StarNow Avis 451

I logged into starnow for the first time in years to get in touch with someone whose details I had lost. On trying to send the message, a pop up occurred saying I had to pay £3 to verify the account, after which I would regain back full access. I paid the £3, but then was still blocked from sending the message as starnow then asked for further information that was not initially stated. I feel scammed out of the payment as starnow were not upfront nor honest about the full process before taking the money.

If you're returning to starnow after a long period without using the site, I suggest not to bother until they are completely upfront about the new process that involves making payments before having full access.

SCAM SITE!!

Beware!!! Very very dodgy people offering you jobs in Dubai the next day if you hurry and send them your passport details. The real agents contact you, book you for jobs, you pay travel and hotel and they cancel last minute saying ‘the job fell through’ -

There’s no representation from Starnow for your safety!!

BEWARE AND DONT GET SCAMMED DONT PAY A PENNY AND BE VERY CAREFUL ON THIS SITE, THE REVIEWS SPEAK FOR THEMSELVES!!!

I was a bona fide casting agent on this platform. I was supplying paid work to ITV, BBC and lots of independent production companies for 24 years!
They blocked my account because I was casting. for people for paid work in the north?
This is a scam - they are based in New Zealand???
how do they know anything about UK TV requirements?
very bad - don't join!

This is a scammers platform, be very wary . They are taking payments from bank account, I had to report them to the fraud department.
God know how hey had my details .
The reviews are very negative, how on earth they still operating .
Please please people do not sign up . Its a scam .

This is ridiculous, I'm sorry to say but why should I pay money to you, when it's not even certain I will get the role/job. Its insulting that I have to pay if I want to send my CV. AVOID THEM AT ALL COST

I have tried to cancel this membership for the past two years and they keep collect money. Very poor customer service. I would not raccomande this company to anyone one.

They are not sending castings to me
And when they do happen to send them, the are all out of date and expired
Been with them for years
Very bad customer services,
They don’t answer emails

Horrible platform. I signed up, gave all the information they asked for and paid the application fee. 24 hours later i receive an email from their verification team asking for my current employment resume, my LinkedIn and IMDB accounts, examples of my previous work (first time using platform of this nature), then refused to activate my account and pending posts until i submitted all requests. Did not refund application fee. None of the above was asked of during the online/profile setup. Do not use.

Dodgey character
Especially knowing he’s a camera man
All you have to do is read his reviews and you’d no not to let him loose in your premises. I’d keep my children well away

StarNow/Backstage blocked my casting as a new indie game dev — despite being honest, verified, and legit

Body:
I recently posted a casting call on StarNow (part of Backstage) to find actors for my indie horror game. It’s my first project, self-funded, and I was upfront that it’s unpaid. I clearly stated that everyone who applied would get a role — voice, sprite, or image. A creative opportunity, not a scam.

Instead of supporting a new creator, StarNow hit me with multiple waves of “verification” requests. I told them honestly:

I’m a solo developer

I don’t have a company site, IMDb, or past credits — this is my first project

I’m happy to provide screenshots, game files, or a devlog

The ID used was mine, and I confirmed I’m the sole user

They kept replying with canned responses asking again for the same things I’d already explained I don’t have. Eventually, they just shut down the listing and refunded me — with no warning. No discussion. Just gone.

I wasn’t trying to exploit anyone. I’m building something real and wanted to include people who are passionate about acting, game art, or voice work. Instead, I got blocked for not having an IMDb or a company.

This is exactly why it’s so hard for new creatives to break in — platforms claim to support “emerging talent,” but only if you already have a resume. Gatekeeping like this kills small projects before they start.

If you’re a new dev or artist — just know what you’re dealing with on these casting platforms. They’re not built for people starting from scratch.

StarNow promises 100s of opportunities to aspiring actors and performers in exchange for their subscription fee.

Unfortunately, the vast majority of these jobs (95%+) are extremely low paid. Some jobs are offering £50 for a day's filming for a commercial! Its criminal and is encouraging a race to the bottom. Role after role is far below minimum wage, or at times, unpaid.

Moreover, many of the jobs require pre-reads or pre-auditions in order to apply. This is completely unethical. To require actors to spend time recording a self-tape simply to suggest themselves for a job is ridiculous. Casting Directors should review applicants and then invite <20 to self-tape for them (as happens in the industry everywhere else). Otherwise actors are having to spend hours on auditions with no results.

Overall, you will likely receive no work - and if you do - if will be at pay rates which is appalling, if not, illegal.

StarNow is a faceless company who do not care - they don't even respond to reviews on here...

I love starnow so much. I have been with them for like 15 years. And through star I've travelled to Argentina and Spain and modelled for the biggest UK brands. As more people have joined, I can see that I'm not getting as much work. But not to worry im very consistent and applying daily is the key and I normally get one job a week which to me is fantastic last week I had 3 Jon's from star now in a row. I love star now so much I'm with an agency and they get me 3 jobs a year if that. The key to anything in life is never give up find your neeich and just perfect your skills. I'm very grateful to star now as without starnow I know for a fact I wouldn't get much modelling or acting work. Here are some of the brands I've worked for. Honda just eat. Gatwick. E45 Sainsbury Starbucks barlacys bank and much more. If you believe in your self any thing is achievable.

Thank you
Starnow

It’s a scam be careful . I lost my money and I send my audition to max 35 casting auditions . I only tried because my friend said he once got an extra role long back . One month and nothing . It’s just a hype and nothing more . I almost deleted the app in 20 days . Try on your own risk

The only star I gave was that there are great jobs available but the amount of problems i encounter and the massive lack of support if something goes wrong. I’ve paid for a subscription which I can’t access and it’s day 3 and still no one answering my emails.

I want a refund!

StarNow profiles have recently gone public. I received no warning and no information.

Upon seeing my profile as public, I changed the settings in my profile to private, yet my profile stayed public. I deleted information and photos, and they were still public. There was media on my profile which I didn’t even have access to in order to delete - from over 15 years ago.

I made contact with StarNow more than ten times via their bot, email, and request submissions. I didn’t receive confirmation that they had received these communications. I did receive contact from them after a few days and after the Google Team instructed me to keep trying. The two people I chatted with were helpful in eventually deleting my profile. However, those original issues of not even being able to access my media were not resolved.

I only give 2stars .This because many auditions are held in Australia and less casting calls nationwide in the UK so my experience. I have been a paying member I think about 5 years ago and I was successfull with my applications at that time. Now newly paid member again I can't see many castings call for the UK based actors/extras. Also there are not any I have seen from Europe nor USA. Australia and NZ for me is too far .

The current state of StarNow, Backstage, and Mandy is nothing short of appalling for professional actors. These platforms, which once served as respectable resources for actors seeking legitimate work, have devolved into cesspools of exploitation and subpar opportunities. The decline in quality has been particularly noticeable since Backstage's takeover, with the situation deteriorating on an almost weekly basis. What was once a valuable tool for connecting talent with genuine opportunities has become a playground for those seeking to take advantage of aspiring actors and undermine the value of our craft.

Perhaps the most egregious aspect of these platforms is the insulting pay rates that have become commonplace. It's not uncommon to see roles being offered at a paltry £50 per day, barely enough to cover basic expenses, let alone provide a living wage. Even more outrageous are the "opportunities" that offer £200 for 15 days of work, which breaks down to an absurd £13.33 per day. This is far below minimum wage and shows a complete disregard for the time, effort, and skill that actors bring to their roles. Adding insult to injury, many jobs are advertised as paid positions, only for actors to discover that they're merely being offered expense reimbursement. Worse still, some roles are promoted with the promise of an IMDb credit as if that alone is sufficient compensation. These practices are not only unethical but also contribute to the devaluation of actors' work across the industry.

The bait-and-switch tactics employed by many listings on these platforms are particularly concerning. Aspiring actors, eager for their break in the industry, are lured in by promises of paid work, only to discover that the compensation is "expenses only" or, even more insultingly, just for "exposure." This deceptive practice preys on the enthusiasm and dedication of newcomers to the field, exploiting their passion and willingness to work hard for a chance at success. It's a manipulative approach that takes advantage of the dreams and aspirations of talented individuals, potentially discouraging them from pursuing their chosen career path.

What's particularly distressing is the rapid decline in the overall quality of listings and opportunities available on these platforms. Each week seems to bring new lows in terms of professionalism, legitimacy of projects, and adherence to industry standards. The platforms appear to have abandoned any commitment to maintaining a certain level of quality or protecting the interests of the actors who use their services. Instead, they seem content to act as passive intermediaries, allowing exploitative practices to flourish unchecked. This race to the bottom not only harms individual actors but also threatens to undermine the standards and practices of the entire industry.

It's high time that organizations like Equity and BECTU were made aware of this ongoing decline and the abysmal pay standards being promoted on these platforms. As professionals in the acting community, we have a responsibility to stand against these exploitative practices and fight for fair treatment and compensation. These platforms have transformed from useful tools into exploitative middlemen that devalue our craft and take advantage of those trying to break into the industry. Actors, especially those new to the field, deserve better than to be treated as disposable commodities. It's crucial that we raise awareness about these issues and encourage our colleagues to seek out legitimate agencies and casting calls that respect their talent, time, and professional worth.

In conclusion, StarNow, Backstage, and Mandy have become a blight on the acting community, actively harming the very people they claim to serve. Their practices normalize exploitation, undercut the value of actors' work, and create a toxic environment that threatens the integrity of our profession. It's imperative that we, as a community, take a stand against these platforms and the harmful practices they enable. By doing so, we can work towards creating a more equitable and respectful industry that values the contributions of actors at all levels of their careers. Only through collective action and a refusal to accept these substandard conditions can we hope to effect real change and restore dignity to our profession.

Goodbye starnow you destroyed your reputation, the restrictions on posting a casting, can't message or reply without sending proof ID what's this the FBI? Why did you sell your soul you were amazing during the pandemic and before the pandemic now it's awful to look people's profiles look like they are in the year 2000. You were the best to connect talent and creative directors now it's all a scam, personally do not trust you enough to upload my ID due to security reasons and you don't guarantee if your site is hacked our information won't be compromised this is a valid reason we won't upload ID. Why why why is starnow a low vibrational website so dull and complicated it used to be so easy. Click profile, message, or post a FREE listing for collaboration now you don't want to help talent grow or gain experience or student projects.
We get it time is money but wouldn't waste a penny on website that looks like we are decades behind. Your previous look and design was creative vibrant and it gave opportunities for talent to showcase their skills and work on unpaid projects but gained experience and they build a professional profile from these projects. Remove the ID verification nonsense and maybe just maybe listen to your customers we want the original starnow back not this boggy website

A bunch of low life crooks making money from subscriptions. I asked them to cancel my membership in 2021. They have continued to deduct 29.94 every 6 months. These need to be reported to trading standards. CROOKS CROOKS CROOKS AVOID AVOID AVOID.