HERE'S WHAT HAPPENED
A producer asked me my age at a commercial callback once. Randomly, in the middle of a slate, they asked me, "How old are you?" I replied, "I typically get cast as young 20's." The producer responded, "I'm not from casting, so it doesn't matter if you tell me."
Should actors tell their age? There's been a lot of debate in the media over the years about whether or not sites like IMDb should allow actors' ages to be posted.
When I personally fell victim to that dreaded question, I was unsure of how I would respond in the moment. I'll reveal my answer later in this post. It's your decision, but I want you to consider a few things first.
HOW TO PICK YOUR ACTING AGE RANGE TIP 1: INDUSTRY STANDARD
There are reputable Facebook groups for actors managed by casting directors, so what I'm about to tell you comes from a post I saw in one of those groups.
The industry standard (apparently released by SAG-AFTRA) is to pick a 5-year age range.
After doing a quick online search, I didn't find a link directly from the union on this topic, but I did find a few other reputable sources saying the same thing. Do your own research, and comment to let me know if you have a good reference.
My acting coach, who has been on the other side of the camera for hundreds of productions, says we should put 0-99 because the answer should be based on how old the casting director thinks you look on camera.
So which is it? Let's chat through a few options.
HOW TO PICK YOUR ACTING AGE RANGE TIP 2: ASK YOUR AGENT
I like the idea of not using an age range in my casting profiles. Let casting figure it out!
Ask your agent their opinion because they're the ones submitting your profile and have a better sense of what age range to submit you for.
I would love to change my age range from 0-99, but if it complicates filtering roles for my agent, then it's doing more harm than good. It might not, though, so double check with them to see.
If you don't have an agent, then you can either change your age range to 0-99, or post and ask your friends and family on social media to crowd source your five year range.
HOW TO PICK YOUR ACTING AGE RANGE TIP 3: WHEN YOU SHOULD TELL YOUR AGE
There's an exception to the age range rule that's super important. The only time an actor should reveal their age is if they're a minor, for legal purposes. A production company can get into big trouble if they violate certain laws.
If you look 18, but you're 16, do not lie! SAG-AFTRA has great resources for Young Performers and Parents including a PDF download.
HOW TO PICK YOUR ACTING AGE RANGE TIP 4: MY ANSWER
Age discrimination is a real thing in this business. Once someone knows your age, they can't see you as any other age, which sucks for your casting opportunities. Here's how that callback conversation I mentioned earlier went:
Producer: How old are you?
Me: I typically get cast as young 20's.
Producer: I'm not from casting, so it doesn't matter if you tell me.
Me: (knowing this is false) What's the age range for the casting?
Producer: 18-22
Me: Yea that's how I typically get cast.
Remember to keep the conversation light and humorous. Don't get defensive. Directors and producers make the final casting decisions, so their knowledge of you is just as important as casting's.
If someone keeps pushing, my suggested response is the following: "Unless my agent gives me explicit instructions to tell my exact age, then I'm going to stick to the standard age range we've discussed." This takes the pressure off of you because now the answer depends on your agent, who is not in the room.
If they keep pushing, just smile and say, “Nope."
HOW TO PICK YOUR ACTING AGE RANGE TIP 5: (GASP!) I TOLD MY AGE
You're going to spend a lot of time with your hair and makeup artist. They're typically sociable, especially if you're not a diva. Hint: don't be a diva. You can be confident without being a diva.
Anywho, I broke my own rule, and now I regret it because I only started receiving auditions in that age range after that. It could be a fluke, but now I'll never know. I 100% do NOT blame that makeup artist. I volunteered that info.
Even so, once you've said it, you've said it. I have zero problem telling people outside of acting work how old I am, but there's (unfortunately) too much baggage with telling people in this industry. I'm a very direct person, and I'm telling you to deflect like I've shown you in this post when this topic presents itself.
HOW TO PICK YOUR ACTING AGE RANGE TIP 6: WHAT IF YOUR AGE IS REVEALED?
STICK TO YOUR ACTING AGE RANGE
Work Contact: Are you really X years old?
Actor: My acting age range is X years to Y years old.
FOLLOW UP ONLINE
What if someone posts your age or suggests it on a profile like IMDb Pro? You can always request to have it removed. I also suggest that you submit your five year age range to be included on your profiles.
FIND THE SILVER LINING
Find what's good about no longer being considered for a certain age. For example, if you're nearing 30, do you really want to play an 18 year old?
TAKE ACTION
Here's your checklist:
- Pick two potential 5 year age ranges.
- Ask your agent for their opinion.
- Post a poll on social if you need.
- Update all of your casting profiles with your decision.
- Do not tell any acting work contacts your actual age if you're older than 18.
- Stay cool and stick to your five year age range if people do find out your actual age.
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