“Gathering up enough self-esteem to say ‘I want to be an actor’ was a huge turning point.” Julia Roberts
Many talented and creative people report feeling incompetent, inadequate, and with low self-esteem at times. But there are ways to change those feelings and build self-confidence.
Several movie actors report that they don’t even watch their own movies. When you can see him in close-ups on twenty-foot-tall movie screens, it can be especially difficult not to criticize his appearance and performance, and his supposed flaws.
Many actors are gifted and talented people, who can be very self-critical and very reactive to criticism from others, such as teachers, other actors, and critics.
Gifted and talented people can also be perfectionists and compare themselves to outstanding and successful professionals, such as other actors, perhaps forgetting that those professionals have honed their talents over many years.
But even accomplished actors can feel low self-esteem and insecurity.
Meryl Streep admits that she has “varying degrees of self-confidence and self-loathing” and says that she can have “perfectly horrible” days where she doubts her talent or ability to emotionally achieve what she wants in a certain scene.
She also admits that sometimes she fears that it will be “boring and that they will realize that I don’t know what I’m doing”.
Kate Winslet has said that before she leaves for a movie shoot, she sometimes thinks, “I’m a fraud and I’m going to be fired… I’m fat, I’m ugly, I look like a whore.” !” [She laughs].
Bill Nighy has commented that he feels a “huge disparity” between what he might think of himself and his work and how other people judge him, even positively, thinking they are “crazy” for applauding his work, but realizing that ” sometimes you’re really good at what you do.”
So what can you do to build your self-esteem and confidence as an actor?
One way is to pay more attention to the positive things people say about your performance, when it’s authentic, and not pay as much attention to the negative reviews. Or at least be careful to accept valid criticism only for what it is, and not exaggerate it.
Develop yourself as a person and as an actor, following your interests in art or sports or seeing friends, while taking acting classes. Getting into commercials or community theater or any acting job can help feelings of low self-esteem.
It may be helpful to seek feedback from a teacher or other stakeholders about how you are working, rather than waiting for feedback.
But building confidence may not simply be a matter of developing positive self-esteem or “getting rid” of feelings of low self-esteem.
Will Smith admits that he doubts himself every day. “What people think is my self-confidence is actually my reaction to fear,” he has said. “I’ve always had a horrible fear of not making it.”
But he has learned to use his self-doubt and fear of failure, as he puts it, to “reverse that negative energy and turn it into a challenge. I keep going because I doubt myself. It drives me to be better.”
Energy psychiatrist Judith Orloff, MD works with many people, including actors, to help them transform strong negative emotions like anxiety into positive energy for creativity. She has specific techniques in her book Emotional Freedom.
Self-Esteem Supercharger is a sports psychology based CD program that can help improve confidence.
Many athletes report that listening to the program before a game or match improves their performance. It can also help you before an audition or performance.