I can't become another person, no matter how much makeup I wear. Something of your own past, your experiences and personality always comes out in the role, and that makes acting very risky. You're exposed. You always wonder if you can pull it off.
Interpretation
True identity cannot be concealed by external appearances; one's inner self will always reveal itself.
In this quote, Ken Watanabe expresses the inherent risk involved in acting, emphasizing that no matter the facade created through makeup or performance, the essence of a person's experiences and personality will inevitably shine through. This notion underscores the vulnerability actors face as they delve into roles, always questioning their ability to authentically embody a character while remaining true to themselves.
In practice
During a speech at a theater conference to discuss the challenges of acting.
Actors are always afraid of ending up like overcooked old soup over time. What's risky is that you don't realize this has happened, and you just get thick and boring. Going abroad was like getting a new pot to cook everything again. I was a rookie, a new self. And they were asking me, 'Who are you?'
When I'm writing, I write every day. It's lovely when that's happening. One day dovetailing into the next. Sometimes I don't even know what day of the week it is.
I like young actors because they're so unspoiled, not like some of those actors who are about half an hour into their fifteen minutes of fame by the time they get to me.
Many great writers have been extraordinarily awkward in daily exchange, but the greatest give the impression that their style was nursed by the closest attention to colloquial speech.
What's wrong with hip-hop is the system that controls the definition of it. There needs to be more balance on the airwaves.
It wasn't about mechanics; it was about a feeling, wanting to give someone something, which in turn was really gratifying. That really resonated for me.
The tango is a direct expression of something that poets have often tried to state in words: the belief that a fight may be a celebration.
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