August 2025: Activities for Every Day This Month

August is secretly one of the best months of the year because it sits at an interesting crossroads for actors.

While often seen as a seasonal lull, August offers valuable opportunities for professional development and creative exploration. It’s where growth happens behind the scenes.

With fewer auditions clogging the calendar, it’s easier to take a class, rework a reel and build connections. While August may seem quiet on the surface, it’s quietly powerful.

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Advice & Inspiration

1. Reset Your Why: Revisit why you started acting in the first place. Write it down and put it somewhere visible this month.

The actor’s grind can make you forget why you started this journey in the first place. Today, take 15–30 minutes to reset your “why.” Ask yourself what drew you to acting, what does storytelling mean to you, and what kind of impact do you want to have with your work.

2. Watch a Film Without Sound: Study body language, eyeline and emotion. What are the actors communicating without words? When you remove the dialogue, you’re forced to pay attention to other details, such as tension in the body.

3. Build a Backstory: Take a random character image (perhaps someone you pass on the street) or secondary character (maybe from a video game) and invent their whole backstory. Where were they born? What was their childhood like? What’s their biggest secret? What’s their biggest regret?

Casting directors and directors love actors who make bold choices. Backstory fuels those choices. It also sharpens your imagination.

4. Gratitude Shout-Out: Send a thank-you message to someone who has supported your acting journey; coach, castmate, director or friend.

Need help starting? Try this: “Hey, I’ve been reflecting on my journey lately, and I just wanted to say thank you. Your support during [insert memory or project] stuck with me. It helped me grow as an actor, and I’ll always be grateful for that.”

5. Build Your Actor Affirmation: Write a one-sentence affirmation to ground yourself before auditions (example: “I bring something no one else can.”).

On days when you’re feeling doubtful, ask yourself what makes you feel brave and unstoppable. Affirmations are fuel that can center you like nothing else.

6. Revisit a Past Rejection: Look at a role you didn’t get. Reflect on how you’ve grown since then. Sometimes the “no” was a “not yet.”

Rejection is part of the job, but it doesn’t have to define you. What did you learn from the experience? You might realize that rejection led you to better training, a new collaborator, or simply thicker skin.

7. Go on an “Actor’s Walk:” Today, your scene partner is the real world. Take a walk, observe strangers, and practice mimicking them later. Pick a location with foot traffic and leave your headphones at home.

How do people move, speak and interact? Who’s fidgeting? Who’s limping? Why is the teenager looking at her reflection in a store window? Then choose one of the people you observed and become them.

8. Create a Mood Board for a Dream Role: Visualize the role you want most. Dreams need direction.

This isn’t about manifesting an idea like “I want to be famous.” It’s about getting specific with the kind of character you want to embody, the tone of the world they live in, and how you would bring it to life. Is your dream role an astronaut, a detective, or maybe a role that doesn’t even exist yet? You can create a board for free on Canva or go old-school with scissors and glue.

9. Watch an Interview with Your Acting Idol: Study the path, not just the performance, of your favorite actor – one who inspires you and makes you think “I want to do that!” Watch an interview with them and pay attention to their early struggles, their training, their mindset and their process. Apply what you learned to your journey.

10. Practice Cold Reading: Cold reading is when you pick up a script and perform it with little or no prep. Oftentimes, you’re asked to do a cold reading at an audition.

Cold reading is like improv with a script: it teaches you to trust your gut and take direction quickly. Some people find cold reading terrifying, but if you think about it, it’s also exhilarating.

11. Build a Mini-Scene with Friends: Collaborate, create and play without pressure. Sometimes the best scenes are made on the spot with people who love the business just as much as you do. Some fun locations could be a laundromat, a dive bar or an airport gate. This helps build collaboration and will sharpen your scene work. But most of all, just have fun.

12. Social Media Spotlight: This month’s social media spotlight goes to Eliana Ghen! With 10M+ followers on TikTok, Eliana shares high-drama acting POV videos and audition challenges.

Her feed is filled with scenes where she plays intense characters such as villains, victims, warriors and lovers. Ghen even invites her followers to duet with her.

Ghen doesn’t just show you how to act, she dares you to act with her. She also shares behind-the-scenes content, acting tips, and breakdowns of how she approaches character work. Find out more here.

What to Watch

Films

13. The Naked Gun (2025) (comedy/action): This legacy reboot starring Liam Neeson hits theaters on August 1. The 1988 original film, titled The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad!, starred Leslie Nielsen as the bumbling Detective Frank Drebin.

14. CatVideoFest 2025 (comedy anthology touring event): August 1. A compilation reel of the latest and best cat videos pulled from countless hours of unique submissions and sourced animations, music videos and classic internet powerhouses. A portion of all proceeds from each show will benefit Tabby’s Place.

15. Freakier Friday (comedy): On August 8, the sequel to the 2003 Freaky Friday remake starring Lindsay Lohan, Jamie Lee Curtis, Mark Harmon and Chad Michael Murray. This time, we’re dealing with a four-way body swap.

16. Caught Stealing (crime/comedy): When his punk rock neighbor asks him to take care of his cat for a few days, New York City bartender Hank Thompson suddenly finds himself caught in the middle of a motley crew of threatening gangsters who all want a piece of him.

On August 29, you can watch Austin Butler, Zoë Kravitz, Matt Smith and Liev Schreiber have lots of fun as they beat each other up.

TV/Small Screen

17. Chief of War (historical drama): An Apple TV+ limited series that releases on August 1. Starring Jason Momoa and Luciane Buchanan, it’s about a Hawaiian war chief who joins a campaign to unite the warring islands to save them from the threat of colonization (from an indigenous perspective).

18. Wednesday (supernatural comedy-mystery): Starring Jenna Ortega, Catherine Zeta-Jones and Luis Guzmán, Season 2 of the hit series returns to Netflix on August 6.

While returning to Nevermore Academy, Wednesday Addams must navigate family, friends and old adversaries, propelling her into another year of delightfully dark and kooky mayhem. Armed with her signature razor-sharp wit and deadpan charm, Wednesday is also plunged into a new bone-chilling supernatural mystery.

19. Alien: Earth (sci-fi horror): touches down on FX/Hulu August 12. When a mysterious space vessel crash-lands on Earth, Wendy and a ragtag group of tactical soldiers make a fateful discovery that puts them face-to-face with the planet’s greatest threat. It’s the prequel to the 1979 film Alien, set two years prior. The cast includes David Rysdahl, Adarsh Gourav, Kit Young and Timothy Olyphant.

20. Fixed (adult animated comedy): Fixed is about Bull, an average, all-around good dog who discovers he’s going to be neutered in the morning. As the gravity of this life-altering event sets in, Bull realizes he needs one last adventure with his pack of best friends.

Director Genndy Tartakovsky oversees this cartoon starring Adam DeVine, Kathryn Hahn and Idris Elba. Fixed comes to Netflix on August 13.

Wellness Activities

21. Sunrise Self Tape Warm-Up: Start your day with a gentle vocal and physical warm-up outdoors at sunrise. Feel the sun energize you while reconnecting with your instrument: you.

22. Stretch and Script Saturdays: Combine flexibility with character prep. While stretching, read scenes aloud or review character notes. Keep your body and your craft in sync.

23. Nature Monologue Walks: Memorize a monologue and deliver it aloud while walking a nature trail or park path. Bonus points for adapting to the environment (tree = scene partner).

24. Five-Minute Freewriting (in character): Pick a character you’re working on (or dream of playing), set a timer for five minutes, and write as that character (no rules, just raw stream-of-consciousness).

25. Cold Plunge for Stage Nerves: Try a cold shower or dip in a cold pool or ocean to jolt your body into presence. It’s like method acting for bravery and mental reset.

26. 10-Minute Dance Party Reboot: Set a timer. Blast your favorite playlist. Dance like no one’s watching. It’s an endorphin boost between auditions.

Live / Virtual Events

27. Edinburgh Festival Fringe & International Festival (Scotland): From August 1–25, the world’s largest arts festival with 3,300+ shows that include comedy, theatre, music, opera, dance, immersive experiences, and more.

28. Earth Aid Live (Global Climate Concert Weekend): Mid-August. From the producer of Live Aid, Live Earth & Live 8, the legacy continues with a series of global concerts for the planet. Locations will include London, UK, Los Angeles, US and Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. This fest is great for actors looking to engage in activism and world-scale cultural moments.

29. Elements Music & Arts Festival (Pennsylvania, USA): Running from August 8–10, the festival features music, art installations, wellness villages and interactive performances. Actors who want immersive, multi-disciplinary inspiration will love it.

30. Williamstown Theatre Festival (Massachusetts, USA): Founded in 1954 by Williams College news director Ralph Renzi and drama program chairman David C. Bryant, the Williamstown Theatre Festival is a resident summer theater on the campus of Williams College in Williamstown, Massachusetts.

Many famous actors have graced the Williamstown stage, such as Christopher Reeve, Sigourney Weaver, Gwyneth Paltrow, Christopher Walken, Nathan Lane, Paul Giamatti, Bradley Cooper, and Uma Thurman. This year’s notable cast includes Pamela Anderson, Nicholas Alexander Chavez, Amber Heard, Brandon Flynn, and Lío Mehiel.

The festival runs through August 3.

31. Atlanta Black Theatre Festival (Georgia, USA): From August 28-30, The ABTF is a highly regarded marathon of curated entertainment that presents a line-up of world-class plays, engaging panels and classic parties. It celebrates cultural heritage by presenting, preserving, and promoting artistic work.

Actors with August Birthdays

Watch their performances for inspiration. Read interviews or biographies of these actors for insight. Post a tribute on social media about the actors below to spark conversation.

Jason Momoa (August 1, 1979): Known for Aquaman, Game of Thrones, See
Halle Berry (August 14, 1966): Known for Monster’s Ball (Oscar win), X-Men, Die Another Day
Robert De Niro (August 17, 1943): Known for Taxi Driver, Raging Bull, The Irishman, Goodfellas
Jennifer Lawrence (August 15, 1990): Known for The Hunger Games, Silver Linings Playbook, Don’t Look Up
Steve Carell (August 16, 1962): Known for The Office, The 40-Year-Old Virgin, Foxcatcher
Ben Affleck (August 15, 1972): Known for Good Will Hunting, Argo, Batman v Superman
Viola Davis (August 11, 1965): Known for Fences, How to Get Away with Murder, The Woman King
Kaitlyn Maher (August 10, 2004): Known for America’s Got Talent, child actress and singer
Dylan O’Brien (August 26, 1991): Known for Teen Wolf, The Maze Runner, Love and Monsters
Blake Lively (August 25, 1987): Known for Gossip Girl, The Shallows, A Simple Favor
Andrew Garfield (August 20, 1983): Known for The Amazing Spider-Man, tick, tick… BOOM!, The Social Network
Chris Messina (August 11, 1974): Known forThe Mindy Project, Sharp Objects, Air
Michelle Yeoh (August 6, 1962): Known for Everything Everywhere All At Once (Oscar win), Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon
Sean Penn (August 17, 1960): Known for Milk, Mystic River, Dead Man Walking
Peter Krause (August 12, 1965): Known for Six Feet Under, Parenthood, 9-1-1
Lea Michele (August 29, 1986): Known for Glee, Spring Awakening, Funny Girl (Broadway revival)
Jonathan Frakes (August 19, 1952): Known for Star Trek: The Next Generation, director of many Star Trek series episodes