I was just thinking about Nicolas and how he and Sean Penn admired and idolized the likes of Marlon Brando and Mickey Rourke who were know for Method Acting....Brando moreso than Rourke but to each their own. I was thinking about what films Nicolas was truly Method in and here is what I came up with: Raising Arizona, Moonstruck, Vampire's Kiss, Wild at Heart,Deadfall, Leaving Las Vegas, Face/Off, Bringing Out the Dead, Adaptation and BL:POCNO. I think these are the only films that Nicolas really was a Method Actor and that he desevered some recognition for that. On a side note, I was wondering if anyone were fans of Ryan Gosling? I think his resume is that of a young Nicolas Cage and his current movie, Drive, is going to make him a household name. Just my two cents. CLC
I think Nic is a wonderful method actor. Though I believe Nic has demonstrated some form of method acting in all of his films. Some directors love it and some hate it but I think for Nic, method acting really demonstrates what an amazing talent he is.
As for Ryan Gosling, I'm not a big fan of Ryan's but now that you've mentioned him, I'll have to take note and look for those method acting similarities as we so love in our man Nic!
I really cannot claim to know a thing about the art of acting, or about Nic's way of bringing his characters to life ( I just know that he is very talented at doing so ) but he has talked about it himself recently and the film he mentions in relation to his method acting phase is The Cotton Club. Since then he has used a diverse approach including what he has called the english school of acting, which works from the outside in, and focusses on the appearance of the character, he has also mentioned he subscribes to the Lon Chaney school of acting in the past.
But nowadays Nic has said he does not follow any method, but has developed his own which he calls 'Nouveau Shamanic', which is neither method nor anything else, rather something a bit more transcenedent where he feels like he is channeling the character, this sounds like his own instintive approach that has just naturally evolved and to me it seems like this is his authentic 'style' (although that word implies something perhaps alot more contrived ).
I have written in greater length about Nic as method to Nouveau Shamanic actor, you might want to read it, it has some great direct quotes from nic himself about it from the Sedona Film festival earlier on this year!:
I certainly agree with your analogy Lula. Though, there has to be an understanding of method acting in relation to the actor to make that comparison.
Nic, like many actors, does not like to formalize their style of acting, as method acting as it has been devised as a system created by Lee Strasberg and/or Constantin Stanislavski, from popular schools such as the Actor's Studio.
Though he has taken classes, Nic was not formally trained as an actor, like, say, Angela Bassett who received her Masters in Drama from Yale. So, it would make perfect sense for an actor like Nic to NOT want to formalize his style of acting, but to create what he believes is his style and form. I can dig it!
Gosh, I'm so long-winded!! Wouldn't it have been simpler if I had just said:
"Yeah Lula, that makes sense - I agree."
I am such a DWWWEEEEBBBBBB!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! LOL!!!!!!!!!!!!
-- Edited by Gina on Thursday 15th of September 2011 03:18:16 PM
Thanks for all the input fellow Nic Fans! I Love Nic to death, but his new form of acting and his silly name for it is just Nicolas messing with everyone. He is Method at Heart and even proved so by eating Chicken Gumbo and Poor Boy sandwhiches while filming BL POCNO. He is at his best when doing Method Acting. His movies prove this theory. When he really gets into character he is unstoppable and courageous. CLC
Thanks for all the input fellow Nic Fans! I Love Nic to death, but his new form of acting and his silly name for it is just Nicolas messing with everyone. He is Method at Heart and even proved so by eating Chicken Gumbo and Poor Boy sandwhiches while filming BL POCNO. He is at his best when doing Method Acting. His movies prove this theory. When he really gets into character he is unstoppable and courageous. CLC
