ACTING LESSONS BY CORRESPONDENCE

Carl: Welcome to the Australia Council-funded regional performers’ podcast “Acting lessons by correspondence: a 10-step guide to more expansive character acting by Hugh Grant”. I’m Carl Crawford and today we are joined in Sydney by Cate Blanchett, the world-famous NIDA trained actor and former Neighbours star. Cate, welcome. Now today, Cate will share some of the tricks and techniques that she has developed in her 4 walk-on roles at the Lassiters café in Neighbours. Cate: I’ve done a few other things Carl, but I’m thankful to have started on Neighbours. But that was a long time ago. Carl: Now Cate, I heard you warming up out the back of the studio and popped my head back there and you were in the laneway doing those high pitched vocal scales and that choreographed dancing with that dog. That was amazing. Tell me more. Cate: I was actually being attacked by a Rottweiler, Carl, and was crying for help. Carl: Wow great acting, I really thought you were dancing with the dog. Now Cate, people in the acting game talk about ‘method’ acting, where they live the part for a few months. Do actors do this because they don’t know how to act or is it that Edward Norton just doesn’t have any friends? Cate: I’m not sure about that Carl. I think you are referring to the Stanislavski method approach, or the method approach. Stanislavski calls on the performer to experience the life of the character in order to occupy the mind or head of the character. Carl: Wow, I heard that in preparing for Gladiator Russell Crowe used method acting and killed 7 extras in rehearsal. Cate: Unlikely Carl. Method acting is more about trying to understand how the character feels and thinks in order to shape a performance. Carl: You mean like Jim Carrey in the Mask? He really lived that character. Cate: Mmmm perhaps. Carl: Now Cate, we’re going to play a game called “Method or Madness”, where you have to guess whether the actor was preparing for a role or undertaking a recreational pursuit. Did Daniel Day Lewis mistakenly join a crochet gang in preparation for his role in Gangs of New York? Did Matthew McConaughey mistakenly lose 19 kilograms in 2 months by eating only foods beginning with Q in preparation for Dallas Buyers Club? Did Lindsay Lohan mistakenly spend 2 years in acting classes to prepare for Mean Girls? Cate: Mmmm not sure. Carl: All true, sorry you lose, and sadly that’s all we have time for Cate. We look forward to hearing from you next week when we cover gesture and body language using the following case studies and tips from screen luminaries: Pierce Brosnan: Clip your consonants and cock your head like a chicken when delivering serious or bad news. Lindsay Lohan: Act like a 15-year-old in all your roles and hope that no one notices. Liam and Chris Hemsworth: Work on your pecs and look confused when delivering serious or bad news. Liam Neeson: Work on your pecs, look irritated when delivering serious or bad news and only take roles that involve your family getting kidnapped to justify said irritated look. Ed Norton: Stammer and stutter when delivering serious or bad news. Russell Crowe: Work on your pecs and roar angrily when delivering serious or bad news. Kirsten Dunst: Smile and be cheery and hope that no-one asks you to do roles that require the delivery of serious or bad news. That’s all from me and till next time, thanks Cate. Cate: Thanks Carl.