How to Become an Actor as a Teenager: A Guide for Ages 13 to 17

How do you start acting as a teenager?

• School and community theater. Audition for the school play or a local group. The Educational Theatre Association’s International Thespian Society is the honor society for middle and high school theatre students, and you join through your school’s troupe.
• Classes. Look for teachers who work with teens. Read whether you need acting school before you pay for anything, and be wary of any program a talent scout pushes on you.
• Programs and competitions. YoungArts invites artists aged 15 to 18, or in grades 10 to 12, to apply to its national competition, and theater is one of its disciplines.
• Student and indie films. Film students and local filmmakers need actors, and the footage can feed your reel. SAG-AFTRA’s help center says student, short and Ultra Low Budget films do not qualify toward union eligibility but may create a pathway to join (eligibility answer). Bring a parent to the first meeting, ask for the script, schedule and location in writing and ask for a copy of the finished scene.

More ideas are in how to get acting experience.

What acting jobs can teens get?

• Theater. Actors’ Equity says most of its agreements include special provisions for performers under 18, covering security, supervision and education (young performers page).
• Commercials and print. Many of these auditions come through agents and casting platforms. Read how to get commercial auditions.
• Background work. Central Casting says a parent or guardian must sign up minors and accompany them on set. See how to become a background actor.
• TV and film roles. Competition is tough, so treat them as a goal rather than a starting point.

Pay depends on the job and changes often, so we do not list amounts. Ask for the rate in writing. In New York, the employer must transfer at least 15% of a child performer’s gross earnings to a trust account the parents set up (NYS Department of Labor), and SAG-AFTRA explains the Coogan account used in California and other states.

What materials does a teen actor need?

• A current headshot. The FTC says legitimate agents and casting directors usually ask kids for casual snapshots, not professional photos, because a child’s looks change quickly. A teen changes fast too, so retake yours often (how to take headshots at home).
• A one-page resume. List classes, school plays and student films, even if the list is short (how to make an acting resume).
• A short intro video and self-tape skills. Most first auditions are recorded at home (how to record a self-tape).

How does a teenager get an acting agent?

You do not need an agent to start. When you have some training, a few credits and your materials, ask a parent to help you research agencies, and read how to get a talent agent. Then work through these steps:

1. Build a short list. SAG-AFTRA keeps a franchised agents list. California requires a talent agency license and the license number must appear in ads that solicit talent.
2. Check the rules. According to SAG-AFTRA, franchised agents may not charge up-front fees of any kind, cannot require a particular school or photographer and cannot take more than 10% commission (help center). Managers are not franchised, and their fees fall under state law (agents vs. managers).
3. Follow each agency’s submission rules. Keep a parent on every email and send a headshot, a resume and a link to your video.
4. Read the contract together. A parent or guardian takes part in signing. In California, a court can approve a minor’s entertainment contract, and an approved contract cannot be canceled just because the performer was a minor (Family Code 6751). In New York, approval needs a parent’s written consent or a finding that the minor is emancipated (Arts and Cultural Affairs Law 35.03). Ask an entertainment lawyer before you sign.

Do you need a work permit?

Often, yes, depending on your state. California says all minors working in entertainment must register, and the parent or guardian creates the online account. New York requires a Child Performer Permit for anyone under 18, even when unpaid, and Georgia says it is illegal for a minor to work there without certification (Georgia Department of Labor). Daily hours depend on age and school: California allows 9- to 15-year-olds up to 9 hours at the workplace, with no more than 5 of work and at least 3 of schooling while school is in session (section 11760). In New York, a permit does not excuse you from school days, and employers must provide education while your school is in session (education FAQ). Your parents handle the paperwork, and the details are in our parent’s guide.

How do you stay safe online and spot scams?

• Keep a parent in the loop. Go to auditions and sets with a parent or guardian. Central Casting requires one on set for minors, and never agree to meet in a hotel or a private home.
• Never pay to be seen. The FTC says honest employers never ask you to pay to get a job, and real modeling agencies do not charge for test shoots or photographs. It also warns about fake talent scouts who approach families in public, in ads or on social media with an offer of a photo shoot or classes (modeling scams).
• Keep contact on the platform. Casting Networks lists a push to move to private messaging and requests for nudity or anything unsafe among its scam red flags.
• Refuse fake checks. The FTC says an offer to deposit a check and send some of the money back is a scam (job scams).
• Tell an adult if someone threatens you. NCMEC says sextortion is blackmail over nude or sexual images, that teenage boys have been the most common targets recently and that cooperating or paying rarely stops it. Report the account through the platform, block the person, keep the messages and use the CyberTipline (NCMEC). Take It Down is a free service that helps remove nude images taken before age 18.

Read how to spot a fake casting call too. If you paid and got nothing, a parent can report it at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.

What does a realistic first year look like?

The Bureau of Labor Statistics says in its profile of actors that actors may spend considerable time at auditions, that many struggle to find steady work and that few achieve recognition as stars. Treat acting as something you build:

• Months 1 to 3. Join a play or a class and keep your grades up.
• Months 4 to 6. Take your headshot, write your resume and record an intro video.
• Months 7 to 9. Work on a student film or a community production and ask for the footage.
• Months 10 to 12. With a parent, set up a profile on a platform you have checked and send a few agency submissions.

A year without an agent does not mean you failed. It means you are building the credits and skills that agents look for.

Frequently asked questions

How do I become an actor at 13?

Join school or community theater, take a class, build a simple headshot, resume and intro video with a parent’s help and look for student films and verified casting calls.

How do I get an acting agent at 14 or 15?

Build training and credits first, then have a parent help you research franchised or licensed agencies and follow their submission rules. Never pay to be represented.

Do I need a parent to sign up for casting sites?

For a minor, yes. Casting Networks sends minors to a parent or guardian, Central Casting requires one to sign up minors and Actors Access sets a minimum age of 13 for users.

Can I act without a work permit?

Often not. California and New York require permits for minors working in entertainment, and New York requires one even when the child is not paid. Ask your state labor agency about your state.

How much do teen actors earn?

It varies by job, so ask for the rate in writing before you accept. In states such as New York, a share of the earnings must go into a trust account.

Is it safe to audition online?

It can be, with a parent involved, a platform you have checked and a clear rule: never send intimate photos and never pay to be seen.

Reviewed in October 2026.