This article clarifies what the term “crisis actor” actually denotes and why it is often confused.

 This article clarifies what the term “crisis actor” actually denotes and why it is often confused. The phrase is mainly used in conspiracy-theory contexts surrounding mass shootings, terrorism, or disasters, claiming that victims or witnesses are “hired performers” and that events are staged—claims amplified by social media and distrust of legacy media. By contrast, there are real situations where “actors” are used: disaster, medical, and police drills employ role-players, and news reenactments or documentaries use actors to replay events. These are for training or reconstruction and are categorically different from fabricating real incidents. Conspiratorial assertions typically hinge on arbitrary readings of images or videos—e.g., “the same person appears in different incidents” or “the emotional display looks performed”—and repeatedly lack verifiable evidence. Their spread fuels harassment and secondary harm to victims and families, heightens social anxiety and hatred, and impedes constructive debate and prevention efforts. Therefore, verifying sources and evidence, cross-checking multiple official or reliable reports, and strictly distinguishing “training role-players” from the conspiratorial idea of “crisis actors” are essential—this is the author’s conclusion.