Answering D.Y.'s Question

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Answering  D.Y.’s  Question

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 D.Y. asks, "I feel actors are some of the smartest people I know. So from your experience, why you do you think "unsmart" people aren't actors? I think because acting deals with a lot of intrapersonal and interpersonal intelligence, but I’m not sure. I'm interested in your take.”

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Dear D.Y.,  

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Here is your question you sent me after you read my last blog, “Actors are Great Researchers or they should be.”

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I could be humorous but I am going to take this seriously, D.Y.   I think most people in the world really don’t want to go too deep into their emotional secrets or that of their families and the people around them.  You know it is like the 3 wise monkeys. “See no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil.”   

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But actors are curious.  They want to know why.  That’s a question in my book,  The Right Questions for Actors  on page 34.  Question#8 makes so much sense.  It is called, “WHY WHY WHY”.   

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Once I get an actor to ask the question, WHY, and that actor continues to ask WHY,  it is amazing how quickly an actor finds all kinds of information about their character and the reasons why their character does what he does or says what he says.  

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Well, when a person already is a “WHY” kind of person that just makes the research easier.   I was that kind of child.  I tried to figure out why for all kinds of reasons.   Sometimes it was just because I wanted to get out of practicing my piano exercises every day.  So I asked WHY.   Of course my first answer was that it was boring or I just wasn’t in the mood or I would rather go outside and play with our dog.  All good reasons of course.  Once I knew and of course when you are a child you are sure you are right and justified, my next question was HOW.  How could I make this happen.  So I made a goal.  My goal was that I needed to learn how to sight reading my piano pieces so well that my piano teacher,  Mrs. Den Ouden, could not tell if I had practiced or not.  That became my goal.  And finally after a long time I was able to do it.  Poor Mrs. Den Ouden.  I must have been quite a frustrating challenge.  

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Okay quite a story to give an example.  Let me use this about D.Y.’s question.  I am going to ask that question right now.  WHY?  Why do we go through this investigation?  When it matters so much to us.  It mattered a lot to me as a little girl to not have to practice.  It was important to me.  

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What I find interesting when I am working with “nonactors”  we all have areas in our life where we are willing to do this kind of investigation.  When it matters enough to us, we will investigate.  

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The difference with actors.  They love to do it all the time.  That is why I stand by my assertion  that actors for the most part are smart researchers.  We just love to find out “WHY”.  

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The better the actor, the greater the curiosity.  Now you and I may not know this about the actor.  It is a private thing.  It is done behind the scenes.  And frankly it really is nobody’s business.  It is the actor’s private preparation, his business.    

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I just love when an actor asked me a question when we are working that I haven’t thought of yet.  Of course, that doesn’t happen very often.  I know that may sound a bit arrogant but it is true.  And yes I am going to ask that question again for you.  WHY?  Because I have been coaching actors and asking these questions for many years and so I am better at it than many people who come to me.  Makes sense.  That’s why they come to me.  But still I truly love when an actor does surprise me or get ahead of me.  I love it.  Because it means that have learned what I truly believe can be a technique that every great actor has developed.  They  have learned  their best way to develop a believable interesting character.  And that is my goal with every actor.  To make them independent.  To help them learn how to prepare on their own in a way that works best for him or her.  

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So D. Y. ( my curiosity wants me to ask,  what does D.Y. stand for?)  I just can’t help myself.  I must as WHY.

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So. D. Y…  Actors or anyone who keeps asking WHY, keep learning and that is the key to a smart person.  They keep learning and enjoying that process every day.  

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Thanks D.Y. for the question.   Anyone else have a question they would like me to answer or a subject on which you would like my opinion, let me hear it.  Happy to do it.  I just don’t think I can tell you “the meaning of life”.   But I’m open to all your other questions.  

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Talk soon.  

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