Questions tagged [acting]
For questions about the profession or techniques of acting in movies and television.
52
questions
59
votes
2answers
8k views
Why does “No-one ever get it in the first take”?
After the myriad comments under my answer to the recent question Did Hugh Jackman really tattoo his own finger with a pen in The Fountain? I thought this may work as a separate question.
So, what is ...
9
votes
1answer
277 views
Why were two people — a body double and a stunt double — used for a character who barely appears in “The Mandalorian?”
Season 2, episode 8 of The Mandalorian features a brief — but significant — cameo from a character well known in the Star Wars universe.
While CGI technology was used to change the face of this ...
1
vote
0answers
139 views
How do actors signal that they are not playing? [duplicate]
An actor is playing a character who is in danger. He is screaming at the top of his lungs: "Help me! Help me! I'm in danger!"
Then, for whatever reason, the actor gets in actual danger, like ...
26
votes
4answers
8k views
How do actors control laughter in comedy scenes?
What are the techniques (if any by the book) that actors employ to control laughter in scenes that are highly comic in nature? Are there techniques or is it out of pure willpower and self control? The ...
4
votes
1answer
533 views
Was Amy Sedaris' role on Mandalorian counter to the entire Star Wars aesthetic?
It's been noted that her wardrobe and hair were from Ripley in Alien. However, my question relates to two things I also observed:
Pacing: Star Wars is know for pacing--this applies not just to ...
8
votes
1answer
341 views
Do actors get paid if their digital image is used in a movie?
These day we more often see actors in their younger ages.
Do they get paid for that or can companies just model whatever they want with no need to pay to the model's prototype?
2
votes
0answers
35 views
Are the voices of the younger versions of the triplets dubbed by the older actors in This is Us?
This is Us jumps backwards and forwards through the lives of three siblings, their parents and family.
The teen versions of the triplets in particular sound a lot like the adult versions. Is there any ...
15
votes
1answer
11k views
Was Rami Malek singing or lipsyncing?
In Bohemian Rhapsody Rami Malek played Freddie Mercury from Queen. In the scenes where his character was singing, was the actor really singing with his voice, or only lipsyncing to recordings of ...
2
votes
1answer
127 views
Is there a term for actors rehearsing lines in a different accent?
I've seen two examples of actors rehearsing a scene, but in different accents to their own.
In Shaun of the Dead Simon Pegg and Peter Serafinowicz pretend to be John Lennon and Paul McCartney.
...
19
votes
3answers
10k views
Are actors contractually obligated to certain things like going nude/ Sensual Scenes/ Gory Scenes?
When an actor is signed for a movie/show/series, they sign contracts for the working relationship of that certain movie/show/series. There is always going to be different scenes/scenarios to be shot ...
0
votes
1answer
289 views
In old films, why do characters flail around when they're shot?
When characters get gunned down in old films by repetitive fire, they often flail side-to-side while standing... for a loooong time...
E.g. in Robocop (videos contain "blood"):
...
-4
votes
2answers
376 views
Has Scarlett Johansson ever sung well (in universe)? [closed]
In the "Lost in Translation" we can see Charlotte (Scarlet) goofing with Bob (Murray) in the karaoke bar - we can see that she is rather trying to have fun than perform well.
...
23
votes
3answers
6k views
In the Lost in Space intro why was Dr. Smith actor listed as a special guest star?
In the intro/theme song for the 1965 TV show Lost in Space the actor who played Dr. Zachary Smith (Jonathan Harris) is listed as a special guest star. How could this be if we look at the meaning of a ...
-4
votes
1answer
155 views
Pairs of actors with the most movies as couple [closed]
I'm looking for the pair of actors playing as a couple or romantically involved in the most unrelated movies.
For example, Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling were romantically engaged in 3 separate movies: ...
3
votes
0answers
183 views
Are Bollywood actors actually filming 30 to 40 films at any one time?
In this interview
Aamir Khan says most Bollywood actors are filming at various stages 30 to 40 films at any one time. Is this true and the norm in Bollywood?
1
vote
2answers
1k views
Do actors really play musical instruments in movies?
There are a lot of movies, where characters play musical instruments professionally. I'd like to know about Whiplash and La La Land. Did actors there really learn to play musical instruments, or are ...
5
votes
1answer
856 views
What is the meaning of “crossover actress”?
I find this word in "Personal life and off-screen work" section of Actress "Mélanie Laurent" wikipedia article:
In a 2009 interview, she explained that she does not have ambitions
to be a ...
2
votes
1answer
287 views
What did Cody Fern mean when he said that Ayn Rand inspired his character and acting?
Cody Fern was asked how he prepared for playing the role of the Son of Satan in American Horror Story. The actor replied:
I read a lot of Ayn Rand and I read a lot of old testament...
source:
...
2
votes
1answer
271 views
How do actors while doing a scene focus on their scene regardless of having a crowd in their surroundings?
I have been in the surroundings of one or two movie sets and seen that despite having so much crowd surrounding the actors they perform most of their act easily.
I wonder how they focus on the scenes ...
114
votes
6answers
56k views
How do actors stop breathing when playing “dead”?
I saw many movies when the actor/actress (in the movie) dies.
In some movies you can tell that the picture is paused when it is on the dead character.
But in other movies the actor is laying still ...
50
votes
1answer
9k views
What accent did the actors use in Black Panther?
The people of Wakanda in Black Panther spoke with an accent. Was it invented for the movie, or is it from a particular part of the world? It sounds distinctly African, but I can't pinpoint a country ...
3
votes
1answer
724 views
Do stunt doubles go to movies where the actor lookalikes go? [closed]
Since stunt doubles look somewhat similar to the actors they're replacing for the dangerous stunts, does this mean they tend to gravitate to films where they know their lookalikes are going, since ...
8
votes
0answers
633 views
Whose idea was the double-meaning finger counting in JFK?
In JFK, Kevin Costner meets secretly with Donald Sutherland in a park in Washington DC. Donald discusses elements of the assassination conspiracy. Towards the end of the scene he counts off 3 points ...
1
vote
1answer
2k views
Why don't the Ashmore twins work on the same projects more often?
Killjoys stars Aaron Ashmore who is the identical twin of the arguably better known Shawn.
Usually, twins in the acting industry end up acting together, either as twins in the same film or TV show, ...
1
vote
1answer
38k views
Did Quentin Tarantino act in all of his movies? [closed]
So, are there any Quentin Tarantino movies in which he did not act?
6
votes
1answer
1k views
Children actors in R-Rated films [duplicate]
When a children appear in a movie that has a scene or two depicting sexuality (R rated material), is it the norm to let these children know what kind of movie they are participating in? Or are they ...
1
vote
0answers
156 views
How protected is the kid actress in Logan from the violence in the film? [duplicate]
I just saw the trailer of the movie Logan, where a female kid has the same supernatural power as Wolverine and does some pretty bad things (nasty killing etc.).
I saw that and my hear squeezed, but ...
10
votes
1answer
627 views
How can one be nominated for an Oscar as “Best Actor” and “Best supporting Actor” in the same Film?
In the Film "Going my Way" Barry Fitzgerald was nominated for an Oscar in both cathegories ("Best Actor" and "Best supporting Actor").
How is this possible?
9
votes
1answer
2k views
When is an actor's appearence considered a cameo?
What are the "guide lines" to define an actor appearence as a cameo?
Are there some specs to define it? For example, max time on screen, max scene, max lines...
6
votes
1answer
1k views
Why do actors often play their last scene on a movie on their first day of filming?
I am not even sure this is the case, but it did happen to Lena Headey in 300 and in this interview (9:30) Ethan Hawke and Keira Knightley agree that it is something that happens all the time, namely ...
3
votes
0answers
128 views
How are difficult/disturbing scenes involving children dealt with during film making? [duplicate]
I always wondered about scenes in movies or tv shows that show a child dealing with some sort of a disturbing, gruesome or difficult situation. I'm talking about how the child actors are dealt with ...
9
votes
1answer
666 views
How were Sophie's interactions with the BFG filmed?
According to the BFG himself, he's a whoppin' 24 feet tall.
For the most part, the actress that plays Sophie does a good job of keeping her eyes "on" him, wherever his head is. She also avoids ...
32
votes
5answers
15k views
What makes an actor an A-lister
First. Please do not flag as opinion based. I'm looking for facts.
In that thread someone mentioned, that Vin Diesel is not an A-list actor because he is:
.... But he is a niche actor, he's not ...
5
votes
2answers
346 views
Which actor/actress has played the largest number of distinct actual persons in tv / cinema? [closed]
I was wondering which actors / actresses have played an unsual large number of different actual (historical) persons in during their entire career.
Multiple appearances as the same character do only ...
39
votes
1answer
7k views
What does Peter Dinklage eat on camera in Game of Thrones?
I recently discovered that Peter Dinklage is a vegan, which means that he neither eats meat nor does he eat any products produced by animals, like milk and honey.
So what does he eat in scenes where ...
54
votes
3answers
14k views
How do actors make eye contact with CGI characters?
In movies like Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows (2016), how do actors make eye contact with CGI characters?
8
votes
2answers
5k views
Does Lisa Kudrow break character a lot during scenes in Friends?
I always find that whenever Pheobe says something funny and just before the camera changes angle, Lisa Kudrow makes a face that is similar to someone holding their laughter. I have seen the gag reel ...
11
votes
1answer
3k views
Did Sean Connery learn Russian for Hunt for Red October?
Sean Connery speaks several lines of Russian dialogue at the beginning of The Hunt for Red October, prior to switching to English.
Did Connery spend time learning Russian for this part, or did he ...
7
votes
2answers
5k views
Does Arnold Schwarzenegger intentionally strengthen his accent in older movies?
There are plenty of soundboard apps with Arnold Schwarzenegger's famous movie quotes that make him sound really Austrian and sort of funny. Considering how much time he had spent in United States ...
9
votes
1answer
796 views
Why does a character talk to the back of another character?
This seems to be commonplace in action TV series in movies: our hero talks to the villain, there is some exposition and instead of facing each other as civilised people tend to do, the villain will ...
9
votes
2answers
1k views
Did Sean Gullette actually trepan himself in Pi (1998)?
In the final scene of Pi, we see the character depicted by Sean Gullette put a drill directly to a tumorous bulge on his head. There's a noticeable blood splatter and the character doesn't flinch. In ...
10
votes
1answer
2k views
What traits do theater actors have?
A lot of TV and film actors come from theater; many of the best actors have theater experience. I've noticed every now and then, through interviews and so on, about there being a big distinction ...
2
votes
0answers
231 views
Hollywood actors whose voice is always substituted?
Not sure if this is actually true but I have heard a few times that some actors' real voices are never used for one or another reason.
Are there actors in Hollywood whose voices are always ...
11
votes
1answer
2k views
Can alcohol be used during filming to strengthen an actor's performance?
Many times I have noticed overly realistic drunk/anger/agony performances, which made me wonder if alcohol was actually used to relax the actor a bit and let them "spit it out" in a more natural way?
56
votes
5answers
26k views
How do actors avoid looking into the camera?
When I am watching movies I seem to never catch actor's direct look into the camera. If you ever being filmed you will know how difficult it is to avoid the camera pointed at you and I can only ...
86
votes
7answers
103k views
How do actors memorize extremely long scripts?
I have always wondered, how do actors memorize very long scripts? Do they somehow read them or is it an absolute must to have an incredible memory to become an actor?
43
votes
9answers
9k views
The most actors playing the same role in one movie?
The most roles played by the same actor in a movie? is an interesting question, so I'm wondering about the opposite: Which movie-character was played by the most amount of distinct actors in a single ...
10
votes
1answer
283 views
Has The Academy ever addressed the issue with acting categories being gender separated?
Acting categories are separated by gender since they have been established (1929 for leading role and 1936 for supporting). I've seen several articles questioning keeping this gender separation on the ...
61
votes
9answers
20k views
The most roles played by the same actor in a movie?
What is the most distinct roles played by the same actor within a single movie?
2
votes
1answer
186 views
Method acting - characters from different time periods
After reading about Daniel Day-Lewis method acting in Lincoln and Gangs of New York, it got me wondering when filming stops and he stays in full character between takes does he look and all surprised ...
