There is both an importance and craft to “finding the character.” and it’s not to be understated.
Ultimately, that’s the whole ballgame, because if you can’t properly inhabit that role, then you’re not doing your job. But how does one do that, exactly?
Legendary casting director Rose Rosen has plenty of advice as to how to do that, including the questions you should be asking, the ways you should be taking care of yourself while on your quest, and, of course, how to bring all that into both an audition and a paying gig.
Key Insights
- Build authentic characters by answering fundamental questions about your character’s objectives, relationships, and circumstances while letting the script guide your choices.
- Avoid overthinking or emotionally carrying a role off set—instead, create a healthy separation between yourself and the character to protect your well-being and deliver stronger performances.
- Continuously strengthen your craft through theater, classes, self-tapes, and diverse acting opportunities so finding new characters becomes more natural with every role.
What Does Finding Your Character Mean?
It sounds easy, but begin by asking, “Who am I? Where am I? Who am I talking to? What do I want from that person? Why do I need it now? What am I willing to do to get it?” A casting director is looking for you to answer those questions so that you can book the job and show the director the same thing.
Lots of actors create backstories for their characters, and that can be useful, but so is considering the character’s journey through the story. Looking back is one thing, looking forward is something else entirely.
“We’re going to look at your audition and see if, within you, I see that person that is on the page that I’ve given you,” Rosen says. “It’s so complicated, yet so simple. The analogy I use is Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz. She had to go through the entire movie before she found out it was all right there, but really, that’s how I approach thinking about character development, the journey.
I believe firmly that it is all within you, and if it’s not, you are not meant for that role. So, don’t force it. Read the page, figure out where you fit with that character, and let’s have a look at that.”
Using the Script to Build Characters
Just as you’re asking questions that will help you find the character, so should you be asking questions about how you relate to that character. Who is this person? Where is this person? How are you related to this person? Again, backstories can be helpful, but they’re not for everyone, as it depends entirely on your own process.
There are those who believe that the best answer is to simply read the script over and over again. Not just for memorization purposes, but because when you go over something that many times, the minutiae starts to become clear in a way it might not have in the first few times through. Count Rosen as one of those believers.
“Read it and read it and read it and read it!” She advises, laughing. “Read it until it’s part of you. Sometimes, you might even find things that the writer hadn’t even considered, which I’ve seen happen before, and it’s because an actor is reading it 100 times or 1,000 times.”
Rosen observes, “The best actors don’t act. When I see their audition, when I see their performance, I just see the person that the role is describing. I see that character. I don’t see anything else, and it’s so obvious. Often, when you’re watching a movie and disliking it, a lot of it may be that the character is not married to the actor.
I’m not saying they’re a bad actor, I’m saying maybe it wasn’t the best choice. Maybe they didn’t take enough time. Then again, maybe all the time in the world wouldn’t net the result of them married with that character.”
Unlocking a Character’s Psychology
This is a delicate topic, because it’s easy to go down a rabbit hole here. The danger is always going overboard. The basic, most straightforward thing to do is to ask one simple question: what makes this character the way they are? You may or may not like the answer, but then again, you don’t have to like it. What’s important is, how does that affect your work?
The danger comes when you’re playing an evil character, and you’re getting into the psychology of what makes the character evil. If you’re not careful, you could find yourself going to some pretty dark places, yourself. This is bad. After all, Anthony Hopkins did not start killing and eating people after playing Hannibal Lecter. Not that we know of, anyway.
“Honestly, I don’t think psychologically marrying yourself with the character is helpful,” Rosen says. “Some actors do that and to great results, and some actors marry themselves to the character for better or worse, but really it’s about whatever technique you want to use. Whatever you’ve learned is valid for you.”
The powers that be, first casting directors and then directors, only want to see it on the screen, be it in an audition or the finished product. A healthy detachment between you and the character is paramount, so that you can leave it at the proverbial office. Take off the costume, and leave the character behind as you do.
“I think actors should approach it as a job and find whatever way psychologically to be the serial killer over here at work, and then take that suit off,” Rosen advises. “You really want to unencumber yourself with this character and move on to your evening, and then go back in, put your costume back on, and [then] you’re back in character.”
Physical and Sensory Approaches
Sometimes, this means literally changing your body, gaining or losing a lot of weight, adding muscle or subtracting it, cutting or coloring your hair. All of it factors in. It’s a wide spectrum.
“I always point to Matthew McConaughey,” Rosen says. “He’s a great example of changing his physicality in order to get different parts. He had this romantic comedy thing going, decided he wanted to make a change in his career, and reflected that change in a physical way. It helped him take charge of his career and allowed him to move it in a different direction.”
As with other methods of finding the character, there’s danger here, as well. Mess with your body too much, and you start leaving permanent marks on it. Tom Hardy and Christian Bale, to name two actors famous for body metamorphosis, have both talked about how there are certain things they just can’t do anymore, because of the extensive punishment they’ve put their bodies through.
Getting in Character for Auditions
Finding the character for the purpose of the five to 10 minutes you’ll get with the casting director, be it in person or via self tape, is not so different from finding it for a longer and deeper purpose. In fact, there’s quite a bit of overlap.
“Again, it’s really, Who am I? Where am I? Who am I talking to? What do I want from them? What do I need now, and what am I willing to do to get it?” Rosen says. “Overthinking is terrible for auditions, terrible for acting. Don’t do too many takes in a self tape, go easy on yourself.
The truth is, the percentages are against you, so remember that what is meant for you will be yours, because what is meant for you is, when we see you in the character, that there is no differentiation. It’s not that you’re playing yourself, but that you’ve absorbed the character enough to show me.”
Finding Material to Develop Characters
In short, do all of it. Short films, student films, theater, small roles in big movies, big roles in small movies, little roles in small movies. Literally anything you can find to keep performing and honing your skills.
“If you’re an actor, you should be doing theater,” Rosen says. “Local theater is easy. You can get in there and do it and work on your craft, just as you can work on it in class. Get together in groups of actors on Zoom and just do Shakespeare. I don’t care, work on it.”
Conclusion
Acting is a muscle you have to constantly exercise, and the trick of it is that no matter where or how you’re doing it, you’re almost always playing someone else. The more you do it, the easier it becomes to find the characters you’re playing.
“If you’re not spending time on acting, if you’re just waiting to get the next audition, then you’re not an actor,” Rosen says. “You’re just playing at this. You have to work at it.”
