World-renowned Hollywood acting teacher Bernard Hiller has taught his masterclasses and private acting lessons in various countries across the globe over the past 35 years. He’s the author of Stop Acting, Start Living: A revolutionary guide to achieving success in show business and life which combines acting tips with advice on how to be a successful person. In other words, his book is for anyone with a dream and who wishes to reach his or her potential. Hiller coached Cameron Diaz for her role in The Mask—the part that launched her career. He’s also coached Jeff Goldblum, LL Cool J, Lindsay Lohan, Billy Crystal, Michelle Pfeiffer, and Emilio Rivera. Additionally, Hiller’s classes have featured over 64 guest speakers who are Oscar winners and nominees including Samuel L. Jackson, Leonardo DiCaprio, Bruce Dern, and David Oyelowo.
Here are four elements that Bernard Hiller believes every actor should know.
“[Acting] is no longer about playing the character; it’s about telling the truth.”
Bernard’s acting techniques are inspired by Lee Strasberg’s “The Method,” Stella Adler, as well as over three decades of his personal experience as a performer, writer, and life coach. “I teach my actors that it’s no longer about playing the character. It’s about telling the truth. And to tell the truth, you have to play different parts of yourself that are the characters,” he asserts. “And to do that, you have to get to the core; you have to get to who you really are.”
His exercises and techniques are designed to strip away anything that disrupts an actor from being emotionally available, ready to listen, and truly respond. After all, being honest and in the moment is what makes a performer unforgettable, he insists.
“Your authenticity is crucial.”
Being in touch with who you are and what makes you unique are key aspects to achieving success as an actor. “Authenticity is your soul made visible,” Bernard says, “because when you make yourself visible, you become vulnerable, and when you become vulnerable, you become dynamic. And dynamic people make dynamic actors.” Hiller poses the question, “What do you bring to Hollywood that we don’t have?”—and then he answers, “The only thing that we don’t have is you—the open, happy, passionate, emotional you.”
“Hollywood is like a game.”
Bernard believes many acting classes neglect to sufficiently teach students about the business end of acting or the complicated aspects of the entertainment industry. Thus, he makes a point to teach people “the language of success.”
“Success is not an accident. You have to know what to do,” Hiller states. “Think of Hollywood as a game. What’s the first thing you do in a game? You have to learn the rules. If you don’t know the rules, you’re going to lose. I’m going to teach you the rules of Hollywood, which is: ‘What are you going to give? Where are you going to find your team? When are you going to ask for help? Where are the contacts? Who are you going to talk to?’”
Hiller’s celebrated guest speakers share how they broke into the business, the obstacles they overcame, and how they succeeded. But Hiller claims the most important part of the Hollywood game is “You’ve got to have great energy. Because it’s not who you know in Hollywood, it’s who’d want to know you.” Rest assured, the entertainment business is always searching for new talent. “When you invest in yourself, people will invest in you,” Bernard says.
“Always start before you are ready.”
Hiller believes, “Life is about risking everything for a dream no one can see but you.” So he urges his students to have the courage to believe in themselves and to always start before they feel ready. For example, acting classes should not only be fun, motivating, and challenging, but they “should be even a bit scary. A great class should push you past your limitations, past your fears, past your blocks.” Bernard insists, “One of the things about great acting [is] you have to actually get lost to find yourself. So get lost, because when you’re lost, that’s when you ask for directions.”
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