Why would people want to become actors?

You mentioned about attention. Yes, that’s what motivates many people to be actors/actresses in my country. And almost half of them used to be models or singers who want even more fame. And quite often those people mess up, as far as I can see.
There are still some who become actors/actresses because they love the acting job, though.

Acting takes a lot of effort and one has to be really committed to put in their best. They choose acting for the money and fames or to put their creativity to good use. Most actors belong to an attention-seeking bred and they always feel insecure. They always try to seek attention. Many of them get involved in controversies just to seek attention. They consider it to be an occupational hazard and believe that if they don’t seek attention,they will not be doing their work well. Later on they regret it when the press becomes too overbearing.

Acting is a talent. Getting the role means ones a hard worker. These people are no different than those who desire to be data entry clerks. Data Entry clerks think to themselves, “I need a job… I will do data entry! That is easy! I can input numbers all day if need be.”

Same goes with actors, they tell themselves, “I can memorize a script! This is fun, this is easy!”

It’s best to not be so judgmental against anyone particular “group.” Humans are multifaceted beings, hell look at the society we’ve created for ourselves.

Also your assumption about actors is that it is birthed from a negative view point. Using my commonsense, I highly doubt actors tell themselves, “this seems like a terrible job.”

I’m an actor. I act because I have to. I’m driven to it. There is something in my soul requiring me to act.

Acting is art, and I love it. I relish digging into the guts of a script and dredging up the minutiae of a character. I worship a well-crafted script with words that roll around in my mouth like chocolate ice cream making my tongue do flips and slides.

It can be difficult to perform realistically or believably. It takes much effort and long hours of study. In the end, though, the audience must never know that great amounts of time have gone into perfecting the delivery of one particular line. It must sound like it’s just come off the tip of one’s tongue.

Finally, the audience must leave believing they’ve seen a real person on the stage. The actor must be invisible. The character must be all.

I will repeat: acting is art.

Why does it sound like a terrible job?

To me, being a doctor is a career I’d never want in a million years. Sure, the money is great, but constantly being around sick people? Blech! I never wonder why people become doctors, though. Why does anyone pursue any career? Because they like it.

@illusionslies I can’t even begin to explain why I’ve yearned to be an actor since early teens, and I thank God that great dramatic and comedic actors like these and countless others past and present who were moved to perform on stage and film and whose prodigious talents give so much pleasure to so many people never believed this noble art is “a terrible job.”

Let me add… actors do much more than memorize words for pay. They entertain, amuse, educate, comfort, inspire and rally, unite, influence, and perhaps above all, they mirror humankind’s best traits for us to honor and value and the worst ones for us to recognize and reject. Now how terrible a job could that be?

Because they have passion.

Any job can be a good job if you are passionate about it.

The world needs more people who are passionate about what they do.

Hopefully for the joy of doing your passion for a living.

Great answers all! The only thing I can see overlooked is the many lives to lead. An actor can be fancy, even if they aren’t usually. They can spend a while being popular, genious, athletic, in charge, a deity, old, young, a musician. Some people just can’t be forced to be one person and go to the same one job every day. It is variety, it is recognition, it is a constantly renewed view of the universe. It is daring. It is change.