Acting : How do you prepare for roles that are very different from who you are in real life? by Ashley Renee Smith

Be the victim. what made them them?

Good question. I usually start by asking myself "what are they doing" and "why are they doing it". Helps give me a foundation for who they are.

Great question! For me, the starting point is always empathy — trying to understand the character’s emotional truth, even if their circumstances are far from mine. From there, I usually combine a few approaches: research to ground myself in their world, journaling to discover their inner voice, and experimenting with physicality or gestures to find how they “move” in space.

When the role is especially distant from who I am, I like to build small daily habits as the character — even something simple like how they drink their coffee or walk into a room. Those details help me bridge the gap between imagination and lived experience.

What makes any person different from another?

A person is what they value/desire and what they fear/avoid.

I ask what they want and how they get what they want.

I ask what position they hold in a given situation.

Most importantly I ask what the Director wants.

In my biggest role so far, I played a horrible villain.

He was a wealthy man who seemed like a good guy in his community.

Depending on what was wanted he was friendly and a bit awkward or brutal and in complete control.

I was called upon to do a rape scene. This is definitely not me.

It was a surprise that day because I purposely did not want to know what my character was going to do next. Somehow, I followed directions and came across believable to the Director. We only had two takes, thank goodness. On the first one I overpowered the woman too quickly. In the second take I gave her opportunity to beat up some. I told the wonderful actress who is an up-and-coming Star to go crazy on me but just don't hit me in the eyes or groin. It took the rest of the day for both of us to shake off the very real trauma from that scene.

In the end he was afraid of dying and begged for his life.

I did not agree with the Director on this.

I believed he should be defiant to the end.

But I gave the Director what he wanted.

It was humiliating because that is not like me to be scared and beg for my life.

Though he did let me get away with being fearless in another scene when he thought I should be scared. Acting and making film/tv is like fighting a life-or-death battle.

I like it <3

Hi, that's a very interesting question.

I'd rather try to put myself in that situation and live like that for a few days, then I'd start writing about it.

Interesting questions Ashley Renee Smith and learning a lot from others' answers. As some have said, I do a lot of research to try and find a way to understand the character and find at least one point of commonality between us. I've also recently been introduced to Viewpoints and though I haven't applied that yet, i want to experiment to find away to embody the character more. Feedback I get is that i need to connect more with my characters on a body -level.

I do a lot of what others have said Ashley Renee Smith I think it just comes down to basics. What is my character's objective and why? We are all connected, so there is something that resonates to us with every character, you just need to find it. It's also important not to judge the character. A villain doesn't see themselves as a villain; they believe they are doing what is best just like the hero. Sometimes journaling helps get into the mind of the character.

Gerardo Banda that gets right to the heart of empathy and backstory. When we dig into what shaped a character’s life, even the wounds or traumas that aren’t on the page, it creates depth that can naturally inform how they move, speak, and react. Do you usually build that backstory through journaling, or more through imagining scenarios in your head?

Tony Fisher I really like that, starting with “what are they doing” and “why are they doing it” cuts right to motivation. That kind of clarity gives you something solid to hold onto as you build the performance.

Asia Almerico I love how you combine research, journaling, and physicality, then bring it down to small daily habits. Those subtle choices, like how a character drinks their coffee, often say more than big, dramatic ones. Do you find those little details ever surprise you and reveal something about the character you didn’t expect?

Erik David Thank you for sharing such a vulnerable and intense experience. You’ve really captured the push and pull of acting; balancing your own instincts with the director’s vision while still honoring the truth of the character. The way you broke it down into values, fears, and positions in a scene is such a clear framework for approaching any role, no matter how far it stretches from who we are in real life.

Aaaa Dddd I love that approach, really living in the character’s skin for a few days sounds like such a powerful way to find authenticity. Writing about it afterward must give you even more clarity on how they think and feel, almost like keeping a journal from their perspective. Do you find that those writings ever make their way into your performance?

Alexandra Stevens That’s such a great approach! Research is such a strong foundation, and finding even one point of commonality can really open the door to everything else. I love that you’re looking into Viewpoints, too. It’s such a powerful way of exploring physical connection and presence. Experimenting with it could give you a whole new toolkit for embodying characters on that body-level you mentioned. I’d be curious to hear how it feels once you start applying it.

Yes, exactly, Suzanne Bronson, going back to those basics is so powerful. The objective and the “why” really do unlock so much about a character. I love what you said about not judging the character, too. That’s such an important reminder, especially when stepping into more complex or darker roles. Even the so-called villains believe they’re the hero of their own story, and leaning into that perspective can make performances so much more layered and human.

Thank you Ashley Renee Smith , Maurice and everyone for making this place a positive, nurturing and learning environment. I woke up just before the Sunrise and came here to Stage32 to read posts and comments while listening to a 1995 Robert Plant and Jimmy Page concert. It's a great combination. You all warm my heart and inspire me. Much appreciation! Today is a Holiday. In fact, every day is a holy day. <3

You're welcome, Erik David. Thanks for helping to make Stage 32 a positive, nurturing and learning environment, and thanks for being active in the community. Hope you enjoy the Holiday!