# Actor Skyler Gisondo Confronts Impostor Syndrome While Pushing Into Darker Roles
Skyler Gisondo, known for his work on shows like "The Righteous Gemstones" and films including "Booksmart," is stepping into grittier territory with his role in "Primetime." The actor sat down with Men's Health to discuss the mental toll of career transitions, the weight of self-doubt, and how he's learning to trust his instincts as he moves away from the comedic and supporting roles that made his name.
Impostor syndrome haunts many performers, and Gisondo doesn't shy away from admitting its grip on his career. Even as he lands more substantial roles and expands into darker material, he battles the persistent feeling that he hasn't earned his place. This is common among actors who build their careers in ensemble or comedic contexts, where visibility increases slowly and validation comes in scattered bursts rather than consistent waves of recognition.
Gisondo credits his career shift partly to watching how other actors navigate similar transitions. He references Robert Pattinson, who famously worked to shed the "Twilight" label and prove his range through independent films and experimental projects. Pattinson's willingness to take risks in smaller, more challenging productions helped him reclaim control of his narrative and establish himself as a serious actor. Gisondo sees this as a blueprint, though one that requires confronting deep insecurity along the way.
The move toward "dark" material represents more than just picking moodier scripts. For Gisondo, it means exploring morally complex characters, playing antagonists or deeply flawed protagonists, and stepping away from the safety net of audience affection that comes with playing likable supporting players. These roles demand vulnerability in different ways. They require actors to make audiences uncomfortable, to challenge viewers' sympathies, and to inhabit psychological spaces that feel further from their own personalities.
This kind of career repositioning takes real courage. Young actors often build momentum by being reliable, likable, and easy to work with. Studio executives and producers know what they're getting. Breaking that mold means risking the jobs and relationships that sustain a career to chase a different kind of recognition. It means possibly failing in front of larger audiences. It means confronting the voice in your head that whispers you're not talented enough to pull it off.
Gisondo's openness about these struggles resonates with emerging actors everywhere, from drama school graduates to young professionals in any field facing major career pivots. The impostor syndrome he describes is not a character flaw or a sign of weakness. It's the friction point between ambition and self-doubt, the gap between where you are and where you want to be.
For parents watching their teenage children navigate their own creative pursuits or career aspirations, Gisondo's honesty offers a useful reminder. Confidence doesn't precede achievement. Often it follows it, built slowly through repeated effort and accumulated small wins. Young people don't need to feel certain before they try something difficult. They need permission to feel uncertain, attempt it anyway, and learn that the discomfort is temporary.