I get stage fright and gremlins in my head saying: 'You're going to forget your lines'.
Interpretation
The fear of performance can be overwhelming, but acknowledging it is the first step to overcoming it.
In this quote, Alan Rickman opens up about his personal struggle with stage fright, revealing the inner doubts and fears that plague many performers. He shares a relatable sentiment that even seasoned actors can feel anxious about forgetting their lines, highlighting the courage it takes to face these fears and continue to perform despite them.
In practice
This quote is perfect to share before a school play to encourage students facing their fears.
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.
There's always that moment on every movie where you just go, 'Okay, this is that moment. I'm about to potentially fall flat on my face, and I might as well just dive in and see what happens.'
You might not be a big fan of politics, but you can still participate. All you need to do is vote for people you believe will work on these issues, and if they don't work the way they should, then it is your responsibility to call them, organize a town hall, and demand that they show up - hold them accountable.
I feel vulnerable because my mind - because of the stroke, my mind doesn't focus. And then I feel vulnerable because I don't understand the world around me.
The woman doesn't look up. It's as if she's deaf. Maybe she is. Maybe she's like the Cambodian women I've read about, the ones who witnessed so many atrocities that they have willed themselves blind. Maybe that's what you have to do sometimes to survive. You kill off part of yourself, your hearing or eyesight, your capacity for hope.
SEALs aren't the only heroes out there. Everyone who puts on a uniform meets that threshold.
Part of the problem is we had so far to go, given the deep homophobia in our society. But, the movement is very real. The movement is very real.
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