There is no such thing as an actor who doesn’t deserve to have a little break. And we don’t mean that in the context of “Go on, slack off, you deserve it this once…” We’re talking about some of the hardest-working people in the world, whose tireless pursuit of multiple goals can leave them seriously depleted without regimented rest and relaxation. So, with the noble goal of switching off in mind, we’re going to talk about some of the best hobbies for actors.
There are a multitude of hobbies for actors that might help enrich them as artists as much as relax them. These include reading, watching films, playing music, video games, sports, cooking and even tabletop role-playing games. Actors tend to be sponges: they’ll learn and grow from their experiences and look for ways to relate their lives back to acting. But priorities for an actor’s hobby should always be enjoyment and replenishment.
In this article, we’re going to look at ten possible hobbies for actors. Our goal with this list was to select activities that actors and related artsy types would likely enjoy: that wouldn’t break the bank and require minimal skills as an entry point. However, you do you: if you’ve got the means and skill for Antique Yacht Racing While Completing The Wordle In One Guess, you have our blessing (and our attention.)
Should Hobbies for Actors Be Career Relevant?
Hobbies for actors are terrific ways of up-skilling and diversifying thier abilities, as well as enriching a wider understanding of the arts. If you read plays for pleasure, you’ll have a better grasp of your craft and its history. If you decide to learn a language, you may expand the types of roles you can play significantly—especially in a bilingual country/industry space. It’s not to say these hobbies can’t be relaxing, but the usefulness of an activity may be a deciding factor when choosing between watching Citizen Kane and Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked.
However, selecting hobbies for actors based solely on career relevance won’t allow for the same relaxation and recharging that we know is paramount to avoiding burnout. So our advice is to choose a mixture of activities and to actually enjoy them. This will stop work-adjacent activities from becoming well, just, work.
Best Hobbies for Actors
Here they are: ten hobbies for actors presented in no particular order. We’ll give a brief overview on each, before linking it more directly to your work as a performer.
#1 Reading Books and Plays
Reading is one of the best, most accessible hobbies you can have. It’s relaxing, it’s stimulating and it’s as expensive as a membership at your local library (read: free.) You can read the classics, or the latest pulpy thing your friend keeps going on about. No matter the genre, subject or level of sophistication, a good book is a life-changing thing.
For actors, you’ll improve your artistic capabilities ten-fold as you become more literate. The ability to read and understand great stories—particularly plays—will allow you to connect your work to that of the wider artistic canon. You’ll ‘get’ the references and links between texts, and command a greater nuance of language and subtext.
Bonus Hobby: Podcasts and Audio Books
These are worth a mention in the context of reading books and plays. Audio books and podcasts are a terrific means of experiencing and discovering new ideas, and they score points for being an accessible means of enjoying literature. By all means fill your ears with stories and discussions, but try to ensure the activity you’re doing while you listen isn’t work-related.
#2 Watching Movies
Films (and tv series) have captured some of humanity’s greatest stories. Even if you don’t consider yourself a die-hard fan, there’s bound to be at least one movie that you watch and recommend with a passion. Why not lean into that, and discover some brand new favourites? When you focus on movies as a hobby, you tend to discover more obscure, interesting titles. Challenge yourself to leave the Beaten Marvel Path and find something new to love and share.
As the overwhelming majority of jobs you’ll undertake as an actor will be for either film or television, it’s hugely beneficial to watch and understand how a film is put together. When you find yourself on set, you’ll have a better understanding of where you fit into the creative process, and how the technical side of filmmaking not only supports your performance, but improves it.
#3 Singing and Playing Music
Ever fancied learning the guitar, or blowing the dust off your childhood French horn? Are you one of those people who can’t help singing to themselves when you’re doing simple chores around the house? Why not invest some time into it! Music is one of those wonderful hobbies that can be a communal activity or a personal one. There’s benefits to each, and no pressure either way. Just enjoy expressing yourself with music.
We’ve talked elsewhere on this site about the benefits of playing an instrument as an actor. And an increasing number of theatre shows are challenging its cast to pick up guitars and drums and the like and create their own sound design and score. Music as a hobby can put you on the path to this, but don’t feel the need to put your hand up unless you feel confident. As with anything in your acting career: just because you can do something doesn’t mean you should.
#4 Gaming
Video games have progressed in leaps and bounds over the past twenty years, evolving from a geeky, gimmicky past-time to one of the most exciting, innovative art forms. If you’re a lover of story, emotion and morality-laden experiences, give gaming a go. Just be sure that it doesn’t eat up all your free time…
Actors who game do themselves a favour, as the sheer size of the video game industry warrants their attention. From voice acting to motion capture, there are thousands of professional opportunities in the sector, and they’re only increasing as the audience demand for new and bigger games reaches fever pitch.
#5 Playing a Sport
Note that this hobby isn’t “go out and exercise” (although we’d never stop you from doing that.) It’s about the sense of play that comes from a physical activity: the luck, the skill, the excitement; it’s the simplicity of a jog or the tranquillity of laps in a pool. Sport gets a bad rap from a lot of artists—often because we didn’t do so well at it back in school. But if you approach it with fun in mind—as opposed to victory at any cost—you’ll find a lot to love in a past-time you may well once have hated.
We’re going to skip over the obvious physical health benefits for actors who play sports. Sure, it can be terrific exercise and help shape your physique. But the less obvious benefit is the social aspect: joining your local indoor soccer team expands your community—and adds some much-needed connection to an oft-lonely profession.
#6 Interior Design
Bear with us: we’re not talking about knocking a kitchen wall through or installing a copper-plated bathroom sink. We’re talking about the design and decoration of your living spaces, much in the way you might develop your visual aesthetic through fashion choices. Artists tend to have a wealth of taste and a lack of actual wealth; that’s why it’s all the more important to create beauty in the space where you live. In fact, a limited budget in interior design is part of the fun and the challenge: make your world comfortable, inviting and beautiful.
As an actor, you will constantly find yourself in story spaces driven by aesthetic and design—sets, costumes, the colour scheme of a production or the visuals that drive a short film. Why not develop an eye for it? Understand how to create compelling visuals that match the internal work you do to bring a character or story to life.
#7 Gardening
Gardening is an incredibly relaxing activity, and depending on your set-up isn’t too time taxing or financially ruining. Whether it’s a vegetable patch, a collection of herbs in pots in your kitchen or a ficus in the corner of every room, gardening offers the chance to nurture something and beautify your home, all in one go.
And look: there might not be a direct benefit to your acting to get from watering succulents. But that’s okay! If coming home after a long day and watering your collection of green little guys on a window-sill relaxes and centres you, then they’ve done their job. And when you think about it: stressed actors tend to be bad actors.
#8 Cooking
Cooking is a great hobby because it can be entirely selfless or selfish depending on your mood. Feel like hosting a fancy dinner party? Start trawling TikTok for those trendy recipes. Sick of your daily protein shake before the gym? Cook yourself a lavish breakfast-for-one to start the day off right. Cooking is something you have to do for the rest of your life. You might as well enjoy it, and learn to do it really, really well.
An actor who can cook brings their community together. Host your friends, schedule catch-ups. You could cater a scene study event once a month at your house, where actors come along with a bottle of wine and you all read through a great play together!
#9 Visual Arts
Sketching, drawing, painting, watercolours. There is something so tranquil about time spent doing visual arts. Don’t set out to paint the Mona Lisa, don’t stress yourself if your talent doesn’t shine through. Remind yourself that this hobby is about self-expression, and not producing something that you’re trying to sell. As a departure point, see if you can find a life-drawing class or session in your area. Head along with a friend, have a glass of wine and enjoy yourself.
The benefit to your acting might not be direct in this instance; however, such activities can set you up with an interest in—and a pathway towards—working in a design capacity. You could work as a designer on an indie theatre production, make some terrific industry contacts and a little money on the way.
#10 Tabletop Role-playing Games (TTRPGs)
Tabletop role-playing games (ttrpgs) are played with friends around a table, using long-form improv to experience a story together. Think “Dungeons and Dragons”. They are incredibly fun, silly events that foster strong friendships; a campaign could last a single night or span over the course of years. Ttprgs require the efforts of a dungeon- or game-master to run the game, otherwise you can usually show up with a good attitude and a bottle of wine and have a hell of a time. Do yourself a favour.
Honestly, the benefits of ttprgs for actors reads like a syllabus for an acting class: character work, improvisation, script analysis, even voice work if you’re playing something non-human and squelchy. We have an entire article on the benefits of playing Dungeons and Dragons as an actor. Check it out and thank us later.
Conclusion
So there you have it: StageMilk’s guide to the best hobbies for actors! In wrapping up this topic, we wanted to leave you with two final thoughts.
The first is that it’s important to invest in your hobbies. Invest time, invest money if you can; never feel as though you can’t justify your actions when they’re not directly related to your acting career. Hobbies relax, centre and ground you. They are just as important to your development as an actor as any vocal warm-up or monologue.
The second point is to invest in your community. So many of the hobbies for actors we’ve spoken about in this article are communal, group activities. While it’s perfectly fine for you to have pursuits that are yours and yours alone, don’t be afraid to invite your friends and peers in. Enthuse. Geek out. Share the things you love with the people you love and admire.
Now: go have fun. That’s an order!
