| The majority of top creative Hollywood actors | | | | Drama Schools, they basically teach you how to |
| work with acting teachers who are Actors Studio | | | | fake emotions rather than recreate them for real. |
| members. The Actors Studio, New York, is the | | | | This effectively short-changes the actor and the |
| home of Method Acting. The current | | | | audience, which is why my actors’ studio |
| co-presidents are Al Pacino, Harvey Keitel and | | | | specialises in Method Acting. It’s a proven |
| Ellen Burstyn. This gives you an idea of the | | | | technique used by the best actors in the world, |
| standard of acting striven for at the studio. | | | | and it’s all about NOT faking your |
| Method Acting produces an extremely high level | | | | performance.’’ |
| of acting. Over 75% of Best Actor Oscars since | | | | Whether UK Drama Schools will follow |
| the year 2000 have gone to Method Actors. More | | | | Timoney’s lead is yet to be seen. Brian holds |
| recently, Forest Whitaker in 2007, Daniel | | | | drama classes and drama courses in Central |
| Day-Lewis in 2008 and this year, Sean Penn. Their | | | | London, which are open to beginners who are |
| acting training is Method Acting. | | | | serious about training at a professional level. |
| Method Acting was born in the US, and many | | | | There is certainly much credence to the Method |
| British actors have been rumoured to have taken | | | | Acting approach. It’s hard to argue with the |
| up the technique, including Anthony Hopkins and | | | | results it produces - just look at the |
| Peter O’Toole. | | | | performances of the many, many leading actors |
| Brian Timoney is the UK’s Leading Method | | | | that use it. |
| Acting Coach and Method Acting Expert. He has | | | | Acting training, in general, is a complex area, with |
| appeared in the UK media, including the BBC; | | | | many requirements placed upon the actor. Actors |
| teaching TV soap stars Method Acting techniques. | | | | have to deal with emotional content and external |
| Brian has also been featured in The Metro, The | | | | characterisation to produce high calibre work. In |
| Sunday Express and The Stage. | | | | short, there is no easy answer, but hard work, |
| Brian believes that taking up Method Acting can | | | | lots of acting classes and courses (many of them |
| benefit the UK acting scene enormously. | | | | Method Acting classes and courses) and a healthy |
| He says “Many Drama Schools, particularly | | | | diligent approach to acting is needed to achieve |
| London Drama Schools, have an aversion to the | | | | the desired results. |
| technique because it has an emotional focus. In | | | | |