Morgan Freeman, when he played Hoke Colburn in Driving Miss Daisy, had to age a great deal over the course of the film. Freeman was 51 when he played that part, but he had to play a man in his mid-70s. How would he pull it off?
Freeman, while preparing to play that part, remembered something an acting teacher had said to him way back when he first started taking classes. The acting teacher was talking about this very thing: the problem of a young person having to play an elderly person and how does one do it truthfully and convincingly?
And the acting teacher said, “You should just walk as though you have glass Christmas tree ornaments for testicles.”
He made all the young men in the class walk across the room, imagining they had glass balls, basically. By concentrating on THAT, as opposed to “pretending” to be old, they were able to successfully transform themselves. It’s amazing how concentrating on something simple (“pretend your testicles are made of glass”) as opposed to something very complex (“pretend you are 80”), so often does the trick. Because it’s specific. And it’s also grounded in some kind of sensory reality. It’s not intellectual, it’s not an idea. I think a lot of the times when actors play old, they’re just playing “the idea” of old – they haven’t given themselves specific small tasks to concentrate on, to keep them grounded.
So that’s what Freeman did, many many years later in Driving Miss Daisy, when he had to play Hoke, a man in his mid 70s. He walked as though he had glass balls.
I love anecdotes like that. So creative, so cool. Actors. Love ’em.
I think you’re right that most young actors don’t play aged characters very convincingly. I would imagine it’s very tough to do but I could see how the method you described would be easier than just pretend you’re old. BTW-It’s not hard play a man in his mid-1970s, all you need are white shoes/belt and polyester plaid :). I was a teen then but I remember it well.
hahahahaha Oh yes, I know the look of which you speak.
Wardrobe by the Herb Tarlek Collection.
You just summed up The Viewpoints.
Glass balls. Genius.
Dave – I hadn’t noticed the typing error until right now … I can’t stop laughing!!!
“He was a man in his mid 1970s –” (cue disco music)
“He was a man in his mid 1970s –”
Unfortunately for him it was 2005. Lots of potential there.
I’m wondering now, what would the equivalent be for a woman? Walk as though your boobs were around your knees? Walk as though you’re afraid the elastic on your bloomers is going to give ‘way?
ricki – i was thinking about it. If I were going to try it – I would try pretending that my knees were made of glass – very fragile thin glass. It would change how you walk, how you hold your torso – you’d be very careful with yourself.
Not sure if it would work. I will try it and let you know. :)
I think another guy who did that amazingly well was Tom Wilson of “Back to the Future” fame.
Ok, this is going to be fun…
Over the course of the three movies, he had to:
“Back to the Future” (1985). Tom Wilson was 25 (25!) when he filmed this movie in 1984, and he played both young Biff Tanner (18) and middle-age jerk Biff Tanner (48), not to mention middle-age dork Biff Tanner (48) at the end.
“Back to the Future II” (1989). Tom Wilson was 29 when he filmed this movie (and III) in 1988. He again played young Biff Tanner (18), dorky middle-age Biff Tanner (48), super-sleazy-alternate-present Biff Tanner (48), and curmudgeonly grandpa Biff Tanner (78). Not to mention grandson Griff Tanner of 2015 (18 or so).
“Back to the Future III” (1990). Wilson was still 29 or so when they filmed II and III back to back. He played 1885’s Buford “Mad Dog” Tannen (unknown age, but I’m guessing early/mid-30’s). I feel embarrassed, but did Biff himself actually appear in this movie? I can’t remember.
Plus, a year or so later Wilson (30) filmed scenes as 18-yr-old Biff for the “Back to the Future” ride at Universal Studios.
So to recap Wilson played young, buff Biff (couldn’t resist) and Griff being 7-10 yrs older than the characters. He played middle-age Biff being 23-19 yrs younger than the character, in several different variations. And he played Grandpa Biff while being 50 years younger than the character.
I just always thought Tom Wilson was amazing, and wish he’d had the opportunity to do more over the years.
Barry – woah. I need to go back and see all those movies again … I guess I took the amazing-ness of that feat for granted when I first saw them.
Morgan Freeman always amazes me in every role he plays. It never seems like he’s acting, he just is the person- wholly, completely. Maybe it’s because I like him so much that I accept him in every role he has had, but I’ve never seen a movie where he fails to inhabit the true essence of the character and make it more real than most.
Jen – I so agree. He’s one of the best.
He’s one of my all time favorite actors & that is by far one of my all time favorite movies.
Just goes to show…keeping it simple works in so many circumstances…& being specific helps so very much.