<p>stagemum rightly posted about how expensive it is to live in NYC and/or LA. For those determined to “make it,” it is a matter of living with relatives (if lucky enough to have some) or with many roommates, working a lot of hours, and getting some financial help from home. Sometimes just experiencing that struggle to live in these cities on limited funds is an important wake-up call to teens who have never been on their own in the big world. This discovery (it’s expensive out there) can lead to adult independence, add to their resourcefulness (after all, most young actors after college have the same exact challenge), give them added appreciation for parents who support them through college for the next several years, or give them a chance to think seriously if this precarious life is really for them.</p>
<p>“I don’t know about you guys, but once I find out a young successful actor is the child/niece etc of someone famous, I stop inquiring about how “they made it”. Lily Collins is Phil Collins daughter. Enough said.”</p>
<p>Mommy5, what you say is true! And yet, such a connection will only get the kid in the door for a first look audition. There are, alas, tens of thousands of celebrities and high ranking film producers, each with a few kids, and yet… only a very few of their offspring actually get cast. However, the reality is that many of them will be sitting in the office of the casting director, next to our kids.</p>
<p>Fishbowlfreshman, I didn’t mean to imply young actors who make it big in Hollywood are not trained! But I was giving some thoughts on OP’s concerns about which college path may best lead to a film acting career and I suggest 4 years of college is not required to meet that singular goal. Whether one has parents willing to relocate the family to Hollywood in order to give their kid a boost, it happens all the time. Whether one is lucky enough to be born into a celebrity family, it comes with both perks and some hardships, too. (L. Collins father was married briefly to her mom, between 2 other wives/families and she grew up a continent away.) What she did get from both her parents was some great dna.</p>
<p>But whether these young actors have parents in high places–take a look also at Kristen Stewart whose parents are in the business, and also the Gyllenhaals–it’s instructive to look not only at their enriched opportunities, but also at their work and their careers. These actors are clearly bringing something to the table that the market wants. I don’t know the family background for Emily Blunt, btw, but she also started acting in films without attending college. But despite all that–I’m really an advocate for a full college education!! An acting career is not just for the super young!! And there are many top actresses (Anne Hathaway–Vassar/NYU Gallatin & Jessica Chastain–Sacramento City College/Julliard BFA, to name 2) who credit their career success to their training and growing up at college.</p>