Sharesale
Tips and AdviceHow-To Guides for ActorsJames Franco Reveals His Secret Acting Technique

James Franco Reveals His Secret Acting Technique

Date:

James Franco reveals that he felt “trapped” by acting.

The star behind several hit movies including Spring Breakers returned to school in 2006 when he enrolled in UCLA in California as an English major. He later taught a number of other courses and admits one of the reasons he went back to school to branch out creatively.

Related: HBO ‘The Deuce’ Starring James Franco NYC Open Casting Call

He told the New York Magazine: “One of the reasons that I went back to school — and then many schools — was that when I only had acting, I felt trapped. I think that’s how a lot of people feel in a lot of professions.”

James Franco
Everett Collection / Shutterstock.com

Franco added: “When I went to Yale for my Ph.D. in literature, I had fellow students — great students, writing incredible papers — come up to me and say, “I’m so jealous of you. I’m writing this paper. If I get it published, 50 people will read it.”

Related: Jesse Eisenberg Shares Amazing Acting Tips

And the 37-year-old actor, who admits having “more than four” degrees thinks studying, as well as his adventures as a filmmaker, have made him a better actor because he understands what is required of him in front of the camera.

He explained: “Doing these other things was a release, and I think it made me a better actor.

New York Magazine James Franco
“Because when I was only acting, I was trying to do all of these things as an actor. I was on my own mission. I was acting for myself — to do a great performance for me, not for the movie. But that’s not my job as an actor.

“My job as an actor is to help the director achieve his or her vision.

“As soon as I got to direct my own films or escape the film world and into these other realms, when I came back to the film world, I could be pure about it.

“I don’t think my performance in ‘Spring Breakers’ could’ve happened if I didn’t do all this other stuff. I couldn’t have lent myself to that if I didn’t have the release in these other areas.

James Franco Acting Tips
taniavolobueva / Shutterstock.com

Related: Daisy Ridley Reveals ‘Star Wars’ Acting Tips [VIDEO]

“Because if I was only an actor, then all I have are my performances, and so I’m going to be so much more protective and defensive of my performances.

“But when I have my own movies, my own work that I get to control, then I can say, ‘Oh, you want me to go crazy in that room? You want me to have cornrows and gold teeth and look like a freak? All right. It’s your movie. I’m game.’ ”

Related: Jared Leto Acting Tips He Learned Working on ‘Suicide Squad’

James Franco is now working on his new HBO TV series The Deuce, which is filming in New York City. If you’re interested in working with James Franco, check out the latest casting call for The Deuce here.

Via: New York Magazine

What do you think of James Franco’s acting tips? Share with us your thoughts in the comments below.

spot_img
Megan Dianehttps://www.projectcasting.com
Hi, I'm Megan Browne, the Head of Partnerships at Project Casting - a job board for the entertainment industry. As Head of Partnerships, I help businesses find the best talent for their influencer campaigns, photo shoots, and film productions. Creating these partnerships has enabled me to help businesses scale and reach their true potential. I'm excited to continue driving growth by connecting people with projects they're passionate about.

More like this
Related

The Behind-The-Scene Scoop War: Deadline and Variety’s Brewing Feud

Key Takeaways: - A feud between Deadline and Variety writers...

The Story Behind ‘Ghostbusters’ 2016 Flop

Key Takeaways: - 'Ghostbusters' 2016 reboot was deemed a commercial...

The Endearing Charm of Sandra Bullock – Hollywood’s Sweetheart

Key Takeaways: - Sandra Bullock's on-screen presence is magnetic and...

Georgia-Filmed ‘Megalopolis’ Flops At the Box Office

Key Takeaways: - Legendary director Francis Ford Coppola's long-awaited film...