First thingโs first, double-tap if youโve ever been guilty of calling recurring roles โreoccurring roles.โโ
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A ๐ณ๐ฆ๐ค๐ถ๐ณ๐ณ๐ช๐ฏ๐จ role can be a co-star or guest star. Itโs a role that appears in more than one episode as the same character. โ
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Usually, recurring guest stars are determined before the first breakdown is ever released. โ
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We’ll have an in-depth discussion with the writer/creative team who will (ideally) let us know the plans for that character. Weโll then try to gather as much information as possible (how many episodes they might be in, the size of the role, the story arc, etc.)โ
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If we donโt know exactly how many episodes, weโll guesstimate based on conversations, and likely ask your availability for the remainder of the season (just in case). Itโs important when going in for recurring roles that you let your agent or the CD know about any immovable plans that may be set during the outside dates of the season. โ
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A recurring co-star role is usually more sporadic. โ
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Sometimes we know whether a co-star will recur and weโll notate that in the breakdown. Other times, you might be offered just one episode, yet be pleasantly surprised to have the office check your avail for future episodes. โ
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Because these types of roles are typically less vital to the storyline, they are usually booked on an โas-needed basis.โ Examples might be a nurse from the same hospital, the same barista from the local coffee shop, a cop from the same town. โ
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What this means for you: the writers see these types of roles as fun ways to create continuity in the worldโ ๐ฉ๐ฐ๐ธ๐ฆ๐ท๐ฆ๐ณ, they are not essential the way a recurring guest star might be.โ
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So if you show up as an active collaborator, pay attention to the details presented to you, and do fantastic work, your chances of being brought back in one of these scenarios will ๐ค๐๐ช๐ฃ๐ ๐๐๐๐ฅ. โ
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