Depress actors by not working (4,4)
I believe the answer is:
cast down
'depress' is the definition.
(synonyms)
'actors by not working' is the wordplay.
'actors' becomes 'cast' (I've seen this in another clue).
'by' means one lot of letters go next to another.
'not working' becomes 'down' (I've seen this in another clue).
'cast'+'down'='CAST DOWN'
(Other definitions for cast down that I've seen before include "disheartened" , "Depressed" , "Discouraged" , "in need of encouragement" , "Gloomy" .)