Actors Can Be Introverts Too

Head in the clouds. Francesco Carta fotografo / Getty Images

by Seana Hendrickson, Guest Editorial

In my experience performing and directing, I have been fortunate to work with people from all walks of life. Some people were bombastic and outgoing while others were timid and soft-spoken. Often, the latter seems out of the ordinary for actors, but that’s not true. Not every actor wants to be in the spotlight or the loudest in the room in social situations which I think is a common misconception.

Unfortunately, a stereotype that has formed over the years is that actors are full of themselves and want to be the center of attention, hence why they get up on a stage in front of an audience. Yes, this may be true for some actors, but it is not always the case. The point of performing on a stage isn’t always to show off and stroke their egos.

Performing onstage allows actors to step outside of themselves and become someone else. Maybe an actor has a hard time making friends in their everyday life, so he/she has the opportunity to play the popular student. Or maybe someone seen as sweet and gentle gets to tap into their inner meanie.

As an introvert, I have found that performing has allowed me to become more confident in who I am by being someone else. That doesn’t mean that I love being in social situations with people I don’t know or that I love going out and being the life of the party. I often choose a night alone; however, I thrive and feel best on stage.

The joy of performing is that we get to explore all parts of ourselves that we may not be able to explore in our everyday life, because that just might not be our personality. It allows people who never speak up to find their voice in a crowd.

Being an actor doesn’t automatically mean you are the loudest in the room or the one with the biggest head. Being an actor is finding love and passion for sharing art through performance, whether you are the life of the party or the wallflower.