Forum Topic

Actor or actress?

I always thought it was actress,  why do so many actresses not get called actor?

Emilia Fitzpatrick ● 4700d13 Comments

" I always thought it was actress,  why do so many actresses not get called actor?  " A matter of political correctness, choice and context.I always thought 'actors'  was the collective term, and, actors, actresses, the singular term.Referring to an individual female in the cast, she could be an actor, or an actress.  If the role specifically requires the part to be played by a female, she's more likely to be an 'actress.'There might be some females in a pride of lions, but the individual females are lionesses.If they are all female, they'd be a pride of lionesses By the way, what is 'it'?

Fred Bray ● 4700d

Just noticed my typo now that you copied and pasted what I wrote it should be, "why do so many actresses NOW get called actor"How is it political correctness?  Is calling a woman a women wrong and politically incorrect,  should we now say man because woman is wrong?  In my view male actor is an actor.  Female who acts is an actress,  in my book anyway.Agreed actors is the collective term,  but I was referring to an individual female who acts for a living.What prompted this burning issue was the front page story endorsed by Emilia Fox actor,  Anna Chancellor actor....I just rather ridiculously found myself muttering actrESS!But then Acton is a village too so maybe I just have no grasp on reality :-)

Emilia Fitzpatrick ● 4700d

What about the Marriage of Figaro where Cherubino, the Count's page is played by a female.  Does this make her an actor or actress?

Nikki Howard ● 4700d

Don't some see Actress as a bit demeaning and not serious - a bit like graduette (as in young girl graduettes) Totally disappeared from view aeons ago - we are all graduates now.

Sara Nathan ● 4700d

But how is it demeaning?  I just feel like it is an Americanism as females there refer to themselves as actor.

Emilia Fitzpatrick ● 4700d

Men and women are equal.    The job of acting, is a job for an actor.

Fred Bray ● 4700d

And the BAFTA award for best Actor goes to........oh dear who are we talking about men or women uummm if it is offensive or demeaning why would the BAFTAs be for best actor and best actress,  it should (if actress is so wrong a term)  just be best actor regardless of gender.Men and women are of course equal I am not saying they are not,  I asked how is the term actress demeaning?

Emilia Fitzpatrick ● 4700d

Where does political correctness end? An actress is a female actor & any woman offended by the word "actress" must be ashamed to be a woman.

David Wright ● 4700d

I agree with Sara. There is no need for these suffixes -- manageress, actress, even, God help us, authoress -- in the 21st century when men and women are all doing the same serious job and their gender is irrelevant.Actress now conjures up an image of a bimbo in a bikini in the background of the shot.

Susan Kelly ● 4700d

I can't understand what all the fuss is about. I've checked the article.--------------------------------------------------Current front page ActonW3 article :-"Actress and local resident Emilia Fox endorses a letter  . . ."  (right hand side, beneath pic)  Beneath the letter (left hand side) :-"Endorsed by:  Emilia Fox, actor"--------------------------------------------------Casting directors, introducing Emilia Fox. She can play an actress on the right, as an actor the left. At the same time.  Eeeerrrr,  and she's from Acton. To be an actor or to be an actress, that is the question

Fred Bray ● 4699d

Personally I have no problem with chairman or chair (though some say that turns you into a piece of furniture) "Madam chair" should deal with that but makes me splutter with giggles.Chairperson is horrendous, Chairwoman sounds odd.I think the male embraces the female - especially when the sex is of no relevance.

Sara Nathan ● 4699d

"Actress now conjures up an image of a bimbo in a bikini in the background of the shot."Oh come on Susan does it really?  I don't believe you.I word authoress is not especially used, actor and actress is in common usage and has been for yonks.As for Chairperson and Chair agreed silly and PC gone mad,  Chairman!

Emilia Fitzpatrick ● 4699d

I always have massive arguments with my dad about the word Chair. He likes Chairman - but to me, if you are a woman it's just not appropriate. He says Chair is like a piece of furniture, but I like it as being gender neutral. We have to agree to disagree!

Chris Hurley ● 4699d