What do we know about the
mental health of actors?
When I first asked that question back in 2017 I expected to be directed to a set of guidelines, some research, probably a few books on the subject. Instead I found that the answer was simple: we know very little.
Since starting my PhD I have found myself engaging with practitioners, clinicians, and researchers from all over the world, trying to get a picture of how we navigate the complexities that an embodied practice such as acting presents.
It became clear to me very quickly that this work is only the start. What I and many colleagues experience when acting is intimately tied to what our colleagues have to deal with, and many of their mental health experiences have never been examined in research. Directors, stage managers, agents, casting directors, designers… there are so many people who deal with the challenges of creative practice with very little support or guidance.
It has been exciting to see things starting to change, and to be part of that change. At the heart of this is the hope that the young performers I help train will enter into an industry that is better equipped, better informed, and more willing to ensure people are not harmed by their work, and that those of us who enter the workplace with pre-existing needs are not discriminated against.
There is a lot of work to do.
Thank you for taking the time to look at what we’re doing, for taking part, or for sharing it with your colleagues. What we learn here will feed into a growing understanding of what needs to change for people to be safe and included in our creative workplaces. We can do so, so much better. We just have to figure out how.
The structure of the research
This project is being carried out in several phases, with each phase shaping the next. This is called an iterative research project.
The idea behind this is to make sure that the research is being guided by the people whose experiences are being investigated so that any findings reflect those experiences as accurate as possible. Hopefully this will also make any results more useful as well.
The project is also carefully designed to allow people to take part confidentially or anonymously. We are very aware that the nature of acting work can mean actors come under a lot of scrutiny from the public and their peers, and that many feel that talking about these kinds of challenges put them at risk of discrimination. It has been a priority to ensure that no-one is put at risk by taking part.
Phase One: Interviews
The first phase of the research is a series of interviews in which people taking part will be asked to talk about their experiences of mental health challenges while working as an actor.
We are currently looking for people to be interviewed so if you are interested click below to find out about the eligibility criteria and what participating involves.
Sharing what we learn
This research is being undertaken as part of a PhD so it will be written up into a thesis and made available through MMU. This is expected to be completed in the second half of 2025.
To find out about other ways we are sharing what we learn from this work please have a look at our News pages.