Steven Spielberg Doesn’t Owe You a Thing

Tough love time, ladies and gents.

Hate to break it to you, but this world doesn’t owe you a living. And Steven Spielberg doesn’t owe you a part in his next movie – no matter how good an actor you are.

We work in one of the most brutally competitive fields on this planet.

Unfortunately, I’ve known actors who somehow got it into their heads that the entertainment industry owes them a career – seemingly just because they decided to show up with a photo and resume in hand.

There’s a pervasive sense of entitlement in the arts. It’s always been there. It’s not recent, and it’s not political. It’s been running rampant in Hollywood and New York for decades – no matter which political party has been in office.

But there’s an old Swedish proverb I’ve always liked: “The best place to find a helping hand is at the end of your arm.” There’s also nothing like the feeling of accomplishment and personal satisfaction that comes with taking responsibility for yourself and your career.

Try it. You might like it. You might even like it better than complaining about your agent and all those roles you didn’t book.

Told you it was tough love time. Now stop complaining … and get back to work.

@MikeKimmelActor

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