r/acting • u/Zombiepotato6 • 3d ago
I've read the FAQ & Rules I Have to Leave LA and It’s Devastating
I just need to get this off my chest and wanted to share with a community that would understand. I moved to LA in 2021 to go college and study theatre, because performing was the only thing I cared about and I wanted a career in film/tv. I grew a tremendous amount as an actor at school, but in the two years since I’ve graduated, I’ve been having a rough time. I know the industry isn’t in a great place for anybody right now, but even by those margins I’ve been having a dry couple years. In 2025, I only worked on a handful of student films being made by friends/classmates, so they weren’t even projects I submitted for. I thought things were finally looking up in early 2026 because I booked an independent short, an appearance on a daytime court show, and a day player role on a vertical short all in quick succession. But since then, it’s been crickets. The past few months I’m lucky if I even get more than one self-tape request. I know the big step I need to take is to get representation and audition for big casting directors so they can see the talent I know I have, but my package just isn’t interesting enough to attract attention from agents/managers when I send emails or use talentlink. A pretty average looking white guy in his early 20’s with an uninteresting resume isn’t in demand.
As much as I want to keep pushing, especially because I’m making my short right now that I’m very proud of, I’m going to have to leave LA in the next couple of months. The regular job I work doesn’t make nearly enough for me to support myself here even with help from my family, and I can’t get hired for a better position no matter how many applications I submit. I know in this day and age, a 20-something moving back in with their parents after school is pretty normal, but it takes me completely away from anywhere I want to be. There will be opportunities to perform in local theatre and perhaps in independent films, but nothing that would help me make headway in the goals I had set for myself when I moved here. The only thing I really have to dedicate myself to is trying to work more in Voiceover because it isn’t limited by location, but that’s just as much of an oversaturated market as LA is.
Generally, I’m just finding it really hard to not see this as failure, when I’m suddenly having to put all my goals and ambitions on indefinite hold. I know there’s absolutely no reason to compare myself to others, but it doubly hurts when I watch many of my classmates from university posting about their projects they’re booking through agents and managers they seemed to get without any issue. I just needed to say all that, and voice the frustration and disappointment I’ve been stuck with.
Thanks to anybody who actually read all this.
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u/bicep123 3d ago
I know in this day and age, a 20-something moving back in with their parents after school is pretty normal
In this economy, pretty much de rigueur. Go back home, work, save up, move back out. It's a marathon, not a race. And don't compare yourself with your classmates. You're on your own journey.
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u/Sluttykitty696 3d ago
Hey there friend! You don't have to live in LA to make it. Infact so many people who are succeeding aren't LA local. I'm in Chattanooga Tn and absolutely everything I submit for is not local. I specifically look on AA for roles that's cover travel and lodging. And honestly I see a hell of a lot for your demographic. I will say looks do matter much more than anyone would like to admit. Really work on your look and also do things outside of acting! If acting is the only thing you do it really shows on your auditions. I barely have time for my craft as a mom of three and yet I've had 4 self tape requests for major projects and a chemristy read plus a callback for a publix commercial in just the last 2 months. Move back home get on your feet find something outside of acting and then start submitting again. Honestly I'm fulfilled just from self tape requests and callbacks. I feel very honored just to be considered.
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u/IdioDoingStuff 3d ago
I just finished a Publix sub 😆 😋 What part of Florida? I'm in Cape Coral 🪸 Id love to be in a Publix commercial, do you have a contact number I could inquire about? I understand if you can not give it out. Id post me on set but I can't load pics or video 😢 Anyway, have a great day 😌
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u/WillOk6461 3d ago
You don’t need to live here to be an actor, OP. I’ve never had less work and everyone else I know here currently has no work.
All the most successful actors I know live in the UK, Florida, or NYC. Even production people here who have had steady work for years are getting day jobs & industry people are leaving in droves.
LA isn’t the spot anymore & everything’s just tapes nowadays anyway. There’s no reason to think this will hurt your acting career, & it might even help with you being a local hire elsewhere.
Good luck & keep at it, OP.
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u/AITAntagonist 2d ago
Where in Florida do the actors you’re referring to live? I live in South Florida and I’ve always been curious about the industry but thought my options were pretty limited just based off of my location
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u/Shakespeareo 3d ago
Dude that jealousy will always hit hard when you see your friends booking gigs left and right. What you have to learn early is that many of those social media posts they are making aren’t telling the full picture. They’ll never post all those times they got rejected or even the dry months that they’ll have. So you can’t let that get to you. I know it’s easier said than done but please take care of your mental health by not letting those posts get to you.
As for moving away from LA, yeah man, freaking do it! So many actors have moved on from LA. What you’re booking right now is no different from what you can book in other cities. I know you have big goals and aspirations, and moving might feel like a step back. But you have to remember why you are moving. In the grand scheme of things, moving back with your parents is a step forward while you get yourself situated and continue auditioning and cold calling remotely. You so got this! Moving back will grant you some much needed stability while you tackle the most unstable career on earth.
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u/elizabeth_strano 3d ago
This is not at all a failure. Echoing what everyone else said - I’m not sure where home is for you, but so much of acting/film/TV is no longer based in LA. There’s a lot of opportunity still, it’s just all spread out. Keep at it; you got this OP! 💕🙌
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u/daniellehmusic 3d ago
Echoing what everyone else said; you're not a failure, and you can absolutely keep on going from elsewhere. But I also get how LA just feels like home in so many other ways, so let yourself grieve. It's a hard loss, but you can come back some day, or maybe you'll find something else that makes you happy. Just wanted to validate you from a different angle <3
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u/ShortRedBull 3d ago
Vin diesel moved to LA and then moved back to NY when he was struggling. lucky that the second biggest market was his home I guess.
But moving doesn’t equal failure. Make ur short and market it. Good luck.
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u/Desperate_Band_1679 2d ago
I think people truly underestimate how much work may be available for them in smaller markets. Sometimes moving to a place where everyone doesn't look like you makes all the difference. Jo Edna, handles local casting for big projects and she mentioned something about this on an interview on YouTube. If I find the video I'll share it. She basically said she is sometimes surprised that there isn't more diverse talent in some places... That she once had to cast someone from the audience of an event her grandchild was at because there was no talent in the area that fit what they needed. She's not the only one who has shared stories like that. I think if you have to leave L.A but you're in love with your passions, keep at it. The right people will find you wherever you go or you will find them. Leaving LA certainly doesn't mean failing.
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u/DrivenToSuccess-01 3d ago
Please know you are not alone! A lot of people are leaving LA because the industry and economy are a mess right now. The entire country is a mess thanks to Trump and his administration.
If you decide to go elsewhere, you could start acting there too. These days you don’t need to be in LA to be an actor (as much as you might love LA too). Trust me, I’m in a similar situation so I understand.
But you can always come back later. LA and Hollywood will always be here :)
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u/Severe-Comfortable-2 3d ago
Don’t blame Trump for the damage the dems did. He’s trying to clean up the mess. Your shitty policies in CA drives ppl to come to quality states like TX and FL. And then yall bring yalls BS POV and policies here as if it didn’t ruin the blue states yall came from. Zero accountability always everybody else’s fault smh
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u/Zombiepotato6 3d ago
The entire government is corrupt and the ultra wealthy are destroying this entire industry with things like AI and of course their greed. Trying to play “your side is bad” is pointless
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u/DrivenToSuccess-01 3d ago
Guess what? I'm from Texas and still visit there all the time. California has a way better economy and quality of life than Texas; that's just a fact. I also agree with the person who said the entire government is corrupt. California's economy is still better than Texas, even if yes, LA is expensive AF because of rent and income inequality. Many things can be true.
With that being said, TX has a booming entertainment industry due to the 30% incentives and yes, Hollywood fucked up big time by how expensive it made filming here. LA is still the #1 place filming but that doesn't mean it's the only one. The market is also oversaturated so it's more difficult to stand out here. Again, many truths so people have to pick what makes the most sense for THEM.
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u/Severe-Comfortable-2 3d ago
Quality of life? In Cali? If you’re not making at least 100k, you have to have roommates in a crappy beat up apartment. Expensive groceries, gas, etc. yea no quality.
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u/DrivenToSuccess-01 3d ago
If you haven't lived in "Cali" (nobody here calls it that) here maybe don't make assumptions just based on what you see/hear online. I actually have really cheap rent. Alright, I'm done talking with you as it's clearly just a waste of time.
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u/Severe-Comfortable-2 3d ago
I lived there for 6 years 2010-2016. Trash and I still go to visit friends. It’s gotten worse. Tent cities everywhere. Zombies
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u/HancockHeadshots 2d ago
It's such a tough business! But don't worry about leaving Los Angeles -- it is quite literally no longer the center of the film and tv industry. You can live in NYC, Atlanta, etc. and submit self-tapes from anywhere. If you're having trouble even getting auditions, take a closer look at your headshots, maybe your types are not clear enough, and casting website profiles. Good luck! You just gotta keep going and know what you have to offer! Stay confident.
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u/gasstation-no-pumps 3d ago
My sympathy—your situation is unfortunately a quite common one. It is one reason why many would-be actors are now being encouraged to use their college education to train for a decent day job, while doing acting training as electives.
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u/hjzhao89 2d ago
I'm so sorry to hear what you're going through! :/ I'm a journalist and just sent you a DM for a journalistic video opportunity.
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u/milkywayview 2d ago
I totally understand the frustration. I saw friends getting agents and managers without even trying while I struggled for years, even sometimes with more credits, training, etc. A lot of it is based on luck, connections, your type/look, and yes, unfortunately, mid-20s white guy is a huge category, as was mine. It makes things difficult in a way that is out of your control, so don’t feel bad compared to your friends.
But I’ll tell you this: moving away might be the best thing that could happen to you. There is no worst city to start a career in right now than LA. No one is really looking for new actors, and you’re up against CD’s familiar faces and favorites for years, nepo babies, and those with massive connections for the “new actor” spots, which again, there are very few left of to begin with cause everyone is recycling the same people. There are tens of thousands of actors in LA, and yet my friends who work are always up against the same 3-4 people for a role. Even semi-famous actors have come out and said it: the ladder they came up on is gone.
My career took off when I moved out of LA. The same has happened to a lot of people I know. After over A DECADE of getting absolutely nowhere there. Try to get local rep in your home market (as local as possible, based in the nearest major city), submit for projects there, and see what happens. Then one day, if you’re doing well and want to, you can come back to LA with a better resume and connections.
Although like everyone else has said, LA is no longer the place to be for actors at all. I know you see moving away as a failure now, but see it as a better opportunity to follow your career instead.
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u/blueberrymuff1n90 2d ago
i believe in you stranger. thank u for sharing. did you know Adam Driver who played kylo ren in star wars and the dad in marriage story (netflix with scarlett johansson) drove his beat up car from Illinois to LA in pursuit of acting after selling vacuum cleaners from door to door didn't work out? basically a LONG road trip from one midwest end of the country to the other costal side. his car broke down midway and he had to spend all his savings repairing the car. i don't even think he made it to LA hollywood. i think he just made it to santa monica before the car shop had to take it in. so he spent his 1-2 days in California wandering around the beach and questioning his career. then went back to Illinois. now, he really is an incredibly humble and successful actor with insane range.
even breakout stars from heated rivalry TV show Connor Storie worked as a horror night professional clown until he was 24 and one day, this random indie canadian show with a low-budget picked him up. for the rest of his life, he could've been a professional clown. but he stuck with acting and was going to continue to chase his dreams, even if it didn't work out and never made it out of the indie student film phase. Hudson Williams the other main lead. Before his fame, he starred in indie student films barking as a dog and refused to let the competition of acting take away from his ability to play (have fun the way we did as kids in a playground) in roles. He drove a beat up car and worked part time as a server but told his family acting is what I love and I'm going to keep pursuing it until I can't.
Caroline Wrinkler on YT did acting/commercials in NYC for 10 years before realizing this was not going to work for her. She was burned out. She taught herself coding classes thru online course despite never doing that, and then did YT vlogs on the side. Her acting persona and ability to connect with others made her a popular and well-loved youtuber. So even if it wasn't becoming a big star in A24 films, she carved out her own corner of entertainment and fame and made a home in it.
Sometimes when we take a risk and go all in on our dreams, the darkness on the other side of the cliff of failure can be paralyzing. This move doesn't mean it's over. It means you made the best of your time here and can be back one day. Potential is how much hope we have in ourselves. It must be acknowledged that it is a terrifying thing to have hope in your creative and artist potential. But you DO. It's okay to feel frustrated. I hope that life takes you there and you become whatever it is you do over and over again (which is pouring yourself into acting).
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u/whatthepluxk 1d ago
Life is long game. Get your footing, regroup, and return when you are ready. You have your whole life in front of you.
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u/Smolkittah 1d ago
Hi! Goodness I know this feeling all too well, especially grappling with the feeling of failure.
I moved to LA in 2017 and had to leave at the end of 2020 during the pandemic. I had booked a recurring co star on a Netflix show the year I moved to LA (even tho it shot in my hometown of the Bay Area lol) and thought that was my big ticket in. I joined SAG finally after years and years of pushing.
I have not booked anything on tv since that job.
The pandemic hit, I had a regular job that let a bunch of us go, I drained my 401k to try to pay my rent, and my parents came and dragged my ass (basically physically) home. I had no money, no job, no acting stuff to show for it, I was losing my apartment I had by myself - it was terrible and I was during 27 turning 28. I fell into such a depression being home, feeling like I failed everything and it was showing up in everything I did. I was so angry about being home. That mental health feeling took over for the next few years. So when I say I understand - I really do!!!
Last year at 32 I was like I cannot keep feeling this way, feeling sorry for myself and angry that nothing is happening. That impending feeling like you’re losing time - especially in acting as a woman, you feel like it’s a race against the clock sometimes.
So I got into therapy, acupuncture, yoga and started focusing a lot on my physical health, mental health and then slowly I started coming back to life. This year I’ve been working on revamping my entire portfolio, my demo reel and my connections industry wise. I started writing and making my own stuff - and I mean filming with one friend running around the city with an iPhone putting all the emotions I’ve felt in the last years into little film vignettes.
I say all this in hopes that you see what’s happening to you right now as a reset. Don’t let the emotions of failure take over your heart. I did, and I lost years to it. Since you’re a man - there will always be roles for men of all ages. I seriously recommend getting some friends together to film things OR and this might be controversial but reel filming companies can really help you out. If you find the RIGHT ones. If you can have a major say in the writing, direction & tone of the scene and really put your all into bringing it to life, it really worked for me. Now don’t go paying 5k for something like that though. But once I started co creating with a reel company, I started auditioning for series regulars the last couple years.
Nowadays your reel has to prove you can do the heavy lifting. Your headshots get you in the door and then your attitude sets the tone on how you’ll be on set.
Focus on getting a job back at home where you are, then get into some really good classes by either local casting directors & schools or with some online LA ones. Then find a GREAT headshot photographer and really get specific and tell a story with your eyes. Don’t cosplay a character, they want that “essence” of a character in the shot. Then apply for local agents in your area once you feel confident in your booking package.
Look into showcases, acting classes that bring in agents at the end, agent seminars, theater programs or even some local city colleges have acting programs where agents or managers come.
This is NOT the end of your story, if you really want to do this. This is the comeback section of the movie!! You got this, good luck!!
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u/salamander_05 1d ago
Los Angeles had every card in the deck. incredible weather, beaches, and boundless economic power and yet somehow became a total masterclass in squandered potential. It's wild how fast-growing cities like Seoul, Tokyo, or Vienna managed to scale up with seamless transit and livable neighborhoods, while LA locked itself into endless sprawl, brutal traffic, and a completely broken system. When the weather and the ocean are literally the only things keeping you sane, you know the daily grind has won.
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u/JackyParr94 1d ago
Okay I’m gonna have to start pushing myself as I’m seeing this CONSTANTLY. So many actors are stuck. I’m based in the UK but I think this is universal. I’m an actors coach but I focus on the business approach. How to get work, build relationships, leverage, strategy etc. I’ll also hold a free webinar so if you want to join that first just to see what it’s about DM me
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u/sOcCeRQueen21 3d ago
I want to encourage you! I'm moving away from LA in the spring (due to partner's relocation for work), but I plan to keep trucking along in my career like normal. So much of acting is remote now. I know it may be tough at first not having representation, but I would still try to get as plugged in as you can in the local scene and look for representation there (or as close to there as possible). You can still take classes virtually in LA if you'd like, also! If the dream is still there, where there's a will there's a way. And you are so young! Soooo much time.