3 Qualities an Actor Should Possess
There are a lot of actors in this country, but not many of them are artists. As we collectively find ourselves isolated and quarantined, left to our thoughts and daydreams, its good to find a little time to contemplate and reimagine what an artistic acting life should include. To approach acting as an art form takes an understanding that craft and technique are essential; a realization that any artist needs to master their instrument if they want to be vivid and transformational. Outside of the obvious necessity to train professionally, I believe that there are three qualities that any serious actor should possess.
INTELLECTUAL CURIOSITY
You cannot bring more to your art then what resides inside of you. Yes, a vivid imagination is important, but that must be continually fed and nurtured. How do you do that? You must seek inspiration. This requires a desire, and obsession with learning about the world and our place in it. I think an actor should read the Arts & Leisure section of the NY Times every day. At the bare minimum, read Sunday’s edition. What you learn will feed you and keep you current on what is going on in the world of art. It’s uncomfortable to find yourself in a conversation amongst fellow artists you respect, and not know who or what they are referring to. Its even worse in a professional setting when a director uses a metaphor such as comparing the size and weight of their production to a Richard Serra sculpture or seeking the intensity and stillness of a Marina Abramovic performance piece and you have no clue what they’re talking about. I think you should want to read about other artists, not just actors, in order to gain insight into how they mastered their craft. Understanding and appreciating the struggles and insecurities of true masters will shed insight into your own journey, and perhaps give you solace in knowing that your struggle is not unique to you.
EMPATHY TOWARDS HUMAN SUFFERING
I think that one of the burning questions that should follow any serious actor is, How many shoes can I step into? As with any art form, this requires a deep well of empathy for the human condition. You must possess the ability to emotionally relate to as many circumstances as possible. Not to get too Buddhist, but there is a tremendous amount of suffering on this planet. Billions of people know nothing but suffering from the moment they come out of the womb. Many of us lucky enough to be born in a democratized country, suffer far less. Some days our suffering is miniscule, and we are at our happiest. Some days the suffering can be immense. I think it is important to read the news and gain greater insight into the unbelievable experiences that some of us have. There are boys that are forced to hold down their mothers as they are raped by militias in war ravaged countries, a mother loses her husband and two children in a car accident. A grandfather sets his baby grandson up against what he thinks is a closed window, which is actually open, and the child falls to their death. A woman is eviscerated on the stand by defense attorney’s who challenge her rape allegation. a woman who was a surrogate for her sister’s baby dies in childbirth while the baby survives. All of these stories have been in the news over the last year, and as an actor, perhaps one day an opportunity will come along to bring these stories to life, to live through them for us. I think a real actor, who would be offered a script with these stories would jump at the chance. Movies and television like The Room, Unbelievable, Beasts Of No Nation, The Wire, Deadwood, are excellent example of the opportunities actors have to illuminate life experience. So its important to stay aware and open to what is happening on this planet, because it will not only feed your imagination, but keep you connected to your humanity.
FOSTERING A SOUND MIND AND HEALTHY BODY
I grew up embracing what is now a tired cliché, that of the suffering artist. Many of the artists I idolized and found inspiration in were very troubled personally. Artists such as Kurt Cobain, Amy Winehouse, Diane Arbus, Ann Sexton, Montgomery Clift, Basquiat, Robert Mapplethorpe, Spaulding Gray, Sylvia Plath, and Jimi Hendrix were sources of inspiration for me. They all had complicated, personal demons which both fueled their art, and for some, ended their lives. I headed to NYC at the age of 23 under the naïve impression that great art could only be produced through one’s tortuous pain. But I did not harbor such inner conflict. I grew up in a very loving home with fantastic parents and a solid sense of well being. I started wondering how I could ever be a good artist if my work was not rooted in addiction and suffering. I felt artistically inadequate. It wasn’t until I got older, and learned more about the importance of a healthy mind and body, that I realized that great art is born out of a vivid imagination, not solely one’s turmoil. An actor’s life is demanding emotionally, physically, and vocally. If you want to sustain a career well into your 60’s and 70’s, its important to care for your instrument the same way a violinist at the NY Philharmonic cares for theirs. It’s kept in a strong case, polished and tuned regularly. It’s handled with great attention and care. An actor must do the same with the source of their creation. Developing life habits and training yourself in every aspect will allow you to do the demanding work needed to sustain major roles.
If you are really grappling with whether or not a serious acting career is what you want, then ask yourself some serious questions. How hard am I really willing to work on myself? Do I respect the art of acting enough to give it my full dedication? Is the artistry, grace, and simplicity of great acting something that appeals to me? Do I want to be able to achieve that? If so, then you owe it to yourself to do whatever it takes to move closer, every day, to make that happen.