# "acting" is not a career, and reuires no talent **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [August 30, 2001, 1:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acting-is-not-a-career-and-reuires-no-talent/78915 "2001-08-30T13:06:40Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![SPOOFE](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c5a1d2/32.png) [@SPOOFE](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SPOOFE)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2001, 8:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acting-is-not-a-career-and-reuires-no-talent/78915/81 "2001-09-05T08:15:31Z")
> [@](#): > > A person’s mannerisms/demeanor while under emotional duress is unique that that person. Rather, it is unique TO that person. Dear Spam, it’s been a long day. ---
**Author:** ![Acco40](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/58956e/32.png) [@Acco40](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acco40)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2001, 2:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acting-is-not-a-career-and-reuires-no-talent/78915/82 "2001-09-05T14:34:29Z")
> [@](#): > > _Originally posted by **Crunchy Frog** _: > > An actor has to make choices involving all sorts of little things about a character that isn’t written into the script. Watch out, though. Remember the SNL skit for the Dunkin’ Donuts guy, interjecting passion into the description of the donuts? Kind of a vague description; I can’t remember it too clearly. ---
**Author:** ![a35362](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3da27b/32.png) [@a35362](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/a35362)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2001, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acting-is-not-a-career-and-reuires-no-talent/78915/83 "2001-09-05T16:43:28Z")
Bear in mind that a lot of today’s pop culture is about hyping the star of the moment or making major stars look like the girl/guy next door, and not about analyzing what said actor does to prepare for a role, and I can understand the OP. Brad Pitt or Julia Roberts may well be great actors, but when almost all of their press is about how attractive they are physically or charming they are personally, one might think it’s all about looks, charm, and luck, not talent and hard work. Another part of it, for me anyway, is when a new star becomes known in one field, say, stand-up comedy (surely another field that must look like “anyone can do that” to some), or even music, and then moves into another field, probably movies. Or an actor known only for his role on a silly TV show starts doing serious movie roles (as if he didn’t need to be an actor to get onto television). We ask ourselves: when the heck did Tom Hanks, Jim Carrey, Bruce Willis, Mark Wahlberg, and [pick your own favorite example] become “real” (meaning serious) actors? Of course it isn’t fair. It suggests that the showbiz machine can make an “actor” out of absolutely anyone, therefore, anyone could do it with the right help. ---
**Author:** ![ignatzmouse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/b2d939/32.png) [@ignatzmouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ignatzmouse)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2001, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acting-is-not-a-career-and-reuires-no-talent/78915/84 "2001-09-05T18:50:41Z")
I have reread your posts and I realize that I should have directed my comments more specifically. > [@](#): > > Think about this: Lets say an actor/actress wakes up on the wrong side of the bed… If the actor expresses his/herself by portraying the character the way the actor is really feeling, melancholy (this is whats known as “self-expression”) he/she would be a bad actor for letting his/her emotions influence how he/she played the part. Thus my response again: > [@](#): > > So a writer who is in a bad mood only writes about sad things? A painter who is angry can only paint violent scenes? I would suggest that you think again about what self-expression really is. I will say more forcefully, you do not know what is meant by self-expression in art. Self-expression does not mean expressing how you feel that day, or even who you are, it means expressing your interpretation of the human condition. An actor does this by exploring and exposing the subtleties of emotion. These subtleties do not lie within the script but must be discovered by the actor. ---
**Author:** ![Cervaise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cervaise/32/16693_2.png) [@Cervaise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cervaise)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2001, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acting-is-not-a-career-and-reuires-no-talent/78915/85 "2001-09-05T20:36:06Z")
[sub]checking to make sure this is in the Pit[/sub] **Qwertyasdfg** is also the person who, in a Great Debates thread, stupidly asserted that nonrhyming verse isn’t really poetry ([link](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=53603)). As the discussion developed, Qwerty also suggested that abstract and/or nonrepresentational painting isn’t really art, either. Basically, and unsurprisingly, his argument boiled down to a combination of “because I don’t get it” and “because I say so.” In other words, don’t expect him, in this argument, to recognize the idiocy of his belief that acting requires no creativity or artistic ability. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Corrado](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/a88e4f/32.png) [@John\_Corrado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Corrado)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2001, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acting-is-not-a-career-and-reuires-no-talent/78915/86 "2001-09-05T20:46:19Z")
I realize that we’re well beyond this in the discussion, but I came up with a nice bon mot that I must share. Anyone who believes that acting requires no talent has obviously never watched porn. Alright. Back to the discussion of what really makes a good actor. ---
**Author:** ![Crunchy\_Frog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ebca7d/32.png) [@Crunchy\_Frog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crunchy_Frog)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2001, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acting-is-not-a-career-and-reuires-no-talent/78915/87 "2001-09-05T21:30:06Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Cervaise \* > \*\ ***Qwertyasdfg** is also the person who, in a Great Debates thread, stupidly asserted that nonrhyming verse isn’t really poetry \ suggested that abstract and/or nonrepresentational painting isn’t really art, either. > \ > In other words, don’t expect him, in this argument, to recognize the idiocy of his belief that acting requires no creativity or artistic ability. \*\* Thanks for the warning before we all start banging our heads against the wall here. ---
**Author:** ![ignatzmouse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/b2d939/32.png) [@ignatzmouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ignatzmouse)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2001, 10:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acting-is-not-a-career-and-reuires-no-talent/78915/88 "2001-09-05T22:26:44Z")
I had begun to realize that I this was a person of, shall we say, limited depth. ---
**Author:** ![Journeyman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/779978/32.png) [@Journeyman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Journeyman)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2001, 11:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acting-is-not-a-career-and-reuires-no-talent/78915/89 "2001-09-05T23:55:14Z")
I can say from experience that acting is hard work. I’ve been in professional productions of Macbeth, Much Ado about Nothing (our Don John could produce facial expressions :D), and a few community theatre shows. Yes, there are lots of very famous actors who are not as talented as some people I know, who work locally and in relative obscurity purely for the love of the stage. Keanu Reeves is an excellent example. We could replace him with a muppet, and his movies would be _better._ The point is, it is definitely an art form, it’s not something “anyone can do.” For the record, I think the core of acting is living in the moment on stage. That is, truly immersing yourself in the story, hearing each line as though it’s new and fresh, and living as the character for that hour or two or three. This is by no means the only skill involved, but it’s a biggie. It’s also very hard. I’m sure other, more experienced Dopers who also frequent the stage will understand what I mean. ---
**Author:** ![Qwertyasdfg](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/ecc23a/32.png) [@Qwertyasdfg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qwertyasdfg)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2001, 12:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acting-is-not-a-career-and-reuires-no-talent/78915/90 "2001-09-06T00:55:12Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Cervaise \* > \*\*[sub]checking to make sure this is in the Pit[/sub] > > **Qwertyasdfg** is also the person who, in a Great Debates thread, stupidly asserted that nonrhyming verse isn’t really poetry ([link](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=53603)). As the discussion developed, Qwerty also suggested that abstract and/or nonrepresentational painting isn’t really art, either. Basically, and unsurprisingly, his argument boiled down to a combination of “because I don’t get it” and “because I say so.” > > In other words, don’t expect him, in this argument, to recognize the idiocy of his belief that acting requires no creativity or artistic ability. \*\* Wow. It think thats the first time I’ve really been flamed. Thanks. How’d you find that thread? I thought it was deleted after it was dormant for a long time. Anyway, I propose we just agree to disagree. Your not going to change my mind and I’m not going to change yours, so this bickering is pointless. Anyway, if you want to flame me, by all means, but I am not going to respond to this post anymore. ---
**Author:** ![SPOOFE](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c5a1d2/32.png) [@SPOOFE](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SPOOFE)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2001, 2:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acting-is-not-a-career-and-reuires-no-talent/78915/91 "2001-09-06T02:52:46Z")
Fair enough, Mr. Asdfg. But I just have one question: Surely you can see the difference between, say, Dustin Hoffman, and Keanu Reeves? I know, I know… “Don’t call me Shirley!” ---
**Author:** ![Cervaise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cervaise/32/16693_2.png) [@Cervaise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cervaise)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2001, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acting-is-not-a-career-and-reuires-no-talent/78915/92 "2001-09-06T16:57:12Z")
> [@](#): > > Wow. It think thats the first time I’ve really been flamed. The previous thread was in Great Debates, which requires a measure of politeness. That’s why your ignorant assertions weren’t handled more harshly. If you had been more active and visible in the thread, the way Seethruart was in his, I guarantee a Pit thread would’ve popped up for you eventually. > [@](#): > > How’d you find that thread? I thought it was deleted after it was dormant for a long time. The search engine is a marvelous tool for unearthing our past embarrassments. > [@](#): > > Anyway, I propose we just agree to disagree. Fine. You’re still wrong, but if you want to wallow in your ignorance, that’s your choice. > [@](#): > > Your not going to change my mind and I’m not going to change yours Changing one’s mind requires that one’s mind is operating properly, dood. > [@](#): > > so this bickering is pointless. “Don’t be too proud of this technological terror you’ve created…” --What? Sorry, triggered a flashback. > [@](#): > > Anyway, if you want to flame me, by all means, but I am not going to respond to this post anymore. Wah wah, I’m outclassed, boo hoo, wrap myself in the martyr cloak and run away. What the hell ever. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acting-is-not-a-career-and-reuires-no-talent/78915.md?page=4)