A wise man once said: they can’t all be winners. Eventually, in a long and illustrious acting career, you’re going to take on a job that you start to really resent—even actively despise. First of all: this is completely normal. Just because you’re doing the thing you were born to do (acting, that is) doesn’t mean you’re not entitled to a little grumble. However, if you’re not careful, that grumble can grow, and end up ruining the entire experience for you. Let’s talk about dealing with an acting job you hate.
When dealing with an acting job you hate, start by identifying the cause of the issue. If you can address the problem and resolve it early, you can save yourself plenty of professional and personal anguish. If not, focus on your work, lean on your community as needed and have strict self-care routines in place. Finally, remind yourself that the job will eventually end—and that it is no indicator of what opportunities await you in the future.
In this article, we’ve outlined ten things you can do when dealing with an acting job we hate. Some are preventative, some are the cure, some are … well, they’ll help a little on those bad days. The one thing we’ll stress before we jump into this list is that you should never suffer in silence. The old adage that ‘art is pain’ is a stereotype as tired as it is inaccurate, so meet your problems head on.
Let’s get into it!
#1 Identify the Cause
Start by exploring why you hate this particular acting job. What’s going on? Is it you? Is it the production? Perhaps there’s one specific person you’re not clicking with. Being specific as to the cause of your negative feelings helps these feelings from spreading needlessly to other aspects of the job. And if you can identify the cause, you can perhaps find a way of solving the issue outright.
Related to this point is another very important question: did you know you’d feel this way when you took the job? It’s not a silly thing to ask—sometimes we take on a job with a person we don’t like because, say, the script or the role is incredible. A lot of the time, the decision to take a job you know you’ll hate is financial.
While these situations can’t always be avoided, it’s definitely worth avoiding the ones you can. Because signing on to a job you resent from the minute the contract is signed punishes everybody: yourself, your peers, the work itself. Nobody wins, and you only have yourself to blame.
#2 Ensure Your Safety
This topic is a bit of a serious one, and so we’re going to put it right up at the top of this list. When dealing with an acting job you hate, ask yourself if it’s because you feel unsafe. If you do, make immediate moves to address the issue, talk to the necessary person on production or extricate yourself from the situation. Safety is the number-one priority for everybody on a production. Hating a job where you feel unsafe or disrespected is potentially an important red flag.
Fight choreography, intimate scenes and stunts all require external supervision by a trained professional. If you feel as though you aren’t being properly supported, speak to the producer and ask for clarification or additional resources. On an independent production, their resources may be limited. But they should at least contact a professional or seek guidelines to put in place when working—so you know there is a system to the director/producer/production’s methodology.
#3 Look for Solutions
Sometimes, the things you hate about an acting job can be addressed and even solved. Got beef with a cast mate? Try grabbing a drink and connecting with them. Worried about a particular scene you’re yet to shoot? Chat to the director and get some pointers. Feel like your character isn’t gelling with the production? You could work with an acting coach to give some external pointers and validation.
When dealing with an acting job you hate, you’re not always going to be able to resolve the problem. That said, there’s nothing stopping you from exploring possible solutions; even if they make things a little bit better, they’re likely worth it in the long run.
#4 Focus on the Benefits
Why did you take the job in the first place? What was it that drew you to the production, that made you sign up—potentially for free, or at personal cost of time and money? If that element is still present in the show, focus yourself on working towards and achieving that goal.
Admittedly, this is easier to do in some situations. And as we’ve already alluded to: sometimes the thing you find yourself drawn to might not always be present when you’re in the thick of rehearsals or productions.
In such cases, focus on any benefits you can see. If the script never got that rewrite you were looking for, make the material that remains the best it can be. If the director is a deadbeat, focus on supporting the incredible cast you’re stuck adrift with. And if a job you thought would be easy is taking its toll on you: focus on the potential this show has beyond what you initially believed to be possible.
This solution requires a little bit of positivity—which doesn’t always come as easy as we might like. But remaining positive when dealing with an acting job you hate is more than good advice. It’s a matter of self-preservation.
#5 Double Down on Work
Sometimes, no matter how hard you try, you can find yourself at odds with the rest of a creative team on a production. It could be a personality clash, it could be a case of existing relationship dynamics that either do or don’t involve you. Such situations don’t always involve or develop from animosity—it could simply be that you feel left out, and therefore diminished.
In such situations, if you’re sure that a cast/crew outing to a pub or bowling alley won’t mend bonds, double down on your work. Focus on why you’re there in the first place and let your process and performance speak for you. Often, you’ll find that people take notice of your acting if not you, yourself. And if things are chilly between you and your peers as people, they won’t be able to deny the contribution you make as a performer to their own work on screen or stage.
#6 Be the Best Thing in a Bad Production
This advice comes direct from the master of horror himself Sir Christopher Lee—who starred in some of the greatest films ever as well as some of the worst. Nothing quite sours working on a project like realising it’s a stinker. However, that’s not to say that you have to be bad in it—nor does it give you license to say “The hell with it!” and stop trying.
Being the best thing in a bad production is a rite of passage for actors—let alone everybody in the creative industries. It’s just as much a part of the life as being the worst thing in a good production. It keeps us honest. Keeps us humble. And trust that the people who see your work will recognise you did your best with the material you had. It’s the kind of thing a good director, producer or casting director will keep in mind for future projects.
#7 Lean on your Community
When dealing with a show you hate, look to your peers, family and friends for support. A phone call to a loved one after a difficult rehearsal can make all the difference to your mood. It can also help you maintain some perspective on the issue at hand. Your grappling with a tough gig can feel all-encompassing … so it’s helpful to be reminded that you’re not curing anything. And life goes on.
Depending on your relationship with your cast-mates, you can potentially look for some support within the show. That said: it’s important not to let your feelings of the gig bubble over to others, especially if your experience of the production is unique to you. You might suggest the team spend some time together outside of rehearsals if morale is low—which may even address the problem without explicitly discussing it. Just be sure to tread carefully.
#8 A Self-Care Routine
Pamper yourself. Be kind to yourself. Look after yourself: plenty of sleep, good food, exercise. Make time to relax, enjoy hobbies. Honestly, this is good advice for actors on any day of the week! But in the flurry of doubt and negativity that comes from working a job you truly despise, it’s easy to forget that such things aren’t perks, but necessities.
That’s why we call for a self-care routine. It’s not things you do that are special, it’s par for the course and the absolute least you deserve. Such practices also help you demarcate between “work” and “home”, which transitions us neatly into our next, related point:
#9 Leave Your Day at the Door
This well-worn piece of acting advice usually applies to when your everyday life starts to weigh you down and affect your conduct on set, on stage or in the rehearsal room. “Leave your day at the door” means stepping into a safe space where your focus is your work and your art—and it can often provide a reprieve to whatever your external troubles might be.
The same is true for dealing with an acting job you hate. The minute you finish a rehearsal or a show, leave it at the stage door (so to speak) and don’t think about it until you start work the next day. Speaking from personal experience, tv people are particularly good at this: no matter how stressful the day might be, 6 o’clock rolls around and people will literally pause mid-sentence to leave and return to their lives.
It’s a sign of a work-life balance done well. And it is a lifesaver when your artistic projects begin to take a toll.
#10 Can you Talk to the Director?
Absolutely! They’re the person on the set whose job it is to ensure harmony in storytelling and creation. Speak to the director about your worries as calmly as you can (and ideally without judgement or blame.) You may even find the director is aware of the situation that is bothering you; even if they can’t help directly, it’s always a comfort to know that you are understood and seen.
If the director is the problem … well that conversation can go one of two ways. It’s worth airing your grievances at an appropriate time and in an appropriate manner (not during a take in front of the whole cast and crew, for instance.) Again, speak calmly and without blame or judgement, and look to creating solutions you can action together. If it all goes south, at least you tried. And you can make a clearer call on whether or not to work with them again in the future.
Conclusion
So there you have it: ten things to do when dealing with an acting job you hate. No matter your course/s of action, remember to maintain as much positivity as you can muster. Odds are, if you’re feeling tension on a production, you’re not the only one. And nobody set out to sign onto a project that makes them feel negatively.
One last thing: the final piece of advice we’ll impart If All Else Fails…
Forever remember that all jobs—good, bad or ugly—end. Stick it out, make the best you can of a bad situation. All the while, be on the lookout for the next opportunity. It can’t get any worse, right?
Good luck!
