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?'
It’s as hard to explain as a sexual proclivity. Some guys like high-heeled shoes. I like horror.
The first thing I did with my very first camera was climb Mt. Fuji. Climbing Mt. Fuji is a lesson in determination and moderation. It would be fair to ask if I took the moderation part to heart. But it certainly was a lesson in respecting your camera. If I was going to live with this thing, I was going to have to think about what that meant. There were not going to be any pictures without it.
A film is - or should be - more like music than like fiction. It should be a progression of moods and feelings. The theme, what's behind the emotion, the meaning, all that comes later.
The stage is not merely the meeting place of all the arts, but is also the return of art to life.
Few sensible authors are happy discussing the creative process--it is, after all, black magic.
The great thing about using the past is that it gives you the most colossal freedom to invent. The research is necessary, of course, but no one writes a novel to dramatically illustrate what everybody already knows.
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