Part 3 of a five-part series on Blueprint communication in Unreal Engine 5.
Part 2 found another Actor at runtime with Get Actor of Class. That works, but it searches for an Actor by type rather than letting you say exactly which one you mean. This tutorial covers the alternative: an Actor Reference variable that you expose to the editor and assign by hand in the Details panel.
We create the variable, make it public so it appears on the Actor in the level, and drop the target Actor straight into that slot. From then on the Blueprint talks to that specific Actor with no searching involved.
By the end you will know how to create an Actor Reference variable, how to expose a variable to the editor, how to assign an Actor from the Details panel, and when a direct reference is the better choice over Get Actor of Class.
This is a simple and reliable way to wire two specific Actors together in Unreal Engine 5.
https://dev.epicgames.com/community/learning/tutorials/7rGb/unreal-engine-blueprint-communication-in-ue5-part-3-exposed-actor-references