Darren Aronofsky hates method acting and calls it “something to hide behind”
While the director's films are known to get intense, behind the scenes, he reveals that he actually likes his actors to be relaxed. The post Darren Aronofsky hates method acting and calls it “something to hide behind” appeared first on JoBlo.
Darren Aronofsky is a director who has collected accolades and prestige in some of the heaviest-hitting dramas. The performances he’s able to get out of his actors are always praised and given recognition in one way or another, so you’d be surprised to know that he actually isn’t a fan of method acting. Variety reports on a masterclass that the director held in Paris this past week, where he addressed the practice. The filmmaker who has brought us films like Black Swan, The Wrestler, Noah and, most recently, The Whale, told the audience how much he doesn’t buy into the method.
Aronofsky said, “I hate Method actors.” Then, he explained that he feels that the method is “just something to hide behind, as opposed to doing the work and being professional.” He told the attendees, “[By all means,] do a tremendous amount of research and really work hard, but acting’s make-believe. If you’re going to do an intense scene, [there’s nothing wrong with] keeping yourself isolated, focused and ready in between takes to maintain that emotion. It’s a sport, a game — only, to be a great basketball player, you don’t have to be dribbling all the time. That’s not how it works. You do your homework, and get yourself ready. It’s only a fake reality between action and cut.”
The director also said that it could be “fine, as long as it’s not debilitating for the rest of the crew.” He added, “It’s fine if that’s how [these actors] want to spend their time. But I just encourage them to relax a bit!”
The next film from the acclaimed director is Caught Stealing with Austin Butler. Aronofsky brought a Caught Stealing trailer to this year’s CinemaCon, featuring Austin Butler as a bartender whose best buddy, a punk rocker played by Matt Smith with a mohawk, is in trouble. The trailer features action, chases, and fights. The footage is wildly different from anything Aronofsky’s done before. Our editor-in-chief, Chris Bumbray, who’s at CinemaCon, thinks Caught Stealing looks great, fun, and like a late ’90s action flick.
Aronofsky described the new film as a “beautiful exercise” in genre filmmaking. He said, “It’s just a crime caper that we tried to make really well – and that was a really fun activity. There’s nothing wrong with taking a classic genre and just trying to make it better, and to do things with real craft.”
The post Darren Aronofsky hates method acting and calls it “something to hide behind” appeared first on JoBlo.
