Acting: How to break an emotional block
You have an audition for the role of a drug addict or someone with suicidal tendencies. Or maybe the character is struggling with the loss of a parent or child. Either they are trying to escape an abusive home or dealing with PTSD. They may be fighting a war in Afghanistan or within their own community. Either they are going through a divorce or dying of cancer.
Emotionally deep roles can be intimidating and frightening, so much so that some actors shut down. They hit a block; something in them refuses to “go there” in an effort to avoid uncomfortable feelings like fear, hurt, sadness, and grief. And yet that is our job. If you’re going to represent humanity, you have to be willing to experience the full spectrum.
So when you hit an emotional block, how do you get past it?
We must remember why we do what we do. As actors pursue their careers, chasing credits to build their résumés and checks to keep safe, we often forget why we started acting in the first place.
I started acting because it was fun. I discovered how liberating it can be to transform into another person, speak his words and live his life. I found liberation in the craft of acting and making people laugh or cry or think was the icing on the cake.
But where’s the fun in going through a divorce, illness, or bullying? The joy of true connection. Here’s what we need to remember as artists:
It is our job to honor the lives of these people. Someone out there is in mourning, being abused, getting divorced, struggling with addiction, being bullied, or struggling with their own worth. Our work reaches out to those who think they are different, weird, lost, or misunderstood and says, “I get you.”
You yourself have had this experience as a member of the audience. Do you remember being deeply moved by a story and characters you closely relate to? You probably felt less alone because of that play, show, or movie. Maybe you even discovered other people who felt the same way.
This is why Jill Soloway created the award-winning Amazon Prime program, Transparent:
“My dad came out at the tender age of 74 as trans…when people come out, they do it literally to save their lives. They come out to make a break with authenticity…that’s one of the reasons I wanted to do the show… It kind of makes people understand… After my dad came out, I really wanted to do something that would make the world a safer place for my dad to come out of their apartment building, taking a taxi or standing in an elevator with strangers. Trans people have told me that the show has made the world a little different for them.”
That’s why we do it. To connect. Empathize. To tell someone else’s story truthfully and change the world. It is extremely gratifying when a stranger says, “This is exactly how I feel. You captured my experience perfectly. Thanks.“
Don’t get me wrong; It’s hard. It takes vulnerability, courage and risk. When we do our job well, honestly, without defense, freely, we connect with the character, the other actors and our audience. It may feel awkward while you’re at it, but the real connection is the gold at the end of that difficult journey.
Michael J. Fox says, “An actor’s palette is the entirety of the human experience.” Our job is to represent humanity; the wildly fucked up and glorious mess that we are. So the next time you hit that block, remember to breathe, take courage, and know that someone will feel less alone because of you.
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