"You're a very talented actor, Sean, I've heard from Anthony. I've also watched "The Genius Ripley" when it was released in the UK. You performed very well," Harrington, who was sitting in front of the bar in a typical British tavern, said to Sean with a glass of whiskey.

When they were at his house, the two chatted very well and saw that it was a little late, so they simply went out to stroll around the streets of London and had a drink in a small bar. The young people here are much more relaxed in drinking in public than in the United States. Not to mention that Sean is over 21 years old, even if he has not passed, it would be fine.

"I did a lot of preparations, read a lot of related books and comments, and I could feel the feeling of Ripley from the things I have experienced, so I have accumulated a lot of effort." Sean said with some emotion.

"Real feelings can always make the actors more involved," Harrington smiled. "Being more engaged, and then cooperating with shooting angles, post-editing, clothing, makeup, lighting and other factors will infect the audience."

He paused here, and then asked something, "To put it bluntly, you don't have any influential work after "The Genius Ripley". I've heard only one... "Charlie's Angels"?"

"That's right, although I have gained some fame through "Genius Ripley" and received an Oscar nomination, it doesn't mean there will be more and more suitable opportunities. You have also said that you have to position yourself and hone your own performance style." Sean shrugged, "So, although my agent always hopes that I can play roles in a big production, I still slowly choose the script. In fact, from October last year to now, I have taken over four or five scripts..."

Then he selected the roles he played in the past six months, such as "Sniper Phone Booth" and "White Night Chase" that require acting skills, and "Perfect Thieves" that only went for Kate, and the pure commercial film "Fast and Furious" are just a brief mention.

"Can you deal with so many roles in one go?" Harrington was very surprised.

"Fortunately, at least the schedules are staggered, and those who require acting are either at the beginning or at the end," Sean smiled. "Although it's really tiring, you have to constantly hone yourself to improve, right? It's just that the time has been spent a little longer. I should have come to visit you in October or May."

Indeed, Sean actually got the news at the beginning of the year, but because the schedule was already full at that time and he didn't want to give up on these characters, he delayed it again and again and finally chose to come to London at the end of July.

"You can come anytime, but in fact, I'm very happy to see you succeed step by step." Harrington patted his shoulder, looking a little sad for a moment.

He is also a person with ability and ideals, but unfortunately he has no luck. When his friend was already the best director of the Oscar, he was still running around for life. So being able to discover Sean, being able to watch him step by step onto the stage and shine dazzlingly, at least proving that he still has vision, is the greatest comfort.

"Speaking of this, during "Dance of Death", I experienced the feeling of unity of human and drama for the first time," Sean changed the subject with a clue.

"Is that true?" Harrington immediately became interested.

"As long as the director shouts, I feel that I am completely Sony, and I will involuntarily feel resentment in my mind. What do I do to praise me, what do I do, you won't hate me, and you won't hate me..." Sean immediately started and talked about the situation at home and the conflict between himself and his father.

This is also one of the reasons why he came to London to visit Harrington. Although he didn't have much contact at the beginning, Harrington tried his best to guide him, and what he said was very pleasing to him. At least in terms of theory, Harrington was very insightful. If he could ask him to give some advice and inspire more inspiration, it would be great. Even if he had no gains, he would not have lost much, right?

"In terms of the shock and appeal brought by actors in their performances, the integration of human and drama is indeed the best way to express themselves and the highest level," Harrington thought about it carefully after listening to his description, and then said this, "But from the perspective of the audience, it is not the most suitable choice."

"Why?" Sean asked immediately.

"Because this way of expressing itself too much." Harrington gave the answer, "Remember I said, what is easy to be born with the unity of human drama?"

"Madman." Sean replied quickly.

"Yes, madman," Harrington nodded, "When an actor is too addicted to the role, he will regard the role as himself, but in fact he is not a role, so once he is confused, he is easily depressed. This is why when I talked about this, I repeatedly emphasized that I should give myself a hint of being separated from the spiritual world."

"But, shouldn't this be the goal that every actor should achieve?" Sean asked again, "fully express all the qualities of the character and fully convey all the feelings of the character to the audience."

"So, I'm going to ask a question first, Sean," Harrington looked at him, "why are you an actor?"

"I am..." Sean hesitated for a while, thought for a while before he started to speak again, "At first, I just wanted to solve my life problems, and after getting some results, I wanted to do better and let more people cheer for me."

"Very good, so who do more people mean?" Harrington asked, "Director? Producer? Critics? Or Audience?"

"I think... it should be there." Sean was a little uncertain.

"It's theoretically so, but there are a thousand Hamlets in a thousand people, and you can't please everyone." Harrington shook his head.

"But at least some people can like it?" Sean was a little confused. "Since we want to convey the feelings of the characters to the audience, and we do convey the feelings, then at least some people can like it?"

"Is this really the case?" Harrington asked back, "As I said just now, the work of conveying the relationship between the characters is not just the actor, but also the director's dispatch, the costumer's clothes, the makeup artist's outfit, the lighting, montage editing and other factors. The same expression, whether the previous shot appeared in the coffin or the child, the audience's feelings were different, and the dress was neatly dressed, but the person with a proud look said that he is now in poverty. Even if the script is indeed written like this, will the audience believe it? Also, remember, when we were discussing the appearance of showing two expressions on a face, you glued half of the face with transparent gel?"

Speaking of this, he sighed: "The integration of man and drama is indeed the goal, but it is only the actor's personal goal. Whether it is a film critic or an audience, what he really wants to see is not this."

"Effectively conveying feelings, right?" Sean asked suddenly.

"Yes, how to impress the audience is what an actor should do," Harrington nodded seriously. "As the same thing, no matter what kind of performance method, it is just a means. The integration of human and drama may be the best means, but it cannot be the best means every time. Maybe you did this last time, everyone said you were very outstanding, but next time you did this, they will say that you were overworked. The career of an actor is very long, and you cannot reach this state every time you perform, so it is enough to have such two occasions. Every time you are too devoted, you will often become very selfish in the end."

He sighed softly: "There was a movie called "Red Dance Shoes" in the 1940s. There was a classic line in which the male protagonist asked the heroine why you wanted to dance, and the female protagonist asked, why you wanted to live. From an artistic perspective, doing something wholeheartedly, even ignoring the feelings of others and pursuing like a madman is indeed very shocking, but what about actual life? Performance is a performance after all. In art works, we can praise it for it, but most people who meet such people in actual life will stay away from it. Just like "Red Dance Shoes", the male protagonist finally left the heroine, and the heroine finally repented. After all, there must be love in her life, so she chased her out. Unfortunately, as a tragedy, she was finally hit and killed by the oncoming train."

"So, the same sentence, distinguish the means and the purpose." Sean breathed a long sigh.

"Yes, means and purpose," Harrington looked at him with satisfaction and nodded, "I have nothing to teach you about acting skills. Constantly honing myself in different works is the right way. The only thing I can tell you is this truth that took me a long time to understand."

"Thank you, John." Sean raised his cup.

The trip to London was not in vain. Sean liked to talk to Harrington very much. Although he is just a down-and-out lecturer now, and although he has emphasized that there is not much difference from what he told him before, Sean still gains something. After all, means are just means, as long as the goal can be achieved, just like that... what's going on? The future is bright and the road is tortuous? Or no matter what white cats are black cats, the ones who can catch mice are good cats?

If he doesn't care, if he wants to continue on this road, he will definitely encounter many problems. Just focus on the goal and strode forward.

However, how to repay Harrington is still a problem now. Sean originally thought that since Mingla once said that Harrington was also a director, investing in a low-cost movie worth several million to let him come to the facts, but now it seems that this is not a good idea. Through these few days of contact, Sean has a deeper understanding of Harrington. It is probably because so many years have passed, he has become too stable and has lost the aura he should have. In this case, he is in charge of the director. Unless there is a good enough screenwriter and a strong producer, the result will be difficult to say.
Chapter completed!