If there's one actor that epitomises method acting it's Daniel Day-Lewis but why and how?
Hello, welcome to organic acting! This is method acting according to
Daniel Day-Lewis. You stay alive because I will find you no matter how high it takes
I will find you. As part of the naturalism movement, Russian practitioner Constantin
Stanislavski had devised a method for creating a slice of life on stage
allowing actors to experience rather than play act or pretend. This method worked its way to America
where practitioners such as Sanford Meisner Lee Strasberg and Stella Adler took elements
of Stanislavski's method and made them relevant and practical for performers working on screen
in the 20th century. Performers such as Marlon Brando, Montgomery Clift and even James Dean.
Real moments? Actors experiencing rather than pretending? Sounds good to me. Now,
although not of that American actor's fraternity, Daniel Day-Lewis began to develop his approach
through work at the National Youth Theatre and the Bristol Old Vic, an approach I would argue that is
steeped in Method. First, we're going to look at how Daniel Day-Lewis uses research to learn new
skills that are appropriate to the character. This is a cornerstone of method - or rather - moving
beyond the basics of learning your character's lines and repeating them on set. Throughout
Day-Lewis' career we can see evidence of extensive research. For 1992's ;The Last of the Mohicans',
he learned to live off the land: hunting, survival techniques; camping, fishing; hand-to-hand combat,
firing, reloading and maintaining weaponry, even going so far as to craft canoes. This commitment
clearly brings a deeper understanding and appreciation to the actor - more specifically
to Daniel Day-Lewis's technique - it allows him to feel more at home physically, mentally,
spiritually rather than just faking. Next we have character voice. From 'A Room with a View'...
I somehow think that you feel more at home with me in a room never in the real country like this
...to 'The Last of the Mohicans'... Would the Huron fool Seneca to take in all the furs of all
the animals of the forest for beads and strong whiskey? Those are the ways of the Yengeese.
...from 'In the Name of the Father;... And I walked away from you do you remember when I
walked away from you in the dressing room you followed me on there and said again
'Jerry did you throw the ball?' and all the other fathers were in there they were
laughing at you ...'Gangs of New York'... And I rose back up again with a full heart
and buried him in his own blood ...'There Will be Blood'...
Do you want to find someone else that's going to come up here and drill, Eli? Make the investment
and do all the hard work that goes into it? ...and 'Phantom Thread'... A Welsh rarebit
with a poached egg on top please, not too runny. Each of Daniel Day-Lewis' character
voice choices and accents are unique and nuanced. Harking back to our previous example of research,
Daniel Day-Lewis uses the opportunity for voice to not only reveal character and
bring realism to his performance, but also to support the reality of location, time period,
and class. Us natives born right wise to this fine land or the foreign hordes defiling it!
Voice is an essential part of the method as well as Stanislavski's 'Building a Character':
a specific part of the process that can only be mastered through study,
repetition and practice. 'Where to put your dryer'. Place your dryer at a distance from
gas ranges, stoves, heaters or cooktops because flames can damage the appliance.
Moving on we have living truthfully in imaginary circumstances.
All the method acting techniques in the world are not worth the paper they're printed on without
an actor's ability to respond truthfully to the world around them: the time. the place even the
other characters around them. There are countless stories of Daniel Day-Lewis staying in character
in between takes, of using his will to embody and live as a character throughout the film shoot.
While some of these stories may have been exaggerated for the sake of headlines,
who can deny Daniel Day-Lewis' truthful experience during the filming of 'My Left Foot'? The story
goes that Day-Lewis once again refused to break character during filming. This included never
leaving his wheelchair, being spoon-fed and moved around the set as well as being lifted over camera
and lighting wires. The general gossip around these stories is usually one of all or absolute
disdain - how self-indulgent, how dangerous - but from the standpoint of an acting analysis
this approach requires hard work, commitment and clearly gets results. Because I do love you.
Oh you mean platonic love. Last but not least we have character over actor. In method acting,
realism and naturalistic performance there is the belief that as actors we never truly lose
ourselves - that any performance is garnered from parts of ourselves. However we've spoken
before about Robert De Niro submerging the actor to bring the characters traits to the forefront,
well, Daniel Day Lewis is no different. Watch any interview with the actor and you will find
a softly spoken, meandering even scatterbrained individual - far removed from the likes of Bill
the Butcher in 'Gangs of New York or even Daniel Plainview in 'There Will be Blood.' The contrast
between those two things which is always something that's like food and drink to me. You see somebody
that is that is uh who's whose life is lived at one at the same time in that strange paradox of
public and private. This is the sign of a successful, committed performer - a true method
actor - one who is able to transform before our eyes and is mercurial from roll to roll.
Do you have a favourite performance by Daniel Day-Lewis? Do you use any Method techniques in
your own performance? And also would you like to see more of these method acting
videos? As always if you could leave me a like, share, subscribe it really does help me.
As always I've been Chris and I will see you next time. Bye bye.