Dear Casting Directors: Stop Ghosting Us
There are plenty of articles about what you wish we as actors knew—show up on time, dress the part, make bold choices, don’t ask for feedback. But it’s time to flip the script and tell you at least one thing actors wish casting directors knew: not hearing back after a callback is unprofessional, disrespectful, and completely avoidable.
I’m not talking about open calls or initial auditions, where hundreds of actors come and go in a blur. This is about callbacks, when we’ve made it to the final rounds, when we’ve rearranged schedules, put jobs on hold, and held our breath waiting for an answer, the least you can do is tell us if we didn’t book it.
Actors Have Lives
The Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates that between 2023-33 only about 8,600 acting jobs will open up each year. Meanwhile, studies show that 90% of actors are unemployed at any given time, and only 2% actually make a living from acting alone. So yes, when we’re being considered for a job, it matters. Every role, every paycheck, every opportunity affects not just our careers but our livelihoods.
But here’s what happens far too often: We get a callback. We’re put “on hold.” We wait. And wait. And wait. No updates. No decision. No respect for the fact that we might have other jobs on the line.
In 2017, I was once offered a role in a musical workshop—nothing huge, but a solid opportunity with a producer I’d worked with four times before. I said yes. Then, a national commercial put me on hold for the same day the workshop started. I immediately informed the producer, told them I’d keep them updated, and waited for an answer.
By the Friday before I’d still not heard anything, despite my agent reaching out to the commercial production. Saturday? Nothing. Sunday? Still nothing. So I had a choice to make, and given that the commercial was paying so much more, I chose to turn down the workshop.
Monday morning rolled around. The commercial shoot was set to start at 6 AM. Yet at 10 AM—four hours after the shoot had already begun—casting finally released me from my hold. The worst part? That producer has never called me in for another workshop since. Because of a lack of communication, I lost out on a working relationship I had spent years building.
Practice What You Preach
Actors are constantly told to be professional. To be flexible. To respect the process. But where is that same respect in return? And even industry professionals agree this is a problem.
An article in Stagemilk defines a great casting director as someone who “appreciates that we are waiting to hear and lets us know as soon as they can.” Casting Networks reminds directors to “respect actors’ time and commitments.” On The Stage says casting should always be handled with “professionalism, kindness, and respect.” So why is it still an accepted industry norm to ghost actors after final callbacks? Especially in an age of easy and quick methods of messaging.
A Simple Fix
Would we like a detailed breakdown of why we didn’t book a particular role? Sure, that’d be nice from time to time. But honestly, we don’t need an essay. All we need is a yes or no. A quick email. A simple message so we can move on. That’s it.
Because at the end of the day, actors aren’t just headshots or resumes. We’re people—people who clear our schedules, memorize pages of sides, pour ourselves into every role, and, frankly, keep this industry running.
Imagine an audition process where actors aren’t left in limbo. Where every callback is met with clear communication. Where being “on hold” actually means something. Where casting directors recognize that actors have careers to manage, choices to make, and lives to live—just like anyone else.
This industry thrives on relationships, and how you handle communication matters. A little respect goes a long way—and trust me, actors remember and talk about which casting offices treat them like professionals and which ones don’t.
So, casting directors, it’s time. Time to stop ghosting. Time to respect the work we put in. Time to do what should have been happening all along—simply letting us know.
Editor's Note: At StageLync, an international platform for the performing arts, we celebrate the diversity of our writers' backgrounds. We recognize and support their choice to use either American or British English in their articles, respecting their individual preferences and origins. This policy allows us to embrace a wide range of linguistic expressions, enriching our content and reflecting the global nature of our community.
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