The best type for actors?

[ssrprotege]

Somehow I gained interest in posing as other types and acting like other types, as a way to get out of my comfort zone (and I am quite bored during the summer) but so far I am not doing a good job....so, my failure sparks curiosity.

Well, what are some types that will make good actors/actresses? Does being able to simulate other types mean that they may be a good actor/actress? What do you think? Based on some internet sources, it seems SJs' aren't likely to choose acting as a career....understandable.

I think NFs' are superb. They like new challenges and are superb at "reading" characters' minds at multiple perspectives (N) and are good at understanding the characters' emotions (F).

Ideas?

[RabbitEars]

I am quite sure there's a lot of SFP in this job. It's that kind of risky job that an SFP would take, and plus, look at all those scandals, people marrying and divorcing with a speed of light.
The most talented probably come from NF stock, I agree, and I guess all NFs (just like writers are mostly all four NFs, contrary to the popular belief - funny thing that my ESFJ friend wrote a book, but claimed she has no other ideas and she can't just sit down and imagine things, also she didn't have perserverance to edit it and was almost offended by the suggestion).

[mkay]

My impression of acting is that unless you are writing your own role, you are a tool of someone else's imagination and vision. There's some room for individuality and personality within each role, but it's limited. You wouldn't even be cast in a role unless you fit someone else's vision to start with. I'm not sure what MBTI type would fit best, but I think acting is much less creative than writing, for example, and would require someone who is willing to be ordered around a lot.

[intj5784]

it took me 2 months of daily practice to simply shed a tear lol! still far from perfect. my mimicry of people is quite natural as i tend to pick up other people's mannerisms just by hanging out with them. releasing emotions and expressing is unnatural for me though and it takes a lot of effort.

i also do not like doing somebody else's ideas. i usually take characters and make them my own but very few actors have this chance.

[sam988]

ESTP is a good one. They're always acting their way up or out of trouble in life. They know a lot about human interaction and reactions. Maybe there are some other types that are better suited for it, but ESTPs can certainly handle it.

[le Duc]

I think there might be an important distinction between stage acting and most screen acting: I think with stage acting (which is, of course, the only one I've done, and even that was limited), even though you're still in someone else's script, there's a lot more room to make and portray the character through your own creativity.

[Linwenilid]

I think anyone with a developed Feeling function could be a good actor. My first choice was someone with a developed Se, though (blame my Ni for that), and I got confirmation in this site (To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 2 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.):

The process involves instantly reading cues to see how far we can go in a situation and still get the impact we want or respond to the situation with presence.

That's pretty much what actors do when they act: adjusting their character to a situation and respond accordingly.

As for F, I think if an aspiring actor can use Fi to manage the emotions they want to convey, they'll be more successful in connecting with their audience than someone without a developed Feeling function.

So, I think either SFP is a good type to pursue an acting carrier (or acting out just for fun :p ), as they have Se and Fi as primary and secondary functions.





Linwenilid added to this post, 11 minutes and 41 seconds later...

it took me 2 months of daily practice to simply shed a tear lol! still far from perfect. my mimicry of people is quite natural as i tend to pick up other people's mannerisms just by hanging out with them. releasing emotions and expressing is unnatural for me though and it takes a lot of effort.


Funny. Seeing as how INTJs have Fi and Se as tertiary and inferior functions, it's actually possible for us to be actors, provided we develop those functions. :)

[intj5784]

i recommend it everyone though especially intj's to try it even if not for a career. there are amazing things to learn about yourself and others around you. i believe i became somewhat a better person after i finished my classes.

[blckprljinju]

SP is the artisan group after all, I'd think ESFP and ESTP probably overpopulate the industry.

I don't know about NF's (although I think all of my best friends are NF's) and acting, but they're pretty good at reading emotions for the most part, and I think they probably act to prevent "hurting other people's feelings". I think they're better at expressing themselves using another mean though, like writing or music or something like that... but then again, I don't actually know.

[Snowdragon]

NFs, especially ENFJs.

[spy4001]

esfp, estp, isfp, enfp

<turns of his NF super power>