Can A Screenwriter Be An Actor? The Pros And Cons Of Being A Writer-Actor.

Published: March 26, 2021 | Last Updated: September 9, 2024

There are countless examples of writers who act and actors who write. Typically, this is done to expand a list of credits, land a role unavailable to an actor, or develop a career.

In many cases, actors looking for a prestigious film or starring role will try to write their perfect film. If done well, this can launch a very successful career, as seen with Ben Affleck and Matt Damon in Good Will Hunting.

While these inspiring stories are often the exception to the rule, you should consider the pros and cons of choosing this route, which I’ll also cover.

Also, it’s a good idea to co-write or take a smaller role in your movie to allow bigger actors to be involved. We’ll talk more about that later.

Big-name actors Becoming Screenwriters

It is also common for big-name actors to write a screenplay if they want to pursue a more personal project or be cast outside of their typical roles. A clear and recent example of this is the 2018 iteration of A Star Is Born.

In this case, a well-known actor used their name to develop a prestige/passion project successfully. While this doesn’t apply to most of us, it does illustrate the ability of an actor to do both and the strengths around writing your film.

Especially if you’re adapting an existing intellectual property for your own project, writing the screenplay can help you personalize the story and create a character you identify with. As an actor, this ensures you do the best job possible.

Screenwriters Becoming Actors

It is also not unheard of for writers to move into the world of acting. A huge example of this is Thomas Lennon. After a successful writing career (Night At The Museum, Herbie Fully Loaded), Lennon moved into acting, probably most known as his role as Lieutenant Jim Dangle in Reno 911!.

If you can make a career in acting or writing, you will end up with a long list of industry connections. You’ll have managers and agents if you’re lucky and successful. With the support of these people, you can start putting yourself out there for more roles.

The most difficult part is breaking into all this. Depending on where you have the most momentum – as a writer or actor – use that as a launching point for the other half of your career.

Pros of Being a Writer-Actor

Though we’ve briefly touched on some of the strengths of being a writer/actor, I’d like to elaborate because there are many benefits.

In addition to tailoring a role to yourself, understanding story structure and script pacing is essential for anybody in the industry. Writing scripts yourself is one of the clearest ways to get a handle on this.

Vice versa, if you’re an actor and very familiar with screenplays, you’ll most likely avoid many beginner mistakes seen in screenwriting. These include formatting errors, extremely long action paragraphs, and an absurd amount of camera direction.

Writing and acting combined also give you a lot more areas in which to collaborate with others. If you’re looking to break into a super competitive industry, it helps not to be selective. The more capacities you can work in, the more opportunities you can have, and it can be a smart financial decision.

Cons of Being a Writer-Actor

It’s common to meet people who think they can do everything, but being humble and realistic about your abilities goes a long way.

Acknowledge that if you’re trying to expand out of writing (or vice versa). Take acting classes, ask actor friends for notes, and try to be as open to any project as possible. Don’t expect to star in the first film you ever act in.

What’s more, if you’re writing your own film and want to star in it (or even act in it), trying to get a little experience under your belt is an excellent idea. Do a few small projects before the big one. Having someone direct you a bit before putting together a reel is a good idea before you try to attach people to your project.

Even if you’re a natural talent, this is a great way to get comfortable being on camera and taking direction. This brings us to our next point: take direction.

As I covered in my last article, “Can A Screenwriter Be A Director?” a lot of the time, writers get very attached to their script. If you find yourself acting out your script, please let the director do their work. If they’re a good director, they will see things you aren’t, so listen to them. It’s important to trust and respect everybody on set.

Closing Thoughts

It’s your decision whether to act, write, or do both. How you go about it is also up to you. Regardless of how you do it, remaining humble and learning is important. As you build connections and friendships in the industry, try to learn from them. Ask for help as you try new things.

I’ve been lucky enough to have been invited to acting classes by friends who knew I was a writer. While I rarely act, understanding discipline is a great way to build friendships and learn more about what makes it such a difficult thing to do.

If you ever have the opportunity to learn about any aspect of the film industry, regardless of where your ultimate goals lie, I’d suggest taking it. Not only is it fun, but you never know when that information could come in handy.

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