“He said to me, ‘I want to do the best acting I’ve ever done,’” Trier says of Lie’s preparation for Worst Person. “He’s gotten better with his craft, and he’s gotten even braver about exposing deeper emotions.” -Joachim Trier, director of The Worst Person In The World on actor Anders Danielsen Lie in Vanity Fair article
I re-watched the film The Worst Person In The World the other day. So good.
And then I watched my favorite scene over and over. It’s this one.
His vulnerability + Her listening = Masterclass.
A great practice whether you’re an actor, writer, director, designer, etc…is to compile a list of your all-time favorite scenes and take time to really study them. Get super granular. Notice all the scene’s intricacies from every perspective.
This “scene work” will educate you and keep you inspired. (And humbled.) It will remind you why you picked this art form (for me, that’s acting) and the kind of work you hope to be able to do for as long as you can do it.
Never stop learning. Never stop growing. Never stop reaching. The day you do is the day you should hang it up. Don’t let that day ever come.
P.S. – What are some of your all-time favorite scenes? Send ’em my way! Thanks!!
The Vs. Studio Blog 
Thank you for this,
I’d never seen it before.
It’s exquisite and master class indeed!
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div>I’m gonna write Paul Ste
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You’re very welcome LG!
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xoLG
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Elizabeth GreerLizzyG@ElizabethGreer.com
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One of my favorite movies of recent years. Brilliant on every level. What I love most is the simplicity of the shot plan: one wide two, plus two OTS that slowly dolly in. Fun to see that Trier ‘re-set’ throughout the dolly – meaning he knew where the cuts would be and that he needed to be closer than his (beautiful) slow dolly would allow; super subtle cheats forward to get us closer. (Yes, I geek out on this stuff!) Takeaway: get out of the way at a moment like this.
In honor of someone we just lost, here’s another director not afraid to be simple and let his actors make their magic: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kAvszMXYNeU
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This scene is phenomenal and gut wrenching. Thank you for sharing Todd. RIP Mr. O’Neal.
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Johnny! I love this post and I do especially love that movie. Everything about it, from the title of the film, the story, the acting, all of it….flawless and one of my faves too.
For me, anything Meryl Streep does is an acting class. This scene from SILKWOOD is truthful and heart wrenching. Her discoveries are breathtaking to watch. The downward spiral of this character forces the audience to root for the underdog and it’s all crystalized in this scene.
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A phenomenal scene. Thank you for sharing Cindy.
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