Acting Tips: Writing your Actor Bio
Actors often have trouble writing their actor's bio, which is probably why Playbill bios tend to be folksy/cutesy. We feel awkward and self-conscious, and it shows. Gwyn Gilliss has an informative piece on the topic in Backstage this week (you can see the full article here ) that gives useful guidelines that sound right on the money. I will say that having been a professional writer I still managed to miss most of this, so my next task this morning is rewriting my bio. Here's Gwyn's step-by-step advice: Paragraph 1: Recent roles/Strongest credits. (Theater if you’re in New York and film/TV if you’re in L.A.) Try to use recognizable plays and roles, not just “showcases.” If you’re just starting out, you can include “representative” roles. Those parts from Shakespeare or Chekov done at school outweigh showcases of unknown writers Off-Off-Broadway. Paragraph 2: Training. Don’t be afraid to name drop master teachers or prestigious drama schools, as well as directors you’ve ...