How to be an Actor in the UK 2026

A beginner's guide to starting out as an actor the non-traditional way.

Written by Hannah Marquez, actor, agent and coach with over twenty years in the industry, this guide draws on time spent on both sides of the table, as an actor, an agent and in advertising on international commercial campaigns.

Most advice for actors starting out is second hand, and a fair amount of it is out of date. It leaves people counting themselves out before they've even tried. You don't need experience to begin, and there isn't a point at which it becomes too late to start.

By the end, you'll know what to look for in training, how to get yourself onto the platforms where most UK casting happens, what your headshots and reel need to do, how to put a self-tape together at home, and how to keep going when it all goes quiet on you, which it does for everybody.

What's inside:

• Opening the door to being an actor
• Choosing the right training route for you
• Getting yourself seen and building your profile
• Headshots and showreels
• Setting up a self-tape at home
• Staying in this for the long game

Plus a plain-English glossary of casting terms at the back.

Instant PDF download.