1. His father was an actor.
2. His mother was an actor.
3. His mothe was an actress.
4. Actors: Tom, John, Emily, and Susan
5. Actors and Actresses: Tom, John, Emily, and Susan
-------------------------
Which expressions are commonly used.
Can we use 'actor' for a woman?
https://www.google.com/search?client=safari&rls=en&q=actor+vs+actress+labels&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8
From the given expressions, we can see that there are two terms used to refer to individuals who perform in the field of acting: "actor" and "actress."
1. The expression "His father was an actor" suggests that the father of someone being referred to was involved in acting.
2. Similarly, the expression "His mother was an actor" implies that the mother of someone being referred to was also involved in acting.
3. The expression "His mother was an actress" is essentially the same as the second expression but uses the feminine form of the word "actor."
4. The expression "Actors: Tom, John, Emily, and Susan" indicates a list of individuals, including both males and females, who are actors.
5. The expression "Actors and Actresses: Tom, John, Emily, and Susan" includes both male and female actors specifically mentioning that there are actors (males) and actresses (females) present in the list.
As for the second part of your question, traditionally in the English language, the word "actor" has been used to refer to men who perform in the field of acting, whereas "actress" has been used for women. However, in recent years, there has been a shift towards using the term "actor" as a gender-neutral term that can be applied to both males and females. This is done to promote gender equality in the profession and avoid unnecessary distinction based on gender. So, while the term "actress" is still commonly used for women in certain contexts, it is also acceptable to use the term "actor" to refer to both men and women.