What is method acting?

Question

Is it getting into the characters skin?Is it like,you know your situation and the character,so you improvise and also remain into the character.Meaning,you do it your own way once you are the character,change the script and yet remain into the script.It's like acting out the part in an alternate but same way.Or is it?>

Answer 1

I'm a professional actor. I also consider myself a method actor. For me, method acting is a combination of drawing from life experiences and "becoming" the character.

For example, if I want to feel rage on stage, I often remember racist incidents that have happened to me. If I want to feel love, I used to think of the first time I ever kissed a particular girlfriend I met years ago. Since I met my wife, all I have to do is think of her face and I can feel love. Once I have an emotion in place, all I have to do is say the words on the page and I'm completely believable (I've been told).

To "become" the character, I will do things like dress as I would figure the character would dress if he lived in my community. I try to take everything into account; his class, his education, what is important to him. Then I go out and spend a day as him. I go to public places and think about the conflicts he's going through as I do everyday things.I don't try to force myself on people. I'm not there for attention. I just watch people and see how they interact (or DON'T interact) with me. It gives me a much better grasp on what it's like to be this other guy.

Once I have both of those ingredients in place, I can say anything the author has written and feel confident. I don't EVER change his words, it becomes organic to say them. If anyone throws anything at me onstage (meaning another actor forgets his lines or suddenly decides to do his differently than we rehearsed), I have no problems. I just react as the character would. It's not improvising per se. It's more like BEING.

Answer 2

Method acting is an acting technique in which actors/ actress's try to replicate in real life the emotional conditions under which the character operates, in an effort to create a life-like, realistic performance.

Answer 3

Method acting is an acting technique in which actors try to replicate in real life the emotional conditions under which the character operates

Answer 4

Method acting is an acting technique in which actors try to replicate in real life the emotional conditions under which the character operates, in an effort to create a life-like, realistic performance. "The Method" typically refers to the generic practise of actors drawing on their own emotions, memories, and experiences to influence their portrayals of characters.

Answer 5

In honor of your question, I found this story that's pretty famous since Hoffman is a Method Actor.... enjoy!
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According to the story, just before filming a scene in which he was supposed to be exhausted from running, Hoffman did exactly that: he ran until he was really pretty shattered. Olivier had watched this, and the subsequent conversation went something like this:

Olivier
What on earth are you exhausting yourself like that for?

Hoffman
I've got to get the right feeling for the scene. What else could I do?

Olivier
Try acting, dear boy.

Answer 6

When actors draw from their personal experiences to help them in a role or scene. Like thinking of their grandfather's death to help them cry or mourn in a scene. That's my understanding of it anyways.