new thread
I'm going to college in August, and one of the things I'm studying is theater. I want to go into acting after I graduate. However, I have one problem, and you know what it is: long hair.
While most longhairs would be typecasted as drugatics, bums, or dudes who just like to beat the crap out of people, I probably wouldn't land roles even as small as these. Now, I'm not bragging, but I've been told I've been good-looking, which is nice, but I've also been told by the same people (friends, family members) that I look young and very...well...un-mean. Can you imagine Taylor Hanson getting a role in a movie? Nope. He wouldn't even get a role as a measly biker or metalhead cause he doesn't even look that tough.
So basically, it boils down to these questions:
1.) What's the longest hair I could have to land serious or important roles?
2.) Is there any type of long hairstyle that movie people accept on males?
3.) Assuming I were to grow my hair out to the middle of my back, what kind of roles do you think I would get, if any?
4.) Anyone have any hair suggestions for an aspiring actor?
5.) Am I just making a big deal out of nothing?
Thanks again for listening to my confusion, complaining, and downright cluelessness. I'm beginning to think I'm sounding like an annoying little kid who bothers people on this hyperboard, so my apologies for that. If there's anyone out there who works in the entertainment industry, your help would be very much appreciated.
Thanks!
Tim W.
Do be honest, you really wouldn't get many roles if you were unwilling to cut your hair. They want you to appear to be that character, if that character isn't one who would have long hair, then you're out of luck.
Well...
...That sucks.
But thanks for the reply!
What about just wearing wigs for the kind of hair you need for a part? Isn't that fairly common for actors? I read all the actors in Lord of the Rings were wearing wigs.
Sorry if I didn't make it clear, but I want to grow my hair OUT to maybe the middle of my back. I didn't mean I had a problem with GETTING long hair. It's chopping it off once I get it.
I am a theatrical hair person, so I know the angles on the business.
First, I would suggest you study your craft and become the best actor you can be. Nobody will care about your hair one way or the other if you are not talented and disciplined.
Until you get a career established, you need to be ready to do whatever it takes to show your versatility. You will undoubtable be put into a situation where you have to change your hair in some way. If you are not willing to do so, you may lose the job which may or may not matter to you at that time.
As a rule, long hair on men is not all that versatile in theatre. Film and television is different, but chances are you will not be offered as many (or as varied) roles as a short haired actor. There are visible exceptions to the rule, but there are hundreds of actors who don't land a part for every one that does.
If you want to become a serious actor, it is best that you give up any notions that your hair is your own. Most beginning union actors are asked to sign contracts that says the designers can do whatever they want to your hair. If you do not sign the waiver, you do not get the role. When you get a career established, THEN you can negotiate that clause out of your contract. Most actors gladly give up control of their hair and maintain basic shortish haircuts, then grow their hair when they are hired and told to grow, and cut their hair when they are hired told to cut. This includes facial hair. Actors also LOVE to look as different as possible from part to part.
Wigs are used a lot in the business, but not everything can be accomplished successfully with a wig. It is very, very difficult to wig a man with long hair into a short haired wig. It is rarely done because there is bound to be a short haired actor who wants that job. It would have to be an AMAZING long haired actor for a producer to insist he be wigged in short hair.....because most producers know the wig will probably not look real, especially for film.
It is way more common to hire short haired actors and wig them in long haired wigs.
However, if you stand ten actors together--nine with long haired wigs and one with real long hair: it is almost a certainty an audience can tell which actor has the real long hair. The illusion is broken, so putting a real long haired man into a scene with wigged men doesn't work so well, either. Lord of the Rings, I believe, is heavily wigged, but chances are high none of them had long hair.
Basically it boils down to if you want to be an actor and work, you probably shouldn't grow your hair long. Doing so will cause you lots of grief when asked to get it cut. BUT, I suggest you do what makes you happy. It looks like you have great hair, but you seem young w/delicate features. You may get saddled with gender confusion.
My advice to specifically you if you are trying to get cast now is keep your hair short until you are a little older. I doubt that there is any market for young looking guys with long hair.
Prepare yourself. It is a wacky business and people get away with all kinds of things. Good Luck to you! Study your craft, enjoy your craft.
Thanks so, so much for the help! I really do appreciate it. In fact, I think I'm going to print your reply.
How about Ashton Kutcher? Some people here may have heard me mention him before. Sometimes he has bangs with the sides being just long enough to cover the ears. Therefore, it's long enough to not be average and short enough to be called a "boy's" haircut.
But I take what you say very seriously and understand well.
Thanks again!
Tim W.
Ashton Kutcher is an exception. He has great hair and he may well have gotten the role because of his shag cut hair. However, he will always play the same type of role he is playing on That 70's Show unless he changes his hair. Example: no one would hire him to play a Victorian leading man, 1920's gangster, or a 1950's geek with that hair. (but if he has invested his money from his hit show wisely, he probably wouldn't care for a long time to come anyway)
Ashton's hair isn't so long that he couldn't be wigged into a short wig for stage (it wouldn't work for film), but why hire him and wig him if someone like Ryan Phillippe or Jonathan Taylor Thomas is available and already has short hair? See what I mean?
I happen to like and accept long hair on some men if it is flattering an well kept. However, acting is literally the only profession I can think of where a long haired man cannot serve as well or better than a short haired man. It makes me CRAZY to see inappropriate and unbelievable hairstyles, too long or too short on men or women, in film and theatre.
I mentioned this on another reply as well, but what about other jobs in the entertainment industry? I'm not going to stop studying to be an actor, and I'll cut it if that's what it takes, but do you know of any other occupations like modeling, singing, etc?
Thanks a lot for the help! All of you have been great, and I take the advice really seriously.
Hey Tim
Refer to the last post Beagle Boy made. If you choose a profession where people look at you specifically as a image or any sort of character (rock musicians and models are viewed as characters, too) then you need to be open to changing your looks without hesitation.
If an agent, whether it be for acting, modeling or music decides to represent you, they are going to mold you into a TYPE so they can market you and make money for themselves and you. You pay them to get you noticed and hired for work. The good agents keep some finger on the pulse and trends. When that agent signs you, you have to give up any notion of what you want to look like as an individual while you are working.
If the flavor of the week is men with shaved heads, you will be asked to shave your head to be a model, musician or actor. Let's face it, musicians and screen actors are models, too. The same would happen if the flavor of the month is long hair...you'd be expected to grow your hair.
It is way, way, way important to market yourself. Your hair will not be your own if you are in any form of the visual entertainment industry. I have seen people have meetings to decide how to cut a performer's hair...and the performer isn't invited. As a hair person, I have been told to cut performer's hair knowing full well they didn't especially like what I was told to do, but they have no say. Unless they are a star or have a special contract, there is no discussion or negotiation.
The bottom line is you must not become attached to your hair if you want to work in the entertainment industry.
Ask yourself this right now: if an agent called you and said there is a weeks work that starts Saturday, pays $1000, but you have to get a basic guy, short haircut (not even military, just very conservative), would you sign the contract (you have to decide today)? There are many things to consider about the job, but the haircut should be the last thing to stop you.
You're exactly right.
Yesterday, I did some more thinking and decided I shouldn't get obssessive with my hair. I'm following BeagleBoy's advice and getting "longish" hair, as in Tom Cruise. That seems versatile enough, I think.
If I had hair down to my waist right now, and someone asked me to be in the prequel of "Crouching Tiger" (how hypothetical), I'd go around town with the front part shaved and the back in a ponytail. If I needed to get a mohawk or a shaved head, I'd do it now.
So basically, I kind of "dis-attached" myself from my hair yesterday. I was beginning to see how stupid I was if I were to lose a chance at being an actor for my hair.
Thanks again!
Actors are normally exempted from discrimination laws even. If they want an old black man for a part, a young white woman can't legally complain.
The REAL problem we have is there are not enough parts for longhaired men. All minorities suffer this difficulty, and as well, so do the old. The formula for casting a successful show is to load up on main characters which the largest number of viewers will identify with, and then add variant characters only if they provide "color", and by color I mean they play into a stereotype.
Thus, most longhaired men we see in the media are portrayed in secondary roles, and most often in the roles we really wish they'd back away from, because these roles foster stereotypes most of which are negative.
Then, to make things worse, when a part does come along for a longhaired man, shorthaired men will be right there beside you vying for it, because long hair can be faked by makeup artists to the point the viewing public cannot tell. On the other hand, it will be far more difficult for you to vie with them for shorthaired parts, because hiding long hair under a short hair wig and having this not be noticeable is tougher to do.
It was pointed out in a thread a couple of years ago on here that it is common in acting contracts to require the actor to alter his hair as the part requires. This is not a major problem for shorthaired men but it can be for you, for obvious reasons.
Many longhaired men who want to perform and have the skills go into music rather than acting, and you may want to consider that if it would be an option for you. Music is one of the fields where longhaired men encounter little discrimination.
I have hair down to my mid-back and work as a musician and actor. I was unable to grow it right after college, because I needed to become more established. I have been fortunate to land a number of roles where the hair length was either appropriate or at least not a problem. However, I may also have not gotten jobs (that I don't know about) because of it as well.
Short hair rules the industry. Many people allow their hair to grow between roles with the presumption that their hair will be cut/styled as the role demands when they receive a new contract.
It is possible that you would be cast. It is difficult to say what opportunities might present themselves. At any rate, concentrate on learning to be the best actor you can be and don't cut your hair until someone demands that you do.
See above, any producer knows that one trip to the barber shop will create the right look for a character and, if you are willing to cut it for the right role, they will look past the current length of your hair.
No. If you really want long hair, it is a good idea to develop an idea of when you might consider cutting it for an opportunity/role and when you will stand firm and refuse to cut your hair (presuming that you have other job options or that the production might be able to accomodate a long haired character). If you decide in advance what you might be willing to do, you will know how to answer when asked about your hair in an audition situation.
I remember reading about an actor in Los Angeles who kept asking his agent if he should cut his hair. The agent told him not to -- if he didn't want to and sought parts for him that would use his long hair as an asset for a particular role. Several seasons ago I read about a television show which debuted one fall where this actor starred as a crimefighter (cop or private detective or something). The article made much of the fact that if the series were to become successful, then it might begin a new fashion trend for men. Unfortunately for long hair lovers everywhere, the series soon flopped. However, it is noteworthy that an agent tried to help an actor develop a niche because of his long hair and not in spite of it.
Good luck with your decisions. As for college, grow it out now. If you are cast in a period piece which requires short hair, cut it if you must, then let it grow again. You never know how things might turn out. Maybe you will fall into a series of roles which will allow your hair to grow to the length you want.
Philip
As a manager, I usually advise clients to keep their hair on the longish side (no one on this board would call it long) between parts. The reason is the versatility spoken of in another message. They can always cut it for a part that needs shorter hair, but they wouldn't have time to grow it for a part needing longer hair.
Reality: if you want to be an actor, you don't really own anything about yourself. Hair, eye color, even your spare time isn't yours. It belongs to your agent and manager. Your spare time will be taken up learning the skill set that you're told needs to be on your resume. Your hair length (and if needed, color) may get adjusted according to the image you need to work.
I would strongly recommend against trying to grow your hair halfway down your back. It'll never get there if you want to work. It *MIGHT* make the Ashton Kutcher length you mention, but it wouldn't be long before the studio wanted to cut it for a part. Refuse and you're refusing work. I certainly wouldn't represent someone doing that, and you'll probably have trouble finding someone who will.
Thanks! I guess I just have to face reality. Or maybe look at other things in entertainment. What about modeling or singing? Any other occupations?
Well, I'm going to strive to be an actor since I know you must be REAL dedicated, but I'll try to keep my eye open for other stuff too.
I've never worked with models, but they need a semblance of mainstream. I've noticed more models with longish hair recently, too.
Singer? Maybe. Depends on style and image strived for. My guess is that you could find a manager that would work with you one this. Question: (be honest) How much musical talent do you have? Note that this is frequently a constructed image today, however. You'd be amazed what can be done with the right training and backup.
Being very honest, this is another problem I would have. When I manage someone, they need to want to be an actor so bad they can taste it. Without dedication to that degree, they're liable to quit at any early sign of hardship. If someone is looking at another career, I think they need to look HARD at the other career. If they're more worried about a haircut than performing, there's a problem up front. As I said in the first post, I prefer my clients to keep their hair on the longish side between parts (for the most part). I really think they look better that way, and it's certainly more versatile. If a part calls for it to be short, however, and the part is good enough to destroy a current image, the only response I want to hear is "OK, do I get it cut or will the studio do it?" I don't even want hesitation.
I really think you need to think about what's really important to you. If you really want to be an actor, ask yourself how badly you want this. In all probability you're going to have to make a lot of sacrifices to have any hope of success. You need to decide up front if you're ready for this.
Good luck!
Thanks a lot!
Last night, I was thinking, and I decided that I was serious on studying theater, so I've decided not to make hair an issue anymore.
I'm going to just get a Tom Cruise-type "Vanilla Sky" style. On the longish side, as you said.
Musically...I suck. My singing is mediocre, and I don't play any instruments. I have a few good melodies in my head, but in order to get good, I'd have to take guitar and singing lessons. This was another factor that made me think yesterday, "OK, I'm going to act".
Thanks for the help. Sorry for being such a dimwit.
That works. FWIW, this type of thought process has to be faced by anyone going into entertainment. You're going to have to work with image builders, and many of the freedoms most people here take for granted you won't have. When you get ready to actively tackle the Business, be careful. If an agent or manager wants money up front, he's a crook. All legitimate agents and managers work on commission. Your agent will make a few suggestions, but agents have too many clients to spend much time on any one. A good manager does know what works and will help make you sellable (incidentally, you *DO* have a good look; don't be in a rush to look older. It's easier to sell a client who's playing down in age. I'd recommend you not even *THINK* about facial hair right now).
Note that a good manager isn't unreasonable, either. I *DO* ask my clients what they like on haircuts and other things. Their likes are one thing I consider when making my decision on image, but it's not a high priority item. I do have one young client who likes shoulder length hair. I'll let him grow it near that length, but there is a sticker on his headshot that says he's willing to cut his hair as needed. He usually has to (IOW, he's forever growing it back and *NEVER* has it even near shoulder length ... he's working fairly steady), and I can sometimes even get the studio to kick in some extra money for him cutting it (yeah, I take my commission on that, too ). Incidentally, my instructions to him on keeping it looking good while growing it back is WAY different than the advice given on this board. Then again, he never looks like he's in an awkward stage.: Thanks for the help. Sorry for being such a dimwit.No problem. The overriding desire to succeed in entertainment is the most important thing I want in a client. If there is talent there, it can be honed and polished if there is enough desire. I really wish you good luck and success. (I hope you're going to a good film school.)
If you are studying theatre in college, Stop NOW.
I know hundreds of people who have a degree in theatre and now work as managers at Burger King and such. If you have a natural talent you will excel in theatre without the degree.