For those of us who have left our small hometowns in the Midwest or in my case the Southeast, it is often difficult to explain to our friends and family what exactly it means to be a hard working, non-celebrity actor in LA. Most of their thoughts of what an actor is come from the movie stars they see interviewed on Ellen or in behind the scenes special features on DVDs. People outside of this industry or even those deeply embedded in the studio system rarely ever get to see what the career of a non-famous actor really looks like. Here are some differences you can share with them the next time they ask about your glamorous lifestyle.
Once you’ve explained the differences between being an actor and a movie star to everyone back home, they might ask, “Why do you keep torturing yourself? Come home get a real job with a steady pay check and retirement plan.” And while that is the sane thing to do, chances are we won’t because no matter how bad things get in this industry, we absolutely love it. And that is something Auntie Gertrude and Uncle Joe will never understand.
(Editor’s note: P-MO = the restrooms/honey-wagon/port-a-potty… )