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One of the great aspects of acting is that in almost every case it is the collaborative effort of dozens, sometimes thousands of people working together on a common goal.

From people fresh from acting classes to Hollywood A-listers, every single person plays their part to make a film what it is, and in cases where a film is not exactly well received, it is always essential to note that everyone tried to make it succeed, often in less-than-ideal circumstances.

A case in point for this is how so many films that have notably been received negatively by critics tend to have a brilliant, standout performance that often contrasts with other elements that work far less well.

Here are some of the best examples.

 

Raul Julia In Street Fighter

The 1994 adaptation of the popular computer game to the silver screen was in a difficult position from the start, with a mix of studio and game publisher mandates that hampered director Steven E. de Souza’s ability to make a meaningful film.

The biggest issue was its huge central cast, headlined by “Muscles from Brussels” Jean Claude Van Damme hopelessly miscast as All-American Colonel Guile, alongside relative newcomers such as Kylie Minogue and Kenya Sawada.

However, the shining light throughout a somewhat cluttered mess of a film is the casting of the wonderful Raul Julia, in what would become his final role, as the megalomaniacal General M. Bison. His sheer dedication to the role lifts what was otherwise rather poor material.

 

Angelina Jolie In Hackers

Contrasting an incredible actor making his swansong in a bad film is a great actor making her debut in Hollywood as the standout in a film known far more for its strange direction and depiction of hacking than less ethereal concepts such as plot, narrative and acting.

Ms Jolie’s biggest strength as an actor is the sheer presence she brings to scenes, and this is on full display even in a film where she plays a high school hacker with an exceptionally 1990s pixie cut.

It would not take long for Hollywood to realise this, which is why she has films such as Tomb Raider – The Cradle Of Life and Mr and Mrs Smith on her CV.

 

Phil Hartman In Jingle All The Way

Jingle All The Way is a film that is more fondly remembers now it has become a nostalgic touchstone, but a subtle and carefully crafted film it is not. This is perhaps fitting for a comedy starring Arnold Schwarzenegger.

However, one aspect that works brilliantly is the late Phil Hartman’s pitch-perfect performance as Arnold’s impossibly smarmy neighbour Howard, and it is his fine performance that gives the world one of Arnold’s most famous lines.

All actors and actresses start off where you are, attending drama school day in, day out, going along to endless auditions and hoping one day they will make it big. Although it is easy to assume Hollywood stars have always been successful, they had to put in a lot of hard work to get to where they are today, especially those on the list of the best actors of all time.

Empire Magazine has recently revealed its top 50 actors and actresses, voted for by its readers, who didn’t just pick their favourites based on their acting skills but their “charisma, a command of the camera, [and] an energy that enlivens even the most stellar script”.

Although it didn’t place the top 50 in order of preference, the list included the likes of Denzel Washington, Tom Hanks, and Marilyn Monroe.

Robert De Niro, Bette Davis, Natalie Portman, Gene Hackman, Leonardo DiCaprio, and Heath Ledger were also named, showing that voters chose actors from different eras as their favourites.

Some on the list have, unsurprisingly, won Academy Awards, but there are a few who have never received the prestigous accolade, including Tom Hardy, who has starred in Inception, The Dark Knight Rises, and Peaky Blinders.

Michelle Williams and Tom Cruise were also included in the list and have not received an Oscar, despite being in several impressive films.

When it comes to the Academy Awards 2023, Awards Daily predicts Brendan Fraser could be in line to receive the Best Actor gong, while Cate Blanchett might receive the Best Actress accolade for her role in TAR.

While these superstars don’t need to brush up on their acting skills, if you are interested in pursuing a career in this field, it is worth signing up to Manchester acting classes, as well as take inspiration from these legends.

If ever there was a reason to get involved in the arts in Manchester, it is the city’s growing reputation in this field – one that is gaining increasing international recognition. 

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Method acting is perhaps the most controversial form of acting style out there, with some people believing it is the only way to really do justice to a role, and others thinking you should be able to dip in and out of character with ease.

Hollywood actor Ethan Hawke shared his views on Method acting, which, for those who don’t know, is immersing oneself in their character for long periods of time, including the entire duration of the shoot.

Marlon Brando, Robert DeNiro, Daniel Day Lewis, and, more recently, Christian Bale are famous Method actors, but it is not a technique that everyone favours.

Hawke, who is most famous for his roles in Training Day, Before Sunrise, and Dead Poets Society, praised the discipline and determination of those who can adopt Method practices.

He told Indie Wire: “I know that ordinary effort creates ordinary results, and the longevity and genius of Daniel Day-Lewis’ career proves that there’s method to his madness.”

However, the 52-year-old added: “Personally, I think it’s crazy. But it works!”

Hawke stated those who tend to do Method acting have “exceptional brains”, so he does not judge or criticise their style of getting into a role, as it yields convincing results.

One of the most famous incidences of Method acting include De Niro making everyone refer to him as ‘Jake’ or ‘Champ’ in between takes when starring as Jake LaMotta in the movie, Raging Bull.

He went on to win an Oscar for the role at the 1981 Academy Awards.

 

For acting schools in Liverpool, take a look here.

Some people might have raised an eyebrow in surprise when Bradford won the race to become Britain’s City of Culture in 2025. But while outsiders may not think of the city in this way, that is probably because they haven’t looked at the map.

The fact is that since 1974 the city’s extended borders have taken in hitherto surrounding towns and villages, notably Haworth to the west. This, of course, is where the Bronte sisters lived, with the parsonage where their father was a church minister now being a museum.

An interest in classics of English literature like Wuthering Heights and Jane Eyre may have passed some folk by in their school days, but that might have been changed by the film Emily, which recently hit cinema screens. 

The film is not a true biopic of Emily Bronte – the plot plays fast-and-loose with the events of her life – but it is a film that has been highly praised by many reviewers, such as Mark Kermode.

While he described it as having elements of a “fever dream” and a “fairy tale”, it also echoes the genre of costume dramas that have brought Jane Austen so many modern fans. At the same time, it does plenty to showcase the wild upland landscapes of Yorkshire.

If this does indeed reinvigorate an interest in the literature of the Brontes, some may wish to take adult acting classes in order to be involved in productions focused on them.

After all, we have already seen spin-offs from Wuthering Heights on stage and screen in the past (Who remembers Cliff Richard growing a beard to play the part of Heathcliffe?), so who knows what will be next now interest has been sparked?

Of course, this might only be a part of the City of Culture celebrations in 2025, when over 1,000 performances of all sorts will take place. But by highlighting the cultural heritage of the area, a renewed interest in the Brontes may inspire some to take to the stage and become an active part of Bradford’s year in the limelight. 

Comedic roles such as those seen in situation comedies are often surprisingly difficult characters to perfect, and dedicated acting classes are used to help actors develop well-rounded performances that are not only the conduits for jokes but also can effectively tell more dramatic, character-focused stories as well.

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Summer might only just be over and the weather is slowly beginning to turn autumnal, but it is time to put your Santa hat on and get into the festive spirit, as Christmas auditions are beginning to open.

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Acting in a film production is a collaborative effort, and online acting classes will teach aspiring actors that the best performances are when an ensemble works together to make a script the best it can possibly be.

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Learning your lines and cues is one thing but convincing the audience that you are truly in character and feeling all those emotions is key when playing a role. 

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