Julia Roberts has said that there is “no way” she will ever method act on set.
The Notting Hill star recently appeared as Martha Mitchell, John N Mitchell’s wife, in TV series Gaslit about the Watergate scandal.
In a new interview, Roberts was asked whether she stayed in character between takes, to which the actor replied: “No, no.”
She then stressed that she’d never been one for method acting, telling Variety: “No way. Are you kidding? It is too much. You have to put the bag down.
“I mean, I admire people that do that. It looks exhausting to me and I secretly think, ‘Oh, I wish I could do that. I wish I could be that intense.’ I’m just kidding.”
Method acting is rooted in Stanislavskian practices from the 20th century and sees actors attempt to put themselves through the life experiences of their character.
Those who go to enormous lengths in order to fully immerse themselves in the role often maintain accents when the cameras stop rolling, or live as the characters in real life.
While actors such as Jared Leto and Jeremy Strong are known for continuing the practice, many have argued that the idea is outdated and can negatively affect the cast and crew around them.
In a recent interview with The Independent, actor Will Poulter said that performers’ processes shouldn’t “infringe on other people’s”, adding that they should always be “considerate”.
“If your process creates an inhospitable environment, then to me you’ve lost sight of what’s important,” he said. “Method acting shouldn’t be used as an excuse for inappropriate behaviour – and it definitely has.”
