There was a time when actors could afford to wait.
Wait for the phone to ring.
Wait for an audition.
Wait for an agent to call.
Wait for someone else to decide their future.
According to actor, performer, keynote speaker, and entertainment veteran Will Roberts, those days are long gone.
During a recent conversation on NH Spotlight Tonight, Roberts shared lessons from a career that has spanned decades, from radio and television to film, live performance, and most recently, Christopher Nolan’s Academy Award-winning film Oppenheimer. But while many artists dream of landing the next big role, Roberts believes the real challenge facing creatives today is learning how to think beyond the craft itself.
In his view, talent alone is no longer enough.
Today’s artists must become entrepreneurs.
The Industry Has Changed. Have You?
Few people have witnessed Hollywood’s transformation quite like Roberts.
Having entered the entertainment industry during an era dominated by studios, agents, and traditional gatekeepers, he has experienced firsthand how dramatically the landscape has shifted.
What once required permission now requires initiative.
What once depended on access now depends on adaptability.
For Roberts, the biggest difference between then and now isn’t technology. It’s mindset.
“The word show business has the word business in it.”
It’s a simple statement, but one that carries significant weight.
While many performers focus exclusively on improving their artistic abilities, Roberts argues that successful creatives must also understand branding, marketing, networking, audience building, and the realities of operating as a business.
The artists who thrive are often the ones willing to create opportunities rather than wait for them.
Throughout our conversation, one theme surfaced repeatedly: confidence.
Not arrogance.
Not ego.
Confidence.
The kind that comes from preparation.
The kind that comes from experience.
The kind that allows a person to walk into a room knowing they belong there.
Roberts believes that confidence is often the deciding factor between people who advance and those who remain stuck waiting for validation.
As someone who has spent years performing across multiple disciplines, he understands that uncertainty never fully disappears. What changes is your ability to trust yourself despite it.
“If you don’t have confidence in yourself, why would anyone else have confidence in you?”
It’s a lesson that applies far beyond entertainment.
Whether someone is building a business, launching a creative project, or pursuing a lifelong dream, belief in yourself often becomes the foundation upon which everything else is built.
Preparation Creates Opportunity
When Roberts landed his role as General George C. Marshall in Oppenheimer, he approached the opportunity with the same philosophy that has guided him throughout his career.
Prepare relentlessly.
Study thoroughly.
Show up ready.
Long before stepping onto Christopher Nolan’s set, Roberts immersed himself in research, learning everything he could about Marshall’s life, leadership style, and historical significance. By the time cameras rolled, he wasn’t focused on the pressure of sharing scenes with some of Hollywood’s biggest names.
He was focused on the work.
That preparation gave him something many performers search years to find: certainty.
Not certainty that everything would go perfectly, but certainty that he had done everything within his control to succeed.
It’s a mindset Roberts believes every artist should adopt.
Because while no one can control the outcome, everyone can control the effort they bring to the process.
Staying in the Race
Perhaps the most valuable lesson Roberts shared had nothing to do with acting.
It had to do with endurance.
After decades in entertainment, he understands that careers are rarely built on a single moment. They are built through consistency, resilience, and the willingness to continue moving forward when things don’t go according to plan.
Rejection is inevitable.
Disappointment is unavoidable.
Setbacks happen to everyone.
The difference, Roberts says, is learning not to let those moments define you.
“Most of the time I learn from my mistakes more than I do my achievements.”
WILL ROBERTS, ACTOR
That perspective has allowed him to navigate multiple eras of entertainment while continuing to evolve alongside the industry.
And perhaps that’s why his message resonates so strongly today.
Because in a world where everyone is searching for shortcuts, Will Roberts offers something much more valuable.
A reminder that success is not about waiting for permission.
It’s about creating momentum, embracing change, and staying in the race long enough for opportunity to find you.
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