From stories by Jared Leto allegedly send dead rats as presents to his castmates during suicide squadto actors who lock themselves in hoping to separate characters, the concept, and the pursuit of Method Trading has been under a lot of scrutiny as audiences learn more and more seemingly outrageous stories about their favorite actors going to extreme lengths to get into their roles. Some actors have even gone to harmful places to try and get the best performances, regretting the road they have gone to become their characters. Others have said they wouldn’t have gotten into the role any other way and stuck to their tactics. Despite all the controversy and big names out there about whether they’re for or against method acting, it’s still something that actors use to give the performances we know and love today.
While it’s so common in the acting world, it’s just getting more media buzz now, and it’s an unfamiliar subject to the rest of the world. Is all acting Method Acting? Where is the line between getting character and going ‘method’? Here’s an overview of exactly what Method Acting is, where it comes from, and how it’s been used in classic movies, as well as popular misconceptions about the practice.
The origin of methodical action
What is the definition of method acting? It is described as the “technique of acting in which an actor strives for complete emotional identification with a role” by the Oxford Dictionary. Basically, the technique is to fully become the character an actor plays, both through behavior – voice, action, and movement – and through thoughts, and all the time. Method actors behave not only like the character they play on set, but also when they go home.
It was in the thirties, per No film school, that this technique really took off, developed in New York in the Actor’s Studio by both Lee Strasberg and Elia Kazan. The model Strasberg and Kazan taught was adapted from the teachings of Russian actor Konstantin Stanislavski, who claimed the technique but used it only as character work. It took flight from there as another way for an actor to immerse themselves in their role to fully understand the character and deliver the most honest performance.
Which method of trading entails?
When an actor becomes Method, they act completely like their character for the months they are filming or performing. Actors, whether Method or not, often complete character work outside of the material they have, such as creating backstories, experiences, and answering questions for the characters they play to immerse themselves more deeply. Method acting takes those experiences and makes them real. For example, an actor might move to where his character was raised, live in the kind of house he lived in, or follow a strict diet that his character had access to. Now most of this could be interchangeable with an actor just doing character work. The real difference between understanding a character and the process is that during the character work an actor is still himself. By method, that actor tries to make that character more complete, leaving himself behind for the time being. Another branch of method acting is an exercise called “Sense Memory” or “Emotional Recall”. This is the technique of recalling specific memories or experiences and trying to bring yourself back into that mindset of that memory. This can be helpful, but has also raised the issue of danger and potential harm, especially if the memory evoked is particularly dramatic or difficult to remember.
Common Misconceptions About Methodology
The misconceptions about Method Acting always come from the most extreme examples, such as when the actor in question puts themselves or their cast or crew at risk. As with any job or education, there are extremes where those undergoing must be wary. And when those barriers are broken, danger comes. For example, stories about actors starving themselves to portray someone in deep poverty, or, to gain weight, eating only high-calorie foods. Often in these extreme situations, actors have a coach right in their corner to make sure they are safe and not hurting themselves in irreparable ways.
There are also so many other cases of Method acting that aren’t as extreme as what grabs the attention of the media. Of course, there will always be controversy no matter what. Many actors are all for Method acting, but there are also actors who have delivered equally incredible performances who disagree with Method acting, arguing that there has to be a line where your work ends and you begin. Both Method and Non-Method have produced award-winning performances and have many actors who have both sides of their backs. It all depends on the actor, the character, the project and how each individual performer wants their character to become, and as with any job, the bottom line is that each actor is individual.