There’s a difference between someone who’s an actor and someone who’s distinctly a theater kid, just like there’s a difference between someone who’s a musician and someone who’s distinctly a band kid
you just don't know what these people were like in older generations. these same institutions were producing the same kinds of professionals for the industry long before you were born. it's more difficult to recognize some geezer was an enormous nerd because their reveues are even older. Bruce Willis is a theater kid but instead of Wicked the man knows Bing Crosby shit