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From the outside it might seem that all actors do the same thing. It might look like actors are just being, just doing. But in reality there is often subtle acting differences from one production to the next. Some even have drastic differences from one actor to the next in the same production.

Directors may have a preferred acting style and it may not fit perfectly in a single category so knowledge and experience with many different acting styles will give you a versatility many lack. There are four acting styles that will most come in handy throughout an actor's life.

Naturalistic

Associated mostly with the method acting school, it's a close approximation of life as lived. No heightened unmotivated emotional outbursts and no histrionics. Some audiences perceive this acting as boring but in the right production it can make it seem more realistic than a "bigger" performance style.

Hammy, Overacting

Broad comedies and melodramas will necessitate a more obvious, indicated style of acting. This is where you open your mouth widely for people to know for certain that you are surprised. You will raise your voice to indicate your anger and probably shed maudlin tears so they know you are sad. This style is the norm in most Hollywood movies.

Poor Acting

This is closely related to the overacting style because in real life this rarely happens. This is mostly used when we want the audience to know that what someone is saying is a lie so we have the actor say the lines like a normal person trying to act would. It's also a style used to plain show something is a dramatic production and not real life. Whenever acting is shown in a movie it's often in the poor acting style to firmly differentiate it from the rest of the movie.

Theatrical

This can be used in films at times but it's most helpful for use in theater. By theatrical I don't mean indicating and over-the-top. I mean the few strictures you need to adhere to in a theatrical stage setting that you needn't worry about in a filmed production. You will find small theater productions often more fulfilling and generally more plentiful than small filmed productions, so you will probably be in a theater a good bit of your acting career. This acting style mainly consists of enunciation and projection of your voice and body language that is open to the audience.

I was a victim of my desire to perfect naturalistic acting and eschew the other styles thinking it would taint my attempts at purity. Truthfully, most people can barely tell one style from another so it's not life or death. The mastering of multiple styles helps with a thorough understanding of them all so it may actually make you better at your favorite acting style.