Background & extras

Background Acting Jobs and Extras Casting Calls

Background work is how a lot of actors get their first day on a professional set. You are part of the world of the scene rather than the story, but the call time, the paperwork, the waiting and the on-set etiquette are the same ones you will use on every job after it.

333Open roles
11States
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Showing 289 of 289 open background acting roles

Live background acting roles

289 open notices on the board right now

Every notice below is a live listing from our board that includes at least one background or featured background role. We publish the production details we can verify — location, dates, compensation and deadline — and nothing we cannot.

At a glance

Agent needed
No
Audition
Rarely — photos and sizes
Typical commitment
A full day, often 10–12 hours
Goes on your résumé
No

How this work runs

  1. What productions ask for

    Most background calls want current photos, your sizes, your general availability and confirmation that you can get yourself to the location. Very few ask for a taped audition, so a clean, recent snapshot matters more than a polished reel.

  2. Union and non-union

    Union background work has set rates, guaranteed breaks and bump payments for things like wardrobe changes and getting wet. Non-union rates vary widely. The union status on each notice is taken from what the production told us.

  3. Turnaround is short

    Background needs are often filled within days of posting. Check the deadline on the notice and submit the same day you see it if you can.

What a background day actually looks like

  1. The night before

    Call time, location and wardrobe instructions arrive. Sometimes late. Read them twice — the wardrobe note is the part people get wrong.

  2. Call time

    You check in, sign paperwork and are directed to holding. Bring the paperwork they asked for; without it you do not get paid.

  3. Holding

    Most of the day. You wait here between setups. Bring something to do that does not need a charger.

  4. On set

    You are placed, given an action to repeat, and you repeat it exactly. Consistency across takes is the entire job.

  5. Wrap

    You sign out. Signing out is how the day becomes a payment — do not leave without it.

What to bring

  • The paperwork named in your booking email
  • Photo ID and the documents needed for payroll
  • Every wardrobe option they listed, clean and on hangers
  • Food you can eat cold, and water
  • Something to occupy several hours without power
  • A phone charger and a book, because phones get put away on set

Union and non-union background work

ComparisonNon-unionUnion
Who can take itAnyoneSAG-AFTRA members, plus non-members on vouchers
RateSet by the productionSet by the applicable agreement
BumpsRarely paidPaid for wardrobe changes, weather, props and more
Breaks and turnaroundWhatever the production runsGoverned by the agreement
Path to membershipVouchers can accrue toward eligibilityYou are already in

Rates and bump schedules are set by the specific agreement a production works under, and they change. Read what the notice states rather than what a guide tells you to expect.

Questions actors ask

Do I need an agent for background work?

No. Background and extras casting is one of the few areas where productions and casting offices routinely take direct submissions from actors.

Do I need a headshot?

A current, clearly lit photo that looks like you today is usually enough. Professional headshots help but are rarely required for background roles.

Does background work count as credit on my resume?

Background work generally does not go on an acting resume as a credit. It is valuable for set experience, income and union eligibility rather than for your credit list.

Do you vet the productions behind these listings?

No. We aggregate public casting listings and we do not vet the people behind them. Read the notice, check the production yourself, and never pay to audition — any listing that asks you for money is either a scam or a business we would not send you to.

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