Spotlight on Acting Resumes: How to Shine with an Industry-Standard Acting Resume

An actor’s resume is one of the most important tools for securing auditions and bookings. It showcases your experience, skills, and professional affiliations in a clear and concise format that industry professionals expect. To help our TalentPlus actors craft the perfect resume, we’ve outlined the key elements that should be included, along with a copy-and-paste resume format to ensure consistency and professionalism.

What to Include in Your Acting Resume

• Name & Representation
• Your name should be prominently displayed at the top of your resume.
• If you are updating your resume for TalentPlus, do not include personal contact details such as your email or phone number. Instead, list TalentPlus' contact information.

• Union Affiliation
• Clearly state whether you are SAG-AFTRA, AEA, or non-union.

• Acting Credits
• Acting experience should be categorized into distinct sections: Film, Television, and New Media. Each section should be formatted with three columns:
• Project Title (First Column)

• Role Type (Second Column) – Use industry-standard terms like Co-Star, Guest Star, Principal, Lead, Supporting, etc.

• Production Details (Third Column) – Include the director’s name, production company, or network.

• Training
• List any acting classes, workshops, or coaching received. Include the instructor’s name and location.

• Special Skills
• Specify any relevant skills such as dialects, musical instruments, dance styles, sports, stage combat, or any other unique abilities that might be useful for casting.

Commercial Conflicts Available Upon Request

When listing commercial experience on your resume, it’s best to use the phrase "Commercial conflicts available upon request" rather than historically detailing every commercial you've booked. This is because commercial contracts often include exclusivity clauses, meaning you may be restricted from working with competing brands for a certain period. However, even if a previous commercial is no longer running, listing it on your resume could still make a casting director assume there’s a conflict—potentially removing you from consideration for a new job unnecessarily. By keeping this information off your publicly shared resume, your agent can manage commercial conflicts on a case-by-case basis, ensuring you remain eligible for as many opportunities as possible.

TALENT NAME

(SAG-AFTRA, SAG-E, AEA, FICOR) - If Applicable