Bangel wrote:
Being part of a drama group and finding an agent so you can be a "movie star" are two very, very different things.
If you find an agent when you're younger, it's often a lot easier to get jobs. Sixteen year olds who go out for agents sometimes find it harder to get one if they have no professional credits because it's obviously harder for person A, who has no credits, to get the job over person B, who was in three commercials before they hit high school. But, of course, plenty of famous adult actors weren't child stars.
It depends how far you go. You look at people like the Olsen twins, whose lives were obviously pretty consumed with their work from before they could talk. On the other hand, I know of a lot of kids younger than I am (through my teacher) who act professionally - commercials, small roles in movies, etc - but it far from takes away their childhood, or anything silly like that. They go to school, they hang out with their friends, and they take acting classes and occasionally shoot something or go out for an audition a couple of times a month.
Acting is the only thing that keeps me sane occasionally (ok, stage acting at least, but camera is fine
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), and if I can save up money for college in the process I'm completely happy =)
Oh, and Eo, I just reread your post - stage acting is so much fun. My favorite thing in the world. Definetly get into it. Depending on the size of your town there's probably productions that you can audition for, or see what goes on at your school and such. I'm a complete musical theatre freak ^_^