Speaker A
I was born in the north of England, and I've got a very broad Northern accent. Can you hear that?
Actors Cate Blanchett and Ian McKellen discuss accents, acting techniques, and their film experiences in an in-depth Variety Actors on Actors conversation.
Key Takeaways
- Mastering accents is crucial but challenging for actors, impacting role opportunities.
- Stage experience can deeply inform film performances, especially when reprising roles.
- Emotional and character preparation is essential for authentic acting on set.
- Film acting often requires quick adaptation and minimal rehearsal compared to theater.
- Actors value the collaborative and intimate nature of film production despite its challenges.
What the video covers
- Ian McKellen talks about his Northern English accent and challenges with adopting other accents for acting roles.
- Cate Blanchett discusses the rarity of Australian accents in international films and the need to adopt other accents.
- They reflect on the subtlety and emotional range required in voice acting, especially for portraying older characters.
- The actors share insights on rehearsing for films versus stage acting, highlighting differences in preparation.
- McKellen recounts his experience working on Mr. Holmes, including his initial fear of working with bees.
- Blanchett and McKellen discuss the significance of character study and emotional preparation for film roles.
- They touch on the film Carol, its themes, and the novel it was based on, emphasizing its cultural importance.
- The conversation includes anecdotes about working with directors like Steven Soderbergh and Bill Condon.
- Both actors reflect on the challenges and joys of playing diverse roles across different genres.
- The discussion ends with reflections on the intimacy of film acting and the collaborative nature of the craft.
Chapters
- 00:00Accents and Acting Challenges
- 00:59Australian Accents in Film
- 01:52Cultural Influences and Accent Adaptation
- 02:43Voice and Emotional Range in Acting
- 04:15Stage to Screen Transition
- 05:59Film Rehearsal and Preparation
- 08:31Working on Mr. Holmes
- 11:11Carol and The Price of Salt
- 13:12Reflections on Acting and Collaboration
- 17:24Closing Remarks and Related Conversations
Full Transcript — Download SRT & Markdown
Speaker A
Yes, I can. I can. And so, when I became an actor a long time ago, it was thought you couldn't play
Speaker A
Hamlet or Romeo unless you had a sort of standard British accent, which is what I try to have now. It may be because of that that I'm no good at doing other accents because it would be putting an
Speaker A
accent on top of an accent. But you have the facility that seems so easy for you to be American or English or Australian, and I don't know how you do that. I'm a terrible, terrible mimic. I mean, being
Speaker A
Australian, there's very few characters. I mean, it's changing slightly. There's a lot of Australian actors in America now, I know, and maybe speaking much more in their own voices, but there's not a lot of call for Australian
Speaker A
accents in the international. No. So, you're obliged to do an accent. But I grew up—I grew up on a lot of American and British television.
Speaker A
I see. So, in the home?
Speaker A
Yes. And I don't know.
Speaker A
And my father was American, and so maybe I always had that sense of difference. But do you find that you can then slip back?
Speaker A
Well, clearly, because you just did it. But you can slip back into that.
Speaker A
Surely. I mean, you've done quite a lot of regional.
Speaker A
Yeah, I think I've been very—I sort of got away with it. I can do Northern, and I can do Scottish and British Isles sort of accents, but beyond that, I'm useless.
Speaker A
But you have such an incredible range. I remember when I—because I hadn't seen you for a while, and I was watching Mr. Holmes, and I thought, "Oh, he's really aged." I thought, "Is he all right? Maybe
Speaker A
he's been very ill." And, of course, then the film goes back into flashback. But what you were doing with your voice was utterly—it was really subtle. It carried such a history. Don't you love doing that, playing old?
Speaker A
Oh, yes. I'm playing old today, playing old. But no, you did it seamlessly. And so what you have is you have this texture and kind of emotional range in your voice, so it might be an accent, but it feels exactly
Speaker A
how the—well, that's very nice, thank you. But just going back to accents, people can do a perfect American accent and pinpoint it exactly regionally, and sometimes they go on, they don't seem to be American because to
Speaker A
be American, you have to be American from your feet through to your head. Don't you feel?
Speaker A
Yes, but now you can do that. I mean, I ought to be able to do that, but it's just my voice gets in the way. But don't
Speaker A
think of what a career I could have had if I—yes, could. Your career has been so terrible and disappointing and limiting, but you've played in so many different genres. I mean, I remember the—I
Speaker A
think probably the first time I saw you on film was I saw Bent. Did you? It was amazing. And then you had originated that with Sha Maas on.
Speaker A
That's right, on stage. And I wonder—I think it's
Speaker A
a—I thought about this a lot when I was playing Blue Jasmine, maybe having played Blanche DuBois, even though Woody Allen didn't want to talk about Streetcar at all. Did he?
Speaker A
Not did he?
Speaker A
No. But there were such kind of parallels between the—
Speaker A
Made it such fun. But did you find it easier having—because you seemed so utterly free in that film, having originated the role on stage?
Speaker A
No, the part I was playing in the film was
Speaker A
not the part I'd played originally. I was playing my character's uncle. But a good example of that is when I did Richard III, which I'd done a lot,
Speaker A
yes, which was incredible, toured all over the place. And when we were crossing America, I decided—I thought it might make a good film, so I did the editing and put together a screenplay. But then when we got to do it, it was blessed because I knew—I knew the character
Speaker A
backwards, and all I had to think about was how can I do it for the camera? That was all I had to think about. So that was reorient. I just wish we could rehearse films, don't you?
Speaker A
I know, just step into it. But sometimes I'm—I remember Soderbergh saying, because I had to—I did a film with him, The Good German, which about two and a half people saw, but they had been filming for two
Speaker A
weeks, and I literally arrived the day before and walked onto set and sort of had to play this German woman, and I was completely intimidated. Another accent. And we just did one take, and I said, "Can I do it again?" And I said, "Don't
Speaker A
you ever rehearse?" And he said, "No, no, I just have dinner parties so that people can get to know one another."
Speaker A
I see, because oftentimes, you know, you walk on set and suddenly you're in bed with someone who you've never met before.
Speaker A
And you know. But wasn't it interesting last night at the Governor's Awards when Jenna Rowlands was saying, or did her husband, her son say that she studied the character on her own, locked herself in a room, and had been through every
Speaker A
emotional extreme the character could possibly be so that when she arrived on set, it was all very, very familiar territory?
Speaker A
Yes. And so she could just be—put everyone completely—
Speaker A
How did the project of Mr. Holmes actually come to you? Was it through beekeeping? Did you know a lot about bees,
Speaker A
or had you been long obsessed with them? Or was it—
Speaker A
I mean, I've always known about Sherlock Holmes. Everybody has. I'm obsessed. I can't
Speaker A
remember when I didn't know about them. They're obsessed with you. But, well, and then Bill Condon, who I'd worked with on God and Monsters, you know, he called up and said, "I've got a film," and I said, "Oh, well, when do we start?" Really? And then
Speaker A
when it turned out to be Sherlock Holmes, that was an added thrill.
Speaker A
Yes, I said, "I'm thrilled." But Laurie Lin turned up in the gas and some wonderful friends from home, and I said, "But I won't work
Speaker A
with the bees." Bill, is that understood? Although Holmes is keeping bees. I said, "I can't. Can CGI them in? Put them in later." Are you allergic or you just terrified?
Speaker A
Well, I was just terrified. So it's an independent movie, so I had to work with
Speaker A
bees, but they were absolutely charming, and they're not—the bees were, yes, they're not interested, and they were just busy getting—they're busy, aren't they? Bees? They
Speaker A
are like actors, like you, yes, getting on with that job. And
Speaker A
so, there we are. And I didn't—I didn't have any hopes for it really as a popular film. I just thought it was a little niche, a fun thing for us to do really, and this might appeal to people
Speaker A
who like the Conan Doyle stories. And then because it's about old age, and because it's about death, and because it's about not giving in to old age, and because it's about that, there's a woman in the middle of it, Laura's character,
Speaker A
who's a war widow and sad, and then there's a little boy in it. It actually appeals to a big range of people. It's
Speaker A
been a surprise to me and a delight. But now tell me about Carol. I love Christmas, wrapping presents
Speaker A
and all that, and then somehow you wind up overcooking the turkey anyway. Done. Where'd you learn so much about train sets?
Speaker A
Oh, I read too much, probably. It's refreshing. Thank you. Merry Christmas.
Speaker A
Merry Christmas. I like The Have and, of course, lesbian love story.
Speaker A
Yes, another one for you.
Speaker A
Yes, you're very perceptive. I couldn't work out whether yours was the leading character or the other splendid young Rooney who's extraordinary in it. I mean, it's very—they're very symbolically
Speaker A
connected. I mean, in the novel, I don't know if you've read The Price of Salt, which was Patricia Highsmith's first novel. Patricia Highsmith.
Speaker A
Well, of course, she's lesbian.
Speaker A
Yes, of course. Of course. Well, she was always writing about—but no, but she always
Speaker A
writes about the really dark recesses of the human mind, which is what I love about her, and fabulous—all these unpalatable thoughts and obsessions that we all have but we never give voice to or admit to anybody. So I mean, I'd read
Speaker A
the novel years ago, but the novel is very much from Rooney's character TZ's perspective, and Carol's sort of the object of her desire, so she's not a—she's an objective creation. And what Todd has done and what Phyllis N
Speaker A
the most beautiful screenplay. Well, it
Speaker A
still been involved um you were acting and producing and directing and yeah and producing but it's and having a film career at the same time but I think it must be you know like doing we were talking about earlier about doing a new
Speaker A
play every two weeks it's the constantly having to get up and do it is that you you you stop you stop that process of self-censoring because you just have to say well I'll try this I'll try that I'll try this it's constantly having to
Speaker A
get up and try and make you know each night better and that's the hardest thing I find with film is that it's so finite yes and it's often it's and I've heard I mean I with Bri L and the
Speaker A
yesterday and she was saying a similar thing is that you get to the the final day of shoot and you're filled with Dread and horror saying but can I do this again it's done I know your job is
Speaker A
done well then you have to trust the director that he or she has seen the essence of it and we cut round it and presented yeah looking back um do you do do you have a a part a role that
Speaker A
was especially difficult they all feel a bit difficult to me yes that's good because I think I'm I think it's so I'm not it I'm not someone I mean this is this notion that um you know I meet those actors you know
Speaker A
yourself for instance who in great Rec onter and and just have the ability to sort of stand up and do it it's sort of it feels like it costs me a little bit to to to do that I'm I'm sort of
Speaker A
backstepping rather than forward stepping but I think if it doesn't cost you anything it's probably not much good maybe and so it's always it's always the ask you know so when Todd Hayes gos up school sayy or Fincher or whoever and
Speaker A
they it's the think well I can't the only reason why I wouldn't be saying yes to that is cu I'm terrified you've done so much I mean across so many mediums and the Fantastic television show I mean everything you've been on in every
Speaker A
medium was there anything new that you discovered in Playing Mr Mr Holmes it was like when um when we were I first went to Middle Earth which is where we met first in fact not many people can say that no we first met in
Speaker A
Middle Earth and on my second day of playing Gandalf I was in a scene with you it was actually the last film of the the last scene of the third film and gadriel and Gandalf were sailing off to
Speaker A
yes yes but of course you weren't there you were in Australia and I think by the time you came to do that scene I I was back in the UK so we were in a scene together but anyway virtual
Speaker A
Gandalf over two days they they they they put on the makeup Peter Jackson and and um Everybody hair make up big nose little nose long hair longer hair long beard longer beard eyebrows and these various hute gentlemen look back at me
Speaker A
out of the mirror you know I look like Bin Laden at one point that won't do and eventually they clipped away and and suddenly and they popped the Hat on I thought oh I can see him Gandalf and I a little voice and it just
Speaker A
fitted in with what was going on and I stood up was walking like G and from then on it was simple nothing didn't have to do thing all came from the makeup and it was the same with Mr
Speaker A
Holmes I I play him old and and relatively young they put the old makeup on very very quickly Dave El and I saw him and I just stooped my shoulders and there he was I didn't have to think
Speaker A
about it so and it's a good performance and that maybe I've been taught again that it must cost you but if the audience can't see its cost you then that's probably the way to do it I mean no one wants to see your
Speaker A
home but it's difficult talking about acting isn't it well it's impossible the other thing is I don't know about you but I I don't want to become too conscious about no you know I literally every every night before I start the
Speaker A
night before I start work I poke my husband at 3:00 a.m. and say Andrew Andrew what what what's my process do I mean we got a table read tomorrow what what's my what do I what would I do and he said You' be fine and
Speaker A
be fine just you know open the door get a cup of tea sit down and then the other people will start and you'll start and you'll find your way and then you find your way together and it's often on film
Speaker A
with the hair and makeup people and the Wardrobe people it's it's dress ups and when you talk about that you sort of feel a bit like it's uh childish or shallow but it's it's because you're all playing together and in the end the
Speaker A
audence audience wants to be transported but even in the in the height of tragedy there has to be a buoyancy I think there has to be a sense of fun and Adventure yeah I can reassure you that that's all
Speaker A
right that method because it is a method is it is it yeah because stanislowski great great teacher of modern acting uh wrote numerous books and at the end of one of them he says if all else fails if
Speaker A
the suggestions I'd be making to you don't work look in the mirror and pull faces until you see the character coming out at you there we go that's fail it's fail safe now I've got a backup plan and we should close by by vowing to
Speaker A
work together again that would be great on stage let's do it on stage and you know can I tell you a little story you know the scene when gadal comes or I gandal comes to visit gadal at rivendale
Speaker A
yes yes yes in one of The Hobbit films and they hold hands and you're very sweet to me and you heartbreaking [Music] and I thought that had come out of the fact that we you would have for just two
Speaker A
weeks or something and we forever nipping around the corner to share a cigarette to share a line of coke no to we went behind the set and had a chat about what you were doing in the theater which of course passionate passion
Speaker A
interest and I I thought Peter Jackson had taken advantage of that intimacy to and bring it onto the screen hav I was talking to G mod Del Tor recently who was going to direct the hob do you remember yes I do and I was
Speaker A
talking about that scene and he he he was looking rather critical at me and he said uh no he said that was my idea he said I put it into the script and I was intended that the two of you should fall
Speaker A
in love so there we go who know we did we just we must have sort of sensed from the from the script does Carol and happily without spoiling it ends with possibility endless possibility it ends with Poss with a possibility oh good
Speaker A
which because I like a film that does that yeah but it's it's unab possibility yes and it's unabashedly romantic like similar to sort of um Brief Encounter oh yeah which is one of my all-time favorite films my favorite film Trevor
Speaker A
Howard cely joneson oh ca Johnson thanks for watching actors on actors click to the left to watch our conversation with Amy Schumer and Lily Tomlin click to the right to watch our full conversation with Jennifer Jason Lee and Seth Rogan and don't forget to
Speaker A
subscribe to variety's channel [Music]
Topics:Cate BlanchettIan McKellenActors on ActorsVarietyacting techniquesaccents in actingMr. HolmesCarol filmfilm rehearsalcharacter study
