Actors are agents of change. A film, a piece of theater, a piece of music, or a book can make a difference. It can change the world.
Interpretation
Art and performance have the power to inspire change in society.
This quote by Alan Rickman emphasizes the influential role that artists play in shaping societal perspectives and driving change. Whether through film, theater, music, or literature, the stories and expressions created by artists can resonate deeply with audiences, provoke thought, and ultimately inspire meaningful transformations in the world.
In practice
In a speech about the impact of culture at a conference.
Film has to be reflecting the world that we live in, and that's all you want to be a part of. Actors inhabit the same planet as everyone else. It's a weird thing that happens when you're an actor because people hold you up because you somehow embody in parts groups of people or people's hopes or something.
You can act truthfully or you can lie. You can reveal things about yourself or you can hide. Therefore, the audience recognizes something about themselves or they don't -- You hope they don't leave the theatre thinking that was nice...now where's the cab?'
I'm a lot less serious than people think, it's probably because the way my face is put together.
Those of you who are not aware of my brilliant career as a stand up comic, I'm not aware of it either so we might well wonder what we're doing here.
Acting is mostly about listening. If you just focus in on what the other person is saying, acting takes care of itself to quite a large extent.
When I am asked about influences, I always say I bow down to Fred Astaire, because when you look at him dancing you never look at his extremities, do you? You look at his centre. What you never see is the hours of work that went into the routines, you just see the breathtaking spirit and freedom.
Every time I write something, I think, this is the most offensive thing I will ever write. But no. I always surprise myself.
Little events, ordinary things, smashed and reconstituted. Suddenly, they become the bleached bones of a story.
Each thing in its way, when true to its own character, is equally beautiful. (p 41)
The desire to create is one of the deepest yearnings of the human soul.
Style is something each of us already has, all we need to do is find it.
For me, choosing between fiction and nonfiction is really only about picking the right tool for the job.
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