diff --git a/Gems/EMotionFX/Code/Source/Integration/Components/ActorComponent.cpp b/Gems/EMotionFX/Code/Source/Integration/Components/ActorComponent.cpp
index f41ef165c8..b0065708fb 100644
--- a/Gems/EMotionFX/Code/Source/Integration/Components/ActorComponent.cpp
+++ b/Gems/EMotionFX/Code/Source/Integration/Components/ActorComponent.cpp
@@ -299,8 +299,7 @@ namespace EMotionFX
         void ActorComponent::OnAssetReady(AZ::Data::Asset<AZ::Data::AssetData> asset)
         {
             m_configuration.m_actorAsset = asset;
-            Actor* actor = m_configuration.m_actorAsset->GetActor();
-            AZ_Assert(m_configuration.m_actorAsset.IsReady() && actor, "Actor asset should be loaded and actor valid.");
+            AZ_Assert(m_configuration.m_actorAsset.IsReady() && m_configuration.m_actorAsset->GetActor(), "Actor asset should be loaded and actor valid.");
 
             CheckActorCreation();
         }