Actor in Hollywood

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Sam withdrew his gaze from Anson, his expression serious. "Beagles need frequent walks."

Anson: ???

Kristen: ???

The air felt a bit awkward, as if a row of crows flew overhead.

Anson asked, "Director, did you just make a joke?"

Sam's face remained expressionless, as if he didn't understand what Anson was talking about, and he continued speaking on his own.

"The last scene wasn't perfect, but I liked it."

Sitting behind the monitor, Sam could oversee the entire set and was fully aware that the last take had several flaws and was far from perfect.

For example, the background noise wasn't quite right.

Ideally, these details should have been considered before shooting; however, sometimes adjustments based on the situation at hand can work too.

Regardless, these are the kinds of things they need to handle during production.

Anson, no longer joking, raised his hand to admit his mistake. "I accidentally kicked the leg of the chair earlier."

Kristen looked shocked. "What? When did that happen? Why didn't I notice? Oh, so when I hit you, that's why you fell over? Director, I'm sorry, I didn't realize I was so forceful—I lost control."

Sam's expression softened into one of understanding, and a slight smile tugged at the corners of his mouth. "No, you handled it well; it didn't ruin the shot."

"In fact, I enjoy these kinds of on-set accidents. Breaking away from the script and even the director's instructions allows the actors to infuse their energy into the characters and the story. That's when the film becomes truly alive."

"These accidents themselves are a form of the actors' interpretation of the story."

Once Sam started talking, he couldn't stop.

"For instance, Peter accidentally hitting the chair leg but pretending nothing happened—that moment blended the performance with the character's inner turmoil, merging the scene with reality. Although it was an accident, it perfectly reflected Peter's emotions."

"Suddenly discovering that Mary Jane is in love with someone else—it's absurd, shocking, bewildering, and heartbreaking, all at once. In that instant, his mind is flooded with a million thoughts."

"He uses every ounce of his strength to control himself, to avoid showing any signs of distress, fearing that Mary Jane would see through him."

"So, that state of mind actually adds to the scene, making it even better."

Listening to Sam, Anson was a bit confused, but he asked for clarification. "Director, are you saying that in the next take, you want me to keep kicking the chair leg?"

Sam was momentarily taken aback and instinctively denied it. "No, the effect of an accident is like a flash of inspiration—it's the natural outflow of the character's inner world. In that moment, you were fully embodying Peter Parker. But if you become aware of it and deliberately kick the chair leg, the performance loses that subtle sense of immersion."

This is what's known as method acting.

Completely immersing oneself in the character, blending the actor and the character until they become one. The lines, actions, and personality traits are all woven into the actor's blood, so that the performance isn't just acting—it becomes a natural expression of the character. The actor *is* the character.

Each time the performance might be slightly different—actions, expressions, states—but the essence remains the same; every movement is reasonable and seamless.

Even when they step off the set, the actor's words and actions are still those of the character.

In other words, the character has taken on a life of its own, no longer confined by the script, becoming a real, living entity.

For such actors, there may be dozens of different ways to perform the same scene, each one unique but each one shining in its own right, truly bringing the character into reality. However, this often means getting too deeply into the role, blurring the lines between fiction and reality, and finding it difficult to leave the character even after filming ends.

But for Anson, this was still a new concept. He was just beginning to explore this level of acting, with only a vague understanding and some intuitive insights—

And that was all.

In fact, in the previous scene, Anson had successfully delivered a high-level performance. He became Peter Parker from the inside out; it wasn't just acting. He *was* Peter Parker, and whatever he said or did was authentic and true to the character.

Yet, Anson himself wasn't entirely sure how it all came together.

Sam wasn't entirely sure either.

He had said a lot, but without fully thinking it through or organizing his thoughts, so even Sam wasn't sure what his main point was:

Did he want that moment to happen again, or not?

After a brief pause, Sam decided to set it aside and turned his attention to Kristen. "Your teary eyes—same situation."

Kristen, feeling both shy and awkward, still had traces of tears in her eyes that she hadn't completely wiped away. "I didn't expect it myself."

Sam nodded in agreement, "We're sure that Mary Jane felt Peter's sincerity at that moment and was moved, but we're unsure to what extent she was touched or how she should express it. However, your performance just now gave us the answer—that's exactly the performance we wanted."

Kristen nodded gently, "It all felt very natural; things just happened that way."

As she spoke, a few lingering tears fell down her cheeks.

Kristen quickly wiped her face and couldn't help but laugh, "God, I didn't expect that to happen."

Taking a tissue from Anson, Kristen tidied herself up a bit, "So, director, for the next take, you want me to maintain this state, right?"

Sam said, "Yes."

But as soon as the words left his mouth, Sam glanced at Anson, then immediately changed his mind, "No, that's not right."

"We need to keep everything in a natural state, with genuine emotions."

"In the scene just now, Mary Jane's emotional journey was already complicated and intense enough. If one detail is mishandled, her character could become awkward."

"If Mary Jane were to tear up after hearing Peter's confession, even if the audience catches a slight hint of performance, it would come across as insincere and forced."

"No, your performance just now was great—no need to try again."

Towards the end, Sam was almost talking to himself, as if he had drifted into his own world.

Anson and Kristen exchanged a glance, and Anson finally spoke up, "So, director, we'll stick to the script, no need to add in any unexpected elements?"

No need to kick the chair, and no need for tears?

Sam was still lost in his thoughts, waving his hand casually, "Yes, that's fine."

After saying this, Sam paused, a sudden flash of inspiration.

Suddenly, Sam lifted his head and looked over, "Wait, what was my purpose in coming here again?"

Anson blinked, slightly hesitant, "To tell us that even though it's not perfect, the scene was good, and for the next take, those unexpected elements aren't necessary?"

Sam froze, "No, no, no, that's not it."

He kept denying it verbally, but his expression gradually cleared up as if a cloud had lifted, and a smile crept onto his face, revealing his good mood.

Then, Sam laughed.

"I came here to say, there's no need to worry about those unexpected situations; everything was great. This scene is a wrap."

Wha… what?