How Do You Get Disney Acting Auditions?

Disney Acting Auditions

I frequently hear children asking about how to get Disney acting auditions. Many children, teens, and young adults are interested in being on the Disney Channel or in a Disney movie, and they want it to happen right now.

And while it would be nice to just show up at a Disney open call and be cast that very day, in reality, things just don’t happen that way.

Sure, there are some Disney stars who were “discovered” at a Disney open call or other talent search of some sort, but that is certainly more the exception than the rule.

My daughter is opening as ‘Belle’ in a community-theatre production of Disney’s Beauty and the Beast this Friday night.  She is thrilled to have this opportunity.  It is a great role for a young girl, and it is also great experience for her.

But having this role also comes with an unbelievable amount of hard work, and requires a huge amount of dedication.  She has to go to public school all day and then go to dress rehearsals for about 5 hours.  And after that, she has homework to do.  In addition, she has to rehearse her lines, songs, and dances for the show.

She is not doing this to try to get Disney acting auditions. She is doing this because she loves acting and loves musical theatre.  But, at the same time, it is additional experience that she can list on her resume. And extra experience is always a good thing on a resume.  Casting directors like to know that you are currently working.

So, “How Do You Get Disney Acting Auditions?”

The first thing you need to do when trying to get Disney acting auditions is to remember that becoming a Disney Channel star is a process. It typically takes years of preparation, training, auditioning, acting, and even a bit of luck.

Another thing you should keep in mind is that while acting for Disney appears to be a lot of fun, at the same time it is a lot of work. Before you start going to Disney acting auditions, think about whether you really want to make the sacrifices that come along with being an actor.  It is not as simple as it seems.

If you want to get Disney acting auditions, you need to get as much experience auditioning and acting as you possibly can. The more auditioning and acting you do, the better auditioner and actor you are likely to become. And becoming better at auditioning and acting will increase your chances of getting into Disney acting auditions.

This will also give you acting experience to list on your resume. Your resume contributes to a casting director’s decision about whether to bring you in for Disney acting auditions or not.

If you want to get Disney acting auditions, start out by doing the following five things:

1. Audition for and participate in community theatre.You can participate in community theatre wherever you currently live. You don’t have to be in Los Angeles or New York or Chicago or Atlanta. When you do community theatre, you gain valuable experience in acting, singing, dancing, and improvisation. Also, you never know who might see you in one of these performances.Doing community theatre will also give you the chance to prove to yourself and others that you really want to be an actor and that you can handle the demands that go along with an acting career.
2. Audition for and participate in student films, commercials, and music videos. These can give you valuable on-screen acting experience.  Also, the students of today will be the casting directors, producers, and directors of tomorrow. Do a good job in a student project, and that student may remember you later for other projects. Some of the best student projects might be submitted and accepted in film festivals and other contests, so there is also a chance you might get some visibility.  This also can give you footage for your reel.
3. Audition for and participate in low-budget and non-paying films, commercials, music videos, webisodes, etc. These can give you valuable on-screen acting experience.  Some of these may end up going to festivals or other contests, so you could get some visibility. Also, the casting directors, directors, and producers involved in these projects may move on to bigger and better things and may remember you for projects they have in the future. You can also get footage for your reel.
4. Enroll in good acting classes, comedy classes, and improvisation classes. Training is very important.
5. Sign up and submit for jobs listed on sites such as Actors Access and Casting Networks.

Getting Disney acting auditions is really no different than getting any other kind of audition. You can watch for them on casting sites, on boards, forums, and in Backstage West and other acting publications (many of which are also online).

Instead of spending all your time searching for  Disney auditions and open calls, be sure to spend time building your resume and gaining the sort of experience that will help you find a talent agent if you don’t already have one. 

Having a good talent agent still really is the best way to get into Disney acting auditions.

And remember there is no cost to have a talent agent. Do not pay anything for a talent agent to represent your child!

A talent agent should only get paid when YOU get paid for a job you get while represented by them (even if you are actually the one that finds the work). In California this is 10% of your pay (by law), except for print work which is typically 20%.

In states other than California, check with your state labor board to find out what the rates are.

For more information on how to get Disney acting auditions, how to become a child actor, and many other related topics, be sure to subscribe to Your Young Actor’s Newsletter. You’ll also get a free 12-part mini-course on getting started in show business.