What's interesting about the process of acting is how often you don't know what you're doing.
Interpretation
The quote highlights the unpredictable nature of the acting process and the discovery that comes with it.
Alan Rickman reflects on the unique experience of acting, emphasizing that uncertainty is an inherent part of the process. This lack of clarity can lead to unexpected discoveries and creativity, highlighting the importance of embracing the unknown in artistic endeavors.
In practice
In a drama workshop, this quote could be used to encourage participants to embrace their uncertainties.
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.
I always feel that art in general and acting in particular should make the audience a little uncomfortable, to slap them and wake them up.
Films might get to you and your subconscious and make a little difference, but when the vigilante drum beats, the mob screams and the conformists go along with it. There have to be people who are non-conformists.
A thing of beauty is a joy for ever: Its loveliness increases; it will never Pass into nothingness; but still will keep A bower quiet for us, and a sleep Full of sweet dreams, and health, and quiet breathing.
A man should dress in a way that you don't notice. He looks good and you don't know why. But it's the tailoring, the materials, and the clothes.
The theater is so endlessly fascinating because it's so accidental. It's so much like life.
Were it not for music, we might in these days say, the Beautiful is dead.
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