Presented by AuditionCorner.com
Every actor knows the feeling.
You prepare for days, maybe weeks. You pour your heart into the sides, walk into that audition room, and give it everything you have.
And then… you hear nothing.
It’s one of the hardest parts of this industry—the silence, the “no’s,” the missed callbacks. It can shake your confidence and make you question your path.
But rejection doesn’t mean you’re not talented.
It doesn’t mean you won’t make it.
It simply means: not this time.
We asked a few incredibly talented artists to share how they personally navigate rejection—how they bounce back, stay motivated, and keep walking into the room with courage.
Their words are honest, vulnerable, and deeply inspiring.
🎭 Michael Santora — @michaelsantora
“Rejection is part of the job, but it doesn’t define my worth. I remind myself that I’m a whole person — with relationships, passions, and goals outside the audition room — and that balance keeps me moving forward. That perspective makes it easier to walk into the next one with confidence.”
🎭 Melissa Cabey — @melcabey
“I think accepting that rejection is a huge part of this industry helps me to know it’s not personal. Everyone gets no’s, and it’s the people who stay the course that are the ones to succeed. If it’s a no that really stings, I give myself 24 hours to be upset, and then I move on to the next one!”
🎭 Victoria “Tory” Vagasy — @once.upon.a.tory
“Instead of getting discouraged, I use every ‘no’ as motivation to work harder and prove to myself I can do it! Channeling those negative feelings into fuel and motive to keep going always helps me bounce back from rejection.”
🌟 Famous Voices Who’ve Been There Too
Rose Byrne
“Being an actor is mostly about rejection and being out of work. It was a fast lesson in all of that stuff.”
Ryan Kwanten
“As actors, we deal with rejection so much more than any other business. So I don’t care how much of a genius you are, if you don’t have the propensity to be able to get back up every time you get knocked down, then you’re not going to survive.”
David Morrissey
“When you are an actor, rejection and disappointment are an occupational hazard.”
💛 Final Thoughts
Rejection doesn’t mean failure — it’s proof that you’re showing up, putting yourself out there, and giving your all.
These artists remind us that every “no” brings you closer to the right “yes.”
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