Expert: Kitty Kavey - 3/13/2005

Question
What advantages/disadvantages does an actor have?

Answer
Since you were not specific with your question, I will assume you mean what are some of the pros and cons to having a career as an actor.  If you meant something else, please ask the question again, with more detail.  
Of course the pros are easy; you're doing something you love, where you're excited to wake up and go to work.  If you live in a good market such as LA or NYC, you can work a lot, and earn a living.  Unless you are employed under a specific contract, however, you will not get a steady paycheck.  It may be weeks or even months in between jobs.  Most actors are forced to have a 'day job' just to make ends meet, and can find it difficult to obtain steady work which allows them to go off at a moment's notice to auditions or callbacks.  If you live in a smaller market, your chances of earning a living are even less likely.  Training, headshots and a demo reel can be expensive to maintain as well.  Overall, you have to love acting for the sake of the art and expression, and you can have a fulfilling and rewarding career.
~Kitty