How To Write an Actor/Actress Resume
Unlike most industries, actors and actresses are assessed for potential casting call opportunities based on their professional portfolios and headshots. The effectiveness of your agent also plays an important factor in securing auditions. Your resume functions as a supplemental document detailing all of your previous roles, theater organizations, studios, and directors.
This gives casting directors a full overview of your acting career, most powerful performances, and most prominent skill sets, from character acting and singing to improvisation techniques. We’ll provide expert tips and insights to help you craft an impactful actor/actress resume.
- Entry-Level
- Mid-Career
- Senior-Level
1. Write a compelling profile summarizing your acting qualifications
When you’re looking for an acting job, regardless of the medium, someone seeks the right person to fill that role. To grab the attention of production studios, create an engaging opening summary that highlights your strongest performances and most prestigious roles. Also make a point to feature relevant awards to make a lasting impression on the casting director.
Actor/Actress Professional Profile - Example 1
A dynamic actress with five years of experience performing in high-quality musical theater productions. Adept at utilizing improvisation techniques during high-pressure performances. Achieved recognition from local critics for the role of Laurey Williams in “Oklahoma!” Received vocal training from acclaimed Broadway actress Vera Cosgrove.
Actor/Actress Professional Profile - Example 2
An accomplished actor with over 10 years of experience performing in high-profile theater, film, and television, including “Black Mirror” and a Broadway “Hamlet” production. Achieved two Best Supporting Actor nominations from the Screen Actors Guild for emotionally charged and dynamic performances.
2. Add an accomplishment-driven professional experience section
To generate auditions for acting roles, feature key performances to grab the attention of studios, theaters, and production companies. Unlike a typical resume, bullet points are unnecessary in most instances. Directors are much more interested in the roles you’ve played and the types of productions you’ve been involved with. Include this detail on your resume if you worked with a particularly prominent director.
Actor/Actress Professional Experience - Example 1
Theater
| “The Cocktail Party” | Lavinia Chamberlain | Thunderbolt Stage |
| “Children of a Lesser God” | Sarah Norman | Stage East |
| “A Man for All Seasons” | Margaret | Midwest Theater |
| “Harry Potter and the Cursed Child” | Ginny Potter | Talbots Regional Theater |
| “Lady Windermere’s Fan” | Lady Windermere | Loyola Marymount University |
Actor/Actress Professional Experience - Example 2
Theater
| “Hamlet” | Hamlet | Lyric Theater |
| “Les Misérables” | Javert | Gershwin Theater |
Film/TV
| “Black Mirror” | Simon | Netflix Studios |
| “Between Truth and Lies” | Curtis | New Edge Productions |
| “The Twilight Zone” | Adam | Paramount Studios |
3. Include relevant education, training, and awards
It’s important to list your formal education and training on your resume. Casting directors may be impressed by the program you attended. They might also be familiar with the person who provided you with vocal or acting training. Also, feature your awards prominently on your resume. Audience and critic reviews are one of the most reliable indicators of the success of your performances.
Awards
Template
- [Certification Name], [Awarding Organization], [Completion Year]
Example
- SAG Awards, Best Supporting Actor in a Limited Series, “Black Mirror,” 2017
- Tony Awards, Best Supporting Actor, Judas, “Jesus Christ Superstar,” 2016
Education
Template
- [Degree Name]
- [School Name], [City, State Abbreviation] [Dates Enrolled]
Example
- Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) Drama
- Columbia University, New York, NY September 2014 – June 2018
4. List relevant key skills and proficiencies
Unlike resumes for more traditional jobs, an actor’s resume will not be put through applicant tracking system (ATS) software. It’s almost certainly going to be first handled by a theater director or casting director for a film, TV series, or commercial. They want to see what work the actor has done in the past. It’s still beneficial to highlight key skills that directors will be looking for, including acting techniques and vocal ranges:
| Key Skills and Proficiencies | |
|---|---|
| Acting | Alto |
| Baritone | Body language |
| Character acting | Contralto |
| Countertenor | Dancing |
| Drama | Facial expressions |
| Method acting | Mezzo-soprano |
| Musical acting | Musical theater |
| Singing | Soprano |
| Tap dancing | Team collaboration |
| Tenor | |
5. Include a headshot on your resume or separately
Although this can impact the format of your template, it is appropriate to include a headshot on an actor/actress’s resume. This would be inadvisable in standard instances due to the human resources (HR) implications, but this situation is different. Casting directors need to see what you look like to identify the role they want you to audition for.
How To Pick the Best Actor/Actress Resume Template
You have more flexibility when selecting templates for actor/actress roles in comparison to other industries. Because you won’t be featuring long, detailed bullet points, you can choose a template that you find compelling so long as the information is still well-organized on the page. One thing to avoid is the use of graphics, as they won’t add any value to your document and may distract the reader from your performance history.
Actor/Actress Text-Only Resume Templates and Examples
- Example #1
- Example #2
- Example #3
Allison Rosenberg
(123) 456-7890
[email protected]
LinkedIn | Portfolio
New York, NY 12345
Profile
An award-winning actress with seven years of experience performing in high-profile theater productions. Adept at bringing complex, emotionally scarred characters to life for audiences using the Stanislavski method. Achieved a Best Supporting Actress Tony Award for the role of Ginny in “Harry Potter and the Cursed Child.”
Physical Attributes
- Height: 5’6
- Weight: 130
- Eyes: Blue
- Hair: Brown
- Vocal: Soprano
Theater
| “Harry Potter and the Cursed Child” | Ginny Potter | Winter Garden Theater |
| “The Cocktail Party” | Lavinia Chamberlain | Thunderbolt Stage |
| “Children of a Lesser God” | Sarah Norman | Stage East |
| “A Man for All Seasons” | Margaret | Midwest Theater |
| “Lady Windermere’s Fan” | Lady Windermere | Grisham Theater |
Awards
- Best Supporting Actress, Tony Awards, Ginny Potter, 2020
Key Skills
- Dancing
- Method acting
- Singing
- Soprano vocal range
- Stanislavski method
Education
Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) Drama
Columbia University, New York, NY September 2012 – June 2016
Frequently Asked Questions: Actor/Actress Resume Examples and Advice
How do you align your resume with a job description?-
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), acting jobs will grow 8% from 2021 to 2031. Although this level of growth is encouraging, statistics indicate there are only 7,000 new openings for actors and actresses each year. To maximize your chances of landing auditions, you’ll need to align your resume with the types of roles that casting directors are seeking to fill.
For example, if you’re seeking a part in a musical theater production on Broadway, prioritize those performances in your professional experience section. If you’re seeking an audition for a television or film role, draw attention to that aspect of your acting background in your professional profile. But if you lack the experience the casting director is looking for, emphasize your strongest and most compelling performances throughout your career.
What is the best actor/actress resume format?-
Actors and actresses use a different format style compared to most other industries. A reverse chronological approach is inapplicable here since your work experience doesn’t require a detailed explanation. In some ways, it’s similar to a functional resume, as it lacks detailed bullet points. There are key differences, however, as a functional resume format prioritizes skills, whereas an actor/actress resume is centered around your performances and awards.
Craft your perfect resume in minutes
Get 2x more interviews with Resume Builder. Access Pro Plan features for a limited time!
Although a cover letter is unlikely to be required for a casting call, there are rare instances where it might be worth including alongside your resume. One benefit to the cover letter is that it enables you to show your passion for acting using different language and more detail. If you’re familiar with the director’s work, mention something about a previous production and why you’re excited about the opportunity to work with them. For more insights, visit our acting cover letter guide.
