Categories: Updates

Actors and charisma

Harry Dean Stanton – compelling authenticity

“I play myself all the time… on camera and off. What else can I do?”

Harry Dean Stanton [photo and quote from the HBO.com section for “Big Love”]

Nicolas Cage thinks “Harry Dean exudes a spiritual awareness that’s steeped in deep sadness, and it’s so compelling to watch on film. He’s a compelling man to be around as well because he defies a lot of laws.” [Entertainment Weekly, June 2 2006]

In the same article, Rebecca De Mornay comments that Stanton has “complete honesty and authenticity every minute” and is “such the real thing. He just is who he is.”

And maybe that authenticity is one of the key sources of charisma.

Be who you are

Amanda Peet has said of acting:

“But really the key is to be relaxed… you have to be who you are and you have to go with your own instincts. You really have nothing else as an actor, but to commit to who you are.

“If they like it, they like it. If they don’t, they don’t. If you try to exude some star quality or charisma, it’s probably not going to get you very far.”

Developing charisma

But according to an article (“Charm, graciousness – and attitude.” By Janet Cromley, Los Angeles Times May 29, 2006), there are aspects that can be developed.

Tony Alessandra, author of more than a dozen books on sales and personality, thinks charisma is generally inherent, but that it’s also infinitely teachable.

“Many people have developed it,” he says. “Just look at Arnold Schwarzenegger and George Foreman. Did they have charisma when they were younger? Nope. And look at the late Princess Diana. They used to call her ‘Shy Di.’ “

The article goes on: “The first step in boosting your charisma quotient, say media coaches and matchmakers, is to adopt certain behaviors, such as demonstrating enthusiasm and optimism, maintaining eye contact, speaking with authority, standing erect with shoulders back but muscles relaxed and mirroring body language.”

Charisma and caring

But true charisma, the article notes, starts from within, based on certain attitudes.

“Charisma begins with what I call ‘graciousness,’ “ says Jackson Bain, who has taught media skills to executives and politicians for more than 20 years. This means listening carefully and focusing one’s attention on what others are saying.

“This isn’t acting,” he says. “This is changing your attitude toward the world around you and the humans around you. You need to begin by asking yourself, ‘How much do I really care about these people I’m with?’ “

Related book: Charisma : Seven Keys to Developing the Magnetism that Leads to Success, by Tony Alessandra.

Related pages:
self-esteem / self concept resources
social reactions / interactions

~~~~~~~

Visited 1 times, 1 visit(s) today

* Note – Links to programs and products may be affiliate links, which means a company or publisher provides a small commission to me paid by them, if you decide to purchase. There is no extra cost to you. Commissions help support my efforts in creating the free content you read on my various sites, plus help pay for costs such as website hosting and software. As an affiliate for companies such as Sounds True, as well as a few coaches and psychologists, I provide links to programs that may be helpful for creative people. Thanks for reading articles – and for following these links.


source

TATANKA

Musician turned web developer turned teacher turned web developer turned musician.

Recent Posts

Sierran Specter: A Haunted Journey Through Music, Memory, & Mountains (AI Gen)

Sierran Specter – Full Album (1:38:55) - 🎧 Recommended Free Downloads: Full Album (320 kbps…

17 hours ago

Post-Collapse Lo-Fi: “Soft Apocalypse” (AI Gen)

Soft Apocalypse (45:15) Free MP3 (320 kbps) Download https://youtu.be/nUVg1d0XXbA Ambient Elegy: A Cinematic Soundscape of…

2 days ago

Borderlight: A Woman’s Sonic Rebellion from Kaliningrad (AI Gen)

Borderlight: The Woman from Kaliningrad – Full Album (1:25:56) Free Downloads (MP3 320 kbps): Full…

3 days ago

Untouchable: A Love Beyond Measure (AI Gen)

Process: Human, ChatGPT.com, Meta.ai, Riffusion.com, Suno.com, Kits.ai, Moises.ai, Audacity 3.7.4, Ubuntu 24.04 LTS (Noble Numbat, Linux…

4 days ago

Ekitibwa kya Buganda: A Sonic Revival of Ancestral Memory and Matriarchal Power (AI Gen)

Ekitibwa kya Buganda – Full Album (3:22:33) Free Downloads (MP3 320 kbps): Album Mix -…

5 days ago

Delectable Little Pill: Alanis Morissette’s 1995 Breakthrough Reimagined as a 1940s Torch Song in glorious 78 RPM Shellac (Gen AI)

Full Album: Delectable Little Pill (Alanis Morissette) Free Downloads (MP3 320 kbps) – Full Album…

5 days ago