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one uncomfortable with this stuff isn't likely to go into acting
or be married to an actor.
I've noticed a lot of confusion between "actor" and "movie
star." People are posting things suggesting that actors are
willing to do all kinds of things for fame and money.
Actors — as a whole — don't generally receive either fame
or lots of money. With a few exceptions, acting is not a lucrative
field. Yes, Tom Cruise makes millions, but less than 1%
of actors are stars. If there's a scene in which Cruise goes to
Starbucks, the guy behind the counter is just as much an actor
as Cruise.
If an actor is in the Screen Actor's Guild, and he's not
famous, he's likely to earn union scale, which is about $800
a day. That's not bad, but note that most people in the union
aren't working every day. There's a lot of competition, and
too many people for the jobs available, so most actors spend
a lot of time unemployed or working temp jobs between acting
gigs.
They are also not, for the most part, famous. no one remembers
what the guy-behind-the-counter looks like. They're
focusing on Tom Cruise. no one recognizes most actors when
they walk down the street.
(Actors can also make money from residuals — payments
doled out each time, say, an episode of a TV show is aired.
I have a friend who regularly appears on soaps and shows
like "Law and order." He's not a "background player." He has
lines. He just posted on Facebook that he got four residual
checks in the mail. Together, they total fifty cents.)
It is true that when actors are young and just starting
out, a lot of them are hoping to become stars. And such folks
might kiss or have simulated sex in the hopes it will eventually
lead to fame and fortune. But once actors have been plying
their trade for years, they pretty much know that (unless it's
already happened), they're not likely to become stars. I spend
most of my like hanging out with actors, and I can promise
you they don't all talk about "the big break" they're hoping for.
Yet they still engage in screen kisses, and their spouses
still watch them do this. My wife, for instance, is never likely
to be rich or famous. She knows it. I know it. And yet I don't
say, "If this isn't going to lead to you being a star, quit kissing
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