Actor Is Replacing Actress
An actor performs a role. The word is increasingly used for performers of any gender, and many awards and unions now prefer it.
An actor performs a role in a play or film. The gendered pair is dissolving: many performers, unions and publications now use *actor* for everyone, on the grounds that the job does not change with the performer's gender — though award categories have mostly kept the split. The word also means simply one who acts, which is why international relations talks about *state actors*.
- A performer. *A stage actor.*
- Actress — the traditional feminine form. *An acclaimed actress.*
- Anyone who acts. *A key actor in the negotiations.*
- Bad actor — a troublemaker, especially in American use. *A bad actor in the market.*
- Act — the verb and the division of a play. *Act three.*
Word forms
| Form | Word | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Noun | actor | A working actor. |
| Plural | actors | Two actors. |
| Feminine | actress | A leading actress. |
| Verb | act | Act the part. |
| Noun | acting | Fine acting. |
- She describes herself as an actor.Increasingly common.
- The Best Actress award went to her.Categories remain split.
- Several state actors were involved.International relations.
Job titles that lost their feminine forms
- Actor — actress is still used but declining
- Author — authoress is now archaic
- Poet — poetess has almost vanished
- Waiter — server is the neutral American replacement
- Chair or chairperson — replacing chairman in most organisations
Latin *actor*, a doer or performer, from *agere*, to do or drive. English used it for a stage performer from the 1580s.
Should I say actor or actress?
Many performers prefer actor regardless of gender. Actress remains standard in award categories and is not incorrect.
What is a state actor?
In international relations, a government acting as a participant in events. Non-state actors include companies and armed groups.