mysql> explain select actor_id, (select count(*) from sakila.film_actor where film_actor.actor_id = actor.actor_id) from sakila.actor; +----+--------------------+------------+-------+---------------+---------+---------+----------------+------+--------------------------+ | id | select_type | table | type | possible_keys | key | key_len | ref | rows | Extra | +----+--------------------+------------+-------+---------------+---------+---------+----------------+------+--------------------------+ | 1 | PRIMARY | actor | index | NULL | PRIMARY | 2 | NULL | 200 | Using index | | 2 | DEPENDENT SUBQUERY | film_actor | ref | PRIMARY | PRIMARY | 2 | actor.actor_id | 13 | Using where; Using index | +----+--------------------+------------+-------+---------------+---------+---------+----------------+------+--------------------------+ 2 rows in set (0.00 sec) mysql> notee