18 Jun ACTING TIPS – EMBRACING ANXIETY AND DISCOMFORT
One of the most distressing things an actor has to face is anxiety: it could be as simple as plain old stage fright, or as complex as the fear of being evaluated and judged. Top Hollywood acting coach Brad Heller used to experience anxieties and fears while auditioning and trying to book acting jobs. But with the help of Dr. Eda Gorbis; he found a way of dealing with anxiety, and applied it to his unique Non-method approach to the craft. Brad himself tells it in his own words:
“Dr. Gorbis taught me a completely different approach. It was a matter of embracing the fact that it may be horrible and learning how to deal with that kind of anxiety and embracing it. And rather than going for a feeling of clarity, calm, and wanting things to be perfect, I now was learning how to perform in an imperfect (setting). I was learning how to act at my potential WITH discomfort and distractions rather than trying to avoid them.”
So Brad started embracing his anxieties by practicing in “imperfect and uncomfortable” places and situations: practicing lines at home with a blaring television, rehearsing with the windows open, and generally embracing his fear. Here is Brad’s advice for dealing with audition jitters: