A qualitative study into the psychological effects of acting work among Australian-based actors

ABSTRACT

Objective

Acting practices can leave actors with unresolved emotions that may impact their daily life. The current study aims to describe how actors practice their craft, and how these practices are perceived in relation to their psychosocial wellbeing within and outside of performances.

Methodology

Seven Australian-based actors (age range = 22–60 years) were interviewed. Using a qualitative study design adopting an experiential and predominantly inductive approach, reflexive thematic analysis was conducted to analyse the interview data.

Findings

Three themes were derived from the data: preparation and development of character, transition into character, and letting go versus ongoing connection to the character. The overarching theme was the duality within the actor, which reflected how participants remained in control throughout the acting process despite sharing their body and mind with the character. This appeared to represent a kind of protection mechanism which guarded the actors from losing themselves within the character. Participants also described the necessity for both automatic and active character release strategies to accompany the use of duality and support their psychological wellbeing.

Conclusion

The findings present insights into the unique experiences and challenges faced by actors, providing a deeper understanding for practitioners supporting actor clients and presenting further research directions that may benefit this population.

KEY POINTS

What is already known about this topic

1. When compared with the general Australian population, Australian creatives (i.e. performing artists, composers, arts support workers and equipment operators) reported higher rates of depression, anxiety, suicidal ideation, alcohol misuse, and illicit drug usage.

2. Some acting practices can leave actors with unresolved emotions, leading to anxiety, depressive symptoms, and/or stress, following a performance. Reported psychosocial issues include identity confusion and the emotional cost of performing, alongside unstable employment and the associated anxiety.

3. Personal motivations (such as the positive impacts of being onstage, and acting as a calling, personality factors, and prosocial benefits) represent some of the motivating factors behind why some people are drawn to the acting profession.

What this topic adds

1. The psychological nature of the acting process was described by participants, thereby providing insights into how the various elements of the acting process were perceived to be related to actors’ psychosocial wellbeing.

2. The notion of the duality within the actor encompasses the way actors maintain control and a sense of self during performance. This highlights the psychologically demanding and intricate nature of acting work, providing insights into the mental dexterity required by actors and difficulties they may face.

3. Participants explained how they maintain an emotional connection to their character throughout the duration of a performance, and their processes for subsequently disconnecting from character. This study provides mental health practitioners with insights into the unique challenges (such as character retention and duality) and demands on this population to inform support of clients who work as actors.

The nature of the entertainment industry requires actors to work exceptionally hard if they are to stand out within a competitive and oversaturated landscape. As such, actors often strive to emulate an emotionally embodied portrayal of their character, defined as creating vivid and realistic performances, where the actor seemingly shapeshifts into their character (Bester & Munro, 2023; Hess, 2016). Stella Adler, acting teacher and theorist, postulated that the actor’s instrument comprises the physical body, voice, mind, emotions, and talent (Adler, 1988). Accordingly, the actor’s craft has been conceptualised as the task of bending the body to one’s will (Krasner, 2011) and to achieve such there is a vast array of techniques available to contemporary actors.

Modern-day, Western acting practices can be dichotomised as inside-out techniques, i.e., emotionally driven acting practices, and outside-in techniques, i.e., physically driven acting practices (Alfreds, 2007; Goldstein & Bloom, 2011). The most renowned examples of inside-out techniques include the theories of Constantin Stanislavski (2013) with his championing of naturalistic theatre, Lee Strasberg (1987) with his articulation of The Method, an emotionally driven practice, and Uta Hagen (Hagen & Frankel, 1973) with her contribution of the nine questions that help the actor locate the essential details of the character’s life and circumstances. Examples of outside-in techniques include animal work which translates the naturalistic movement of animals to influence the physicality of the character (Alfreds, 2007). The movement theories of Laban’s efforts which present a system for physically developed characterisation or Michael Chekov’s psychological gesture which has the actor develop a physical movement that expresses the overall essence of the character (Alfreds, 2007).

Qualitative theses have described the experience of acting as liberating, transformative in nature, and “addictive” (Hatami, 2023; Kumar, 2019, p. 172). Interpretative phenomenological analysis of interviews with England-based male actors produced the theme of “positive impacts of being onstage” and “acting as a calling” (Hatami, 2023, pp. 86, 98). Furthermore, research into potential psychosocial benefits of acting practices suggests a socially adaptive function to acting. North American research into the neuropsychological underpinnings of acting found that adolescents (n = 40) who participated in weekly 90-min acting classes throughout one school year showed significant improvement in empathy and theory of mind (ToM; i.e., perceptiveness towards others’ emotional state and perspective-taking) measures after students had experienced 10 months of classes (Goldstein & Winner, 2012). Despite many motivating factors within the practice of acting, challenges in the profession also proliferate.

As actors strive to create believable characters and performances (Bester & Munro, 2023; Bloch, 2018; Hess, 2016), there has been a suggestion that acting practices can sometimes leave actors with unresolved emotions, such as anxiety, depression, and/or stress, following a performance (Murphy, 2019; Seton, 2008). Findings from qualitative theses have identified challenging themes such as identity confusion, the high-pressured nature of creative spaces, and the emotional cost of performing (Hatami, 2023; Kumar, 2019; Sammut, 2013). Grounded theory analysis revealed the methods used by some participants precipitated a kind of dissociative experience while acting, which the researcher described as unregulated, and pointed to the potentially dangerous nature of such practices (Kumar, 2019). This may lead actors to struggle with maintaining boundaries between the self and character. In addition to identity confusion, actors typically face unstable employment, which has been associated with anxiety and income insecurity (Chen & Jagtiani, 2021; Kumar, 2019). Macro-level factors such as income insecurity and unpredictable employment (e.g., short-term contracts, casual employment) have been linked to an experience of precarity (Standing, 2011). A broader definition of precarity also includes the individual experience of vulnerability and uncertainty (Ettlinger, 2007).

Other qualitative research produced the theme of precariousness, that is a struggle in maintaining boundaries between self and character among professional Australian actors (n = 20; age range = 22–66 years; Robb et al., 2018). The researchers observed that there is a greater emphasis on training and time spent on getting into a character and less focus on coming back out of a character after the rehearsal or performance is over (Robb et al., 2018). Participants in the same study also described traumatic character-based experiences on stage affecting their mental health and wellbeing off stage, feeling “chronically exposed”, intense challenging emotions, and experiencing difficulties in regulating such emotions (Robb et al., 2018, p. 82).

Research into the wellbeing and mental health of Australian creatives and those in the entertainment sector found that this population is distinctly impacted. When compared with the general Australian population, Australian creatives (i.e., performing artists, composers, arts support workers and equipment operators) reported higher rates of depression, anxiety, suicidal ideation, alcohol misuse, and illicit drug usage (n = 2407; van den Eynde et al., 2016). A Canadian study reported similar findings while also highlighting sleep issues and negative self-image being of heightened concern for performing artists (Canadian Actors’ Equity Association, 2020). Focusing on actors, the Australian Actors’ Wellbeing Study found that 38.7% of participants reported that they had experienced challenges in “relaxing or letting go” after an emotionally taxing performance or role (Maxwell et al., 2015, p. 93). Participants also reported using a wide variety of substances, including alcohol, legal substances, and illegal drugs because of their work as an actor. In addition, 24.5% reported suffering a health complaint of a psychological nature that affected their ability to perform, of which 39% tried to continue their work as an actor despite psychological difficulty (Maxwell et al., 2015). These findings highlight psychological vulnerabilities experienced among members of the acting community.

Current aims

The available research literature in this area indicates that there is a link between the emotionally driven work of acting and the mental ill-health that some actors experience. There has been some published qualitative research on actors’ creative processes (Nemiro, 1997), however, most of the qualitative research into the psychology of acting remains in unpublished theses. Of the quantitative research in this area, some associations have been found between acting practice and psychosocial constructs, however, further investigation is needed (Hatami, 2023; Kumar, 2019; Murphy, 2019; Robb et al., 2018; Sammut, 2013; Seton, 2008). While some conceptual links have been proposed between acting practices and psychological factors, more research into this phenomenon is needed.

To expand the research on creative practices and mental health and the experiences of Australian-based actors more specifically, this study has two aims. The first aim of this exploratory study is to develop a preliminary understanding of how Australian actors practice their craft. This includes exploring how actors are trained, how they apply their training in practice, and how they describe the work they do. The second aim is to understand how the described processes of their craft are perceived in relation to their mental health within and outside of their work.

Methodology

This paper was guided by the reflexive thematic analysis (RTA) reporting guidelines recently articulated by Braun and Clarke (2024).

Participants

Seven participants were included in this study. Eligibility criteria were being an actor residing in Australia, aged over 18 years, and have received formal acting training (see Table 1). Both professional and amateur actors were included in this study, as the reality of the trajectory of the acting profession is neither linear nor predictable. Therefore, we included actors regardless of their level of income from acting work. The number of participants included was influenced by information power necessities and time constraints of the honour’s year. Information power is demonstrated by strong dialogue between the interviewer and participants, aims that are relatively narrow, and a dense sample specificity (i.e., the participant characteristics are highly specific to the study aims; Malterud et al., 2015). The median age of participants was 39 (range = 22–60) years. Participants reported an annual income range of ~$15k to ~$110k (one participant declined to answer, and one participant was receiving Youth Centrelink Allowance) and represented a mix of amateur and professional actors with an annual acting income range of $0 to ~$35k. Participants’ acting work experience ranged from 6 months to 40 years (Mdn = 10 years).

Table 1.

Participant characteristics.

Characteristic	n	%
Gender Identity
Female Male Non-binary	3 3 1	42.86 42.86 14.29
Self-identified race and/or ethnicity
Australian Australian and Jewish Australian with Scottish and German ancestry Chinese Australian Kashmiri White White with English ancestry	1 1 1 1 1 1 1	14.29 14.29 14.29 14.29 14.29 14.29 14.29
Highest level of education
Diploma Associate Diploma Bachelors Post Graduate Certificate Graduate Diploma PhD	1 1 2 1 1 1	14.29 14.29 28.56 14.29 14.29 14.29
Employment other than acting
Administrator and workshop developer for a children’s arts program	1	14.29
Hospitality Master of ceremony (MC)/event host Music teacher National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) support worker Personal trainer Pharmacy assistant Photographer Retired Supermarket retail assistant Teacher Unemployed	1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1	14.29 14.29 14.29 14.29 14.29 14.29 14.29 14.29 14.29 14.29 14.29
Traininga
Drama school degree (equivalent to a Bachelors) Drama school program (equivalent to a certificate) Short courses Masterclasses Industry specific workshops Private coaching	6 3 2 3 4 3	85.71 42.86 28.57 42.86 57.14 42.86
Techniquesb
Alexander technique Archetypes Cicely Berry voice and speech training Kathakali actor training Kim Farrant technique Meisner technique Mike Alfreds technique Method –Strasberg technique Perdekamp emotional method, also called PEM Shakespearian acting Stanislavski technique Stella Adler technique Uta Hagen technique	2 1 1 1 1 4 1 5 1 1 2 1 1	28.57 14.29 14.29 14.29 14.29 57.14 14.29 71.43 14.29 14.29 28.57 14.29 14.29
Acting medium
Film Immersive Experiences Musical Theatre Performance Art Simulation Television Television -Commercials Theatre	5 2 2 2 1 2 2 6	71.43 28.57 28.57 28.57 14.29 28.57 28.57 85.71

n = 7; for a few characteristics (i.e., employment other than acting, training, techniques, and acting medium) there were participants who belonged to several groups therefore the percentages do not add to 100% in total for these characteristic categories.

^aWithout disclosing specific names, this includes the types of training institutions and classes participants have attended.

^bThe techniques listed were mentioned by the participants indicating they have experienced training with that technique and may or may not draw on it when working on character.

The Cairnmillar Institute Human Research Ethics Committee approved the study. Participants were provided with the plain language information statement (PLIS) to ensure informed consent was gathered in writing from each participant interviewed.

Dataset generation

This study adopted a qualitative methodology with data generated through interviews conducted by the first author between 23 July and 15 August 2024. Interviews were conducted online and ran for a median of 69 (range = 40–91) minutes.

This research adopted the philosophical framework of critical realism with a constructivist epistemology (Braun & Clarke, 2022). From an ontological standpoint, the realist influences of critical realism recognise that participants’ experiences are directly influenced by actual events, while a constructivist epistemology accounts for the multitude of factors that influence the variability of individual experience as well as individual interpretations of the same event (Braun & Clarke, 2022).

In consultation with the research team, the first author prepared a semi-structured interview guide to assist data generation. Some example prompts and questions include: Tell me about your training as an actor, Describe how you transition into character for a role, How do you transition back out of character after a performance or rehearsal? How do you feel after your work? Have you ever found a character has had a profound impact on you as a person? Has your work on a character ever helped you emotionally?

The advertisement for participant recruitment was shared to online acting forums on Facebook following permission from group administrators. The first author also contacted acting training institutions and production companies asking them to circulate the advertisement within their organisation. Some prospective participants were contacted directly by the first author given history working together within the acting community. The advertisement provided a QR code link to the PLIS, followed by a pre-screening survey on Qualtrics which contained questions pertaining to the inclusion criteria and contact details. The first author contacted eligible participants via email to provide them with a copy of the PLIS, consent form, and scheduling information. After participants returned their signed consent form, individual semi-structured interviews were conducted, recorded, and transcribed through Microsoft Teams.

Data analysis

This research used an experiential design with an inductive approach to explore the processes actors use and the emotional impacts of such processes. RTA was used to develop semantic detail while also gaining some latent insights (Braun & Clarke, 2022, 2024). Braun and Clarke (2022) proposed that RTA is a set of tools to engage with qualitative data and extrapolate patterns. As such, the focus was on the process, i.e., the decision-making and inherent subjectivity brought by each researcher engaging in the analysis (Braun & Clarke, 2022).

Dataset familiarisation began with all transcripts being checked for accuracy against the interview recordings by at least two members of the research team. Each researcher adopted their own coding practices to identify text segments of relevance to the research aims, before the team came together to generate the initial themes. The themes were then further developed in a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet detailing the themes, subthemes, codes, and quotes. Cohesion and clarity of the thematic story were refined through the writing process and with regular discussion among the research team.

Reflexivity statements

GB: I am a psychology student and a White cisgender woman. During the research, I was in my Honours year of study, and while undergoing review for publication I began clinical training in a doctorate program. Before studying psychology, I trained and worked professionally as an actor in Melbourne. During training in my late teens and early twenties, I was exposed to techniques, philosophies, and teachings that challenged my understanding of acting. The main technique taught at my drama school was Method Acting, and I found it to be a very emotionally taxing way of working. After graduating, I explored other training modalities that adopted more of the outside-in practices, specifically working with Mike Alfreds’ technique (Alfreds, 2007). I found this way of working reconnected me to a joyful experience of acting. Now as an adult and early-career psychology researcher, I am fascinated to know more about what I experienced during my training. I want to understand how other actors relate to and internalise the various acting modalities they experience. I am motivated to understand if my experiences are universal among actors, and as such I am mindful of my bias towards certain modalities based on my experiences.

CW: I am an early-career psychologist, academic, and White cisgender woman. I have limited personal engagement with any sort of experiential/drama work, as I have tended to shy away from these experiences. I do, however, have an interest in working experientially with clients as a psychologist and have drawn on imagery approaches, role-play, and chair work.

JB: I am a mental health researcher, academic, and White cisgender woman. My personal experience with acting is limited to secondary school productions, and I remain engaged in live theatre as a regular audience member.

Findings and discussion

Using RTA, three themes (each with three subthemes) and one overarching theme were developed that shed light on the actors’ process and the subsequent psychosocial impacts (Figure 1). The themes present a kind of roadmap of the actors’ process: preparation and development of character, transition into character, and letting go versus ongoing connection to character. While all themes reflect the psychological nature of acting to varying degrees, the overarching theme, the duality within the actor, provides specific insight regarding the actors’ psychology. All themes tap into semantic meaning, providing description regarding the processes adopted by participants, as well as providing latent meaning with insights regarding the psychosocial impacts of the acting process.

Figure 1.

A visual representation of the reflexive thematic analysis findings.

Note: Names of each subtheme are listed in the bullet points within the white boxes attached to each theme.

Overarching theme: the duality within the actor

Participants explained their experiences as an actor playing a character, and the bridging of the dichotomy that exists between actor and character. Participants described allowing themselves to be the vessel for their characters: “my body and the character’s body … become one and then when I step off stage, the character is still like left in that world” (P4), “the … emotional availability is shared between you and the character” (P2). However, the actor ultimately remains in control of that process: “the character’s only 50% and then the mastermind is me and I’m choosing, okay, what am I gonna say?” (P5). Therefore, duality can be understood as a maintenance of internal self-awareness and control while experiencing an outward expression of character. Such a phenomenon of duality is also present in Eastern acting traditions:

You realise that [the clown] is a part of me and is always there with me. But a much bigger part of me is the stable actor that I have worked at… So that stable actor now is always in control. (P3)

This maintenance of the self, that is overseeing the acting creation process provides not only psychological protection for the actor by keeping the actor in charge of the process but also the ability to engage in a self-reflexive practice. This theme is inherent to the actor themselves and therefore informs all the themes that will follow.

The concept of duality conveyed by contemporary Australian-based actors presents a thread connecting our findings to historical musings from the eighteenth century in the form of James Boswell’s On the Profession of a Player (1770/Boswell, 1770/1929). While such a document provides insight into the contemporaneous view of the acting profession, consideration must be afforded that 21^st century Australian actors will have unique experiences of the profession due to the many changes taking place over time, whereby current techniques reflect the current sensibilities, technology and zeitgeist. However, some 250 years ago, Boswell considered the notion of a “double feeling” (1770/1929, p. 18) within the actor, which is a concept echoed by the current participants. The phenomenon of duality was touched on in a UK qualitative doctoral thesis that examined actors’ experiences in their work (Grieshofer, 2023). Duality was conceptualised as a kind of self-regulatory practice used by actors to remain switched on and engaged with all the technical elements of rehearsal and performance (Grieshofer, 2023). This is consistent with the current finding where participants described maintaining self-awareness while working. Interestingly, duality and other similar concepts seem inconsistent with findings in neuropsychology research. Brown et al. (2019) sought to study acting on a neurological level, by having actors present as their characters during a functional MRI scan. The imaging showed that when actors were in character, brain regions in the prefrontal cortices associated with self-processing became deactivated (Brown et al., 2019). This seems to suggest that acting decreases self-processing, which is consistent with theories of altered states of consciousness (e.g., daydreaming or meditation) occurring due to prefrontal deregulation (Dietrich, 2003). This might account for the dissociation described in this study in the upcoming subtheme bringing forth the character. Further research integrating actors’ experiences with theories of consciousness and neuropsychology research is warranted.

Theme 1: preparation and development of character

This theme is related to the background work that informs participants’ performances and includes three subthemes: foundation of technique and creative exploration, connection to character, and psychological resources of and impacts on the actor.

Foundation of technique and creative exploration

This subtheme encompasses participants’ study, training, and personal investment in their craft, and the subsequent toolbox of techniques they developed to draw on when working. All actors interviewed for this study received formal acting training (see Table 1), and many had engaged in ongoing training to hone their skills. Participants described engaging in a range of techniques spanning the inside-out/outside-in spectrum, with one participant also studying traditional Indian theatre practices.

Participants mainly described an eclectic approach to their use of technique in practice: “It’s taken me 20-something years and a lot of study and a lot of research, but you know, I would say that I’ve [sic] pick and choose things from everywhere” (P6). Participants described text analysis: “I read the script … and figure out, okay, what’s going on? … who am I playing?” (P5), learning lines, contextual research, physicality, animal work: “Exploring different animals and going … Yep, he’s totally a hawk” (P7), relaxation, art and music “what type of music that character would listen to and how they would move and react to that music” (P2). Such creative explorations are typically the actors’ individual work and may later be shared in the collaborative rehearsal space. The ensemble nature of acting: “feeding off other people” (P4), as well as working with creatives other than actors: “you work with the director and the director will also shape you” (P5) were described as important to the acting process. Also of consideration here was the varying demands of project timelines, be it the truncated nature of audition timelines and material, or the lengthier nature of a full project allowing the actor “a lot more time to spend with the character” (P2).

A few participants described challenging psychological impacts of working with a technique that did not align with their creative sensibilities and even felt dangerous at the time. One participant shared a distressing experience with a Method acting training exercise: “My body went into some kind of shutdown … I remember I was really violently shaking. I couldn’t control my voice. And the worst part was that I didn’t understand why” (P7). Another participant spoke of their challenging experience with an archetypes acting training exercise and questioned if such a way of working was necessary: “Is this allowed to happen in a youth program? … why is this so intense? … Do I need to tap so deeply into these emotions … for me to be a good actor?” (P4).

Connection to character

This subtheme relates to the psychological impacts participants described as they aspire to align themselves with their character’s subjectivity. Many participants spoke of a desire to locate the character’s humanity and a need to maintain an unconditionally positive regard towards the character to generate a realistic and unbiased portrayal:

If you can find the humanity in them, then it’s really just locating where that lies in you and under what conditions would you do the same things… so you start to shake hands with your dark side… you’re just understanding yourself more. (P7)

Participants conveyed a strong motivation to live up to the potential of the work and do the characters justice: “it’s a privilege to do the job … I get to do this job, I get to create and explore” (P2), “telling somebody else’s story … is a really wonderful gift” (P6). These psychological impacts were largely constructive as participants described feeling grateful to be able to work creatively, exploring and playing within the bounds of human experience, leading them to feel “more open emotionally” (P1) and a deeper sense of empathy.

Psychological resources of and impacts on the actor

This subtheme reflects the actors’ psychological history brought into the work they are doing, as well as the psychological impact of character work. Some participants spoke about the idea of fitness to work, recognising that acting work can be personally, physically, and emotionally demanding. Participants explained a need to invest in psychological safety from the outset: “some people come into the industry for therapy … but you have to work through past trauma or past issues to be able to access anything and everything at any time” (P6), which suggests that psychological stability is an important foundation for actors.

Psychological challenges such as self-criticism or self-consciousness confronted some actors in their pursuit of authenticity. Participants spoke to self-doubts about their methods: “I don’t really feel like I’m a real actor. I’m just faking everything” (P5), or fear of fraudulence in their practice: “if I can catch myself out and go … you’re bullshitting right now … I’m already disbelieving my own work … how can anyone else believe it?” (P7). Participants explained that these perfectionist tendencies could present as motivating agents leading to better work; however, they also represented psychological hurdles that actors navigated while working.

As well as psychological challenges, participants spoke about psychological benefits of character work. Indeed, research has found psychological benefits from engaging in emotive acting exercises and character-based work, as is utilised through clinical psychology practices such as role-play, chair work, or sensorimotor psychotherapy which engage the client experientially and physically (Bell et al., 2020; Buckley et al., 2018; Gershoni, 2021). The deepening of empathy developed through connection to character can also be applied inward to the self: “it’s helping me grow and … learn more about myself … where does that part of that character live in [me]?” (P7) while also building a self-compassionate response: “there’s a part of my brain that’s going analyse … there’s another part that’s like; you did good kid. Not everyone can get up and do what you just did” (P7). Such experience is supported by neuropsychology research into the social cognitive skill of empathy among adolescents, with those being exposed to acting training techniques exhibiting improved scores in empathy and ToM (Goldstein & Winner, 2012). However, when considering these benefits in conjunction with the notion of duality within the actor it appears that a great deal of psychological work is being undertaken by the actor in performance. Actors are simultaneously maintaining and regulating the self in service of the character while also presenting the emotion and physicality of the character. They are exercising empathy with regard to the character, as well as managing their own psychological state and any self-consciousness triggered. This complexity may be overwhelming to the actor’s system or harmful on some occasions, without the benefit of a trained mental health professional available in the creative space. Considering the often emotive nature of acting work, perhaps there is a need for an integration of a therapist-type role within training institutes or production rehearsal spaces, or at least psychoeducation within these spaces. Although there may be financial constraints on a therapist-role in many organisations, low-cost psychological services could be provided by provisional psychologists as part of their training. Further, if acting training institutions were to implement such services to support actors throughout their training, they would enter the workforce better equipped to handle the psychosocial impacts of their career. Future research into the utility and practicality of such psychological wellbeing services and resources is worthwhile.

Theme 2: transition into character

This theme describes the conditions and actions that take place immediately prior to performance as the actor seeks a state of readiness. There are three subthemes: environmental or spatial cues, rituals that ready the actor, and bringing forth the character.

Environmental or spatial cues

Moving from the rehearsal space into the performance space, this subtheme taps into an esoteric notion sometimes referred to colloquially as the magic of theatre. The actors described a somewhat transformational quality to the environment of the theatre and the space of the stage that it “switches my mindset of like … this is exciting, and everyone is at their stations” (P2). Furthermore, the stage or set was described as a liminal space, a space of transformation: “It’s almost like I’ve created this world, and … the stage is that world … and when I’m doing screen stuff … it’s almost like there’s this fog” (P4). Theatre routines are developed through instruction, frequent repetition (i.e., rehearsal), and an assumed sense of shared knowledge (Schmidt & Deppermann, 2023). Much of what occurs on stage (i.e., the performative aspect) may reflect stabilised enactments of implicit (bodily) agreements arising from the rehearsal space.

Rituals that ready the actor

This subtheme includes procedures that actors use in preparation for their performance, for example, physical and vocal warmups, and physical transformations through donning the costume, hair, and makeup of the character. Many participants spoke of taking moments of solitude during this time to allow for the transition: “I feel like I need time to be by myself a little bit in order to do that. So, finding a quiet spot … I try not to talk to people. I find talking a bit distracting” (P1). One actor used a shower at the production venue to signify this transition and provide bookends to his performance. In contrast with aspects of routine (such as rehearsal and co-creation of embodied knowledge), rituals are less constrained by repetitiveness but can be changed over time and performed invariably (Hobson et al., 2018). The current subtheme here reflects the focus of some actors on ritualised strategies for emotional regulation (e.g., reducing noise) and/or social management (e.g., honing their attention on themselves rather than on others’ experiences).

For the current participants, the rehearsal space allowed them to collectively create implicit scripts for performance, whereas their individualised rituals might have served to connect with individual intentions, reduce anxiety, or regain individual agency. While there were no indications by participants of inflexible and repetitive engagement in rituals, prior research in other contexts involving structured performance (namely, sport) has suggested that rituals of such a nature may disrupt individuals’ performance (Edwards & Aron, 2023). A worthwhile area of future exploration is the meaning of ritual among actors, perceptions about their self-regulatory purposes (if any), and the contexts in which these rituals are adopted.

Bringing forth the character

This subtheme is informed by the work and investment of the preparation stage, codified into specific practices that connect the actor to the character, as the actor prepares to share themselves with their character in the performance. While the prior subtheme was centred around the actors’ ritualised attempts to prepare for performance, primarily through social and emotional regulation (Hobson et al., 2018), the current subtheme reflects the actors’ experiences of connecting with character which may or may not involve consciously ritualised elements. Participants described going over their lines and character profiles to form a cerebral connection to the character. Music could also assist in this process, forming part of “… a routine that I take myself through getting into character. Starting with the music” (P6). These steps are important as actors strive for authenticity and meaningful storytelling.

In contrast with methods actively designed to enter a performance state, such as music or repetitive engagement with lines, one participant described their experience of connection to character as meditative or almost dissociative “… it’s like that feeling that I was describing before of just blacking out and, like, just going into this almost meditative state … like, blacking out the rest of the world” (P4). Another participant shared their experience of traditional Indian theatrical practices in which the character or persona emerged in the performance specifically to inhabit this space. In this way, it is less a transition in, and more a surrender and an allowance for creativity to emerge:

As an actor, you witness… when character emerge [sic]… and I allowed this clown to speak, I allowed this clown to express… then you don’t need to prepare, because it is coming from within you. It’s an expression… of yourself… you just have to allow that creation to happen, you have to allow that character to emerge. (P3)

In relation to connection to character, it may be that actors who experience higher levels of performance-related anxieties actively draw on more extensive rituals with instrumental purposes (e.g., to regulate emotions, enhance memory recall). For some actors who may be more familiar with successful character embodiment, less attentional resources may be required of them, hence some participants’ reports of automatic emergence of character and/or dissociative experiences. Such an explanation appears consistent with the psychological theory on ritual (Hobson et al., 2018), however further research is required.

Theme 3: letting go versus ongoing connection to character

Participants described using varied strategies to transition back to themselves and the psychosocial impacts that could be felt both short-term and longer-term after acting. There are three subthemes: automatic release, active release, and retention of character.

Automatic release

Participants described specific markers at the end of the production that facilitated a gentle transition away from character and back to self. For example, acknowledging their work with applause from the audience and “a curtain call and bowing … that is like a switch of like, okay, it’s finished” (P2). Participants conveyed how the company of other actors backstage and family/friends after the performance, supported this gentle transition process: “I do try to be around people more at that stage … I kind of come off stage and then start talking to people and I’m just kind of back into myself” (P1). The story arc of the work typically also facilitates an inherent release as the character undergoes a journey through the performance: “Usually… you’ve earned your, your journey, your catharsis” (P7).

Active release

While some actors relied on the automatic release, others engaged in strategies to make this an active and considered process. In the short-term following ending, the performance actors described removing makeup and costume, showering to symbolically wash off the character and using music to reconnect to self: “music plays a very big part … on the drive home, when I’m in the car on my own, I will blast music very loud and sing at the top of my lungs” (P6). Longer-term strategies used are related to the basics of self-care. Participants spoke to the importance of meditation, rest, nutrition, limiting alcohol consumption, re-engaging with hobbies that bring joy, and reconnecting with social support through friends and family.

Retention of character

Some actors spoke to an occasional retention of character extending beyond the rehearsal or performance which is consistent with the findings of industry research (Maxwell et al., 2015). This may point to a failing of the transition in process, where the actor was unable to authentically connect to the character, and therefore did not have the same cathartic journey through the performance: “if I haven’t done the work going in, that’s when at the end it’s really shitty, ‘cause you’re pushing so hard to try and get something out of yourself. And instead, I’m getting frustrated” (P7). When considered in terms of neurological research, perhaps the altered consciousness seen through a decrease in self-processing persists when coupled with highly emotional performance content (Brown et al., 2019; Dietrich, 2003). Further investigation into the neural and psychological underpinnings of instances of character retention might elucidate if these were due to a failure of automatic and active release strategies leading to character retention or evidence of acting practices affecting neural processes.

Alternatively, the retention of character could arise from an internalisation of a character that closely resembles the actor or their experiences: “it’s not even me going, I’m imagining under these circumstances I could do that [choice or action undertaken by character]. It’s like, yeah, I know, I’ve done that [in the actor’s own life]. And then that shame of, yeah but you did do that” (P7). This is reminiscent of the identity confusion between character and self, discussed in prior research (Chen & Jagtiani, 2021; Hatami, 2023; Kumar, 2019; Robb et al., 2018; Sammut, 2013). Indeed, as discussed earlier, the theme of precariousness articulated by Robb et al. (2018) speaks to participants’ experience of the fragility of self when working on a character. Participants in the current study noted that their own psychosocial resources allowed them to navigate occasions when identity confusion arose. Resources such as a self-compassionate response or engaging in active release techniques aided in a return to self. Other participants described failing to implement active release strategies leading to the character coming home with them and impacting their personal life and relationships: “it was my husband … who said to me … you’re so angry, you’re so snappy. Like, I think you’re working too hard” (P6).

The precarious nature of acting work means that actors can experience periods of unemployment and financial concerns that follow. Participants described that such job insecurity can impact their mental health relating to their work and make them feel stuck in their work: “not so much the character but … the job of acting itself will hit you … and then you often get depressed thinking, oh, when’s my next role?” (P5).

Despite these challenging psychosocial impacts, some participants also described nostalgic echoes of characters following their work: “it’s sort of like an old friend … I might see something, and I’m like, ‘oh, that reminds me of blah blah’, and they’re not a real person, but they’re real to me” (P2).

Strengths and limitations

Study strengths include the focus on actors’ experiences informing an inductive study design which centred the actors’ observations and subjectivity and generated rich data. Participants provided perspectives from a range of training backgrounds and pedagogies, and the wide age range captured the insights of early-career actors and seasoned professionals, as well as amateur actors, providing diverse career experiences. Regular consultation among team members and the full involvement of all researchers in the analysis is another study strength. Having a former professional actor conduct the interviews is another study strength as their knowledge and understanding of the nuances of acting facilitated building strong rapport with the participants during the interviews which led to in-depth conversations and rich data. However, with reflexivity in mind, it also opened the potential for their lived experiences as an actor to influence the discussions that took place, both throughout data collection and in data analysis.

Limitations of this study include the small sample and limited diversity regarding the participants’ demographic characteristics. For example, all participants in this study had to supplement their income from non-acting sources, therefore no representation of full-time actors was captured in the findings. While RTA identified the theme of transition into character, the phenomenon of actors playing multiple roles within a single production was not covered in the data. Future research should investigate such work and if the processes required for transitioning into and letting go of multiple characters differ from those for one character.

Conclusion

This study provides some foundational ground and themes with which to conceptualise the acting process and understand the psychological influences of that process. The discussion endeavoured to integrate of consciousness and prior research findings to contextualise the overarching theme of the actors’ duality. The themes explored the actors’ process and the psychological benefits and challenges of such work. The findings and discussion may contribute to a greater understanding of psychological factors relevant to acting for clinicians supporting clients who are actors, and for researchers interested in this population.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflicts of interest were reported by the authors.

Data availability statement

Given the inherent potential of qualitative data to identify some participants in some contexts, participants were not asked to give consent for public data sharing. Therefore, the data are not publicly available.