I've actually always been interested in following a character more long term, but the only place to really do that as an actor is on a TV series.
Usually, at the end of a film it's like I've finally gotten to know this person completely, and then we're done. That actually happened on the set of Twilight, and then it happened again on New Moon. Each time my character Bella became a different person, and I got to know that person and take her to the next level.
I push myself as hard as I can. Sometimes that can be painful and stressful but inthe end it's worth the price... I like to play characters that I can draw from in my own life. I've invested so much of my life into my work that I almost don't have any choice.
Masses of girls identified with Bella in a really profound way, for want of a better word. The connection that I've seen people have - I've seen it physically. It's the characters they're flipping for.
One thing that I don't think I do is play characters. Once you start claiming that you can do something that you're not, you're crazy. I think scripts can really surprise you. You go, "Wow, I did not know that that response could come from me. I did not know that I had that in me." And so, the process of making the movie is just finding that and digging a little deeper.
Sometimes your characters in films do things that you wouldn't do. You're not playing yourself all the time.
As the actor, you just have to believe in what your character is doing in order to play them.
I crave the diversity because I'm an actor and it's more fun to play different types of characters, but I'm pretty spontaneous as well, so I don't rule anything out.
I think that American audiences are more used to following one character.
I just don't ever want to play the girlfriend. You know, the supporting character in the background who just sort of comes in and goes, "Oh, shucks." It's just a boring character.
I was definitely a fan of Robert Patricks character in T2. I was just really awed by his performance and the complete body control that he had, so I think maybe subconsciously, that played in the back of my mind.
Certain songs I feel different people should be on different tracks, you know it's emotional. I put myself into characters for certain records.
The tenacious character I've possessed since I was a small child propelled me to successfully meet this challenge, and I was able to safely gain acceptance to the university of my choice.
[Ralph Angel] was really about figuring out the humanity aspect of the character and not really paying attention to certain things like him being incarcerated or him being a father and showing that type of love and putting something before you, despite me not having kids in real life. He's vulnerable, ambitious and alive.
Ralph Angel, for me, was about getting in touch with the similarities between the characters. I felt like he was a human being that I knew and [somebody] that I've been and am currently still exploring.
Ralph Angel was such a great character. The single-father image has been portrayed in so many ways so having the ability to be a part of that narrative excites me!
One has to have the strength of character to say the time has come to move on... unless you are a king.
I'm involved with every single thing that they do as far as just being aware, and then they ask my opinion. I'm involved in the sequence reviews and some of the animation reviews and character designs and things like that. I give my input on that movie as well.
I think it's really important to depict complex, flawed LGBT characters, because we are all connected by our humanity.
You don't encounter anyone who is not hero or villain of their own story. If it's man vs. self, you have to explore the ways each character is villainous and heroic.
I don't know who will overcome losses, some losses aren't meant to be overcome, but all losses make for good stories and good character development and all the jazz that makes a show compelling and watchable.
As for dream roles, they usually just speak to you. I just crave complex characters.
It's such a private thing - 'my process' - I can just say that the work that I do is like therapy between me and the character.
When you're little, you're open to things. It's not like you get into this rehearsed zone when you're a child. At first you play different sides of yourself. And I think it will be really exciting one day to have a character to go into that's not anything like me whatsoever.
I've always used my own personal emotions and things that I've gone through in my life to build a character. The work that I do before a film feels almost like therapy, between me and whoever I'm playing.
