Key takeaway: An acting resume uses credits instead of work history, sits on the back of your headshot, and lists physical stats and special skills. No street address, no dates, no photo pasted on the page.
An acting resume is not a standard resume. It replaces the work-history section with credits grouped by medium (Film, Television, Theatre, Commercial), adds a physical-stats line, lists training and special skills, and prints on the back of an 8 by 10 headshot. Leave off your street address, your age, and any dates.
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Reviewed by Maya Robinson, CPRW.
The Acting Resume Format (Section Table)
Every section on an acting resume follows a rule a generic builder gets wrong. Use this table as your section-by-section checklist.
| Section | What goes here | Actor-specific rule |
|---|---|---|
| Header | Name, union status (SAG-AFTRA, non-union), agent or personal contact | No street address. Use a professional email and one phone number only. |
| Physical stats | Height, weight, eye color, hair color, vocal range if relevant | One line. No age, no date of birth. Weight optional for theatre. |
| Credits | Grouped by Film, Television, Theatre, Commercial | Replaces work history. No dates. Order by role size or prestige. |
| Training | Acting schools, coaches, workshops, degrees | Name the teacher and studio. Casting recognizes reputable names. |
| Special skills | Dialects, combat, dance, instruments, sports, licenses | Only list what you can perform on demand in the room. |
Full Copy-Paste Acting Resume Example
This is the whole format on one page. Swap in your real credits and stats. Keep it to a single page trimmed to 8 by 10.
How to Format Credits (Film vs Theatre)
Credits are your work history, and the format differs by medium. Film and TV use role type. Theatre names the actual character.
Theatre credit line: [Production] [Character name] [Theatre or Company]
Three rules casting directors expect: no dates anywhere, group by medium in separate blocks, and order each block by role size or the prestige of the project rather than by year. Never mix a film credit into your theatre block.
Special Skills That Book Auditions
The special skills section is not filler. Casting scans it to solve a specific role. List only what you can do on demand.
- Dialects and accents you can hold in the room (Southern, RP, Irish, New York)
- Stage combat, certified if you have it (unarmed, rapier, quarterstaff)
- Dance styles with your real level (ballet, salsa, hip-hop, tap)
- Instruments you can actually play on camera
- Languages you speak fluently, not high-school level
- Sports and physical skills (horseback riding, martial arts, gymnastics)
- Licenses and certifications (driver's license, scuba, motorcycle)
No Professional Credits Yet? Start Here
Everyone starts at zero credits. Student films, university productions, staged readings, workshops, and background work all belong on the resume early on. Lead with your training instead, and name your teachers and studios, since casting recognizes reputable ones. Fill your special skills with real, provable abilities. Do not invent credits, because the acting community is small and casting checks with a phone call. If you are working toward union status, the SAG-AFTRA membership requirements explain when to list it.
New to formal resumes in general? Our guide on a resume with no experience shows how to build credibility from training and projects. When you are ready, run the ATS Match Score if you also apply for day jobs that use online applications.
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