Character expressions are my weakness. When I write, I do get hemmed in by them. I’m currently editing Stumped and my editor Melody Miller, has been putting ellipses everywhere so that I could change my expressions. How many times have “eyes widened” or “tears streaked down?” Too often in my manuscript.
So I decided to interview an actress who really gets character expressions. After all, actresses have to portray the same emotions with different expressions.
Who is Eleonora Micali?
Eleonora Micali borne in Lentini in the Province of Siracusa; surrounded by the fragrance of the oranges and the magic of ancient theaters. She’s been improvising from a young age. Having been trained at the Academy “La Scaletta” she has acted in movies and graced the stage of some of the most important theaters in Italy, including the famed; Il Teatro Greco di Siracusa.
From playing a Polish Jew in the “Bambina col cappotto rosso” to many other theatrical roles, she now has traveled to New York where she takes the stage again.
Character Expressions with Eleonora Micali
How do you get into the skin of a character?
It’s very easy to take on a role and misinterpret it, like it happens to some of my colleagues who believe that the role is just the one expressed by the writer’s indications. The various techniques I learned through the years has taught me that you can reach the essence of a character through your own psychological traits.
It is also known in the dramatic literature of the 20th century, the effects of separation, the suspense and moving away by the actor help them essay roles better with more emotion. So channeling your own emotions is key. Learning through the life experience of the actors becomes central to our role.
What kind of preparation is needed when you immerse yourself in a role?
As an actress, I definitely recommend people to get some national or international training like I did if they’re considering acting. I completed the course with John Strasberg and Susan Batson in New York. It is very important to prepare every aspect for a role.
Now for my American role, I learned English and spent time learning the American accent. And this is an ongoing commitment, my own American diction lessons forms the basis of my personal artistic growth for the character I’m portraying. So take a few classes and learn how to immerse yourself in a role and prepare to get into character through every aspect, language, diction, and vocabulary.
Do you stay in character the entire time you act or do you get in and out of your character
In this regard , slipping in and out comes easily to me and I thank you for this question. In a few days I’ll be acting in the show “UNA DONNA FANTASIUSA-UN NONOLOGO” which will debut November 10th 2018 at the F.I.A.O Il Centro Of Brooklyn (New York).
Stefano Maria Palmitessa, my director and writer, demanded in our very first meeting of the characters I brought to the stage, that I play all the characters and nuances of the models which I myself am inspired by. So I started to define their psychological traits. In fact, the script was created by the director based on an idea developed by myself, to portray the silhouettes of Italian people. This involves acting my feelings on the stage continuously entering and exiting from one character to the next like an elderly woman, a boy, and a mature man. If you understand Italian you can watch her slip through several characters here.
How do you portray negative shades of character?
At the theater I often had to play characters too far from my nature ,but for this, as already mentioned above, I’ve studied and applied myself through learning with various masters and appropriate schools. It has helped me to successfully overcome obstacles due to a non-coincidental nature of the role with respect to myself.
Eleonora’s new play is monologue where she essays many characters. Here’s more details for those interested. You can buy tickets here.
Watch character expressions through this monologue
- What I’ve learned from Eleonora is that you need to delve into your own psyche when you take on your protagonist’s skin.
- Secondly, practice slipping out of character and not staying in it for too long.
- Third, prepare for each role before you immerse yourself, talk the talk and see how the dialogue flows.
- Fourth, everyone struggles with the antagonist’s role. You’ll get it with time.
I’ve watched Eleonora, she’s very expressive with hr face and if THE MILANESE STARS ever becomes a movie, I’m going to rope her in my cast! 😃
Any actors or stage performers with tips we writers could use? Share them with me. I’d love to hear it.