Glory
"I'd like to thank the Academy, my mother, my acting coach, my rehab specialist, my parole officer, my pharmacist..."
The great thing about acting is that, no matter your financial or emotional struggles, a fair amount of glory can be achieved at just about any step along the way. We're not just talking Broadway, off-Broadway, or On Broadway; even killing it in a community theatre production of Grease comes with an element of that sweet, sweet glory.
That laughter, that applause—there's nothing like it. If you're doing your job well, you'll be entertaining and maybe even moving people—isn't that why you got into this biz in the first place?
Well, that and improving your chances of one day meeting Emma Watson/Channing Tatum/today's relevant eye candy.
Then there's the awards. So many awards. You've probably heard about the big ones like the Oscars (for movies), the Emmys (for TV), the Golden Globes (for both), and the Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards (for the win). If you're the type who's always singing show tunes (and why wouldn't you be?) then you know about the Tony Awards.
But did you know actors also win Grammys (for voiceover work)? Or that there are awards for commercials? If you're bad enough, you can even win an award just for being really bad. Not a horrible day at the office.