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I often hear actors talking about acting in abstract terms as if it were some elusive mystery you had to somehow “feel” your way to discovering . They ‘ll endlessly debate what is means to be “in the moment” or how to “emotionally prepare” for a scene, etc.  All that is fine but I can’t help feeling they’re forgetting that acting, at its essence, is really just pretending.

It’s the same kind of pretending kids do effortlessly without all the philosophizing.  They just leap right in exploring how the person they’re playing  acts.  They instinctively know how important the way they walk, and talk is to being believed.  They listen to what their playmates say, decide how they feel about it, then respond and go full tilt after what they want.  It’s so simple.

I rarely hear actors talking about the physical aspects of creating a role and, not surprisingly, the number one issue I see in actors I coach is a lack of connection between their words and their bodies. They’re acting mostly from the neck up. 

Of course, the kind of acting kids do and the kind of acting actors do is not the same but we can learn something from their example.  Kids don’t worry about emotional preparation.  They just start trying things.  Emotion comes from doing.  And they’re not concerned about being “in the moment” because “the moment” isn’t some mystical state to be strived for, it’s whatever moment they’re in. They dive in and they don’t judge themselves harshly if they find themselves thinking while they act.  Thinking about where you’re going, what you’re doing and making adjustments along the way is a natural and necessary part of playing a role.

So remember that pretending is fun.  Launch right in and start trying things.  Make bold physical choices.  Glide, float, slash, flit or strut with pride.  Use your body to tell the story you want to tell.  Make choices about  your character’s tempo.  Is it fast or slow?  Are you revving like a race car inside or languid like a lazy summer day?  The visual cues you give an audience are how your story is revealed.  So have fun! Listen to your playmates, feel what you feel then act like no one’s watching!

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Let me know your thoughts in the comments below! 

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All my best,

Philip

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Philip Hernandez is a respected acting teacher and singing coach in NYC. He is also the only actor in Broadway history to play both Jean Valjean and Inspector Javert in Les Miserables. He created principal roles in Broadway’s Kiss of the Spiderwoman and Paul Simon’s The Capeman. You may also know him from his many television appearances: The Blacklist, Gotham, Blue Bloods, The Path, Bull, Nurse Jackie, Elementary, Person of Interest, Law and Order, Hostages and Damages to name a few. For information about acting lessons CLICK HERE or singing lessons CLICK HERE. 

Follow him on twitter @philip24601, on Instagram @philip24601 and on Facebook at @philip24601.