hey raggs! i just have a question...well im a 14 year old student in 8th grade and my dream is to become an actress. well i hear about how all the stars started at a really young age and im starting now...is it too late? i feel like it's almost impossible to follow this dream of mine considering the amount of people that want to do the same.

oh and i have one more question. in high school next year...do you think i should take a theatre arts class or advanced theatre arts. the drama teacher said i should take advanced because she wants people who are really interested in acting. but i dont have any experience. sorry for the random questions. thank you if you reply!

Hi there!

First of all, I'm not an actor, nor have I ever been one, so please keep that in mind when I answer your question, okay. I'll give you my opinion, but, ultimately it is you who will (and must) make the decisions that guide your life through the obstacles that the world will throw at you.

I was a stand-up comic for 12 years. And that's almost like being an actor. I played clubs all over the world and made a lot of people laugh. I never got "famous" as a result, but I had a pretty good run, if I say so myself. I didn't do my first show, on stage in a club until I was 18 years old. And I wasn't very good at it for a long time after that. YOU ARE DEFINITELY NOT TOO OLD to start trying to become an actor. Absolutely not. That being said, you are absolutely correct in your assumption that there is an extraordinary number of people who want to do the same thing. Becoming a famous actor is a miracle of almost sublime good fortune. Becoming a "working actor," who is able to make a living solely from the money they earn performing is so excruciatingly difficult, you wouldn't believe me if I told you.

Now, that being said...there are people who are going to do this for a living. There always have been and there always will be. So why can't you be one of them? The answer is, of course, that you CAN be one of them. But you have to want to do this more than you have ever wanted anything in your whole life, because "making it" will be the hardest thing you ever do. So, the point I have taken this long to make is this. I think you should take the class you will ENJOY the most. Because if you don't love what you do, you will not make the choice to work as hard as you can to make your dream a reality.

I hope that makes sense.

You can do anything you set your mind to, my friend. But you have to be willing to pay the price to get there. And (unfortunately) the price for your particular dream is very, very, very, high.

Do what makes you happy, okay? The rest will take care of itself. I promise...

Matt

thanks raggs for the reply!!

yes i know you are not an actor...but the chances of one of the cast members replying was way more slim. i figured i just needed adult guidence.

your advice was fantastic and i will hold it true to myself! i already went ahead and signed up for advanced theater arts because i know i will enjoy it. i am going to do everything i can to follow this dream. i have loved being on stage or near cameras since i was very young...but now i am going to pursue it. i may not make it...but at least i will never regret that i didn't try. thanks again!!

Good for you!

No matter what happens, you should be proud of your decision to try. Too often, courage is mistaken for a lack of fear. Rather, true courage is being afraid of something (really, afraid)... and doing it anyway. Win or lose, COURAGE will always make the difference.

For what it's worth, I am proud of you.

GOOD LUCK!!!

Raggs

Thank you so much raggs! you have been very inspirational and a huge help! i appreciate it so much that you are replying!!!

Pleasure. You just keep doin' what you are doin'.