Have You Ever Refused To Break Character ala Daniel Day-Lewis?

Spending entire months in your characters' skin no matter what was going on your life?

A lot of times I've incorporated elements of characters I am playing into everyday conversations and actions without notifying anyone, or will talk in an accent if I need pratice with it, but I like to know where to draw the line between reality and stage. But- I do know that I keep some of the character I play with me even after I am done. I know the Peggy Sawyer in me comes out a lot.

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Updated On: 7/20/06 at 11:45 PM

I'm usually pretty supportive of whatever technique an actor personally finds helpful, but staying "in character" in one's personal life is pretty ridiculous, I think. I mean, obviously it works for some people, but I can't imagine that it would ever really be necessary.

However, I can say that I sometimes find it hard to shake off the "residue" of a character after a performance. But that's rare (and involuntary!).

I agree with The Distinctive Baritone. Sounds like an attention seeking ploy and nothing else. practice is one thing, but when you bring your character off the stage, you actually could ruin the theatre illusion for someone. "leave your character on stage."

Not to mention this ridiculous technique nearly got Mandy Patinkin brought up on Equity charges during Wild Party.

I'm with Sir Lawrence Olivier, who famously said to Dustin Hoffman, who was putting himself through all sorts of torture in Marathon Man:

"My dear boy, why don't you simply try acting?"

This might explain a little. Generally, I wouldn't buy Reidel's version of anything, but there are many other stories about that show and that performance.

http://www.geocities.com/TelevisionCity/6025/mpart.html

Well to be fair...I spent 80% of my waking life at the theatre during that time. But I had to get into character right away to really get into it. We did a very dark take on Fiddler, and a VERY ensemble-driven version of the show, where the entire cast was visible at all times pretty much. There is one point where I run through the audience onstage, and while I was waiting to do so I had to be in full character because I was visible to passerbys...and two druggies thought I was sketching out on crack and were gonna call an ambulence...one of the theater security personell had to inform them I was quite alright. It was the most rewarding acting experience of my life. The arc I got to create, not just on my own with the character, but as an esemble and essentially a village, was amazing. The only downside was that he final moment of the play was intense (a slightly changed ending, with permission of the liscensing agency) and I started to take that home with me at night and it drained me completely. So it became a good lesson in learning how to leave your job at the theatre.

Akiva

Of course, this doesn't usually work too well for people working in theatre, which is probably one reason why Day-Lewis hasn't appeared onstage since he was unable to complete a performance as Hamlet at the National Theatre in 1989. The understudy had to finish the performance. Ian Charleson, not long before his untimely death, then replaced Day-Lewis for the rest of the run.

I find that very odd. I've done a lot of plays, but I've never taken the character home. It's acting, not being.

We did a very dark take on Fiddler, and a VERY ensemble-driven version of the show, where the entire cast was visible at all times pretty much.
John Doyle made a production of Fiddler?

And the Mandy Patinkin thing? Wow.

The only time I start getting into character is an hour before the show. But even then, I'm still myself, I just get into a little mentality. I need to be me, not someone else all day, especially in theatre. In movies, it's the same thing, unless they need to have an accent that's hard to have, they'll keep it all day, but do they really need to be a jerk to people all day because that's their character?

Vivien Leigh (who was Olivier's lover then wife) played Scarlett O'Hara in GONE WITH THE WIND. Interviews with fellow castmembers said she'd be sitting down reading a book and then stand up and be a b**** for the scene, then be herself. THAT is acting.

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Updated On: 7/20/06 at 11:01 AM

I had a hard time not feeling drained after performing the Baker in ITW. I found that my emotions were really toyed with and I needed time to relax before socializing.

Also, I fasted for two weeks in order to understand hunger when I did LES MIS.

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"Also, I fasted for two weeks in order to understand hunger when I did LES MIS."

Oy.

It's called ACTING!

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