I was recently coaching an actor for a new role on a hit cable series when he ran into a common actor challenge. As he was researching the role, he found it difficult to identify with and personify a character some presidents might describe as an “evildoer.” Regardless of your politics, the character was indeed a villain.
Before we discussed how to personalize the character, I reminded him it doesn’t matter if actors are really feeling the character’s emotions. This runs counter to some acting teachers’ opinions, but most people don’t go to the movies or watch television for the actor’s benefit. People go to the movies so they can feel something themselves. The actor’s inner life is only relevant insofar as they truthfully communicate the story so the audience has an emotional experience. What character gives the audience this gift better than the villain? Great actors relish the opportunity to play the villain because they are almost always smart, creative, passionate, plotting, and absolutely essential to a good story.
Villains fall into a few major categories. “The Sociopath” is a passionless killer, like Dexter or Dahmer, who seeks a junkie-like relief from
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