What is method casting? Today, the technology is both revered and notorious, so it’s a better time than ever to learn about it. Broadly speaking, this is the system some actors use when approaching characters, trying to get into their psychology and fully understand their motivations and emotions.To accomplish this, they may do all sorts of crazy things, from eating live cockroaches (like Nicolas Cage for vampire kiss) to smoking cigars worth tens of thousands of dollars (such as gary oldman for darkest hour).
The method is much more complicated than that, with a long evolutionary history, but that’s basically the gist of it.It’s certainly an effective technique, as evidenced by artists like this Daniel Day Lewis and marlon brandoBut not all actors in the industry are so respected.some, such as Mads Mikkelsen and robert pattinsonwithout hesitation sharing their disregard for the system and how some actors have gone too far.
Updated by Diego Pineda Pacheco on June 30, 2023:
As the film evolves, so does the acting. As craft changes, more and more actors are questioning past practices, including acting methods. There’s nothing inherently wrong with this approach, it just gives actors a different tool to approach their characters. It cannot be denied, however, that it is often taken to disturbing extremes.
12 sebastian stan
“A narcissistic, self-indulgent act”
sebastian stanKnown for being the Winter Soldier in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, most recently infamous for being the drummer for Mötley Crüe tommy lee in calabash pam and tommy. However, the method has nothing to do with this transformation, as Stan has already expressed his refusal.
“I don’t think it’s about creating chaos for the sake of (performance),” Stein told the In the Envelope podcast. He criticized performers for using the chaos to artificially create tension in the scene, calling it “irresponsible, narcissistic, self-indulgent behaviour”.
11 Mads Mikkelsen
‘It’s just pretentious’
Danish actor Max Mikkelsen has had a lot going on lately, appearing in roles such as doctor strange, Rogue Oneand more recently, Indiana Jones and the Wheel of Fortune. When asked by GQ for his thoughts on method acting, Mikkelsen immediately made his opinion clear: “It’s all bullshit,” he said.
The actor voiced his displeasure with performers who never break out of character, suggesting their system is pointless and unremarkable. He prepares seriously for his role, but doesn’t see the need to go any further than simply saying “it’s just pretentious”. Whatever his approach, Mickelson is sure to deliver consistently good performances.
10 will poulter
“Excuses for misbehavior”
will poulterA fruitful career began when he was 14 years old. Since then, he’s had nowhere to go but upwards, as he continues to appear in big franchises like the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3. Although he is not yet a big star, his acting style is very unique and deeply loved by the audience.
In a conversation with IndieWire, Poulter argued that as long as an actor’s approach doesn’t affect others, it’s fair game. But when the method action is “used as an excuse for wrongdoing,” the ends certainly do not justify the means.
9 Laurence Oliver
“Everyone has their own way”
Laurence Oliver One of the most acclaimed actors of the 20th century, known for his Shakespearean roles and performances such as marathon man and rebecca. His technique is as refined as you’d expect, and he sees the method as just another method.
An interesting story claims that while working marathon man, Dustin Hoffman (Method actor) stayed up three full days to play a sleep-deprived character. According to The Guardian, Olivier responded after learning of the incident: “Dear boy, why don’t you try acting?”
8 charlize theron
“I’m just exhausted”
charlize theron Tried this before on similar movies devil’s advocate and monster (The latter won her an Oscar), but she told the Los Angeles Times she found it exhausting.
Instead, Theron reports that it’s good to find out that method acting isn’t for her, as she can now devote more time and energy to her characters, “being present” with them. She found this approach too boring for her, and it didn’t allow her to get to the heart of the character.
7 david harbor
“That thing is not only stupid, but dangerous”
Widely popular for the wildly successful Netflix originals Stranger Things, david harbor A few more films of the same scale were made after that. He was trained in classical American method acting, but told Variety that he doesn’t believe in that stuff anymore.
Harbor has proven many times that he’s good at what he does and promises to be a huge action star in the future. He’s done it all without having to repeat the method, which he thinks “sounds like nonsense” and is both “stupid” and “dangerous.”
6 robert pattinson
“They only use it when making holes”
talk to jennifer lopez actor of variety show series about his crazy performances lighthouseRobert Pattinson (also because of its twilight legendary and batman) jokingly criticized the method, claiming that the actor only used it “when playing jerks”.
Pattinson made it very clear that method acting wasn’t something he was interested in trying, and talked about why he found the technique so unappealing. “I need to know it’s going to end,” he told Lopez, referring to the actors who stayed in the role and speaking of how he would handle it if he had to play a character like the one he played lighthouse go home with him.
5 Spencer Tracy
“I’m too talented to care”
Spencer TracyKnown for his versatility and naturalistic style, is an acclaimed American actor. He was the first actor to win two Oscars in a row ( brave captain 1938 and boys town 1939), and since then only Tom Hanks.
IMDb quotes him as saying, “Kids keep telling me I should try this new ‘approach to acting,’ but I’m too old, too tired, and too talented to care.” He’s certainly entitled to say that, Because he has had one of the most prolific careers of any actor of his generation.
4 Samuel Jackson
“When I go to work, I’m happy”
Samuel Jackson The kind of actor who serves as a quality assurance badge.If he appears in a movie or TV show (eg Secret Invasionone of the best new shows streaming on Disney+), you can rest assured that at least you’re going to have a good time.
The way Jackson achieves this level of quality in all of his work seems to be by having fun and loving what he does. According to FandomWire, the actor, who has spoken out against method acting on several occasions, said that when he works with people who are overly invested in their characters, “it doesn’t feel like they’re having a good time,” which he believes is what a job like acting is all about. significance.
3 John Cassavetes
“It’s not so much a performance as it is a kind of psychotherapy”
John Cassavetesknown for his outstanding performance as an actor in the film dirty twelve as a film director an affected womanloudly expressing his contempt for method acting.
Artist blames ‘method’ in book Cassavetes on Cassavetes Laziness, narcissism, blandness, even saying it leads to poor performance. From Cassavetes’ point of view, acting can be funnier and more zany without taking itself so seriously. For him, acting should be an expression of joy.
2 martin freeman
“No longer a craft and a job”
because in such as sherlock and movies like Hobbit Trilogy, British actor martin freeman No doubt he disapproved of many famous method actors.speak on close menu In the podcast, he touches on this topic briefly.
Freeman argues that method acting is more amateurish and “academic” than practical, because the actor’s loss of himself in the role diminishes the value of acting as a craft.he condemns method shows like Jim Carreynotorious one man on the mooncalling them “exaggerated, selfish, (and) narcissistic.”
1 Toni Collette
“It’s just crazy”
in conversation david polishfamous Australian actress Toni Collette (Credited for her work heredity and sixth sense) talked about her more instinctive style of character preparation, and took the opportunity to express her thoughts on method acting. Their attitude is not positive.
When asked if she played the character throughout the production of the film, she said, “I think it’s actually complete bullshit.” She thinks it’s inevitable that actors carry a part of the character with them when they go deep inside, but she To think that doing so in an overt manner is simply tasteless.
