Personality Traits of Successful Actors | Joseph “Joe” McInerney | Chicago

When looking at famous actors, they all have similar traits in common. Some people have the natural ability to command a room and light up on camera or onstage at birth, and some people have to learn those abilities. However, it’s absolutely essential that successful actors have the traits listed below.

Charisma is a necessary trait for all actors to have. More often than not, an actor or actress is playing characters that are either based on real people or real people. It’s the actor’s job to ensure that people are rooting for them. Good actors have a special ability to be delightful and appealing to the viewers. When done correctly, an actor’s performance in a movie or television show can move the viewer emotionally, so dramatic and emotional performances are a necessity.

Confidence

No one wants to hire an actor who doesn’t believe in themselves. You have to be self-assured that people value you and your talent. The confidence that you have in yourself can lead to you furthering your skills as an actor, changing your performance when necessary, and can even give you the ability to ad-lib when things go wrong. Having a thick skin is also a necessity in the business, as a number of different people are going to throw things at you, be it criticism or just plain insults. It’s your job to make sure that your confidence in yourself stays strong when things are bogging you down, as it can definitely show up in your performances.

Hard Work

Actors, be it on stage in a musical or play, or on tv or in the movies, all need to have a good sense of hard work. Patience is absolutely necessary part of becoming a good actor, because good opportunities aren’t always going to be flowing in. You want to make sure, however, that when you do get your big break, that you’re putting 110% of your effort into memorizing the lines, creating a good backstory for your character, and becoming an all around diligent worker. If you want to be a successful actor, this is definitely an important part.

Imagination

This may seem silly, but having an extensive imagination is an absolutely vital part of being an actor. Think about it; you’re given words on a paper and your job is to make it come to life. Your imagination can come from the backstory of your character, to how you conduct yourself on stage or on camera. The little details that you bring into your character will definitely make it so that your character is well received with their viewers. Having myriad ideas also makes you a valuable asset to have onset.

Originally published at https://josephmcinerneychicago.org on May 4, 2022.