Acting Resume: Format, Template, and What Casting Directors Want

A casting director spends only a few seconds on each resume, so yours has to be scannable, honest, and one page long. This guide covers the format they expect, the sections that get you called back, and a free template you can edit without a subscription.

Acting Resume: Format, Template, and What Casting Directors Want

Acting Resume Format: What Casting Directors Look For

Acting resumes follow a strict, simple format because casting offices sort hundreds of submissions quickly. Use one page, standard paper size, no photo, and reverse-chronological credits, with your contact details and union status at the top.

1. Put your name, union membership, phone, and email in the top section.

2. List credits newest first under Film, Television, and Theater.

3. Add training, special skills, and physical details near the bottom.

   

   Acting resume format one page layout

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Structure Your Acting Resume: Credits, Training, and Skills

Keep the sections a casting director expects, in an order that puts real credits first and supporting details later. Each credit line holds four facts only: role, project, production company, and director or year.

1. Write credits as Role — Project — Company — Director.

2. Group them by Film, Television, Theater, then Training.

3. End with special skills such as accents, stage combat, or instruments.

   

   Acting resume sections credit training skills

Acting Resume Template: What to Trim and How to Fill It

If the resume spills onto a second page, cut older or weaker credits rather than shrinking the text below 9 or 10 points. A clean template keeps your margins even and your sections aligned so the page reads in one glance.

1. Keep every section on one page with even margins.

2. Remove high school jobs, hobbies, and anything that is not casting-relevant.

3. Save the finished page as PDF so the layout stays fixed when you submit.

   

   Editable acting resume template document

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Keep Your Acting Resume Submission-Ready in WPS Writer

WPS Writer gives you a free, clean canvas for your one-page acting resume, with templates to start from and reliable PDF export for every audition submission. It works on desktop and mobile, so you can update your credits right before a call.

• Edit anywhere: update your credits on your phone minutes before an audition and export the same PDF.

• Cleaner than a builder: no paywall when you need a last-minute change.

• Fixed PDF layout: your resume reaches casting exactly as you formatted it. See more in WPS Writer.

Acting resume formatting in WPS Writer

FAQs

How long should an acting resume be?

Exactly one page. Casting directors skim submissions quickly, and anything longer gets cut before it is read.

Should an acting resume include a photo?

Usually not on the resume itself. Casting wants a clean text page; your headshot is submitted as a separate file alongside it.

What does a casting director look for on a resume?

Relevant, honest credits first, then training and special skills. They scan for experience closest to the role, not a long list of old jobs.

How do I format an acting resume with no credits?

Lead with training, workshops, and a strong special skills section, and keep it honest. Casting values credits, but new actors build the page with training and skills.

What is a good free template for an acting resume?

Start with a clean single-page layout in WPS Writer, then export to PDF so the format stays fixed for every submission.

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Algirdas Jasaitis