Some People Are Actors While Others Are "Actors"

If there's one thing you can say about Los Angeles, a good majority of the people living in this town are actors.  Some of the folks who claim to be actors are really nothing more than "actors".

What do I mean by "actors"?

There are a lot of residents who claim to be working actors but they're more actors in name and not in everyday life.  I don't mean that every person who says they're an actor needs to be someone you see on TV on a daily basis.  I guess the easiest way for me to explain the difference between actors and "actors" is to break down the various types of acting careers to be had in Hollywood.

• Big Time Movie or TV Star - Constantly hounded by TMZ.  The kind of actor that makes good (but not always great) money and enjoys a level of fame that involves being recognized by the general public.
• The Second Bananas and Secondary Characters - Never the lead in a movie or TV show.  They are able to make a full-time living being an actor.  If they're lucky, they get one spotlight episode per season as part of their TV gig.
• Part-Time Actors - The folks that work anywhere from a couple of times per month to a couple of times every six months (or so).  They might land some background work, a commercial or  even work as crew members on a low budget shoot. They have another job besides acting to help pay the bills.
• Background Actors - Some actors work almost exclusively as background talent.  They are able to find work on a set but, for various reasons both in and out of their control, they are unable to get their big break.  There's a big need in Los Angeles for background actors so a person who has good connections can end up making a decent second income as a background actor.
• The "Actors" - The people who talk the talk but don't ever walk the walk (act the act?).  They make connections and have opportunities but always seem to have a reason why things don't work out in their career.  "That part was too small." "The director and I had different visions for the role." "That part isn't right for where I am in my career at the moment."  They like to talk about being an "actor" but they never take any concrete steps towards being an actor

Once you make the decision to move to Hollywood, it's your choice to be an actor or an "actor". There's no shame in not reaching your goal as an actor.  As shown above, it's possible to stay as active as you want in this industry.  The big question you need to answer for yourself is:

What kind of actor are you going to be?

This teen is still discovering his full potential as an actor.