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[Men_in_Boxes]

What percentage of the population could play speaking roles in TV and Television without sticking out?






Note: I'm only talking about minor speaking roles and up, not starring roles necessarily. Obviously the role would have to fit the person's appearance as well.

I keep hearing people say that certain actors are geniuses and brilliant. I don't really buy it. What say you?

 

[INC]

Everyone acts everyday of their lives

 

[0neAnd0nly]

I think between 10-15% of people.

I think this, because I think that is around the number of people in modern, western society that have confidence to be leaders. I think it is a similar trait, as far as confidence to pull off someone else other than yourself is what will make it successful.

I also think a solid 30% of Hollywood is not capable of good acting, and is instead chosen for;

•looks

•fame in other entertainment avenues

•Illicit behavior to advance themselves

Which is very unfortunate.

 

[StreetsofBeige]

Everyone acts everyday of their lives

Agreed.

If any of you have ever worked with a company's Sales department, right there are 100% actors alone!

 

[GymWolf]

Women faked orgasms since fred flistones times.

 

[Md Ray]

I think I'm a pretty good actor.

 

[badblue]

100% of humans can act, they just might not be very good at it.

 

[jason10mm]

Acting is a skill like any other. It's like asking how many people can ski.

 

[Pegasus Actual]

Note: I'm only talking about minor speaking roles and up, not starring roles necessarily. Obviously the role would have to fit the person's appearance as well.

I keep hearing people say that certain actors are geniuses and brilliant. I don't really buy it. What say you?

These are two different things. I think just about anyone could learn the basics of acting and handle 'minor speaking roles' credibly. That doesn't mean Daniel Day-Lewis isn't brilliant.

And being a brilliant actor is only one factor, and not even a requirement, for being a "star" in Hollywood.

 

[Men_in_Boxes]

These are two different things. I think just about anyone could learn the basics of acting and handle 'minor speaking roles' credibly. That doesn't mean Daniel Day-Lewis isn't brilliant.

And being a brilliant actor is only one factor, and not even a requirement, for being a "star" in Hollywood.

The Last of the Mohicans, a movie I liked, turned me off of DDL and his "genius" label. He was completely pedestrian in it.

I don't think actors are brilliant or genius. I think they're just playing make believe like children do.

My take on DDL is he's a fine actor, an attractive man, who markets himself well, and formed quality strategic partnerships in Hollywood that artificially boosted his reputation.

I've seen more "brilliant people" working at cash registers in gas stations.

 

[Dark Star]

Anyone who works in sales or customer service is already a gifted actor lol, and that’s a lot of people whose job is already memorizing lines and speaking professionally. I think many people could pull off acting in a movie or tv show or something like that, but most people don’t choose it as a career path for obvious reasons.

 

[EviLore]

Plenty

 

[Ionian]

Agreed.

If any of you have ever worked with a company's Sales department, right there are 100% actors alone!

I did sales for years. There's a very good reason why you're told not to use your real name.

Sales is a perfect analogy and that transcends honesty in each walk of life because you are always selling yourself to another person in a workplace if they are above you. Just ABC.

Always. Be. Closing.

Especially if you want a coffee. Or a promotion, or a lover. Those are the rules of the game.

Have to feel them out (or up) until you can let your guard down. Any job from working a corner shop to sales to landlord. Same rules. Always.

 

[EverythingsOverrated]

I've spent a lot of time in video/tv production types of classes in high school and college and also went to a high school with a shitload of theater kids.

Most people are overwhelmingly shitty at acting. I would say about 15% of people can act at a passable level

Everyone acts everyday of their lives

We all wear masks............metaphorically speaking

 

[20cent]

Acting is a skill like any other. It's like asking how many people can ski.

Yes, most actors come from acting schools

 

[poppabk]

100% of humans can act, they just might not be very good at it.

Bullshitting and lying isn't acting though. Stick most of those people in front of a camera and give them a script and they might be able to do one role passably - a salesman.
Go watch the end of Free Guy - the streamers can't even passably act as streamers - not even made up streamers - they can't even act as themselves.

 

[teezzy]

i went to film school

people suck at acting and underestimate the skill it takes

 

[badblue]

Bullshitting and lying isn't acting though. Stick most of those people in front of a camera and give them a script and they might be able to do one role passably - a salesman.
Go watch the end of Free Guy - the streamers can't even passably act as streamers - not even made up streamers - they can't even act as themselves.

The question was "how many people can theoretically act" and theoretically everyone can act.

 

[StreetsofBeige]

I did sales for years. There's a very good reason why you're told not to use your real name.

Sales is a perfect analogy and that transcends honesty in each walk of life because you are always selling yourself to another person in a workplace if they are above you. Just ABC.

Always. Be. Closing.

Especially if you want a coffee. Or a promotion, or a lover. Those are the rules of the game.

Have to feel them out (or up) until you can let your guard down. Any job from working a corner shop to sales to landlord. Same rules. Always.

 

[poppabk]

The question was "how many people can theoretically act" and theoretically everyone can act.

The poll asks that but the OP clarifies:
"What percentage of the population could play speaking roles in TV and Television without sticking out?"
And honestly there are some Oscar nominated actors that can't manage that (looking at you Marky Mark)

 

[Halo is Back]

I act every day to put on the persona that I know wtf I'm doing in life.

 

[Mossybrew]

Everyone acts everyday of their lives

Yeah for sure. But the mechanics of professional acting, when all this attention and pressure is on you, is a whole other realm. I couldn't do it, and I do admire people that can.

 

[Ionian]

I act every day to put on the persona that I know wtf I'm doing in life.

There are people that will listen. Just remember that. There is no shame.

 

[Ballthyrm]

I said less than 1% because I took the narrow definition of professional acting. As other have already said not even a majority of professional actors can act that well either.

I doubt there 1% of the world whose profession is acting, so my guess would be, less than 1/100000.

Bu there's many skills that are as rare, how many can run ultramarathon ? It all depends where you put your personal bar on acting.

I rather have a définition where value is created and the skill is of enough notice to earn you some money.

Sure I can play basketball, but in a world where Michael Jordan exist, do I? I'm not sure we even play the same game.

 

[dr_octagon]

"All the world is a stage, life is a play and people be actors"

Quote from Sun Tzu's famous book 'Great Expectations'

 

[SJRB]

Holy shit that was amazing.

 

[badblue]

The poll asks that but the OP clarifies:
"What percentage of the population could play speaking roles in TV and Television without sticking out?"
And honestly there are some Oscar nominated actors that can't manage that (looking at you Marky Mark)

It's clarified even further: "Note: I'm only talking about minor speaking roles and up, not starring roles necessarily. Obviously the role would have to fit the person's appearance as well."

 

[BigBooper]

I think maybe 3%, but if they are able to get multiple takes like professional actors get, I guess it would be higher. I think a lot are forgetting how monumentally stupid a lot of the population is. Even repeating one memorized line would be difficult for a lot of people.

 

[EverydayBeast]

I'm not concerned with who can act, the city of LA is damn near a graveyard of failed actors, in terms of Oscar award acting somehow the percentage is %.0001 who the hell can act like the stars? Trying to be cool, or watching television isn't acting.

 

[RoboFu]

Everyone can act. You act every day. You either act mature, act stupid, act with sense or without. All of society is an act.

as far as movies and tv. Will smith and Jamie fox started from basically no experience and became two of the best actors.