id like to learn how others handle the age-old age issue. not whether we are too young or too old to start, thats bull, follow your dreams no matter what your age. and its none of their business what our chrono ages are, do we LOOK the part, are we CONVINCING in the part, thats all that should matter. what i want to know is do you appear older than your chronological age? or do you appear younger than your chronological age? since it is illegal to deny anyone work based on his or her age, are you comfortable revealing your chronological age to cd's or managers or agents? if not, how do you avoid revealing your chronological age during interviews and auditions? have you ever had to present your license/id to anyone on auditions? what about after you are cast? do you then have to present your id to someone? how do we protect our privacy from everything from identity theft to ageism if we are forced to show our birthdates on our id's? i know we've spoken now and then on this before, im looking for some fresh perspectives on how, post 911, things may have become more difficult to protect our privacy and still be able to get a fair shake at work.

When I am casting, I never ask (with one exception, see below) someone's age because I consider it unethical. If someone looks the age of the part I am casting, that's all that matters to me.

The one exception is if I am casting over 18 to play under 18. There are lots of reasons I might choose to do that; and in that case, I would want to know for sure. Asking, at that point, has never been an issue.

Best,

Ron

No I don't tell them. I'm an actor who appears much younger than their real age. As of right now, I'm trying to get an audition for a teen part in a movie that's going to be shooting pretty soon.

I am 41 I look 30 & my voice sounds 15

Nope! I don't tell my age and I've never been asked. I've read that the correct answer would be to give an age range, according to what you look and the part you're going for.

Ex: If you're auditioning for a character in early 20s, but you're in your mid to late 20s. So long as you look the part, you can answer 20-25. That should be enough.

I've been asked by an agent what my age is, and I've given them the range 25 to 35 only to be pressed for more details, they want exact age. I don't want to lose roles BECAUSE of my age.

I am uncomfortable giving my age for any reason but some people don't want to hear an age range if you obviously don't look 18 anymore.

I think giving certain ages knocks you out of contention for other things. Now I know I can't play a teenager, and don't apply to those kinds of roles, but a 20 something I can play.

thanks everyone. i just think its awful for any actors to be subject to scruitny over their ages, our tabloids are constantly remarking on ages and looks of especially women actors. i cant stand it. ive even gone so far as to put a white strip of sticker over my birthdate on my id whenever i have to present it for anything. if i get carded at a bar, i dont go, ill go to one where they know me or let me in without it. in this age of identity theft i cant believe we are forced to divulge private personal info like that. in pa, if you are under 21 your license is horizontal. if over 21, its verticle. that should be good enough. you should be able to opt for "over 18" or "over 21" or "65 or over" on your licenses, imo. thanks all for the comments everyone, id love to read of any other creative charming ways anyone else has diplomatically been able to convey "none of yer friggin bidness" to anyone jerky enough to press for that info

You can always answer a question of "how old are you?" with the age of the character you are auditioning for...

thank you jackie. for me, i just dont want any of my personal private info out there now or later. if i let it out there now, then its always going to be out there, you cant bring it back. im pretty private about my personal info and family. i just dont feel any of that is up for public consumption if i chose it not to be. no matter what one does for a living, one has a right to privacy. answering with the age range of the character sounds pretty plausible. i guess i worry about sounding like im lying about anything, especially if casting dirs speak to each other and one has one age and another has a different one, am i just worrying too much about something that really isnt that big a deal anymore? id rather just not answer at all, but how do you do that and still seem pleasant and charming? thanks again, everyone for sharing your experiences with this.

I don't think you'll encounter much of this, to be honest. It's technically illegal for employers (including their emissaries like casting directors) to ask an applicant's age. Sometimes it happens, but usually it doesn't. Just say "I'm in my twenties" or something vague like that. I don't like the idea of saying an age range as much, such as "I'm 25-30," because it sounds so actor-ey. I prefer something simple and quick like "early thirties" (whether you are 32 or 37, if you think you look early thirties) or "how old do I look?!" If they persist, just give them the age of the character... Not a range. Just a number. You are auditioning for a college Senior? Say 22. Personally, if people persist, I just tell them my age. I don't care enough to be clever about it. At the interview for my first agent, he pressed me for my age, and then told me never to tell anyone else!
You will have to give your actual birthdate when you sign your payroll paperwork, but that's standard in any job, or so I believe.

I was dumb enough to put my real age on my IMDB page..can't prove that I lost any work over it, but, you never know..I'd remove it if they would let me.

IMDB won't let you remove it? Have you contacted them specifically about this, or just tried to do it automatically? I bet if you make a fuss, they will take it off.