Question: I want to start an acting career. I'm feeling a little lazy and bored today.

I spent a lot of time over the last two days looking up famous actors.
I'm not sure what I need to do to get started. Can you help?

ANSWER:

One question you will want to answer sooner rather than later is, "Did I choose acting, or did acting choose me?"

Why were you looking up famous actors? Was it because you would like to see what kind of life they live? Was it because you hoped to see what kind of path they followed to get where they are today? If that's the case, it might be a little soon to be declaring that you want to start an acting career. If you are already trying to become an actor, then you should already know they answers to those questions.

But you are on the right track for starters. It's important to find out what it really means to become an actor FIRST.
Getting back to figuring out what your goals are, it might help if you ask yourself some questions:

Why do you want to become an actor?
What will that do for you?
How will it make you feel?
What kind of actor do you want to become?
How far are you really and truely and honestly willing to go for your acting career?
Do you know what it's like to work as an actor?
Do you know what actors do when they are looking for work or in between jobs?
Do you know what kinds of different acting careers you could have?
How hard are you willing to work? Honestly. (I ask that question, because you openly declared that you feel lazy and bored. If you become an actor, your days should never be that way.)
What do you think having an acting career entails?
What do you think an actor does day to day, when he's not working?
Do you know anything about business? Do you realize how important it is to know how to promote yourself and to be able to get your work seen?
Have you taken any acting classes yet?
What method are you studying?
What other methods are you aware of?
Do you know what the benefits are to taking acting classes? In other words, do you know what they can do for you, other than teaching you how to act?
Do you know how you can tell if a class is right for you or not?
Do you know how to choose an acting school?

Do you know of at least ten different ways that you can promote yourself as an actor?
Do you know how to go about finding a talent agent?
Do you know what agents look for in an actor?
Do you know your type and why knowing that is so important?
Do you know how to do a mailing?
Do you know how to use post cards?

How about head shots? Do you know what the disadvantages are of getting head shots taken before you are ready?
Do you know the right questions and what to look for when selecting a head shot photographer?

Do you know what the industry formats are for an acting resume?
Do you know one of the first places agents and casting directors look when they look at your resume?


If you were further along, I would ask you other questions like:
How did you get your agent?
What do you do while you are waiting for your agent to call you for an audition?
Or
How did you choose your monologues? Do you know the most common mistakes actors make when performing a monologue and how to avoid them?
Or
How do you prepare for your auditions?

What method of acting are you studying and why does that method speak to you?

Do you know how to build a character?

You shouldn't be bored any more now. If you really want to be an actor, then get to work and answer all those questions and look for others to answer as there are many more. If you start with those, you should have a pretty good idea what it means to become an actor.

Good luck