Navigating Long Hours and Family Life: Soap Actors and the Behind-the-Scenes Support System
How Do TV/Soap Actors Juggle Family Life and Kids with Long Hours: Do They Have House Cleaners and Nannies?
Introduction
So you’ve always wondered: How do soap actors handle their long work hours along with family life and caring for kids? Are they indeed assisted by house cleaners and nannies? Well, the answer is yes, and it's much more nuanced than one might initially assume.
Understanding the Occupation
Acting in TV can be particularly sporadic for most actors. The typical successful actor might secure only a few days’ worth of work spread across weeks or months. However, soap opera actors present a different scenario. For those who have a regular job on a soap, they might have a three-month contract initially, but if they become a core cast member, it transforms into a near-regular job. The hours akin to any 9 to 5 job, with the potential for a demanding out-of-hours workload for learning lines.
Core Cast vs. Supporting Cast
Being a lead in a TV series, especially in a core cast role, involves several long days during the shoot every week. This is exhausting and makes maintaining a normal household routine challenging. Support from partners and paid child care services becomes indispensable.
These long hours often involve a more frequent shooting schedule, ranging from 13 weeks to 26 weeks but rarely the full 52 weeks per year. This extensive but not continuous workload poses significant challenges for family life and childcare, hence the reliance on additional support.
Support Systems and Solutions
The situation varies from actor to actor and show to show. Some actors lean on their partners, friends, and family to manage the home and family during busy work schedules. Others opt for hiring housekeepers and nannies to handle these responsibilities. There are even those who seek out jobs that are easier on the work-life balance, such as working in shows that require fewer hours or are more spread out.
Behind-the-Scenes Support
Soaps like The Bold and the Beautiful have a unique advantage due to their set layout. With all sets literally next to each other, shooting can be completed more efficiently, minimizing downtime between scenes. This can provide a semblance of normalcy for the actors involved. Witnessing firsthand, for example, an actress from The Bold and the Beautiful enjoying a relaxed lunch at the commissary and returning to set with ease can be inspiring.
Work-Life Balance and Career Decisions
For some, the long hours make it difficult to strike a balance, especially when they become parents. Some may choose to retire or semi-retire to focus on family life. However, in general, television shows film in cities or towns where actors already live, saving on transport costs and making it easier for them to balance work and home life. Many shows change their principal cast when moving to a new location due to the distance and disruption to family life.
Conclusion
From core cast roles with demanding schedules to the support systems in place, the journey of soap actors is a complex one. While the role of house cleaners and nannies plays a crucial part, the underlying factors are often more deeply intertwined with personal career choices and family dynamics. Understanding this enriches our appreciation for the dedication and support these actors provide.