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Jeanne Hartman
Actor , Director
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The BEST Actor!

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The Best ACTOR!

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Well we are coming into the “Awards” season here in Los Angeles.  And there is a lot of talk about who is the BEST!   What does that mean?  I know sometimes it is the most well known actor or actress in the biggest movie.   But really what does that mean?  

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I was thinking about this and realized that my favorite artists sometimes have a great performance and then of course there are times that I feel like they just didn’t nail it.  Yes, of course, it is just my opinion but that is what BEST is based on.  

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I believe BEST can only be determined by each individual performance by that individual choice by that individual artist.  I know that probably makes no sense so I’ll try to explain.

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I don’t believe that there is only one way of performing a role.  How you choose to perform it will always be different than another actor or actress.  

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When I see what I would possibly call BEST PERFORMANCE.  It is always, yes always, a unique performance.  Why do I use the word unique because if you think about it no one but that person could perform that role in that way and create such an amazing phenomenal experience.  

If anyone tried to do it, it just wouldn’t work.  Like a snowflake.  They always say there is no snowflake like another snowflake.  Now I don’t know if that is true since they melt so fast and are so small but I like the example.  

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This is why we are willing to see a story that really is not much different than another story when we look at the plot points.  How many movies and TV shows and plays are about two people who meet fall in love, have a fight, fall out of love and then find their way back to each other.  

Now of course the place is different and the reasons are different but the basic story is pretty much the same.  And yet we want to watch that same story again,  WHY?

Because each time we see it being performed by different people it is unique to them.  They bring their individuality to the story and we want to watch.  

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I watch writers being asked which of their books or movies do they love the best.  And almost always the answer is something like this.   “Each creation is like my child.  And how would you say which one of your children can you say you love the most?”   I often wonder if some parents really do love one child more than another but that is a whole different discussion but the concept or example tries to show you that each one is unique and you can’t compare one to another.  

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That’s why I tell actors when they go on auditions sometimes no matter how good you are you may not be what the director and producers want.  You may be the most fantastic apple but they want want a pear.  So no matter how fantastic an apple you are  they want a pear today and you are not a pear.  Still when they want a fantastic apple they will remember you!

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So when you think about who is the best actor or best actress  just remember that you have to be the best you.  No one can compete with that.  That category is very unique.  Only You fit that category.  No one can do that except one person, YOU.

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about 15 years ago 0 likes  3 comments  0 shares
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Great Advice Jeanne. You talk so much about truth in performance and that's what makes each snowflake different. For some reason Polonius advice to Leartes come to mind &quot;This above all, to thine own self be true and it must follow as the night the day, thou cans't not be false to any man.&quot; Isn't that the route to &quot;Best Actor?&quot; Or best snowflake.
about 15 years ago

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Languages Spoken
English
Location (City, Country)
Los Angeles, United States
Gender
Male
Member Since
November 12, 2007