Technique: Truth in the Moment

» epski - An anecdotal example, courtesy of Keanu Reeves

Keanu's best-reviewed performance to date is in Sam Raimi's current release "The Gift." The following article serves up an example of researching your character to achieve an authentic performance.

Keanu Reeves Lived The Life Of Abusive Character

Keanu Reeves was so desperate to convincingly portray an abusive husband in his new movie he moved to Georgia three weeks before shooting began for Gift, The (2000) - so he could live the life of the abusive husband he portrays. Keanu got into the role of Donnie Barksdale by driving around town in his character's truck, and even wearing his clothes. He explains, "It was basically the search for Donnie. I arranged to meet with this couple who deal with spousal abuse. I wanted to find out clinically what some of the defining things that you found in the male are. Then I got a truck and changed my clothes a bit and started hanging out. I went and found this one particular town, Rankin, and that's where I ended up finding Donnie Barksdale." And after 'finding' his character, Keanu felt disgusted by his behaviour. He says, "Physical violence is not something that I practice all the time. It's very complicated and I don't know that I can encapsulate it all. I do know that power is intoxicating, and the physical power that man can have sometimes over a woman can be scary."

-- posted by epski

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