Tilda Swinton would rather work with children than method actors: “Much, much easier”
There have long been fierce debates about the merits of method acting, something that has yielded both some genuinely incredible performances and some of the most self-indulgent examples of pretension ever put to screen.
When you look at someone like Daniel Day-Lewis, you can hardly get mad at his infamous love of method acting, because it has drawn out some of the greatest performances in the history of cinema. He’s not a three-time Oscar winner for nothing. But then there are people such as Jared Leto, whose attempts at method acting have been pretty horrific. I mean, you can’t send used condoms and anal beads to your cast members and then blame it on the fact that you’re getting into character to play the Joker. Have some respect.
Method acting might help some actors to take on more versatile roles that would otherwise feel foreign to them, but not every star feels this is necessary. Tilda Swinton, for example, is one of Hollywood’s most chameleon-like actors, having appeared in everything from Orlando as a gender-bending noble to a bald-headed monk in Dr Strange, but she doesn’t feel the need to go method.
In fact, she would rather work with child actors than adult method actors, finding those who dedicate themselves to their characters so intensely – almost to the point of no return – exhausting. It often comes down to a lack of consideration for others, with method actors suddenly forgetting basic human decency in favour of channelling whoever they’re playing.
Swinton believes that children just have an innate understanding of acting that is so much more raw and pure, unlike method actors who have to try so hard to become someone else rather than just, well, acting. Talking to The Wrap, the actor revealed her preference for child actors rather than some self-aggrandising method actor.
“To me, it’s much, much easier to play with children,” she explained. “Children know that it’s play. You ask a six-year-old to dress up as a dog, he’ll go there. You ask a 45-year-old to dress up as a dog, and you’ll have to go through all sort of questions of method and psychological background”.
Adding, “With children, it’s very easy and relaxed. You ask a three-year-old to be bad and growl at his mommy, it’s easy. It’s what a three-year-old loves to do. So no, it’s really graceful and easy, working with children.”
Swinton has worked with various children over the years, with one of her most unforgettable projects being We Need To Talk About Kevin, in which she stars as a mother whose son expresses concerning behaviour as he grows up, ultimately resulting in his committing a terrifying act of violence.
Working with children can certainly be tricky, especially if a child doesn’t have a good understanding of what acting is, but as Swinton suggests, most children can tap into the act of performance pretty easily, seeing it as a form of play. The lack of pretence found in children allows them to perform with energy and honesty, and sure, some kids just aren’t suited to being in front of the camera, but in general, it seems like you’ll have more fun working alongside a kid compared to working with someone who refuses to break character.
