ABSTRACT
Character analysis must be experiential: what the character needs and wants. The experiential journey is both observational and participatory. Like the actor, we are selfishly driven by this character’s ambition. It is this kind of ambition and drive that manifests as an Objective for the character. The Objective generates an Action that is linked to the character’s emotional core, something felt and experienced deep inside. If an Objective is powerful enough – and it should be – the character will manifest an Action because of the force of their Objective. Christian Bale in Vice, Frances McDormand in Three Billboards, Margot Robbie in Mary Queen of Scots, and Denzel Washington in Malcolm X are all examples of actors who became their character. Of course there are many more performances that could be named.
