Robin Wright’s advice to young actors: ‘There’s no security in acting, so you better be passionate’

Having worked in Hollywood for more than 35 years, Robin Wright has some great advice for navigating the film and TV industry.

For young actors hoping to make a living from their craft, Wright says passion and perseverance are the key ingredients.

“You have to persevere,” she says. “If this is truly something you want to do with your life, there’s no security in it, so you better be passionate.”

As for her own success, the actress-turned-director puts it down to staying true to herself.

“I think I’ve always been the same person that I am today,” she says.

“It’s very tricky, this industry – how do you stay in the business for most of your life? I’ve been in this business over 35 years, and I think it’s being selective in the right ways with material, going with your heart and really sticking true to who you are and not letting the theatre of it all get to your head.”

Having achieved such great success as an actor, Wright has turned to working behind the camera. The star has made her directorial debut with Land, a drama film which she also stars in. Wright plays a grieving woman who abandons society to live in the wilderness in the film, which is set to debut at the Sundance Film Festival.

Wright says she felt like she had ‘made it’ when she started getting offered parts rather than having to audition, but it took her two years to land a role when she first started out.

“I remember in the very beginning when I was first starting to audition it took two years for me to get a part,” she says.

“And that’s not unusual, but I remember at the time just being so frustrated and thinking, ‘I’ll never make it, I’ll never make it’, and I would audition and I’d get three or four callbacks for the John Hughes movies and Molly Ringwald would always get the parts!”

Watch the full interview with Wright above, or watch the trailer for Land below:

Member Login