Unique acting choices Part 3

Posted by Avner Engel in Acting Reference, Inspiration

In this post I am going to continue discussing the subject of unique acting choices and specificity in acting. The following only reflects my views and impressions of the subject matter, I haven’t read it anywhere it’s just the way I interpret things so please take it with a grain of salt if you are still reading.

“Julie and Julia” (Meryl Streep):

“You are the butter to my bread and the breath to my life…”

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This scene is the perfect example for “less is more”, Paul, Julia’s husband is telling the guests around the table how he met Julia, while they were both in China. The story he tells has a very casual tone to it, and suddenly there is a change of gears when he says “it turned out to be Julia…..it turned out to be Julia all along…” then there is a cut to Meryl Streep and she realises that all the guests around the table are looking at her, so she reacts to that.

Pay attention to her minimal, yet effective reaction, she is darting left and right, then looking down in embarrassment, smirking and showing that she is truly happy deep down, then she looks up.
It’s amazing how not saying anything, and doing so little can be so strong, sincere and powerful.

When Paul finishes saying “you are the butter to my bread and the breath to my life” she is not saying a word, instead she is taking a deep breath, as if she just took everything in, and responds by showing us how she feels. It’s almost as if she has butterflies in her stomach that make her heart beat faster. It’s such a clever acting choice, filled with subtext, specificity for the moment and above all uniqueness with out saying a word!

What a brilliant actress!