Mia Wasikowska, the wonderful actress from In Treatment, Alice In Wonderland, and Jane Eyre was recently interviewed in Time Magazine. When asked what advice she had for actors, she said, “It is to have another thing that you can do that you can control and that is your own creative outlet. Acting is creative, but there is so much of it that isn’t up to you.”
I agree with her recommendation completely. While acting engages our minds, bodies, and spirits there will be times when acting won’t nurture you. It won’t feed you. There will be times when it will deplete you and leave you empty and drained. Therefore you need to have other things in your life that feed you and enrich your imagination and creative instincts.
More than that, there will be times in your career where your performances won’t satisfy you or job offers won’t be coming your way. In either event you need something in your life that nurtures you and helps to define your identity beyond your acting.
So follow Mia Wasikowska’s recommendation and find something else you can control. Find some activity that nurtures your soul and creative spirit. Pick up the ukulele, a camera, a pen, a pair of running shoes, a paintbrush, or anything else that appeals to you. The outlet you choose will help you to be a better actor with a richer live and a stronger sense of self-identity.
Eric Barr. All rights reserved
