The Unique Qualities Of An Actor - Should The Actor "Believe"?

You’re going into rehearsal, to finally create the character you will play. Here’s a big question actors always seem to ask…should they “become” the character they play?

Here’s the answer. No. Never. We have a name for a person who really believes he’s someone else, and that name is psychotic. The actor should never, ever believe he has become the character. But he should endeavor to create as perfect an illusion of the character as possible, for the audience’s sake. That’s what he’s paid to do. He is NOT paid to inflict psychic trauma on himself by forcing his life into a character’s pattern of life. That is the road to insanity.

There has long been a ridiculous and disgusting rumor held to be true by many fools that to be an artist, one must be neurotic, partially insane. Artists are “different”. Artists are “odd”. Yes, well, artists ARE different, that’s true, because they must develop and maintain a heightened ability to communicate, and an awareness of their own creative faculties. They are different…they’re saner than the average man, at least when the artist understands that his sanity is one of his chief tools. Sad, but true.

You are unique, as an artist. If you grow into greatness, you will become a national and global treasure, whose work will be admired by millions and tens of millions. Celebrity is grand, but it’s a terrible cross to bear as well, and requires unique degrees of sanity to survive. Creation is exhilarating, but requires a high ability to remain sane and separate from one’s own creations. The artist can never afford to really fall in love with his own work. he must maintain some distance, some ability to critique and improve, and to see his work as the audience might see it. This ability to differentiate requires a very high degree of sanity.

You are not the character…you’re playing him. Always remember this. Work to look like the character, move like him, sound like him, and at least appear to think and feel like him while in front of your audience or the camera. But never make the mistake of believing you are the character. And PLEASE leave your work at work. Actors who feel they must “keep working” their character at home are insane. No one wants to live with Jack the Ripper, or Little Mary Sunshine. When rehearsal or performance ends, be the nice person your friends and family love. Leave the role at work.

More tomorrow about the unique qualities of an actor and HEY, if you're reading this and finding it fun or useful, HOW ABOUT A FOLLOW PLEASE?