Tag Archives: acting

Understanding the moment-by-moment emotional drive of a character is fundamental to good acting. That’s why the most clichéd of all actor statements is “What’s my motivation?” (To which Alfred Hitchcock would reply “Your salary.”) When an actor judges a character – imposing their own world view on what the writer wrought – the ability to understand motivation is lost. Or as my acting instructor often ...

Dakin Matthews is a well-known LA actor, scholar, and the founder of the Antaeus Theatre Company.  Most recently seen in the film Spies Like Us – playing scenes opposite Tom Hanks – he recently spoke at USC about, well, acting and theater. To have to work at the extreme edge of your experience at the age of 75 is wonderful.