When performing should one become the character that one is playing?

Question

I believe that this is called method acting.

Answer 1

Performing a character who is totally outside of you is a great acting challenge. When you submit yourself to the character you are portraying and you emerse yourself so deeply that you become that character and the line where character starts and you end is so thin the difference cannot be seen - is method acting and the best form of flattery.

Answer 2

From your 1/2 call (or if you really need more time - earlier) YES! Unless you truely believe that you are a 'STAR' - in which case, always be yourself - that's what fans want - their STAR to always be the same persona.

Acting is about becoming the character. Actors like Pacino and Streep spend years investigating certain characters, and by extension - character types. On the other end of the spectrim, Rodney Dangerfield is always Rodney Dangerfield, and Eddie Murphy isn't always Eddie Murphy, but doesn't stry too far from himself.

The "Method" is not a joke. Too many students of acting get the surface and don't get the depth. Both Streep and Pacino are 'Method Actors.' Brando was a Method Actor. I believe that Stella Adler was the best of the Method theachers, so was Sanford Misner. But you don't have to use the "method' to "get into Character" before going on stage or in front of the cameras.

Ask yourself a dozen or so questions, LIKE: Who is this person? How did this character get into this situation? Why is this character saying this in response to the cue line? Why was I cast in this role, what does the Director think that I bring to this role and what is the Directors expectation (if you don't know, ASK), and most important - am I ME or the Character?

Answer 3

That is a simplistic explanation of acting. Most American Acting instructors would agree with you to an extent but would disagree with the wording. The directors of your production have cast you as this character for a reason. They cast you because they like what you have brought to the role. you bring such things by just being yourself. although you may have a different physical trait, or an accent you are the character (to an extent) that the directors have cast you in. so to answer your question: Kinda--but the character becomes you.

Answer 4

No. The "method" is a technique whereby the actor draws on their own emotions and experiences to influence how they play a character.

You don't "become" the character; rather, you find his/her emotional life by finding the same emotions in yourself. It makes for a more realistic performance.

Answer 5

Yes. Totally. If you don't become the character your playing then
you don't play that character well.

When I think about this, I think about Jim Carey during the making of "Man On The Moon." When the movie was coming out
they interviewed Courtney Love and she talked about how during
the ENTIRE time they were making the movie Jim WAS Andy Kaufman. Even when they weren't filming. She talked about one
day she went to his dressing room and started talking to him, calling him Jim. He acted like she wasn't in the room until she
called him Andy. He did this until filming was complete.

If you're going to play your character to the best of your ability then you need to put yourself in the character's shoes.

Answer 6

well, i always practice my role, i don't become the person 24/7, but i do occasionaly become the role in public, to have fun, and to practice,

Answer 7

Yep, that's what it's called.

Answer 8

Ya definately that is wut makes a good actress/actor