Actors Studio Video

Ben Kingsley: Acting is Tribal

From Ben Kingsley’s Inside the Actors’ Studio. “I see actors as hunters…we are all hunting together, fellow actors–hunting the truth of the scene, the truth of the story, the integrity of what we’re trying to do, the necessity, the urgency, the connection, the “how did you know about me?” factor–we’re all hunting that. So if you think of yourself, if you perceive yourself, if you know yourself as a vital member of your tribe, you will already acquire the patience to wait as long as it takes to draw back the bow before you shoot your first arrow in your first hunt.

“You have to adhere, I think, to certain tribal codes of honor. If you are a hunter, then you will learn to be a great hunter by watching and waiting until one great tribal elder in your midst will say ‘here’s your bow, son, and here’s your arrow. You go and hunt now.’ And when you’re given that bow and arrow and you go and hunt…as a hunter/actor, you may be immensely grateful for that time they said ‘no, no, no, no, you can’t have a bow and arrow, not yet.’

“So these years, when you say, ‘but I want to get out,’ of course you do, of course you do. And you might go out on your first hunt and be trampled to death. And never regain confidence. So what you’re learning here is to have the tribal security and your validity and magnificence as a hunter. So, the bow is there, the arrow is there, and be inside that wonderful position. It’s as immensely privileged. And then when it’s time to ride out, you’ll ride out. You’ll ride out with the best of them.”

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