November encourages a balance between ambition and appreciation. It’s a reminder that progress is measured by speed, presence, patience and authenticity. And of course, November wouldn’t be complete without Thanksgiving, which is a celebration of connection, reflection and gratitude.
For performers, it serves as a powerful metaphor: gathering around your creative “table,” honoring the collaborators who lift you, and preparing for the next act in your artistic story. Because gratitude isn’t just a seasonal sentiment — it’s a lifelong career tool.
November’s calendar is packed with creativity. Let’s take a look!
Advice & Inspiration:
1. Give Thanks for Your Growth:Take a few minutes each day to reflect on one acting-related thing you’re grateful for—whether it’s a recent audition, a supportive friend, or a creative breakthrough.
2. Holiday Commercial Season: It’s prime time for festive commercials! Refresh your upbeat, “real person” slate and record a cheerful mock audition for a holiday product.
3. Gratitude Monologue Challenge: Write and perform a short monologue based on gratitude—perhaps from the perspective of a character unexpectedly giving thanks. Added benefit: Dim the lights and rehearse the scene by candlelight. The atmosphere encourages deeper emotional focus.
4. Reconnect with Your Acting Tribe: Reach out to three fellow actors or industry friends you haven’t talked to in months. A simple “How are you?” can rekindle valuable creative bonds.
5. Listen and Learn: Choose a podcast featuring actors or casting directors (like Casting Networks’ How We Role: A Podcast for Actors, hosted by Robert Peterpaul). Reflect on one takeaway you can apply to your career.
6. November Journal Prompt: “What am I ready to release before the new year?” Write about emotional or creative blocks that may be holding you back. In this Journal for Actors, not only can you write, but there are pages to sketch!
7. Give Back Through Art: Volunteer for a community theater, local holiday event, or school performance. Sharing your talent can be incredibly grounding and fulfilling.
8. Study a Thanksgiving Classic: Watch films like Planes, Trains and Automobiles or Pieces of April. Analyze what makes the performances emotionally authentic.
9. Manifest with Intention: Write a short “thank-you note” from your future self — dated November 2026 — expressing gratitude for a role you’ve landed. Believe it’s possible.
10. Read a Play a Week: Choose a new play every week this month. Reading aloud sharpens your sense of pacing and rhythm in dialogue.
11. End-of-Month Reflection: Revisit your acting goals for the year. Celebrate your wins, note your lessons, and set one clear, inspiring goal for December. Share your goal with fellow actors in exchange for their goals.
12. This month’s social media spotlight goes to Heidi Dean! As the founder of Marketing4Actors, a training business focused on actors’ social-media presence, Heidi will help you grow online. Her book, Social Media for Actors: 100 Essential Tips to Grow, Thrive and Survive Online, is a great read. Her core message: Social media is part of the acting job now — not just “nice to have.”
What to Watch: Special Thanksgiving Month Viewing Guide
Family-Friendly Picks
- A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving (1973): The classic Charlie Brown/Peanuts special where Peppermint Patty invites the gang over and Snoopy cooks up a Thanksgiving meal. Available on Apple TV+ (including a free-to-all window Nov 15–16, 2025).
- Free Birds (2013): Animated adventure about two turkeys who time-travel to the first Thanksgiving; light, silly and appropriate for younger viewers.
- Planes, Trains and Automobiles (1987): A heart-and-humor road-trip film centering on Thanksgiving travel mishaps. R-rated, so maybe better for older kids or families used to more mature themes, but iconic holiday fare. Available via Amazon / other streamers.
- Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade: On November 27, turn on the live broadcast of the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in the morning for a festive start. (NBC / Peacock streaming). Or, if you’re in the New York City area, attend in person!
Teen & Young Adult Favorites
- Always Be My Maybe (2019): A rom-com on Netflix spotlighted as a Thanksgiving-friendly stream.
- The Humans (2021): A tense family-gathering drama over Thanksgiving, for viewers ready for something deeper.
- Thanksgiving (2023): Horror-slasher set around the holiday. High-intensity, definitely for older teens/young adults who want something edgier. On streaming platforms.
- Friends or Modern Family: Have a Thanksgiving episode marathon for TV-friendly binging.
Adult Line-Up
- Home for the Holidays (1995): A family reunion film that leans into the dysfunction and emotion of Thanksgiving.
- Addams Famil Values (1993): Not a typical Thanksgiving film, but it features a very memorable Thanksgiving scene, and the family dynamics are twisted in a way that resonates.
- The Last Waltz (1978): A documentary concert film set on Thanksgiving Day (The Band’s farewell concert). For grown-ups who might want something different, rich in music/history.
- Scent of a Woman (1992): The film includes a key Thanksgiving dinner scene and carries emotional weight; strong acting, mature themes.
Films
13. Keeper (horror / surreal): A wife becomes isolated in a secluded cabin and has to fend off an unspeakable evil. In theaters November 14, with Osgood Perkins, Guillermo del Toro, James Wan, and Damien Leone.
14. Now You See Me: Now You Don’t (heist/adventure): Lionsgate brings you a new generation of illusionists performing mind-melding twists, turns, surprises, and magic unlike anything ever captured on film. Starring Jesse Eisenberg, Woody Harrelson, Dave Franco, Isla Fisher, Justice Smith, Dominic Sessa, Ariana Greenblatt, with Rosamund Pike, and Morgan Freeman. In theaters November 14, the heist for the Heart Diamond is ON!
15. Sisu: Road to Revenge (war/action): On November 21, Sony Pictures releases this wall-to-wall cinematic action event, a sequel to the original sleeper hit SISU. Returning to the house where his family was brutally murdered during the war, “the man who refuses to die” (Jorma Tommila) dismantles it, loads it on a truck, and is determined to rebuild it somewhere safe in their honor. When the Red Army commander who killed his family (Stephen Lang) comes back hellbent on finishing the job, a relentless, eye-popping cross-country chase ensues — a fight to the death, full of clever, unbelievable action set pieces.
16. Eternity (fantasy/romance/drama): From writer/director David Freyne and starring Miles Teller, Elizabeth Olsen, Callum Turner, John Early, and Da’Vine Joy Randolph, this film debuts on November 26. One dead woman, two dead husbands – who will she choose to spend eternity with?
TV/Small Screen
17. Robin Hood (historical / adventure): The series premieres on MGM+ on November 2. In 12th-century England, Saxons lived under the crushing rule of Norman power. Among them is Robert of Locksley, the son of a forester, whose life is shattered when his family is stripped of their ancestral home and the Sheriff of Nottingham executes his father. Gifted with the longbow, Rob grows from grief into rebellion, his fate forever entwined with Marian, a noblewoman torn between loyalty to her family and her love for him. Starring Jack Patten, Lauren McQueen, Lydia Peckham, Angus Castle-Doughty, Sean Bean, and Steven Waddington.
18. All Her Fault (drama): Can be found on Peacock on November 6. Marissa Irvine arrives to collect her young son Milo from his first playdate, but the woman who answers the door isn’t a mother she recognizes. She doesn’t have Milo and has never heard of him. As every parent’s worst nightmare begins to unfold, new questions lead to deep secrets, revealing cracks in the Irvines’ seemingly perfect world until everything is left shattered. Starring Sarah Snook, Jake Lacy, Dakota Fanning, Michael Peña, Abby Elliott, and Jay Ellis.
19. The Seduction (drama/adaptation): Premieres on HBO Max on November 14. In French with subtitles, this drama stars Diane Kruger as Madame de Rosemonde, Anamaria Vartolomei as Isabelle de Merteuil, Vincent Lacoste as Vicomte de Valmont, and Lucas Bravo as Comte de Gercourt. A prequel to “Dangerous Liaisons” following the rise to power of the young Isabelle de Merteuil.
20. Tremembé (Brazilian drama series): Premieres on Prime Video on November 26. Tremembé explores the penitentiary complex known for housing some of Brazil’s most famous criminals, including Suzane von Richthofen, Elize Matsunaga, Roger Abdelmassih, and Alexandre Nardoni. Inside the prison, intrigues, unexpected alliances, loves, and unusual stories are revealed, amidst a narrative that not only revisits real crimes that shocked the nation but also questions the nature of justice and the possibility of redemption. Stars Marina Ruy Barbosa, Carol Garcia, Letícia Rodrigues, Bianca Comparato, Felipe Simas, Kelner Macêdo, and Anselmo Vasconcelos.
Wellness Activities
21. “Tea & Tape” Review Ritual. Make a cup of calming tea, then rewatch one of your older self-tapes — not to critique harshly, but to notice growth. Take notes on what feels more natural now, and what risks you’d like to try next time.
22. Fall Wardrobe Reset for Confidence. Go through your audition wardrobe and pick 3-4 “power pieces” that make you feel confident and authentic. Let go of clothes that no longer match who you’ve become as a performer. Confidence often starts in comfort.
23. “Thanks for the Team” Check-In. Send a message of appreciation to someone who’s supported your craft this year: a coach, a reader, or a scene partner. Gratitude strengthens creative community and reminds you you’re part of a shared artistic circle.
24. “Five Looks, One Actor” Reel Exercise. Film five short 10-second clips that show totally different character types (comedic, villainous, grounded, romantic, quirky). Think of it as your November lookbook. You’ll sharpen your flexibility and have new material for your reel or social media.
25. Soundtrack Switch-Up. Take a scene you’ve performed before and replay it while listening to different music genres (jazz, classical, heavy metal, ambient). Notice how your emotional responses and tempo shift. Music is a powerful scene partner that can unlock hidden layers in your work.
26. New Moon Manifestation for Artists. The new moon on November 20 is a perfect time to set creative intentions for the next season. Write three specific goals : one emotional, one professional, one artistic, and place them somewhere visible. Revisit on New Year’s Day.
Live / Virtual Events
27. Grace Hopper Celebration 2025: Live in Chicago, IL. November 4-7. Major conference on women in tech. Great for networking, mind-expansion and cross-creative thinking.
28. SEMA Show + AAPEX: runs November 4-7 in Las Vegas. Two big trade shows (automotive/aftermarket). Interesting for set designers, props and creative-tech crossover.
29. Billie Eilish “Hit Me Hard & Soft” Tour: The live concert stops in multiple American cities in November, including New Orleans, Tulsa, Austin, Phoenix and San Francisco. Major pop concert. Billie Eilish is a role model for energy in performing, presence and voice.
30. Super Return North America 2025: On November 18, the finance industry takes over New York City. This is a high-level conference that may be useful for actors considering the business side of craft, pitching, and networking.
BONUS:
31. National Communication Association (NCA) 111th Annual Convention: November 20-23 at the Gaylord Rockies Resort & Convention Center in Denver, CO. It’s a large communications convention that may be relevant for actors expanding into voiceover, media and public speaking.
Actors with October 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.
- November 1 – Toni Collette (1972): Hereditary, The Sixth Sense, United States of Tara
- November 1 – Penn Badgley (1986): You, Gossip Girl
- November 1 – Aishwarya Rai Bachchan (1973): Bollywood icon; Devdas, Bride & Prejudice
- November 2 – David Schwimmer (1966): Friends (Ross Geller), American Crime Story
- November 2 – Kendall Schmidt (1990): Big Time Rush (TV & music group)
- November 4 – Matthew McConaughey (1969): Dallas Buyers Club (Oscar winner), True Detective, Interstellar
- November 5 – Tilda Swinton (1960): Michael Clayton, Doctor Strange, We Need to Talk About Kevin
- November 6 – Emma Stone (1988): La La Land (Oscar winner), Poor Things, Easy A
- November 6 – Ethan Hawke (1970): Training Day, Before Sunrise Trilogy, Boyhood
- November 6 – Rebecca Romijn (1972): X-Men (Mystique), Star Trek: Strange New Worlds
- November 9 – Analeigh Tipton (1988): Crazy, Stupid, Love, Warm Bodies
- November 11 – Leonardo DiCaprio (1974): Titanic, The Revenant, Inception
- November 11 – Stanley Tucci (1960): The Devil Wears Prada, The Hunger Games, Spotlight
- November 11 – Demi Moore (1962): Ghost, G.I. Jane
- November 12 – Anne Hathaway (1982): Les Misérables (Oscar winner), The Devil Wears Prada, The Princess Diaries
- November 13 – Gerard Butler (1969): 300, The Phantom of the Opera, Olympus Has Fallen
- November 13 – Whoopi Goldberg (1955): The Color Purple, Ghost, Sister Act
- November 16 – Maggie Gyllenhaal (1977): The Dark Knight, Secretary, The Deuce
- November 17 – Danny DeVito (1944): It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, Matilda, Batman Returns
- November 17 – Rachel McAdams (1978):The Notebook, Mean Girls, Spotlight
- November 18 – Owen Wilson (1968): Wedding Crashers, Loki, Midnight in Paris
- November 19 – Jodie Foster (1962): The Silence of the Lambs, Contact, The Accused
- November 19 – Meg Ryan (1961): When Harry Met Sally, You’ve Got Mail
- November 21 – Goldie Hawn (1945): Private Benjamin, The First Wives Club
- November 22 – Scarlett Johansson (1984): Black Widow, Marriage Story, Lost in Translation
- November 22 – Jamie Lee Curtis (1958): Halloween, Everything Everywhere All at Once (Oscar winner)
- November 23 – Miley Cyrus (1992): Hannah Montana, Black Mirror, Grammy-winning singer-actress
- November 24 – Katherine Heigl (1978): Grey’s Anatomy, 27 Dresses, Firefly Lane
- November 30 – Ben Stiller (1965): Zoolander, Meet the Parents, Severance (director/producer)
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