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