A landmark study released by Actors’ Trust has uncovered a startling "loneliness epidemic" among the UK’s acting and stage management professionals. With 3,700 respondents, the study is the most extensive of its kind, revealing that those working in sound, stage, and screen face levels of isolation far exceeding the general population.
The statistics are sobering: 77% of actors and 85% of stage management professionals reported feeling lonely in the last year. More critically, approximately a third of these professionals feel lonely "often," compared to just 7% of the general public.
Alex Macqueen, actor and Chair of Actors’ Trust, suggests the industry’s structure is a primary driver of this crisis. While the profession is often associated with vibrant collaboration, the reality is a cycle of intense, short-term relationships followed by abrupt separation.
“Relationships are formed quickly and intensely during a production, only to often end abruptly when the job finishes,” Macqueen explains. “That cycle... can be destabilising—and as we see from our research, over time it leads to individuals with wide networks of acquaintances, but very few enduring, supportive friendships.”
Beyond the transient nature of the work, the report highlights several contributing factors:
Financial Strain: 81% of actors must take on non-acting work to survive, leaving them "exhausted" and with little time for a social life.
The Digital Shift: The rise of self-tape auditions has removed vital face-to-face human contact.
Societal Judgment: Many professionals feel misunderstood or judged by those outside the industry for pursuing an "unstable" career.
In response, Actors’ Trust is developing new peer support initiatives and wellbeing workshops in partnership with BAPAM. Ambassador Maxine Peake praised the research for shining a light on challenges that are “widespread and often overlooked.”
As Macqueen concludes, “We cannot accept this as being simply ‘part of the job.’ If we want a thriving cultural sector, it is up to all of us to look after the people who power it.”
For more information and to access the full report, visit www.actorstrust.org.uk.
