Through Another's Eyes: Mastering The Psychology Behind Every Role

No matter how much you work on the surface level techniques as an actor for a role, if there is no psychological truth, the performance is lost. Understanding how a character thinks, feels and perceives the world is what separates a good performance from an unforgettable one. Learning the psyche of a character isn’t an optional layer when building a character. It is what makes a character feel real, human and flawed.
Below are insights from research, real actor practice using well known practitioners and actionable guidance so you can learn how to bring psychological truth and authenticity to your performances.

Embodying Others, Discovering The Self
Emotional Expressiveness, Dissociation, Empathy & Flow
● Actors are usually highly emotional and expressive people, allowing them to access and portray a wide range of feelings convincingly. This trait aligns with the concept of most actors having strong emotional intelligence, involving awareness, regulation, and utilisation of emotions in social situations.
● Dissociation is seen to be more of a common trait amongst actors than those who don’t act, subscaling on imaginative involvement which seems to be the centre of why actors have the ability to get completely lost in a character.
● Successful actors often have a strong sense of empathy, allowing them to deeply understand and connect with the emotions and motivations of a character. The capacity to see the world through different perspectives is a fundamental trait and skill that allows method acting to work and character development to fully be embodied.
● Flow is a related concept, describing a state of mind in which one is fully present and is absent of self consciousness. When operating in flow, an actor is able to fully immerse themselves in the moment, allowing the character’s psychology to emerge instinctively.

So psychologically embodying a character while portraying complete truth and natural instinct is based on imaginative involvement and flow: allowing your mind to fully believe in the fictional world and allowing yourself to be entirely in the moment. It is also heavily based on empathy: not only understanding what the character feels but feeling it too, whilst being able to completely detach from yourself to fully immerse in an entirely different identity without losing your ground.

How Actors Master Their Craft: Authentic Examples From The Field ‘To Live’ In A Role Rather Than ‘Perform’: The Stanislavski Method
Konstantin Stanislavski’s System transformed the acting industry when he provided a structured, repeatable approach to character connection, allowing new actors to understand how they can create more emotionally authentic and believable characters. Instead of relying on transient inspiration, his technique instead guides performers to explore their characters’ inner lives more deeply, using motivations and objectives through conscious techniques and careful observation to build honest characters.
Encouraging actors to draw on their own experiences and fully immerse themselves in the character’s “given circumstances,” Stanislavski’s system brings nuanced emotional truth to the screen and stage. Additionally, understanding the script’s underlying ‘subtext’ allows actors to reveal hidden emotions and intentions, enriching their performances with subtlety and depth.
Today, Stanislavski’s method remains the foundation of modern actor training, shaping compelling performances that continue to captivate audiences worldwide.
Some examples of actors who use this technique are:
● Al Pacino in 1992’s Scent of a Woman where he played a blind man. He prepared for the role by asking for advice from the sight impaired, as well as attending a school for the blind, living his life as if he lost his sight and requested for the crew to treat him as if he were a blind person.
● Robert De Niro is known to be one of the most famous method actors. In 1976’s Taxi Driver he worked for hours as a taxi driver to study their behaviour. In the 1980’s Raging Bull De Niro played the role of toned boxer Jake LaMotta where he weight trained extensively before and during production.
● Daniel Day-Lewis is known to stay in character for months to fully commit to his roles. In 1989’s My Left Foot Daniel Day-Lewis played Christy Brown who was a writer and painter with Cerebral Palsy and was only able to use his left foot. To prepare he spent time in a cerebral palsy clinic but also had members of the crew carry him around on set and feed him food whilst also remaining in a wheelchair throughout the production.

Stanislavski’s method, also known as ‘method acting,’ is not for everyone, although used by many well known actors. Sometimes the excessiveness of pouring yourself into a role and acting like them for months can cause psychological damage. So understanding the technique in all its glory can allow actors to use this method safely by taking out things that work and the things that do not. Acting is subjective and it all comes down to what works for you.

Beyond The Basics: Other Practitioners Worth Looking At Stella Adler – Taught by Stanislavski himself, she developed her own method through his teachings alongside Lee Strasberg's teachings too. Adler's acting technique is all about using the imagination to bring a character to life, instead of just digging into your own feelings and memories. It means getting deep into the script, doing research and picturing the character’s world with all the little details, questioning what they see, hear, and feel. The idea is to fully step into the character’s shoes and focus on what they want and do, so that the performance feels real and honest.
Sanford Meisner – Meisner, who worked with Lee Strasberg and Stella Adler at The Group Theatre, taught his students to “live truthfully under given imaginary circumstances.” Just like Stanislavski, Strasberg and Adler, what differs his technique from the rest is the practical and dynamic approach to acting that helps actors tap into truthful, instinctive, and authentic reactions by getting them “out of their heads” and fully into the moment. At its core, the powerful principle of “acting truthfully under imaginary circumstances” is brought to life through exercises like the famous Repetition Exercise. This method champions active listening, keen observation and using the world around you to inspire spontaneous, living performances which move beyond relying on memories and instead embrace the energy of the present moment.
Michael Chekhov – Known as Stanislavski’s ‘star student,’ Chekhov created an acting method that emphasises the mind-to-body connection allowing authentic and compelling performances to flourish. This technique encourages actors to tap into their imagination and subconscious mind by using tools like psychological gestures, imaginary body and exploring different qualities of movement. This approach helps actors fully embody a character’s inner life and being without being limited by their own personality. It’s a creative and intuitive method that goes beyond purely analytical acting, empowering actors to bring a fresh and artistic approach to their craft.
Uta Hagen – The Uta Hagen technique, often called “Respect for Acting,” is all about bringing realism to performance by tapping into your own experiences like the Stanislavski method, to connect with your character’s emotions and situation. This happens through her process called substitution or transference. The method includes a six step character analysis, exercises like the “two minutes of daily life,” and she emphasises staying truthful in imagined scenarios to deliver authentic and believable performances.
Viola Spolin – Spolin’s method uses improv, including “theatre games,” to help actors be more spontaneous and more trusting when it comes to their instincts and allows actors to learn how to stay in the moment. Instead of stressing about doing everything perfectly, it’s all about playing and reacting naturally. These fun, structured games allow actors to get better at making real-time choices without overthinking or judging themselves. The technique focuses on teamwork in a chill, no-pressure, no-judgment environment where everyone can be creative and connect honestly.

Embracing The Craft: Helpful Techniques And Exercises To Put Into Practice 
Konstantin Stanislavski

• Given Circumstances / Magic If – Ask “what would I do if I were in this situation?” Use it to build truthful reactions.
• Objectives & Actions – Break the script into beats then define what the character wants in each objective.
• Emotional Memory – Recall personal experiences to trigger real emotions, but a safer way to do this is understanding and acknowledging what the character feels then recalling an imaginative experience to bring forward the familiar feelings.

Stella Adler

• Imagination Over Emotional Recall – Create rich and imaginary worlds by visualising every detail of your character’s surroundings and responding to it as if you were them.
• Circumstances Research – Study the historical, cultural and environmental background of the script for deeper character work.
• Action Based, Script Analysis – Define clear physical actions that reflect character intentions.

Sanford Meisner

• Repetition Exercise – Partners repeat observations about each other, focusing on truthful reaction and presence.
• Independent Activity – Perform a complex physical task while engaging truthfully with a scene partner.
• Moment To Moment Work – Train to respond truthfully in the present rather than planning reactions.

Michael Chekhov

• Psychological Gesture – Create a physical movement that captures your character's main desire or emotion.
• Atmosphere & Imaginary Body – Use physical and environmental imagination to alter your inner state.
• Radiating & Receiving – Practice sending energy out to your scene partner and receiving theirs to build connection.

Uta Hagen

• Substitution/Transference – Selectively use personal experiences to connect emotionally with the character's circumstance.
• Object Exercises – Practice detailed actions like mopping the floors to increase realism.
• “Who Am I?” Questions – Deep self inquiry to develop layered and authentic characterisations.

Viola Spolin

• Improvisation/Theatre Games – Use games like ‘Yes and’ or ‘Space Walk’ to develop spontaneity and ensemble awareness.
• Focus On The ‘Problem’ Not The Result – Give your partner a specific challenge to solve through the script rather than directing emotion.
• Side Coaching – Have a partner coach you during performance to keep you present and alert.

How To Implement This Effectively

• Build A Routine – Pick 1–2 exercises from each practitioner to explore over time.
• Mix & Match – Different techniques can be used together depending on the needs for the role.
• Reminder – These techniques are to be used during the rehearsal period or pre-production time. When on set and they call ‘Action,’ forget everything and dive into the role - the work you put in beforehand will show during your performance. Don’t overthink, just be and remember to take risks!

Concerns & Cautions
Psychological work is deeply impactful, yet requires great sensitivity. There is risk of emotional exhaustion when it comes to tapping into deep empathy, emotional memory and immersion as it can be draining and sometimes harmful if it is not managed. Creating and having methods that help you return to yourself after a scene is crucial.
Sometimes there can also be a blur between self and character as some actors often report feeling as if they’ve fused themself with the character, which is enriching in performance but risky for personal mental health. Make sure to stay aware whilst implementing and maintaining boundaries with yourself.
There's a tendency with some actors to overthink and over prepare for roles, meaning intellectualising too much can kill spontaneity and instinct. This makes the performance feel planned and forced. Preparation should be the support to instinctive choice, not the reason it stifles it.

Summarised Psychological Framework

• Start With Empathy – Understand your character's inner world: past, present, wants, needs, fears.
• Build Beliefs And Internal Logic – What beliefs drive the character? What are the contradictions or wounds that define them? Always have a backstory even if you aren’t given one — understanding your character from start to present is crucial in giving an honest performance.
• Embodied Truth – Let your voice, gestures and movement arise from within, allowing the body and mind to align in harmony.
• Stay In The Moment – Rehearsing, training, letting go and being open to the energy of others allows instinct to lead when you perform.
• Self Care & Boundaries – Learn how to disconnect yourself from the character to protect your psyche.

Stay safe, work hard, but remember to have fun!

Author

Isabel Da Silva