When you’re on set and trying to curate a working environment and lead a team to make a movie, any kind of bump in the road can be annoying. and if that bump is an actor who refuses to break character…that bump will be felt all over.
Enter method actors, the punchline for many jokes about Hollywood, it’s a process that involves an actor staying in character, even when the cameras are not rolling.
That can be hard to deal with, but some people love it.
Recently, during a French Cinematheque masterclass in Paris, director Darren Aronofsky said, “I hate Method actors.”
He expanded on the thought, saying, “[By all means], do a tremendous amount of research and really work hard, but acting’s make-believe. If you’re going to do an intense scene, [there’s nothing wrong with] keeping yourself isolated, focused, and ready in between takes to maintain that emotion. It’s a sport, a game — only, to be a great basketball player, you don’t have to be dribbling all the time. That’s not how it works. You do your homework, and get yourself ready. It’s only a fake reality between action and cut.”
This was a fun take from a director who has taken actors to some of their finest performances. In the rant, he added that method acting was “just something to hide behind, as opposed to doing the work and being professional.”
Still, Aronofsky didn’t close himself off to that art of the process. He clarified that method acting can be “fine, as long as it’s not debilitating for the rest of the crew.”
As a director, you should sit down with your cast before adding them to your project and talk with them about their process and your expectations. Make sure you’re on the same page, and then go from there.
That way, everyone is on the same page before you enter into a weeks or months-long project together.
Let me know what you think in the comments.
Author: Jason Hellerman
This article comes from No Film School and can be read on the original site.
