Do you have to be homeschooled to act?

Question

i live in texas and im 14. i was wondering if you had to be homeschooled to act in movies, ect.???? for castings to except you?

Answer 1

You don't have to be homeschooled, it's just a lot easier.  With homeschooling you get to pick your schedule, your curriculum, your coursework, etc...which is so much easier when you're being tutored between shooting times on the set.

Max (Skeptic) has been homeschooled due to acting, and although he hasn't had an easy time of homeschooling, he could tell you the pros and cons of school choices when it comes to acting.

Edit - Max, thanks for your honesty.  :)  I appreciate your point of view; though you've had a harder time than some, you bring up some very valid points for the asker to consider.

Answer 2

Hello!

I am a homeschooled actor as well. I recently switched to homeschooling because I think it will be beneficial to my career.

It gives me more time for auditions, for shooting, etc.

Homeschooling gives me an open schedule so I have more time for fun. At public school I spent about 7-8 hours a day doing work that I can get done in 3-4 at home!

Answer 3

No, you do not have to be homeschooled to act.  It has some advantages, but whether homeschooled or traditionally schooled, all child actors have to attend set school.

My ten year old daughter has loved acting and modeling since nearly the moment she was born (she has always been a 'ham', as my grandmother would say).  She does nothing big, though she would love to, because we do not have the money to pursue a career for her in a bigger venue nor the desire to break our family up for it...but she does what she can in our local market, which is growing.

Max has firsthand experience in this so his answer is really insightful.  I do not believe that homeschooling itself is what has led to Max's negative view of homeschooling (my personal opinion on the situation from what I have seen him write), but rather isolation.

Answer 4

Well, in a nutshell...No, you don't "have" to be homeschooled to act.

But it would be very hard to, if your busy and successful in it. When you act, you go to alot of auditions and if you book alot of jobs, then yes it would be very hard to go to public, or private school. But I know alot of actors that still go to public school, but their schedules are not as open for things as homeschooled actors, and also they don't work as much because of being in public school.

And agencies in LA, are much more happier and more likely to choose (To represent them and send them out for auditions) with homeschooled actors, because their time is not as taken up as much by school, and is alot more open.

So basically, if you plan and truly want to work alot, homeschool and acting is alot easier way.

But if I can give you some personal, heart to heart advice? Whatever you do, I wouldn't suggest being homeschooled, it can be alot easier when acting, but there's literally thousands of other kids your age trying to break into acting, now I've been very fortanate acting wise, I've been in 2 commercials that have aired during the super bowl, (Quite a few other commercials as well), I've been on the tonight show 3 times, I've been in many TV shows, and I'm in one that may be on showtime in the near future (We're in talks with showtime), and I was in the movie "Benchwarmers".

But I regret being homeschooled all that time though, because out of all honesty, all the things I've done, money I've made...Mean absolutly nothing to me! Now I'm not saying all actors who are homeschooled are, or will feel the same way. But I live very lonely life deep down, I have little to no friends, family (Grandparents I live with) are getting old. I feel like I have nothing in the real world of reality. All the "friends" I have I have a very indifferent relationship with them, I feel like a simple acquaintance they see a few times a week for a few hours. I just really wish I had the memories, and friends, and relationships you build with people you see everyday at school. And I'd trade all I've had in acting for it...

I just don't want other people to end up like me...

But none the less, if you have any questions about homeschooling or acting, feel free to email me.

=)