As an actor, you’re a pro at interpreting the written word and transforming it into an emotional experience. Now it’s time to reverse engineer those skills and bring your acting skills to life. Get ready to bring pen to paper and write an actor cover letter that really performs.
Actors are essential to the entertainment industry, bringing characters and stories to life on stage, screen, and beyond. The UK government predicts over 32,000 new job openings for actors, entertainers and presenters before 2027. If you want to start — or continue — contributing to the rich tapestry of cultural output that actors help to create, then there’s no time like the present to put yourself out there.
In this cover letter guide, along with the corresponding actor cover letter example, we’ll cover the following topics to help you write the best cover letter possible:
- How to choose the best cover letter format and what paragraphs the cover letter should include
- How to maximise the effect of each cover letter paragraph (header, greeting, intro, body and conclusion)
- What approach to take when writing your cover letter
- What mistakes to avoid when writing your actor cover letter.
If you want to feel even more inspired, you can check out our library of other cover letter examples.
A great time to improve your network as an actor
In 2023 the UK government announced it will extend certain arts-related tax reliefs for another two years. That means it could be a great time to introduce yourself to arts and cultural organisations that will continue to need the skills of actors like you in this period.
If you’re looking for additional inspiration for cover letter writing, you can check out our related cover letter samples:
Best format for an actor cover letter
Just like a carefully prepared script, your cover letter needs to adhere to a certain structure.
The format of an actor cover letter should contain the following elements:
- The cover letter header
- The greeting / salutation
- The cover letter intro
- The middle paragraphs (body of the letter)
- The ending paragraph of your cover letter (conclusion and call-to-action)
Dear Mr Henry,
I am writing to express my interest in your callout for actors to work with Little Ducklings Theatre Company. With a range of theatre experience from West End plays to touring with children’s theatre companies, I’m sure that my professional demeanour and energetic approach when working with children would be an excellent fit for your company’s philosophy.
I am aware that community engagement and innovative devising methods are important to Little Ducklings. In my most recent role, I had the opportunity to devise an experimental theatre piece which engaged children at St Anne’s Hospice. With a cast of just two, we received excellent feedback from families, medical staff, and the hospice’s community engagement team.
One of my most notable career achievements was being cast as the lead role in an adaptation of Hans Cristian Anderson’s The Little Mermaid which played at Orange Tree Theatre last year. Despite minimal marketing before the show’s run, my performance was acclaimed in The Stage magazine and nominated for a London Culture Award.
I understand that this role will require me to be adaptable and work collaboratively with other actors and production staff. I am confident in my ability to bring a positive attitude and strong work ethic to every performance, while maintaining a positive learning environment for the young audiences that you target.
I would be delighted to discuss this opportunity further in person and hope to receive an invitation to audition.
Sincerely,
Eleanor Zivan
Cover letter header
The cover letter header is at the top of the document. This is the section that tells the director or producer your name and how to reach you. From a functional perspective, you need to make sure your contact details are legible and clear. From a stylistic point of view, simplicity is best.
However, feel free to make sure your name stands out visually while still being easy to read. Our actor cover letter sample content below gives you an idea of what your finished product can look like.
Show off that showreel
If you have a showreel, you might choose to include its link in the cover letter header. Don’t be afraid to show off your work. However, remember that the main function of the cover letter header is to make it easy for the person in charge of casting to call you to audition.
Cover letter greeting
While you might be able to get creative on the stage, the cover letter greeting is pretty standard. Even for an actor. You should start your cover letter by addressing the director and/or producer. To make the right impression, err on the side of formality with a simple “Dear Mr/Mrs/Ms X”.
While your talent may speak for itself, directors still want to work with actors that cultivate a positive working environment. Coming off as arrogant or too blasé in the opening lines of your cover letter is not the way to go.
Cover letter introduction
Your cover letter introduction should be short and to the point. You have a short paragraph to summarise why you are right for the role. If you can’t captivate your audience’s attention — ie the director or producer — in this opening paragraph, they will see no reason to read on. Let alone invite you to audition.
Lean on key phrases and buzzwords that you know the reader will respond to. Just make sure you can back up with strong examples in the rest of your cover letter. Those buzzwords will depend on the type of production, the role, and who you’re writing to. What will they find most impressive in the context of this project? Your Shakespeare Company performance and supporting role in Eastenders may both be impressive, but they speak to a very different kind of target reader.
Don’t forget to check out the actor cover letter sample content below for inspiration.
Dear Mr Henry,
I am writing to express my interest in your callout for actors to work with Little Ducklings Theatre Company. With a range of theatre experience from West End plays to touring with children’s theatre companies, I’m sure that my professional demeanour and energetic approach when working with children would be an excellent fit for your company’s philosophy.
Cover letter middle part (body)
The middle paragraphs of cover letters are where you build on the promises from the cover letter introduction. Those key examples you hinted at should be built upon and explained in more detail. Always make your writing as concise as possible and only mention the most relevant points. After all, you have just one page to impress the producer and director.
Language that’s as expressive as your acting skills
To truly bring your experience to life for the reader, remember to write expressively. A great way to do this is by using strong action verbs. This will also help you to keep your word count down to that all-important one-page maximum.
Choose just a couple of examples to outline in some detail and explain why your previous experience and skills make you the ideal choice for this particular role.
Remember that the STAR method is a great way to make it clear to you and to your reader the most important points of the examples chosen. This is an acronym for how you can recount your chosen anecdote:
- Situation: How can you set the scene?
- Task: What were you expected to do?
- Action: How did you execute this?
- Results: What impressive results or takeaways can you tell the reader about?
Our actor cover letter sample content shows you some ideas of what the body of your cover letter could look like.
I am aware that community engagement and innovative devising methods are important to Little Ducklings. In my most recent role, I had the opportunity to devise an experimental theatre piece which engaged children at St Anne’s Hospice. With a cast of just two, we received excellent feedback from families, medical staff, and the hospice’s community engagement team.
One of my most notable career achievements was being cast as the lead role in an adaptation of Hans Cristian Anderson’s The Little Mermaid which played at Orange Tree Theatre last year. Despite minimal marketing before the show’s run, my performance was acclaimed in The Stage magazine and nominated for a London Culture Award.
I understand that this role will require me to be adaptable and work collaboratively with other actors and production staff. I am confident in my ability to bring a positive attitude and strong work ethic to every performance, while maintaining a positive learning environment for the young audiences that you target.
How to close an actor cover letter (conclusion and sign-off)
Now for the grand finale. The closing paragraph of your actor cover letter will round up the story you’ve created. So, keep it concise. Remind the reader of your enthusiasm to audition and thank them for their time.
Sign-off with a simple “Sincerely” followed by your name. Now you’ve done everything within your power to paint a picture of your thespian prestige, it’s up to the theatre Gods as to whether or not you’ll be one of the lucky few called in to audition.
I would be delighted to discuss this opportunity further in person and hope to receive an invitation to audition.
Sincerely,
Eleanor Zivan
Actor cover letter with no experience
Even if you have no professional experience to speak of yet as an actor, that’s no reason to panic. Writing a cover letter with no experience is the perfect exercise to set the scene as to why you’re still a strong candidate. Consider experiences you’ve had that asked for the skills an actor requires such as theatricality, improvisation, and more.
Have you taken part in local theatre productions? Other extra-curricular activities with a performance element? Don’t forget, if you have relevant training as an actor or performer, this is a great place to mention it, too.
The blank page is your stage. A top actor cover letter will be fillled with highly engaging examples that bring your skills to life, regardless of professional experience as an actor or performer.
Key takeaways
- Keep your cover letter design memorable but legible. Functionality is key in a top-performing actor cover letter.
- Bring your professional experience as an actor to life on the page by using strong action verbs.
- Lean into your actor training or even unpaid experience as an actor if you’re new to the industry.
With Resume.io, it couldn’t be more simple to tell a story about your skills as an actor. Choose one of our professionally designed cover letter templates. You’ll have an engaging actor cover letter ready in a matter of clicks.
