Acting Cover Letter

Acting Cover Letter: The Ultimate Guide

5/3/2021

In this article, we'll discuss how to write an effective acting cover letter that gets a casting director to say, "Interesting! This actor might be a great candidate – I'm going to consider them closely."

Here's what's covered:

Why a cover letter can help you get invited to audition – sometimes even if you don't look like the actor they want.
The exact process most casting directors follow when casting, and where your cover letter fits in.
A simple, step by step guide to write a cover letter that ensures you stand out amongst all other submissions.
Examples of good, bad, and boring cover letters – along with explanations of what makes them good or bad.
A breakdown of how to write an effective subject line – plus examples.
How to use your cover letter to book more work, get an agent, and become friends with casting directors.

The Acting Cover Letter That Got Him Booked

Did you know that how you present yourself through your initial email or cover letter can determine whether you're invited to audition?

It's true.

In fact, I remember a number of years ago hiring an actor who would have been one of my last choices... but because of the cover letter he wrote I offered him the role!

I was in college at the time, and as a busy college student, you can guess how much time I had to take a detailed look through over 1,000 submissions.

In order to save time, I decided I would narrow down the submissions based on two simple criteria:

Whether they looked like the character I had in mind.
Whether they said something in their cover letter that would give me reason to consider them.

I remember getting tons of submissions. And honestly, most of the acting cover letters were so long and boring that I didn't even read past the first sentence!

The character I originally had in mind was supposed to be in his late twenties, but after reading an extremely compelling cover letter from an actor in his late thirties, I decided to audition him... and wound up offering him the role!

Believe it or not, things like this happen more than you'd think – effective cover letters have on many occasions helped actors get invited to audition for roles they didn't look right for.

Why? Because casting directors are often not 100% sure of who they want for a part, and an actor's cover letter can get them to open up their mind to a wider range of possibilities. That's how important it is.

How Casting Directors Cast

Here's a simple, step by step breakdown of the process most casting directors follow to narrow down the pool of submissions to find the best actor:

Ideally, they already know some actors: Casting directors keep a rolodex of their favorite actors. If they know someone they like and want to bring them in for the audition, they'll reach out directly to invite them in. Usually they'll fill in about 10-20 slots (out of their 30-40 available audition slots) in this fashion. Learn how to become friends with casting directors using my free Actor's Toolkit.
Post the casting call: Next, they go online and post a breakdown, saying they’re looking for someone to play a specific role. They give some of the basics, including a physical description and a general outline of the character’s personality so that applicants who aren’t a fit hopefully disqualify themselves before even submitting.
Wait for responses: They can get 5-10k submissions within the first few days of posting if they post the project on Actor's Access or another online submission portal because so many actors are looking for work. If they just post to Breakdown Services (only agents can access this), they'll still get 2-3k submissions.
Narrow them down as fast as possible: They'll often ask their assistant to quickly sift through all the submissions by looking at cover letters and headshots to disqualify those who do not have what they are looking for or seem unprofessional.
Look at demo reels and acting resumes of the top 100-200 people: The final 100-200 people they’re left with will typically have their resumes read, and they’ll have their reels and/or websites checked. At this point, the casting director wants to ensure that the actors they’re going to audition meet certain criteria, such as being highly talented and having a brand that fits the character they’re auditioning for.
Invite the top 50-100 actors to submit a self-tape and/or attend an audition: They'll now ask their top-choice actors to submit footage or come to the audition, where they'll make final selections.

Notice where the acting cover letter fits into this process. They are at Step 4 – the same place where they're looking at your headshot!

This is because your cover letter is right there, front and center. Along with your headshot, it's the first thing they see when they open your email or casting submission.

Actors who keep their cover letters short and sweet can sometimes convince a casting director to take a deeper look at their reel and resume – even if their headshot doesn't match exactly what the casting director is going for!

Why? Because there are certain qualities they can ascertain from a cover letter that can have a major impact on whether you'll be considered.

From your cover letter alone, casting directors can tell:

How easy you'll be to work with
How professional you are and whether you'll be a good fit for the production
How much of a team player you'll be (meaning whether you'll be worth hiring)
Whether you'll be a hardworking actor or one who puts in the bare minimum of effort.
Whether you're right for a role – even if you don't look like exactly who they're looking for.

What is an Actor Cover Letter?

Well, to put it as simply as possible, an acting cover letter is a simple, short introductory statement that tells a casting director or agent who you are and why you should be considered.

Think of a cover letter as a few sentences designed to get someone interested in watching your reel and taking a look at your resume in more depth.

Why Do You Need a Cover Letter?

Almost every actor will have their headshot reviewed, but when it comes to looking through their resume and reel, unless you look EXACTLY like the character they're trying to find, you'll need a good cover letter to get them interested in spending any more time on you.

Why? Because casting directors, agents, and managers are extremely busy. They look through hundreds (and sometimes thousands) of submissions from actors each day and most of those submissions are almost exactly the same.

A great cover letter wakes them up from the monotony by creating an emotional reaction in them. If you can get them to laugh, feel excited, or simply think, "Huh! That's interesting," you'll have a better shot at being considered.

How Do You Write a Cover Letter for Acting?

So what should you say in a cover letter? Well let's break it down step by step.

First, keep in mind that unlike cover letters for applying to a regular job, most acting cover letters are not meant to be formal. They are simply a short note you attach to a submission or the email you send that includes your headshot and resume.

Unless you're specifically asked for a .pdf or .doc format cover letter (as you might be for college acting submissions), there is no need to write your cover letter in Microsoft Word. In fact, doing so could cause a casting director to not even open it at all (because it's too much effort)!

For this reason we're not going to discuss margins and formatting – they are irrelevant for most acting cover letters. All you need to know is that your cover letter should be 3-5 sentences broken up into 2-3 short paragraphs.

Here's how to write a great acting cover letter:

Step 1: Address the individual. Do not write "Dear Casting Director," or "To Whom it May Concern." It's much better to write, "Dear Margaret," or "Hi Margaret," etc. If you're not sure who the casting director is, try doing some research online using tools like CastingAbout. If you address them by name, you have a much better shot at them actually reading it.
Step 2: Tell them who you are and what you want. Right away, you should specifically state who you are and what you're looking for, whether it's to be considered by an agency for representation or a casting director for a role. Here's an example:
- "My name is John Smith and I'd love to be considered for the role of Horatio in your upcoming production of Hamlet."
Step 3: In a new paragraph, include a single, simple sentence that captures their attention and gets them interested in you. This could be anything, but it must be relevant and custom-tailored for each project or submission. It's important that you write this as a new paragraph because they might miss it if it's jumbled in with your first sentence! Some examples of second sentences that capture people's attention are:
- "I absolutely LOVE the idea of this project because ______" (shows why you're so right for the role).
- "I just finished an Off-Broadway run of [similar show you're submitting for]" (shows that you're experienced).
- "Mark Smith suggested I reach out to you regarding the role" (shows a personal connection).
Step 4: In the same paragraph, include a sentence showing them why you're qualified for this. Here you can include additional credits or mention the names of some actors or directors you've worked with – basically you're name dropping to show them that you're serious. Even if you have no professional credits, you can still mention someone well-known you might have studied with. And don't worry, if you don't have anything to include, you can skip this step.
- "I've had over 4 years of classical theater training and have performed in 17 Shakespeare productions since graduating in 2003."
- "I've studied at the Stella Adler school for two years and am currently represented by Abram's Artists Agency."
Step 5: Include a second sentence designed to capture their attention here. It should be anything that's relevant – especially if it's a reason you feel uniquely qualified for the role.
- "This role truly stood out to me because I also ran away from home when I was young, so the experience is very near and dear to my heart."
Step 6: Tell them that you know they're busy and ask them to review your materials.
- "I know you're busy, so I'm keeping this short – I would absolutely love the opportunity to be considered for this role, and have included my headshot, resume, and reel below."
Step 7: Thank them for their time and sign your name.
- "Thank you so much for your time! Sincerely, Martin Bentsen."

The formula above works extremely well, but if you want to be even more advanced, you can reverse the order of the first two sentences to try to capture their attention immediately. This is a bit advanced and might take some experimentation to ensure it flows naturally.

Keep in mind that your cover letter is a way to get an agent, casting director, or manager interested in working with you (either now or in the future) and emotionally invested in wanting to see more from you.

They often won't even look at your cover letter if the first or second sentence doesn't capture them, which means you're leaving it up to your other marketing materials to do the job.

Remember: your marketing materials are only HALF the picture! The other half is the YOU behind your headshot. Who are you and why do you care so much? Pretend that your cover letter is a personal introduction from you so they see what makes you different and understand why you want their project to succeed.

Here's a great video that goes more in depth, and then you can scroll down further to see some examples of good and bad cover letters:

Examples of Cover Letters

Here are a few examples of cover letters. Some people ask me if there is a difference between a cover letter for adults and a cover letter for child actor, but there isn't one so don't worry about that when reviewing these examples.

See if you can figure out what makes them BORING, BAD, or GOOD:

Boring Cover Letter

This is the type of cover letter most actors send. Usually no more than the first sentence will ever be read:

To Whom it May Concern,

I wanted to reach out regarding the role of Jennifer, which I found on Backstage. I have experience singing, dancing, and acting, and received my Bachelor's of Fine Arts degree from NYU. I believe I'm a good fit for the role because I look the part, have experience singing, and feel the role is a great match with my personality.

My extensive experience on stage and in film & tv has taught me how to truly embody a character and bring them to life from a script. I have been cast in numerous professional television roles as Guest and Co-Stars, along with performing in the ensemble of a touring rendition of Little Shop of Horrors. I also have extensive experience in comedy and have performed for both young and old audiences alike.

My training as a film and theater actor gives me the necessary experience to play the role of Jennifer in your production. I am 5' 8" and weigh 119lbs. I also believe that my experience with improv gives me a great sense of comedic timing, which would be perfect for this role.

I hope to have the opportunity to audition for this part, as I feel confident that I meet all the necessary requirements of the character. The best phone number for me is (000) 000-0000 and my email address is fakeemail@fakeemail.com. Thank you so much and I look forward to hearing back.

Sincerely,

Robin Wright

Why it's boring: Because it's the same thing every actor sends, so you'll never stand out. There is no personalization (addressing the casting director by name) and it's way too long! Finally, it's focused on her training and experience rather than the emotional side of WHY she wants to be in the production. If they want to know your experience they will look at your resume – remove most of that from your cover letter.

Bad Cover Letter:

Using a cover letter like this can actively cause a casting director to NOT want to work with you:

Hello,

I am submiing for the role of jennifer.

please see enclosed my matrials and I hope to hear back.

robin wright

Why it's bad: I shouldn't even need to say it. It tells us nothing new and there are lots of spelling and grammar mistakes. It also doesn't address anyone by name.

Good Cover Letter:

This cover letter can help make up for a weak headshot and resume (but certainly won't make up for bad acting in a reel):

Dear Margaret,

I'd like to submit myself for consideration of the role of Jennifer in your upcoming production of Doris Freeman.

Mark Adle (I believe you two know each other?) told me about this opportunity and recommended I get in touch with you. I've trained with him for the past two years and have just completed my Bachelor's of Fine Arts degree in acting from NYU.

This role truly stood out to me because I feel as though I've been living this character for the past few years of my own life – especially the part about the dog running away from home – unfortunately the same thing happened to me when I was younger and I was really torn up over it.

I know you're busy, so I won't take up anymore of your time – I've included my headshot, resume, and some footage below. Thanks so much for your time :)

Sincerely,

Robin Wright

Why it's good: Because it follows the formula above, is short enough to be quickly read, and shows why she is uniquely qualified for the role. Even if she doesn't look exactly the part, the fact that she has a personal connection and also owned three dogs like the main character could be enough to at least get Robin in the room for an audition (assuming her attached footage shows she can act).

Quick Cover Letter Tips from Blair Hickey (Casting About and Breakdown Services)

"For a submission for a role, there often won’t be a cover letter, just -- if appropriate -- a short little something in the notes field, meant to provide more info on why you should be considered for an audition. The best version of these notes is literally just a couple of words pointing out the specific skills/experience/knowledge you have to help the CD [casting director] tell the story (and therefore why you are a good candidate for one of the limited audition slots.)

So if the role is for a soldier, a note that says “Former Marine” (or something like that) really stands out. I saw a submission once for an “ex-cop” role that had the note “25 years in law enforcement.” Perfect. Short, to the point, and draws a direct line between the needs of the role and a skill you have. ("Fluent in French”... “Plays guitar”... “Lifeguard training”.... etc.). With 1,000's of submissions, CDs just don’t have time for “Dear Casting Director....” or really anything that doesn’t quickly address that specific role.

When sending a more general message to a CD -- an introduction, a thank you, an update on your career and/or representation, etc -- there is more room to be conversational, but I think the same principal applies: the point of the message is not what the CD can do for you (“Please consider me for anything you’re doing...”) but instead how you could possibly help them (“I know you’re casting such-and-such play, and wanted to let you know I did that show for my MFA program” or “Saw you were casting new show about a high school and I’ve made a career out of playing teachers.”) In other words, there’s a reason why the CD should consider you, other than the fact you just want a job.

Bottom line, whenever I communicate with a CD either through a postcard or any other method (social media, email if they’ve given the greenlight for me to use it) it’s really less of a cover letter, and more of a reminder that I have something to offer them. I always assume that for any message coming from an actor, the CDs first response has to be “why you?” Hopefully my note can help answer that."

What Should an Actor's Cover Letter Include to Be Even More Effective?

Now that you understand how a cover letter works and the steps behind writing a strong one, you can use the tips below to really make it stand out:

Highlight skills that are relevant and make sense to the casting director for the production. Some skills to consider highlighting include adaptability, improvisation, physical stamina, fluency in different languages or specific accents, martial arts skills, etc. That being said, ONLY highlight the most relevant skills or else your cover letter will start to get too long and the casting director will stop reading.
Tell them why you are qualified for the role. You can show how the film or character matches your goals and brand, or even highlight experience you've had that is similar. If you decide to highlight other productions you've been in, be sure they're relevant and/or recognizable.
Be clear on which character or production you're submitting for. Sometimes casting directors can lose track of which productions actors are responding to if they're working on multiple projects at once, so make their life easy by letting them know what you're applying for.
Proofread your cover letter. Improper grammar and simple spelling mistakes can make you look careless, which might cause the person reading your cover letter to think you're the type of person who will also show up late.
Keep it very short – ideally no more than 5 sentences altogether. Too long and they won't read it!
Do your homework. You can research the casting director's name on LinkedIn to see if they know anyone you know or if they've been involved in any productions you've also done (theatrical shows) – this is a great way to instantly stand out. Not doing your homework will cause the casting director to assume you're not interested in the production and it can also be a missed opportunity if you actually have something in common with the casting director.
Feel free to show your enthusiasm! Casting directors want to work with an actor who is just as excited about the production as they are, so don't be afraid to show them how much you'd love to be a part of it.
If possible, show how the production connects with you on a personal level. For example, if you grew up with a dog and the character is very close to a dog in the film, talk about how much you loved your dog and how you always missed him when he passed away.

Here are a few tips to keep in mind directly from professional casting directors:

Brette Goldstein
"Make each cover letter specific. Know who you’re talking to – their tastes and what they are currently casting. Show empathy. Most agents and casting directors are overworked, underpaid, and understaffed, with very limited time. Who do we both know? Drop some names but keep it in context of who you’re talking to. Ask for what you want, but within reason. Keep it short and sweet."

Kimberly Graham
"Always be sure to follow each casting director's instructions on submissions because everyone is different. If you are not sure, send a brief email with your materials/links attached. Keep. It. Brief. We go through thousands of submissions and don't need to read your life story."

Elaine Del Valle
"A brief correspondence is always best. We move quickly. Do not exceed 3 sentences. I prefer casting notes on submissions that actors are right for on the submission platforms (i.e. Actor's Access or Casting Networks, etc). Or if an actor has a new reel, performance video, performance award, booking announcement – I’m happy to click a link. Perfect correspondence: 'Hi, just won Best Actor award at XYZ festival. Here’s a 2 minute link to my performance video (or trailer).'"
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Things to Avoid Doing

Don't include things that will get your submission sent to the spam folder. Avoid including an HTML email signature, more than two attachments, and more than two links. The more attachments and links you include, the more likely your email will never get seen.
Don't forget to follow up. I recommend using a free tool like Follow Up Then – you can BCC 4days@followupthen.com and you'll get a reminder to follow up if you haven't heard back and were expecting to. Alternatively, you can use Gmail Read Receipts – these tell you if your email has been opened or not (but take note: Gmail Read Receipts can sometimes cause your email to go to spam, so if you don't see it was opened at all, you can try sending another copy of your email with the Read Receipts setting turned OFF.
Never lie. When casting directors begin considering you seriously for a role, they'll double and triple check all the productions you mention on your resume and any experience you mention in your cover letter. Because it can be hard to narrow down great actors, one way casting directors make their jobs easier is simply by looking for things you did wrong – such as lying on your cover letter – to help them weed you out.
Don't focus too much on yourself. It's best to talk about why you're so interested in the production and what you can do to help the production out – rather than focusing on your experience and why you're better than other actors. The more you focus on the production, the more likely they'll read through your entire cover letter.
- Example focused on you: "I would love the opportunity to be in this production because I've been in similar productions, including NAME, NAME, and NAME."
- Example focused on them: "I would love the opportunity to take my experience from similar productions (including NAME, NAME, and NAME) and use it to bring a brand new perspective to this role."
Don't be fake. Fake enthusiasm can come across as dishonest and make them question whether you'll be easy to work with on set. You should truly ask yourself why this production would be so enjoyable for you and not simply make up a generic answer. The more specific you are, the better.
Don't mention unrelated and irrelevant skills that any serious actor should have. Examples include interpersonal skills, confidence, problem-solving skills, positive attitude, time management, memorization, or training in performance arts. You can mention these skills on your resume if they are critical, but they should absolutely not be discussed in a cover letter. They're so generic that they can come across as meaningless.

Subject Lines for Acting Cover Letters

The best subject lines are simple and straight to the point.

A friend of mine named Ramit Sethi has a saying: "Be clear, not clever!" The more clever you try to be with your subject line, the more confused (and possibly annoyed) people will be.

Here are some examples of cover letter subject lines:

Bad: "The Actor You've Been Looking For"
Good: "Professional Actor Seeking Representation"
Better: "Just Booked a National Commercial, Now Seeking Representation"
Bad: "I'm Perfect for this Role"
Good: "Actor Submitting for Role of NAME"
Better: "John Smith [mutual contact] Recommended I Submit for Role of NAME"

Note how the best subject lines include a stand-out fact or name a mutual connection.

And of course, remember to keep your subject lines short – anything longer than about 8-10 words will likely get cut off, so be careful!

Tips to Use Your Cover Letter

In general, there are three ways to book acting work and your cover letter can help in each:

Submission through online websites such as Casting Networks or Actor's Access. This is the most common route that actors use, but it's very hard to stand out when submitting yourself online. Typically for every 10 submissions, you'll be invited to submit one self-tape. A great cover letter can actually improve this ratio to around 3-4 self-tape opportunities per 10 submissions. That's a huge jump!
Signing with an agent or manager who will submit you. Most actors want an agent because they'll have someone with tons of connections submitting them for roles and helping them build their resume and connections. A great cover letter can help you get the opportunity to meet with an agent. In fact, it's one of the most important parts! Download my free agent cover letter for agents template here.
Networking with casting directors and being invited to audition. This is hands down the most effective way to get major opportunities. If you become friends with casting directors who are working on major productions, they'll allow you to bypass the casting process by simply offering you an audition slot if they like you and think you'd be right for the role. Many actors get offered lead and series regular roles in film & TV with this strategy. A great cover letter can help you connect with new casting directors who might later give you the opportunity of a lifetime! Download my free Actor's Toolkit where I show you exactly how to do this.

Remember – you only get out of your acting career what you put in, and a great cover letter is something that might require some effort up front, but will give you years and years of reward down the line since you'll just slightly modify your prewritten template each time.

Believe in yourself and feel proud when you write your cover letter, because you're the only one in the world who can offer productions something as unique as yourself.