14+15. 


DEVELOPING 


CHARACTERIZATION + 
MAKING BOLD CHOICES 


“It's easier to let go of shit 
than it is to try and have 
somebody pull some shit 
out of you. You want to 
bring as much to the table 
as you can...when you show 
up. Have a full bag of shit!” 
—Samuel L. Jackson 


SUBCHAPTERS 








e Establish Your Persona 
e Create a Physical Quirk 


e Bring Everything to the Table 


MASTERCLASS 


CHAPTER REVIEW 





On the surface, the dinner scene in Kingsman: The Secret Service is 
a simple conversation between two characters. The actors’ task 

is to dig deeper, access the subtext of the exchange, and create 
characters who will make the otherwise “bland” dialogue more 
interesting. When Sam acted the role of Valentine in the film, he 
chose to manifest his character’s persona through a lisp. He chal- 
lenges the actors to come up with their own quirks that will add 
interest to their characters, while staying true to the goal of the 
story and each of the characters’ goals. 





TAKE IT FURTHER 


Watch Kingsman: The Secret Service and observe how Sam uses 
his voice to convey Valentine’s persona. Think about how Val- 
entine’s lisp and quirky physicality inform your perception of 
him. How does Sam’s choice enhance the character? 


Actors must develop the ability not only to read scripts, but to 
also interpret the subtext hidden beneath their lines. Read the 
Kingsman: The Secret Service script and identify/annotate the 
subtext throughout the dinner scene. As you develop your own 
process, collaborate with your classmates and see how your 
interpretations aligned with theirs. 


ASSIGNMENT 


Refer back to the character reference notebook that you creat- 
ed in Chapter 4. Revisit your chosen character, and get weird. 
Use your references and make some crazy choices. Don’t half- 
ass it: go all out! Record this. Do you discover anything you 
might want to use when acting this character in an audition? 
If yes, pare it down and make it super specific so it fits in 
truthfully while also enhancing your character. Record it again 
and notice the difference. Discuss what you found with your 
classmates in The Hub. 


SAMUEL L. JACKSON 34 


14+15. 
NOTES 


















































MASTERCLASS SAMUEL L. JACKSON 35