To get an agent, do I have to go to acting school?

Yes. In the UK you have to graduate from a top drama school before any agents will consider you.
Forget what one or two famous actors did - that's one or two in a million.

To get into a drama school you'd need an excellent grade A Level Drama or Btec, several years of training at a basic level at a good acting school, good singing and dance abilities, a lot of stage experience with a reputable community theatre (ordinary school and college plays don’t count at all) as well as huge talent.

Each of the drama schools gets about 5,000 people auditioning for only 24 to 30 places, every year. It’s also very expensive – the fees alone are at least £27,000, and on top of that you have to pay all your own rent and living costs.

And even after all that, the best you could ever hope to get is about 2 or 3 weeks' paid acting work a year - that's the average. I understand that acting is all you want to do, but you’re still going to need another job just to afford a shared room in a tiny flat in a rough area of London. Almost all actors have to work an ordinary job alongside acting just to survive.

So yes - a drama school ('acting school' - that's for kids from the age of 7 up to 17 - is where you get your basic training) is essential in the UK. Agents simply aren't interested in anyone else.

They will not likely take you unless you are on the actors directory called Spotlight , and Spotlight will not accept you without acting credits . Also you would be wise to seek extended training , and learn the rules for camera acting vs stage acting . Have a good think and plan .

No, you just have to pay them a lot. More successful agents may look at your background before signing you, but not all agents care. Most just want your money. They will try to send you to auditions, but it's up to to get the part.

No, it's not essential, but if you don't have any video from plays you've appeared in, anything like that, it would certainly help if you went to acting school. You could amass some credits at the school and agents would be more likely to see you. Drama school faculty often have connections.

Being seriously involved in acting at university would also be acceptable. Only college-level experience might not impress any agents, though.

(By the way, in the US, it's possible to study drama/acting at a university instead of a school specifically devoted to acting training. Many people do.)

You need to do something about your grammar.

Johnny Depp got very lucky in that he was married to a Hollywood makeup artist and became good friends with Nicholas Cage, who is the nephew of both Francis Ford Coppola and Talia Shire (Adrian in "Rocky"). So having connections can help a lot. If you are lucky enough to become friends with an actor whose uncle is one of the most successful directors in Hollywood, then maybe you might get your foot in the door that way

Jim Carrey was a hugely successful stand up comedian who was selling out clubs before he got into acting. He spent a year touring with Rodney Dangerfield as his opening act, then had his own successful stand up show in Las Vegas then appeared on shows like The Tonight Show before he started acting. So you could get into stand up comedy or improv as a way to get into acting. It worked for Will Ferrell, Amy Poehler, Jason Sudeikis, Whitney Cummings and a number of other comedic actors

Jim Carrey started very young as a comedian. Jonny Depp had contacts and was in a rock band. Whilst not impossible to get into acting with no training, here in the UK, it is exceedingly difficult unless you come from one of the acting dynasties who can help you on your way. There are thousands of wannabe actors. Make yourself stand out and be the best you can be by getting training, otherwise you will be wasting your time. The majority of auditions are gained from agents. Agents will not take unknowns with no training.