ABSTRACT
Throughout this chapter, Danielle I. Szlawieniec-Haw explores shifting traditional approaches to professional actors’ lived experiences of representing dolesse. She puts forward two metaphors in relation to the consequences of these representations: the first to address the medical model that has often been used to frame actors’ experiences of representing dolesse and the second to propose a new way of framing these experiences. From there, Szlawieniec-Haw explores ways of making attention and care available to actors while respecting their agency. The potential for this to be a moment of significant change in the entertainment industry is addressed, as are the shifts that are already taking place. This includes developments in actor training and continuing education, as well as the rise of intimacy coordination (also referred to as intimacy direction or intimacy design). Szlawieniec-Haw considers why there has been pushback against actors’ agency—and challenges the arguments that have been put forward. In conclusion, she offers up fertile areas for future research.
