Film Audition Monologues
by Age and Gender
Children (Ages 8-12)
Girls:
Movie: Matilda
Character: Matilda Wormwood
"I love to read. Books are my best friends. They take me away to places I’ve never been, to meet people I’ve never known. But my parents don’t understand. They think it’s a waste of time. ‘Go watch TV,’ they say. But I don’t want to. I want to learn. I want to be more than what they expect me to be. I know I’m different. But maybe… maybe that’s okay. Maybe being different is what makes me special."Movie: Annie
Character: Annie
"I know they say things will get better, but when? Every night, I dream about my parents. I picture them walking through that door, arms open, saying they’ve been looking for me all along. But it never happens. I have to be strong. I have to keep believing that one day, my ‘maybe’ will turn into ‘today.’ And until then, I won’t give up. Because hope is the only thing that keeps me going."Movie: The Sound of Music
Character: Liesl von Trapp
"I’m not a little girl anymore. I know everyone still sees me as the eldest, the responsible one, but I want to be more than that. I want to be free, to make my own choices. I don’t want to be told who I can and can’t love, or what’s right and wrong. I just want to live, to feel, to experience the world. Maybe that’s foolish, but maybe… maybe it’s just growing up."Movie: Bridge to Terabithia
Character: Leslie Burke
"People say imagination is just for kids, that it’s not real. But why does something have to be ‘real’ to matter? When Jess and I made Terabithia, it became our world. A place where we could be brave, where we could be kings and queens. It wasn’t just pretend—it was ours. And maybe, just maybe, the things we imagine are what make the real world a little bit better."Movie: Alice in Wonderland
Character: Alice
"Sometimes I feel like I don’t belong anywhere. Like I’m caught between two worlds—one where everything is ordinary and another where anything is possible. I don’t know which one is real, or which one I’d rather be in. But maybe… maybe I don’t have to choose. Maybe I can be both. Because believing in the impossible doesn’t make you crazy—it makes you curious. And curiosity is what leads to adventure."
Boys:
Movie: The Pursuit of Happyness
Character: Christopher Gardner Jr.
"Dad, do you think I can be a basketball player when I grow up? I know I’m small now, but I’ll grow, right? You always say if I try my best, I can do anything. So, I practice every day. I dribble in the driveway, take shots at the hoop, even when it’s dark out. I just picture myself in a real game, making the winning shot. But what if I don’t make it? What if I’m not good enough? No, I can’t think like that. I have to believe. You believe in me, right? If you believe in me, then maybe I can do it."Movie: The Lion King
Character: Young Simba
"One day, I’m gonna be king! Just imagine, I’ll be the greatest king ever! I’ll rule with kindness and strength, just like my dad. Well… mostly. But what if I mess up? What if I’m not good enough? No, I can do this! Right? I mean, being king has got to be fun! No rules, no one telling me what to do. But then again… it’s kind of a big job. What if I can’t protect everyone? What if I don’t know what to do? I guess being a king isn’t just about fun… It’s about responsibility. I just hope I’m ready."Movie: Home Alone
Character: Kevin McCallister
"I made my family disappear… I made my family disappear! This is awesome! No bedtime, no chores! Just me and all the ice cream I can eat! But… what if they don’t come back? What if… I’m all alone forever? At first, it seemed like the best thing ever. No one to boss me around, I could jump on the bed, watch whatever I wanted on TV. But now… it’s kind of scary. The house is too quiet, the shadows seem darker. Maybe I should’ve been nicer to them. Maybe I should’ve told them I love them. I just want them back."Movie: Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone
Character: Harry Potter
"So it’s true… I’m a wizard? I always knew I was different. The way weird things happened around me… I thought I was just unlucky. But now, I have a real home. A real family. And I finally belong somewhere. I used to think no one wanted me. The Dursleys made sure I felt like a burden. But here, at Hogwarts, it’s different. People see me, they know my name, they say I’m special. But what if I’m not? What if it’s all a mistake? I don’t want to just be ‘The Boy Who Lived.’ I just want to be Harry."Movie: The Sandlot
Character: Scotty Smalls
"Baseball? I don’t know the first thing about baseball. But I don’t wanna be the weird kid. So, I’ll give it a shot. Maybe they’ll like me. Maybe I’ll finally make some friends. Just… don’t let me mess up too bad. I mean, I don’t even know how to throw a ball right. What if they laugh at me? What if I embarrass myself? But then again… what if I don’t? What if I actually hit a home run? Maybe, just maybe, this is my chance to belong. To be a part of something. I have to try."
Teens (Ages 13-18)
Girls
Movie: The Hunger Games
Character: Katniss Everdeen
"I never wanted any of this. I never asked to be a symbol, a hero, a leader. All I wanted was to protect my sister, to keep her safe. But now, it’s bigger than just me. People are counting on me to fight, to stand up when no one else will. And if I back down, if I let fear win, then what was the point of it all? No. I won’t let them control me. I won’t let them win. I am more than just a piece in their game."Movie: Little Women
Character: Jo March
"I know I should want the things every other girl wants. A husband, a family, a home. But I don’t. I want to write, to see the world, to make a name for myself. And I hate that people look at me like I’m strange for wanting more. Why is it so wrong for a woman to dream? To chase after something beyond marriage? I refuse to believe that this is all I’m meant for. I will write my own future."Movie: Mean Girls
Character: Cady Heron
"I never meant for it to go this far. I thought I could handle it, that I was just playing the game. But somewhere along the way, I lost myself. I became the very thing I used to hate. And now… I don’t even recognize myself. I miss the person I used to be. The girl who was kind, who didn’t care about popularity or power. I just want to be her again. But I don’t know if I can."Movie: The Fault in Our Stars
Character: Hazel Grace Lancaster
"Some infinities are bigger than other infinities. That’s what Augustus used to say. And I never really understood it until now. We don’t get to choose how long we have, but we do get to choose how we spend it. And I chose him. Even knowing what I know now, even knowing how much this would hurt, I would choose him again. Because love isn’t about forever—it’s about now. And right now, I am grateful."Movie: A Cinderella Story
Character: Sam Montgomery
"People think that just because I’m quiet, I don’t have anything to say. But I do. I have dreams, I have hopes, I have a future that no one can take away from me. And no matter how hard things get, no matter how many times life tries to knock me down, I will keep going. Because I know who I am. And that is something no one can change."
Boys:
Movie: The Perks of Being a Wallflower
Character: Charlie
"I don’t know what I did wrong. I was just trying to be there, to help, to listen. But sometimes, it feels like no one sees me. Like I could disappear, and the world would just keep going. Maybe that’s what being a wallflower means. You see everything. You hear everything. But no one sees you. I guess I’m just tired of feeling invisible. But when I’m with them, my friends… it’s different. They make me feel like I matter. Like I’m not just some background character in my own life. Maybe that’s enough. Maybe that’s what I’ve been looking for all along."Movie: Spider-Man: Homecoming
Character: Peter Parker
"I just wanted to do something good. Something that mattered. But now, I don’t know if I can handle it. I mean, I’m just a kid. What if I mess up? What if I hurt someone? Maybe I wasn’t ready after all. I thought having these powers meant I could fix everything. That I could save everyone. But I can’t. And that’s the hardest part. Being a hero isn’t just about stopping bad guys—it’s about knowing when to step back, when to ask for help. And right now… I think I need help."Movie: The Fault in Our Stars
Character: Augustus Waters
"You don’t get to choose if you get hurt in this world, but you do get to choose who hurts you. I like my choices. I hope she likes hers. I mean, we all know how this story ends. But that doesn’t mean we stop living. If anything, it means we should live even more fiercely. Every laugh, every touch, every moment—it all means something. Maybe we don’t get a forever, but we get now. And right now, that’s enough."Movie: Good Will Hunting
Character: Will Hunting
"You think you know me? You don’t know me. You don’t know what I’ve been through. You don’t know what it’s like to be abandoned. So don’t pretend like you understand. People look at me, and they see some genius kid who’s got it all figured out. But the truth is, I’m just scared. Scared that if I let anyone in, they’ll leave. Because that’s what people do. They leave. And I don’t know if I can take that again."Movie: Dead Poets Society
Character: Todd Anderson
"I don’t know how to speak up. I don’t know how to be bold. But when I hear those words, ‘Carpe Diem,’ I feel something… something I can’t ignore. Maybe, just maybe, I can be brave. I don’t want to live my life in silence anymore. I want to stand for something. To be heard. To matter. Maybe that’s what Mr. Keating was trying to teach us all along. That our voices are worth something. And it’s time I start using mine."
Adults (20s)
Women:
Movie: La La Land
Character: Mia Dolan
"Here’s to the ones who dream. I grew up watching old movies, believing in magic, thinking anything was possible. And then I got here. And it’s hard. So hard. Rejections, failures, doubts—I’ve lived them all. But I can’t stop. Because deep down, I know that I have something to say. And if I don’t, who will? So I’ll keep dreaming, keep trying… because that’s what dreamers do."Movie: The Perks of Being a Wallflower
Character: Sam
"You can’t just sit there and put everybody’s life ahead of yours and think that counts as love. That’s not love. Love is knowing you’re worth something, too. And for so long, I didn’t. I let people treat me like I was disposable. But I’m not. And neither are you. So if you love someone, if you really love them, you fight for them. And that includes yourself."Movie: Notting Hill
Character: Anna Scott
"I’m just a girl, standing in front of a boy, asking him to love her. Do you know how hard that is? To be vulnerable, to put yourself out there when the whole world is watching? I’ve played so many roles, worn so many masks, but this… this is real. And I don’t know how to do it. But I want to. I want you. And that scares me more than anything."Movie: Juno
Character: Juno MacGuff
"I don’t know what kind of girl you think I am, but I’m not fragile. I make my own decisions. I live with my mistakes. And yeah, maybe I messed up. Maybe I wasn’t ready for this. But that doesn’t mean I’m running away. I’ll figure it out, just like I always do. Because that’s who I am—I face things, even when they scare me."Movie: The Hunger Games
Character: Katniss Everdeen
"I never wanted any of this. I never wanted to be a symbol, a hero. But they left me no choice. If I don’t fight, who will? If I don’t stand up, who else will suffer? I don’t want to be brave. I don’t want to be fearless. I just want to survive. And if I can give hope to even one person, then maybe… maybe this is worth it."Movie: Bridesmaids
Character: Annie Walker
"You think I have it all together? That I’m fine? Well, I’m not. I feel like my life is spinning out of control, and I’m just… stuck. Watching everyone else move forward while I stay in the same place. But I’m trying. I really am. And maybe that’s enough. Maybe admitting that I don’t have all the answers is the first step to figuring things out."Movie: 500 Days of Summer
Character: Summer Finn
"I told you from the beginning—I don’t believe in love. Not the way you do. And yet, here we are. You want me to be someone I’m not. Someone who believes in fate, in soulmates. But I can’t. That’s not who I am. And I won’t change just to fit your idea of a happy ending. Because love isn’t about changing for someone. It’s about finding someone who loves you for who you already are."
Men:
Movie: The Social Network
Character: Mark Zuckerberg
"You have no idea what it’s like to create something. To build something that changes the way people live, work, communicate. It’s not about money, it’s about power, influence, and leaving your mark on the world. You sit there and judge, but you don’t know what it takes to make something out of nothing. You call me an outsider? That’s fine. I don’t need anyone’s approval. The internet is written in ink, and I just made history."Movie: 500 Days of Summer
Character: Tom Hansen
"You know what? I was wrong. Love isn’t some perfect fairytale, some movie ending with a perfect kiss in the rain. It’s messy, it’s complicated, and sometimes it’s just not enough. I thought we were meant to be. I thought she was my ‘one.’ But the truth is, we were never on the same page. I wanted forever, she wanted right now. And maybe that’s okay. Maybe, someday, I’ll look back and understand why it had to happen this way."Movie: Whiplash
Character: Andrew Neiman
"I don’t want to be just good. I want to be the best. I want my name to mean something. And if that means practicing until my hands bleed, until I can barely stand, then so be it. Greatness doesn’t come easy. You think Charlie Parker got a standing ovation by playing it safe? No. He pushed, he bled for it. And I will too. Because I’d rather die trying than live being mediocre."Movie: La La Land
Character: Sebastian Wilder
"It’s not about the money, it’s about the music. The real music, the jazz that makes your heart race. The kind that makes you feel alive. But people don’t care about that anymore, they want noise, something easy to consume. And that’s the problem. No one takes the time to really listen. To let the music take them somewhere. But I won’t give up. Not on this. Not on what I love. Because this is who I am."Movie: Joker
Character: Arthur Fleck
"You ever feel like the world is laughing at you, but you’re not in on the joke? Like you’re invisible, screaming, but no one hears you? I used to think my life was a tragedy, but now I see it’s a comedy. You can only take so much before you snap. Before you realize… you don’t have to play by their rules. You don’t have to pretend anymore. I finally understand who I am. And it’s beautiful."
Adults (30s-50+)
Women
Movie: Erin Brockovich
Character: Erin Brockovich
"They think because I don’t have a fancy degree, I don’t know what I’m talking about. But I do. I know what it’s like to fight for what’s right. I know what it’s like to stand in a courtroom and stare down the people who thought they could get away with poisoning families. And I know that I will not back down—not today, not ever. Because this isn’t about me. It’s about them. And I will fight for them."Movie: The Devil Wears Prada
Character: Miranda Priestly
"You think this is just a job? That fashion is just fabric and trends? No. It is influence. It is power. And power is never simply given—it is taken, earned, demanded. Do you think I got here by being kind? By making friends? No. I got here because I refused to be anything less than extraordinary. And if that makes me ruthless, then so be it. But don’t mistake strength for cruelty."Movie: Steel Magnolias
Character: M’Lynn Eatenton
"You have no idea what it feels like to hold your child in your arms and know there’s nothing you can do to save them. I tried. God knows I tried. And I would have taken her pain a thousand times over if I could. But life doesn’t work that way. So I do the only thing I can—I keep going. Because she would want me to. And because, even in the darkest moments, I know she’s still with me."Movie: A Star is Born
Character: Ally Maine
"You think it’s easy, standing in front of thousands of people and giving them everything? You don’t know what it’s like to pour your heart out in a song and wonder if they’ll feel it. If they’ll hear what you’re trying to say. But that’s the thing about music—it’s not about being perfect. It’s about being real. And for the first time in my life, I finally feel like I am."Movie: August: Osage County
Character: Barbara Weston
"I spent my whole life trying to be what you wanted, trying to make you proud. But no matter what I did, it was never enough, was it? You never saw me for who I was—only for who I wasn’t. Well, I’m done trying. I am who I am. And if you can’t love me for that, then maybe you never really loved me at all."Movie: Big Little Lies
Character: Celeste Wright
"People look at me and see a woman who has it all. But they don’t see the bruises. They don’t hear the words that cut deeper than any wound. They don’t know how hard it is to smile when inside, I’m screaming. I want to believe that I can get out, that I can be strong. But I don’t know if I can do it alone. And maybe that’s the hardest part—admitting that I need help."Movie: Marriage Story
Character: Nicole Barber
"I used to think love meant sacrificing yourself for someone else. That if you loved someone enough, you could make it work. But love isn’t about losing yourself. It’s about finding someone who sees you, who hears you. And I refuse to disappear into someone else’s life. I refuse to be silent. I deserve to be seen. I deserve to be me."Original Monologue: The Choice
Character: Rachel
"Every day, I make a choice. A choice to get up, to keep going, to smile when I feel like falling apart. It’s not easy. Some days, the weight of everything feels unbearable. But I refuse to let it crush me. Because there is still so much life to live, so many dreams I haven’t chased yet. And if I stop now—if I give up—I’ll never know what could have been. So I choose to keep fighting. For myself. For my future. For everything I deserve."Original Monologue: The Apology
Character: Laura
"I know an apology won’t fix everything. I know it won’t undo the pain I caused. But I need you to hear it. I’m sorry. I was scared—too scared to admit I was wrong, too proud to ask for forgiveness. But I miss you. I miss us. And if there’s even a small chance we can find our way back to each other, I’m willing to try. So here I am, asking—can we start again?"Original Monologue: The Mirror
Character: Vanessa
"I look in the mirror and wonder—who am I? Not who they want me to be, not who I pretend to be. Just me. It’s so easy to get lost in the noise, to forget what matters. But I’m done hiding. I want to be seen. Not the perfect version of myself, but the real one. The one who laughs too loud, who dreams too big, who isn’t afraid to feel. This is me. And I’m not apologizing for it."Original Monologue: Breaking Free
Character: Elena
"I spent years trapped—trapped in expectations, in fear, in a life that didn’t feel like mine. But I’m done with that. I’m done living for everyone else. I’m breaking free. I’m choosing myself. It’s terrifying and thrilling all at once, but for the first time, I feel alive. I don’t know exactly where I’m going, but I know one thing—I’m never going back."Original Monologue: The Letter
Character: Sophia
"I wrote the letter a hundred times. Trying to find the right words. But nothing felt like enough. How do you explain a love that still lingers, even when everything’s broken? I still love you. I probably always will. But I can’t keep waiting for a future that may never come. So, this is goodbye—not because I stopped caring, but because I have to start caring about myself."Original Monologue: The Fight
Character: Olivia
"I’m not backing down. Not this time. I’ve spent too much of my life staying quiet, letting people walk all over me. But I’ve found my voice—and I’m going to use it. I deserve to be heard. I deserve to be respected. And I will fight for that, no matter how hard it gets. Because if I don’t stand up for myself, who will?"
Men:
Movie: Good Will Hunting
Character: Sean Maguire
"You’re just a kid. You don’t have the faintest idea what you’re talking about. You’ve never been in love, you’ve never woken up next to someone and felt truly happy. You think you know everything because you read some books? Real life isn’t in a book. It’s in experience. In the pain, in the joy, in every little moment that makes life worth living. You can’t learn that from a textbook, kid. You have to live it."Movie: Fight Club
Character: Tyler Durden
"The things you own, end up owning you. We’re not meant to be slaves to our jobs, to our things. We were raised believing we’d be rock stars, movie gods, millionaires. But we won’t be. And we’re slowly realizing that fact. And that’s okay. Because only when you lose everything, are you free to do anything. It’s time to wake up. It’s time to break free."Movie: The Pursuit of Happyness
Character: Chris Gardner
"Don’t ever let someone tell you, you can’t do something. Not even me. You have a dream, you protect it. People can’t do something themselves, they want to tell you that you can’t do it. But if you want something, go get it. Period. Life is hard. But you fight. You keep going. Because giving up is not an option."Movie: A Few Good Men
Character: Col. Jessup
"You want the truth? You can’t handle the truth! You live in a world that has walls, and those walls have to be guarded by men with guns. Who’s gonna do it? You? You, Lieutenant Weinberg? I have a greater responsibility than you can possibly fathom. You weep for Santiago, and you curse the Marines. You have that luxury. You have the luxury of not knowing what I know. That my existence, while grotesque and incomprehensible to you, saves lives."Movie: No Country for Old Men
Character: Anton Chigurh
"What’s the most you’ve ever lost on a coin toss? Call it. You have to call it. I can’t do it for you. Everything in life is chance. Everything. You may think you’re in control, but you’re not. This moment, right now, is the only thing that’s real. And it all comes down to this coin. Heads or tails. Your fate, your destiny, in a single flip. Now call it."
Disclaimer:
These monologues are intended for educational and audition purposes only. They are excerpts from well-known films and remain the intellectual property of their respective writers and studios. Performers are encouraged to use them solely for practice, auditions, and personal development. For professional or commercial use, please seek appropriate permissions.
