Passion and desire are wonderful energizers and motivators, but they are no substitute for skill, creativity, and intelligence. The ideal actor for any role is the actor who is in control of themselves and the material, and hence, truly belongs in the room. Casting knows these people as “smart actors,” and they get called in a lot as they always have something original and interesting to offer. Here are some of the hallmarks of the smart actor:
They know the limits of the mind. The mind is a literal organ. It tells you what is in front of you, and that’s about it. So, if you rely on only the mind in preparing an audition, all you’re going to show the people in the room what they already know. In addition, its primary job is to keep you safe, and we all know that safety is suicide in any creative endeavor.
It’s the body and the heart that are the centers of creativity. The body contains everything that you’ve ever experienced and ever felt, which means that every answer you will ever need is inside of you, ready and waiting to be discovered.
Smart actors have a way of working that allows them to calm the wild and limiting mind so they can explore with safety and depth the body and heart. In doing so, they access the truths that instill the piece with the particular life force and specific qualities that make the role uniquely theirs.
They know that the most intelligent thing they can do is release the brain’s authority over their creative process and melt into the rich insights provided by the body and heart.
They’re alive in their day-to-day lives. The smart actor looks at his/her life as a laboratory. They know that there is never a random experience or a wasted moment. Every interaction holds the potential for creative growth. They are excited for everything and can’t wait to feel how the circumstances of their lives affect them. They lean into life and look for opportunities to explore their emotional mapping, and because of this are constantly gaining insight into themselves and their behaviors. Their work is that much richer and more specific because of it.
Intelligent actors also know that the audition is not the final performance. Your job in the audition is to show the people in the room who you are and what you have to add to the role that they’re casting. It’s not to give a finished performance. (You don’t have the job yet so you actually can’t.) This is the job interview and your job is to give them reasons to hire you. In an audition, that means investing the role with the qualities of yours that bring the words to life in a compellingly personal way—the possibilities that are yours and yours alone—and to deliver these qualities through a connected, dynamic conversation.
They’re not acting the role or giving a reading; they’ve done the work that allows them to simply be.
Because of this, they’re flexible. And when it comes time for adjustments and redirects they can shift their work and deliver the different emotions that are being asked of them. The actor who has delivered more of a final performance is probably not going to be adjusted, as casting tends to leave auditions that look “done” alone, figuring that is all that person has to offer. And if they are, it’s doubtful they will be able to deliver the adjustments as the work is probably too set to be shifted. They are locked in and hanging on for dear life.
The smart actor knows that a great audition is the perfect blend of preparedness and flexibility. They know that their bodies and hearts won’t let them down and are confident enough in their skills to let the work go and connect in the room.
When a casting person, director, producer, or studio executive describes an actor as “smart,” it is a high compliment. They believe the actor will be a sharp collaborator who will be able to understand and deliver whatever is asked of them. And not only will the work be uniquely creative, it will also have the added quality of intelligence to give it the full weight of humanity.
Like this advice? Check out more from our Backstage Experts!
The views expressed in this article are solely that of the individual(s) providing them,
and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Backstage or its staff.
