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You are never too old to become an actor. While industries such as music or dance tend to favour younger performers, the world of acting is more balanced in this regard. There will always be older characters to play and these roles need to be filled by older actors. Think of big shows like Game of Thrones or Downton Abbey and the range of acting ages there. If you’re an older actor there’s no reason why it couldn’t be you getting these kinds of roles.
The list of actors who started acting later in life is endless. The late great Alan Rickman got his first television role at 32 and his first cinematic role at 42. Morgan Freeman didn’t get his break until the age of 49. There are also plenty of well-known actors still working well into retirement age such as Maggie Smith, Helen Mirren, and Robert De Niro. Just because you’re late to the acting party doesn’t mean you won’t have a long and fruitful acting career ahead of you! You’ll be happy to learn that the employment of actors is actually set to increase by 8% between 2021 to 2031 according to data collected by Myfuture.com.
It’s important to remember that career success is not measured in fame. Doctors and lawyers don’t need to be famous to be successful. There are plenty of actors who aren’t household names and don’t have huge acting credits and yet are still achieving a successful and fulfilling acting career through smaller but regular roles in television, theatre, or voice-overs.
Agents need actors of all ages on their books so that they always have someone ready to recommend when a role for an older actor comes up. Agents are often looking to fill gaps left by older actors who retire or change careers. It’s worth noting that there are less male actors which makes them more in demand – so you can imagine why older male actors are doubly in demand.
There are significant advantages that mature actors have over their younger counterparts – most notably more life experience. This will help you have a better understanding of people and characters – especially older ones. A 50 year old actor is more qualified to play a 50 year old character than a 20 year old actor and not just because of physical appearance.
If you switch over to acting from another career you will have the advantage of more professionalism and career experience. You will have a plethora of skills that can be translated over to your new career. Older directors may find you more relatable and easier to work with.
There’s no shortage of young actors fresh out of drama school so this age group will face the most competition for roles. Older actors will generally face less competition and find it easier to get acting parts.
Many younger actors can struggle to make ends meet without relying on non-acting work. They may decide they can’t sustain an acting career and end up changing careers. Those who get into acting when older tend to be better off and have more financial stability. This could be due to factors like property ownership, marriage, or savings which makes sustaining an acting career more feasible for them.
Unlike some drama schools, The Bridge Theatre Training Company has no upper age limit on our acting courses. Anyone over 18 is eligible to apply and we encourage students of all ages and backgrounds to join. Apply today and let us help you launch your acting career. Better late than never!
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