That might have been somewhat true 15-20 years ago if you were 18, somewhat talented, and exceptionally hot or a totally unique character type. But the market has changed and the actors who came in that way without having taken the time to learn a craft can no longer compete and have been mostly phased out. The market has gone truly global, less big budget films are being made, shooting schedules have gotten tighter with less takes especially in TV, and nobody has the time or money to mess with an untrained greenie anymore.
And don’t believe the hype about so-and-so A-Lister being an untrained natural, either. Remember all the hype about Jennifer Lawrence having never taken an acting class a couple of years ago? [Oh, really?](http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-2121264/Fresh-faced-Jennifer-Lawrence-pictured-famous–acting-coaches-praise-natural-talent.html)
And if you think for a second that’s all she’s had, I have some beach front property in Nebraska that I’d like to sell you. No doubt extremely gifted, but best coaches in the business …
Lots of working and name actors don’t have degrees in acting, but don’t believe for a second that they’re untrained and don’t take their craft seriously. That’s all contrived marketing to a public that for some reason values a strong work ethic for everybody except the celebrities who inhabit their fantasy lives.
Meh … I could go on and on, but here’s a recent Entertainment Weekly article entitled [What does the latest British invasion say about the state of American acting?](What does the latest British invasion say about American acting?) along with a companion piece by one of the teachers at Maggie Flanigan’s Meisner studio entitled [A Crisis in American Acting.](http://www.maggieflaniganstudio.com/acting-classes-nyc/crisis-in-american-acting/)