All I want to see from an actor is the intensity and accuracy of their listening.
Interpretation
The essence of acting lies in how well an actor listens and responds, portraying true emotion.
In this quote, Alan Rickman emphasizes the importance of listening in acting, suggesting that the effectiveness of an actor's performance is deeply rooted in their ability to authentically engage with their scene partners. Intensity and accuracy in listening translate an actor's genuine response, creating a more compelling and believable performance.
In practice
During a drama class, a teacher could use this quote to highlight the necessity of active listening in great performances.
Film has to be reflecting the world that we live in, and that's all you want to be a part of. Actors inhabit the same planet as everyone else. It's a weird thing that happens when you're an actor because people hold you up because you somehow embody in parts groups of people or people's hopes or something.
You can act truthfully or you can lie. You can reveal things about yourself or you can hide. Therefore, the audience recognizes something about themselves or they don't -- You hope they don't leave the theatre thinking that was nice...now where's the cab?'
I'm a lot less serious than people think, it's probably because the way my face is put together.
Those of you who are not aware of my brilliant career as a stand up comic, I'm not aware of it either so we might well wonder what we're doing here.
Acting is mostly about listening. If you just focus in on what the other person is saying, acting takes care of itself to quite a large extent.
When I am asked about influences, I always say I bow down to Fred Astaire, because when you look at him dancing you never look at his extremities, do you? You look at his centre. What you never see is the hours of work that went into the routines, you just see the breathtaking spirit and freedom.
Music is such a great communicator. It breaks down linguistic barriers, cultural barriers, it basically reaches out. That's when rock n' roll succeeds, and that's what virtuosity is all about.
It so happened that Lucy, who found daily life rather chaotic, entered a more solid world when she opened the piano. She was then no longer either deferential or patronizing; no longer either a rebel or a slave.
Improvisation is too good to leave to chance.
As an artist, all I need is my paints and brushes - and someone to drag me away when the canvas is done
Graphic design will save the world right after rock and roll does.
If I go to the museum and see white bodies, black bodies, Asian bodies, Latino bodies, then I will expect to see those things every time I go. That matters a lot.
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