Actors at Work: Conversations

by Rosemarie Tichler, Barry Jay Kaplan, Mike Nichols (Foreword)

It's extremely difficult to be an actor, for many It's mostly unrewarding financially. It takes a lot of hard work before an actor even gets a part. A career is apt to be short-lived. The field is incredibly competitive. Cream does not always rise to the top. And yet actors young and old line up by the thousands wanting to do it. What fuels this desire? What is it that drives actors to withstand the frustration of not getting parts, of getting bad parts in bad plays, of being mistreated by directors, misundertood by audiences, misinterpreted by critics?

With a nod to the Paris Review 's Writers at Work model, Actors at Work looks at the way some of our most respected stage and film actors today approach their calling. In a collection of interviews with a dozen artists, including Philip Seymour Hoffman, Patti LuPone, and Billy Crudup, the book explores not only the impetus to perform but also key topics about the process and profession, including the way actors approach a role, what techniques they use to deal with directors and other cast members, the ways in which they use their own personal lives in their work, and their influences, idols, and insecurities. The result is a book that actors will find indispensable and fans will find irresistible.

400 pages, Paperback

First published August 7, 2007

Reviews

[Pelin]

If you're an actor, someone who enjoys watching films/theater performances, or simply want to understand the inner workings of individuals who are some of the most talented in their field, this book is perfect. My favorite interviews were Kevin Kline, Meryl Streep, Philip Seymour Hoffman and Billy Crudup... partially because they're some of my favorite actors, but also because their interviews provided amazing insight.

[Scott · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have to say I am a little biased on this one as Rosemarie Tichler was one of my guest teachers in graduate school. But this is a really good book. If you are an actor you should definitely read this. Even if you aren't an actor but are interested in the lives and routines and thought process of famous successful actors it is a really good interesting read.

[Shira Gregory · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is terrific if you really want to get a sense of what it's like and what it takes to act. Amazing interviews. Favorites were: Meryl Streep, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Kevin Spacey

[Hank Lin · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you're an actor and you gain only one thing from all of this, it should be to trust Marian Seldes with your life.

[Edward]

This is a fabulous book! You really get to see how acting is truly an art form with so many different ways to approach it.