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Actor

Portrays characters in film, theater, TV, and voice work — bringing stories to life.

Did you know?

Daniel Day-Lewis often stayed in character on and off set for a whole shoot, keeping his accent for In the Name of the Father and Gangs of New York.

How subjects help

Literature: Read a script closely to discover what a character wants and hides beneath their words.
Psychology: Imagine a character's past and feelings so their reactions seem real to an audience.
Physical Education: Keep fit and flexible for fight scenes, dancing and long days on set or stage.
Communication: Project your voice so people at the back of a theatre can follow every word.

A famous name

Meryl Streep: American actor who holds the record for the most Oscar nominations for acting, winning three.

Try it yourself: Direct a frozen stage picture

Pick one exciting moment from a story everyone knows, like the wolf knocking at the door.
As director, put your actors into a silent, frozen picture. Use different levels (high, middle, low), clear faces and body shapes. Keep poses low and steady: no lifting people or standing on furniture.
Work on distance and eye contact: who is close, who is far, who is looking at whom? Turn bodies halfway towards the audience so faces can be seen.
Hold the freeze for five seconds while someone guesses the moment. Then make the moment just before and just after, so three pictures tell the story.

Directors and choreographers arrange exactly where performers stand, how high or low they are and where they look, so the audience can read the story from a single stage picture.

Adapted from Arts Impact: Arts Foundations theatre lesson: Creating Tableau.

Also try: Tell one story three ways.

Known for it in

USA, UK, India, South Korea, Australia