I've always thought of acting as more of an exercise in empathy, which is not to be confused with sympathy. You're trying to get inside a certain emotional reality or motivational reality and try to figure out what that's about so you can represent it.

Summary

In this quote, the speaker describes acting as an exercise in empathy rather than sympathy. They emphasize the importance of getting inside the emotional and motivational reality of a character to accurately represent it. Acting requires understanding and connecting with the character's experiences, thoughts, and feelings, rather than simply feeling sorry for them. By developing empathy, actors can effectively portray the depths of a character, bringing their stories to life on stage or screen.

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