Why I Almost Never Decline an Audition
I was having a conversation with an actor friend about auditioning and, during the conversation, he told me he declines auditions that he thinks are too small or not interesting. In the back of my head, I was thinking “dumbass.” He doesn’t do under-5 co-star auditions, in spite of the fact that he has almost nothing on his resume. Huh? In the 15 years or so, I’ve been in the business, I can count the number of auditions I’ve declined on less than two hands. Does that make me sound “holier than thou?” Maybe, but I think it’s good business (and this IS a business, after all).
There are only three reasons I will turn down an audition.
I’m already booked. If I have a conflicting project, I chose to save everyone’s time by declining the audition.
I’m too sick to do it. And by this, I mean I can’t get out of bed or my voice is gone. I’ve auditioned with the flu, I’ve auditioned with a sever headache, broken toes, and all sorts of other issues. If I can do it convincingly without showing I’m sick or in pain, I’m doing the damn thing,
I have an personal event that cannot be moved or refunded (e.g. a non-refundable vacation). Yeah, I’ll move a vacation for a booking. I’ll also skip a wedding or birthday. I’ve even gone so far as working on set the day after both knee AND ankle surgery. I once left in the middle of a family vacation for a job (fortunately, my family “gets it.”
Some actors will decline auditions for various reasons, so I’ll address those below.
The role is too small. If you are Brad Pitt or some other A lister or even B lister, then sure a one or two line audition is a waste of your time. But for the rest of us, not so much! I’ve had a few one-liners turn into recurring roles or became bigger roles. My last 3-line audition turned into a WEEK of work on Will Trent for ABC (and a nice payday). You never know where the character will go. The only exception to this rule is if that it’s a show I would be a great fit for and don’t want to burn the chance at a bigger role by accepting a one-liner. I trust my Agents to make these decisions for me.
The role does not pay enough. Every role that is worked under a SAG-AFTRA contract, no matter if it’s full scale or low budget, contributes to health and pension and earns residuals. I currently average nearly $20,000 per year in residuals from co-star roles.
I don’t like the character. This baffles me!! If you don’t like the character or language or content, that’s a perfect way to explore the human condition and step outside of your comfort zone. Every time I take on a character who is polar opposite from my real persona, it’s a huge learning experience.
I don’t have the time. BULLSHIT! Yes you do! With everything being self-tape these days, you cannot tell me you can’t carve out an hour to shoot an audition!! Feeling like you don’t have adequate time to prep? Learn to cold read and use your script!
Reasons I don’t often decline auditions.
My agents only get paid when I do. Agents work hard for their talent with no pay until the job is complete, so I believe it is important to respect the work they do on my behalf by maximizing the opportunities to earn money so they get paid.
It’s disrespectful to other actors. I once saw a sign in a Casting office in Los Angeles that read: “Your are one of 36 actors chosen for your role today. You were selected from a pool of 600-3000 submissions for this role. So, if you’ve made it past the thousand or so actors agents submitted to the role, you owe it to them to audition as most of those actors would kill for that opportunity. Especially with the state of the industry in 2026 when we’re getting fewer auditions than in previous years.
Casting Directors may stop seeing you and your agent might drop you. If I were an Agent or Casting Director giving actors opportunites on a regular basis, I’d be inclined to drop them for turning down too many auditions and wasting their time. I suspect a lot of Agents or Casting Directors feel the same.
Every audition is an opportunity! As I mentioned above, you never know when a booking will result in even more work — a recurring character or expanding role are always possible. Work begets work — it allows you to be seen and network! Not only that, but it’s a chance to ACT and practice you skills and explore new territory as an artist!
Auditions are a gift. Don’t take them for granted.
Before hitting that “decline” button, ask yourself if your reason is legit. Trust your team and trust the process. Now, go break some fucking legs!
