Former child star Christine Lakin, who became famous for her role in the ABC sitcom Step by Step, stated that the economy has made it harder for her to make a living as an actor in the past few years.
Lakin, a member of the Hollywood Screen Actors Guild board, said that she has received the same amount of callbacks, readings and auditions in recent months. This lack of acting work has forced her to do pursue other avenues, including writing a web series for herself and doing voice work as well as choreographic work.
"If I just waited by the phone for the kind of offers I used to get to come in, I'd never work," she said. "What I'm doing now isn't what I ever imagined myself doing, but you have to use the skill set you have if you want to work."
She also stated that this slow down may be due to Hollywood’s penchant to look for new actresses each year. But the biggest drawback has been the economy.
"The economy is the most significant factor in what I've seen," she said. "In the past five or six years, studios are not doing as many films. And that means that you have more movie stars going into television -- not just to star in series, but also to do three-or-four-episode guest roles.
"And that trickles down to people like me, and pushes a lot of us into the category where we're just trying to make a living."
She also noted that not many pilots were being made during the current television season. Another figure in the entertainment business, who asked not to be identified, confirmed the impact the economy has had on his line of work.
Lakin also appeared in films such as You Again(2010) and will appear in the upcoming New Year’s Day.