I know its very unlikely anyone can be an actor, cis or trans, but is it rendered pretty much pointless because I am trans? I googled trans actors and the few there are, they are always playing someone who is trans. I just want to be a normal guy who plays male parts, not just trans male parts. Or am I too "weird" to go anywhere?

I think you summed it up: the odds of being an actor, particularly one who can support himself through acting, are bad for everyone.

I wouldn't worry about your being trans as specifically being a hindrance, certainly not as much as it would have been a few years ago. However, if you do not pass well, that could make it a lot harder. That's not trans-specific---plenty of cis actors have trouble finding work because their appearance or mannerisms aren't what is in demand. On the other hand, nonconventional actors and actresses have found great success.

Just go for part, don't bother telling them you're trans if you believe it has no bearing on the part or the story. I expect there will come a time where it will make no difference if someone is trans or cis, if they're a great actor that's all that matters.

Break a leg!

Yeah, I wouldn't tell them. I've just got this thing where I think it'd be obvious due to my head and hand size that I'm trans. Still not sure if I'm thinking rationally on that one.

The more self conscious you are the more you will struggle. Work on your confidence and go in there and show them what you've got! Besides there are plenty of other people who never let stuff like that get in the way of an acting career.

No, but it can be a strike against you.  That's the thing about acting.  Little things can work against you.  I have a friend from high school who is just now getting decent roles on stage after 20 years.  He's immensely talented, but he's below-average height.  He's been literally told to come back when he's taller.

Not to be a bummer, but that just means you'll have to work on making your other talents that much better.  Good luck.

Oh, if you want a laugh, this is the most prominent thing my friend had done, an at&t commercial

Much is made of Tom Cruise being 5'6" but he does well enough. Daniel Radcliffe is 5'5". Dustin Hoffman & Woody Allen are 5'5". Seth Green & Michael J Fox are 5'4". Prince is 5'2". Danny DeVito is 5'. Peter Dinklage is 4'5".

An acting career is possible as long as you are a good actor!

Here is a list of trans actresses - I don't know what parts they play though: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Transgender_and_transsexual_actresses

I would ignore being trans as a factor and not even bring it up (unless you decide to do porn then it's unavoidable). As others have noted, simply breaking into acting for anyone is a hard thing to accomplish, so good luck! Cis or trans, you'd need it no matter what.

Yeah, if you pass I don't even see a reason to tell them at all. If you got super famous someone would find out eventually. No one's going to do an extensive background check when you audition, that's your shot to make a great first impression and blow them out of the water.

Well, I work in the theatre industry and I actually gave up acting because of my transition.  Honestly, it's not easy to do.  Passing is very important in a situation like this one, and honestly it's not an easy thing to get away with; as an actor, you're going to be held to a higher standard.  I have a friend who's transitioning FtM and is acting.  Right now he's involved in a lot of queer productions, but he's mostly playing female roles, that's just what he needs to do to get by.  Another friend of mine is doing voice work for male characters...it's really tough hon.  But, I guess it might be possible.  In any event, I'm wishing you the best!

Hey Scotty,

I also wish I could be a professional actor, but a stage one. I sing and do musicals and plays at the community/amateur level, and my first real male role was really amazing. It took a lot of work, especially the voice, I took a couple of years off of singing publicly, and acting. Now that I'm back into it, I've auditioned for a couple of prominent theatre schools and they think I have a really good thing going, a quirky thing that makes me stand out over cis actors, without necessarily outing me as trans. This is a good thing in theatre. I just finished a rehearsal of Sweeney Todd where we were critiqued, and the voice guy thought I had a really stand out voice, BECAUSE it was different (because I'm trans but not in a way that I'm playing a trans guy, my character is cis) I thought I'd never be able to do the young romantic male leads either, but I was assigned Romeo in an acting class and blew it out of the water, so you might think you have more limitations than you really do.

I haven't decided if I want to go to theatre school and study acting professionally, or if I want to go the writer route. My first play is being produced in March and I'm really loving experiencing the other side. Auditions are heartbreaking whether you're the one auditioning or the one on the panel.