What is a callback in acting?

The first audition is about whether you belong in the conversation. The callback is the conversation. By this point casting has seen a large number of actors and narrowed them down, and the people who will actually sign off on the choice want to see the shortlist for themselves. That changes what the room is like, who is in it and what it needs from you, even when the pages are exactly the same.

In the UK and Ireland the word you will hear is "recall." Same thing, same nerves.

Who is in the room at a callback?

The casting director, almost always, plus the people they report to. In film that usually means the director and sometimes producers. In US television it often means the episode director, the showrunner or producers; this is commonly called a producer session, and for small TV roles it may be the only callback there is. In theater it can be the director, the musical director, the choreographer, the writers and producers, sometimes all at once behind a long table. In commercials, the client and the advertising agency often join the director, either in person or watching a live feed or recording.

Many callbacks now happen on tape or over video call, especially early ones. The rule of thumb holds anyway: assume the decision-makers will see what you do this time, and that they have probably already seen your first read.

Should you change what you did?

This is the question every actor asks, and the general answer is no. Something in your first read made them want to see you again. Bring that back. Same choices, same energy, same sense of who this person is, done with more confidence because you have had more time with the material.

The exceptions are clear ones.

If they gave you a note, take it. If the casting director said "next time, let's see it angrier," or "the director wants it lighter," the callback is where they check whether you can do that. Build the note in fully. A half-taken adjustment reads as an actor who did not hear it.

If the sides have changed, prepare the new ones. Callbacks often add a scene, or swap in pages that test something the first scene did not. Treat new material with the same care as the original, and ask your agent or the casting office if anything about the context is unclear.

If your first read was a cold read, go deeper. When you were handed the pages in the room the first time, the callback is your chance to show what you do with preparation. Keep the instincts that worked and add specifics.

What you should avoid is reinventing the character overnight because you got nervous that the first version was too simple. Actors talk themselves out of callbacks this way all the time. Simple and clear is usually what got you there.

What to wear to a callback

The same thing you wore the first time, unless told otherwise. Decision-makers see a lot of faces, and they sometimes remember an actor as "the one in the green jacket." Matching your first audition makes you easy to place. It also keeps whatever worked visually: if the outfit suggested the character, it is doing a job.

If you cannot remember what you wore, check your self-tape or your notes. Many actors keep a simple log of each audition with the date, the role, the casting office and the outfit, for exactly this reason. For the first-round thinking behind the choice, see what to wear to an audition.

How to prepare for a callback

Start by writing down everything you remember from the first audition: what you did, what they said, how they reacted, any notes. Memory fades fast and gets rosier. Then work through the pages again with fresh eyes.

Aim to be off book or very close. Expectations rise at each stage, and at a callback most casting directors want to see you free of the page, even if you hold it as a safety net.

Prepare for adjustments. You will often be asked to try it a different way, sometimes in a direction that seems to contradict the original note. Have a second and third version of the scene in your back pocket: different want, different tactic, different relationship. You may never use them, but you will be faster when the note comes.

Learn whatever you can about the people in the room. Look up the director's previous work, and if it is a series, watch an episode. You do not need to mention any of it; it just helps you understand the tone they work in.

Finally, rest. Callbacks reward the actor who walks in relaxed and present, and for most people that starts with sleep. If the nerves get louder at this stage, which is common, dealing with audition nerves covers what helps.

Chemistry reads and tests

For roles where the relationship between two characters carries the story, a callback may involve reading with another actor: someone already cast, or another finalist for the opposite role. That is a chemistry read, and it tends to come late in the process.

For series regular roles in US television, the last stage is often a studio and network test, where a very small group of actors read for executives. By that point actors usually have their deal negotiated in advance, so that if they are chosen, the contract is ready. Your agent handles that side; your job in the room is the same as ever.

What happens after a callback?

Several things can happen, and the vocabulary can be confusing. You might be booked outright: you get an offer through your agent. You might be put on hold or pinned, meaning they want you to keep the shoot dates free while they decide. You might be asked to another callback. Or you might hear nothing, which in most markets is the standard way of saying no.

Holds and pins are where actors get their hopes up hardest, because they sound like a yes and are not one yet. What pinned, on hold and on avail really mean walks through each term and what you are committed to.

Whatever happens, let it go once you leave the room. Note what you learned, send nothing to the casting director unless your agent suggests it, and get on with the next audition. Callbacks are a sign your work is landing with the right people, and casting directors remember actors who did strong callbacks for roles they did not book.

More questions