Here's a hypothetical situation. You've auditioned for a role, and it looks like you are going to get it. You now read the whole script and discover to your dismay that it requires nudity, which gives you the creeps. Or it's politically offensive—e.g., racist, anti-Semitic, or homophobic. Or it's just a lousy piece of work. The story and characters make no sense, and the writing is wretched. The bottom line is you don't want to appear in it. What do you do?

According to the agents and managers we spoke with, turning down roles for most of these reasons is off-putting and can damage an actor's opportunities in the future. Nobody cares if an actor dislikes the writing, and the reps say it's no reason for a newbie or even a journeyman actor not to take a role. Neither is being called upon to act with a fellow actor who is repellent as a human being. Most of our sources say swallow it. Or, as TV actor Jay Huguley suggests, "View it as an acting challenge, and try to like that person."

However, Montclair, N.J.–based manager Karen Gunn of Soiree Fair Inc. Literary & Talent Management takes a somewhat different view. "If you've really had a bad run-in with someone, you can tell a casting director that you don't want to work with this person," she says. "But don't give specifics. You can say, 'If I had known that actor were involved, I wouldn't have accepted.' Then follow it up with a note, apologizing and explaining that you couldn't fulfill your obligations due to the conflict."

"Always come from a place of gratitude," emphasizes manager Lynda Bensky of Bensky Entertainment in Sherman Oaks, Calif. "Whatever your reasons for wanting to get out of a project, thank the casting director for the opportunity and express how truly grateful you are for being considered. If the problem is the script, you can then say, now that you've had a chance to look at it closely, you realize it isn't quite right for you. But being openly critical is just not productive."

"Don't be honest," urges Los Angeles agent Sharon Kemp of Sharon Kemp Talent Agency. "If you want to be honest, be an accountant. You don't want to make enemies or get blackballed. You say, 'It's so kind of you to offer me this role, but my great aunt is taking me to Venezuela as a birthday present. Still, I'm so pleased you thought of me.' "

Diplomacy is the operative word, but if an actor is unable to strike the right tone—and is determined to get out of a project—he or she can, as Kemp suggests, find a compelling reason for not being in town. A family emergency usually works, say the reps. The odds of getting caught are slim, but clearly it's an excuse that cannot be used frequently, or suspicions would be aroused.

Not everyone interviewed likes the white-lie tactic. Some believe that lies ultimately surface and the actor has only succeeded in doing more harm than good to his or her career. Yet, if there is a substantial issue at stake—such as a script that requires nudity or espouses objectionable politics—most feel being straightforward may be the best policy. "I plan on being in the business a long time," says Huguley. "And I feel I should be completely honest with any objections I might have. If you have an agent, you should tell your agent what your objections are. If you don't have an agent, I'd suggest calling the casting director to explain that you find the nudity gratuitous, for example. People respect honesty. If you're not honest at the end of the day, it will bite you in the butt."

But honesty, especially about emotionally charged subjects such as nudity or politics, requires forethought, Gunn cautions. "You always have to think about 'What information am I putting out there?' " she says. "Actors tend to think small. You have to realize what you put out there may follow you down the road."

Backing out of roles—and even auditions—is a sure way to get a bad reputation, all agree. If you are contractually committed to a part, you can't jump ship unless there are provisions in the contracts that give you an out. But there are rare times—especially in the current economy—when actors need to back out because a more lucrative project has come down the pike.