About Types

You will often here the word types when people in the industry talk about actors. This page explains what a type is, and helps you find your type .

Imagine a casting director (or CD) is looking for 2 actors to play the following students in a film:

1. The best friend of the lead female; she’s always laughing and joking around and at the weekend she works in her mother’s shop where she bakes and sells her own cakes
2. The class bitch who is jealous of the female lead and wants to take away her boyfriend

Which of the following 2 actors do you think they would cast for each role?

In 99% of cases the CD will go with the obvious choice.

It may not be realistic, it may not be fair, but this is what happens in films. An actor’s looks are used as shorthand to their character type – when the camera cuts to you, the audience needs to know exactly who they are looking at.

As a quick exercise to prove this, the next time you watch a film, look out for these character types:

1. The girl next door
2. The geek
3. The big boss
4. The scumbag lawyer
5. The dim but attractive sportsman
6. The angry old man
7. Grandma and grandpa
8. The housewife
9. and so on…

It’s true that the moment most characters appear on screen, you can tell what type they are and how they will fit into the plot.

These days, almost every single actor you can name plays a type. If you don’t think this is true, imagine an actor playing against type and think about whether it would ever happen.

Can you ever imagine Eddie Redmayne playing Thor, for example?

So because actors play types, and because CDs cast types, it is really important for all actors to know their types, especially if you are starting out.

If, for example, your type is “the sexy lover” then there is no real point in you auditioning for the role of “girl next door” or “housewife”.

Now a lot of actors will argue with this. They will say that even though their type is “sexy lover” they can still play the “housewife” and it’s worth sending their casting application in.

Maybe… but don’t expect to get a reply.

Instead, we always advise actors to find their type and embrace it. Play up to it. Use it. Tell everyone what your type is and what roles you want.

“I’m an average looking female actor; I play the housewife, the shopkeeper, the social worker…”

You will find more work that way and with luck you will become known as that type so whenever a production needs a “businessman” or an “outcast” or “nerd” or a “housewife” then they will think of you.

Look at any film and you will see them. You can recognise them the second they appear on screen. 

There’s a very good  list here on Wikipedia which lists stock characters. Take a look and see if any of them apply to you.

And of course watch films carefully. Don’t pay too much attention to the leads, but look at all the supporting characters and ask yourself what type they are.

There are several good ways to find your type and they work, so use them all!

The best way is to take your headshot and then email it off to everyone you know and ask them a simple question: who would I play in a film?

Here’s the kind of email you can write:

Hi,

Can I ask a favour?

Slightly strange email but I’m trying to work something out as far as my marketability as an actor goes and I need a second opinion!

Basically I’m trying to work out what my “type” is, that is, what type of character I am best suited to play or what type of character I would most fit. If a casting director sees my picture, what kind of role would they think I’d be suitable for, in other words.

I’m asking a bunch of people (both friends and/or people in the industry) and I’d appreciate your help here.

First impressions are good so… when you look at me, what type of character do you think I’m best suited to play in terms of looks and attitude? Does anything spring to mind?

Many thanks indeed!

Now your Mum will probably tell you that you’d play the good looking lead because you’re better looking than anyone else on the planet, so it’s probably best to ignore that answer. But if you send out enough emails to different people you will start to get an idea of what most people think of you and how they see you on screen.

When you watch a film, ask yourself – honestly – which role you would get cast in.

Then ask yourself if you were a guest star on your favourite soap, how would your character fit in? 

Do this again and again and sooner or later you’ll start to recognise well established character actors who play the same kinds of roles that you would be perfect for.

Look in the mirror and try to be as objective as you possibly can and ask yourself these questions:

1. Am I good looking? Would Gal Gadot/Omar Sy try to pick me up in a bar? If the answer is, “no,” then you are not the lead!
2. If I met an old lady at a lonely bus shelter in the middle of the night, would she be afraid of me? If the answer is, “yes,” then you’re not the “nice” one everyone loves.
3. What’s my body type? Am I average, slim, sexy, fat, short, tall… be honest. Are you the type to play a mercenary or a baker? a jovial school teacher or an evil wizard? a seductress or a nerd?

Then ask yourself: who would play you in a film of your life? Would it be Josh O’Connor or Vincent Cassel, Emma de Caunes or Olivia Coleman?

When you know your type, you can begin to play to your strengths.

First off, you need to prepare a paragraph on yourself and who you can play. This is your “elevator pitch” to CDs. 

1. I usually play reliable “everyman” male figures: good husbands, helpful neighbours, vicars, social workers and so on. Martin Freeman or Russell Tovey perhaps.
2. I’m often cast as the slightly awkward girlfriend or the best friend who won’t steal your boyfriend. I enjoy the kind of intelligent funny roles you find Sandra Bullock playing.

You notice that as well as the type, there are real-life examples of actors so the CD can immediately visualise the kind of type you are.

Then you can begin to  apply to those jobs where they are looking for your type and ignore the others And  when you apply, tell them in your application what type you are. And  when you meet CDs in the audition, go as your type and dress as your type.

And importantly, when you have your paragraph put it in the  quick intro section of your profile so it stands out on your calling card here.

Since we put up this page, we have been told about a very good video where an American talent agent talks about typecasting and finding an actor’s type.

It is well worth watching.