Category: The Industry
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What’s Filming in the UK and Ireland – Summer 2023
While summer blockbusters ‘Barbie’ and ‘Oppenheimer’ take cinemas by storm, here are the productions filming up and down the country that are coming next Despite a lot of productions having been affected by the SAG-AFTRA/WGA strikes currently taking place in the US, a number of films and television shows in the UK and Ireland have…
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My Casting Story: Lewis Shepherd in ‘Dear England’ at the National Theatre
Actor Lewis Shepherd talks to us about how he won the role of Dele Alli in the National Theatre’s triumphant play ‘Dear England’ Lewis Shepherd is a familiar name here at Spotlight. As a graduate, he took part in the Spotlight Prize in 2022, representing Rose Bruford College and delivering two stunning monologues, including one he penned himself.…
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The Importance of Positive Representation in the Acting Industry
From disability to gender and female characters, understanding why representation matters in film, theatre and media is crucial. Explore the impact of on-screen diversity, good examples of representation, and the positive effects diverse portrayals in the entertainment industry brings The UK and Ireland are home to an incredible crop of diverse talent delivering scene-stealing performances…
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What UK Actors Need to Know About the SAG-AFTRA Actors Strike
Understanding the SAG-AFTRA strike and its impact on UK performers in the UK. If you’re an actor or performer in the entertainment industry, you may have heard about the SAG-AFTRA industrial action. We’ll break down what the strike means, how it affects performers, and what actions you can take. What is the SAG-AFTRA industrial action?…
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The 12 Best Podcasts for Actors
12 of our favourite podcasts for actors to get acting tips, industry news or practical performing advice Listening to podcasts has fast become a popular pastime. They’re engaging, informative, and there are plenty to choose from. It’s estimated that there are now around 5 million podcasts worldwide, with 70 million episodes between them. A good way…
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Casting Director Nina Gold on ‘Slow Horses’ and Auditions
Nina Gold talks about casting Gary Oldman in ‘Slow Horses’, wanting actors to do well in auditions and being right for a part British casting director Nina Gold could not be busier, having cast several shows currently streaming, including Apple TV+’s Slow Horses and Bad Sisters, Disney’s Andor, HBO’s Rain Dogs and Amazon Prime’s The Power. With two BAFTAs wins, and five…
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What the US Writers’ Strike Could Mean for Performers in the UK
Why the Writers’ Guild of America is striking and how the writers’ strike could affect actors and the entertainment industry in the UK Published on 22 May 2023. Since 2 May 2023, the Writers Guild of America (WGA) – a labour union representing 11,500 writers across its East and West Coast branches – has been on strike.…
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The Winner and Finalists for the ‘Into the Spotlight’ Musical Theatre Monologue Competition
We’re excited to announce the winner and finalists for the latest ‘Into The Spotlight’ monologue competition! After the amazing response we had to our last Into the Spotlight monologue competition, we couldn’t wait to see what our talented members would send in – and you didn’t disappoint! This time around, we shone the spotlight on musical theatre,…
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Privilege in the Performing Arts
Why privilege plays a big, and sometimes unexpected, role in the background of people we see on stage and screen When we talk about privilege in the entertainment industry, we often see discussions centred around wealth, education, class, gender, race, and the whole nepotism debate. I think, however, there’s a lot more nuance to how…
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BAFTA TV Awards 2023: Full Winners List
Ben Whishaw, Kate Winslet and Lenny Rush win big at the 2023 TV BAFTAs On Sunday 14 May 2023, London’s Southbank Centre played host to the 2023 BAFTA Television Awards. Hosted by British comedy favourites, Romesh Ranganathan and Rob Beckett, the illustrious award ceremony welcomed both cast and creatives from some of the biggest television…