The secret to vulnerability

To be vulnerable is to be human, but to be human is also to feel a sense of shame when it comes to opening up. Most of us have grown up thinking it was wrong to talk about the things we feel. As if it was better to keep everything inside. For some, it’s their upbringing. Their parents thought them that to be vulnerable is to be weak. For others, being themselves was deemed cringe and once that happens, it can be difficult to go back to the way you were. It’s important for every person, not just every actor, to learn to be vulnerable as that helps you accept your feelings and therefore come to terms with them. To cry is to let go of all the build up that your mind has been carrying. It helps take away the stress you might be feeling and it balances your hormones back in place until you feel like yourself again. To feel means to be alive, so feel.

The reason why a great actor is also a vulnerable one is because one must stay true to appear true. How can you sell the idea that you are a character if it seems like you are playing that character? You need to become them. To do that, you have to open yourself up to their world, their ideas, their wounds, their sorrows, their wins. Everything that makes them, them. It’s not an easy thing to do, let alone if you’ve got your own personal issues and don’t even know how to deal with those.

Let’s put it this way. Refusing to be vulnerable is like putting up a wall. There is now one more layer to get through for the viewer to find your authentic self. The greatest acting come from people who aren’t afraid to look like fools. It’s fine if you don’t find the balance right away. Try and then adjust. When first letting go of people’s expectations, you’ll find yourself exploring new avenues, taking your acting to the next level. It’s scary and it’s embarrassing, but it’s an ugly step you have to get through. Personally, improv did wonders for me. It was so embarrassing and difficult and I never knew if I was doing well, but I did it anyway. It helped me lose that fear of being judged because it had happened so many times before anyway!

So be vulnerable, relish in those feeling and don’t be afraid to look like a fool!