What would you do

...on camera (or stage, but I'm going to concentrate on camera). First off, for those of you thinking an actor should gratefully accept any role and do whatever the director wants -on set- until reaching A-list status, you are wrong. Well, at least as far as the second part goes. One should always be grateful. And one should never sacrifice their morals.

This goes beyond the standard nudity example which is complex just by itself. If the producers reach as certain dollar amount, do the clothes come off? What about implied nudity? Just your butt? Lot to think about. Highly recommend deciding before the powers that be ask for your decision.

Two off topic comments about nudity.

1. If it is not on camera, it does not need to be exposed. Even if it is your chest and your bare back is on camera.
2. There is no reason to suddenly write your clothes out of the script. So don't be pressured out of them. If you're willing to do it, fine. Just make them renegotiate first. And charge more than you usually would. After all, most places charge extra for rush jobs.

So, besides nudity, what else should an actor consider?

• Would you do a scene wearing just underwear?
• What about underwear designed with the opposite sex in mind?
• How about clothing with intimacy in mind? This includes everything from the lingerie stores at the mall to kinky leather bondage stuff.
• Would you portray a gay character with make out/sex scenes?
• Would you do those scenes if the character was straight?
• Are you willing to smoke? Herbal cigarettes? E-cigarettes?
• Are you willing to alter your appearance? I mean in such a way that your current headshots won't match your appearance for the next six months.

I suppose there might be other things to consider, but you get the idea. Notice how all the bullet points are things that cannot be faked. That's why drinking is not on there. You can take apple juice and call it beer or pee or alien mind control fluid. You can even stretch artistic license to the limit and call it apple juice. But you cannot stick a ballpoint pen in your mouth and call it a cigarette.