume examples written by other candidates in your industry.
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