Sophie Thompson

Hi!

Welcome to my first post! Thank you for taking the time to have a look!

As you've read, this blog is about my professional acting career here in New York. I've been here full time in the city for a year now, and during that time  I've acquired an agent, done a show,  recorded a soundtrack, performed for Mayor Bloomberg, become a regular at the Duplex, and auditioned for Robert de Niro.   As we all know, the life of an actor is a balancing act, so in addition to telling you about my life as an actor, I'm going to tell you about actors who have inspired me with their genius as well.  What I love about them is that they do consistently compelling work, have eclectic bodies of work and always exhibit humor and joy in their art.

First genius:  Sophie Thompson

I first became aware of Sophie when I watched her play Miss Bates in the film "Emma" starring Gwyneth Paltrow.  I love an understated performance, and Sophie does this brilliantly.  These kind of performances only happen when the actor so inhabits their character that every choice they make, every breath they take as that character rings true.  Sophie made it look as if she was behaving, not acting.  That is always the goal.  

Jane Austen describes that character this way:

“Her daughter [Miss Bates] enjoyed a most uncommon degree of popularity for a woman neither young, handsome, rich, nor married. Miss Bates stood in the very worst predicament in the world for having much of the public favour; and she had no intellectual superiority to make atonement to herself or frighten those who might hate her into outward respect.  She had never boasted either beauty or cleverness.  Her youth had passed without distinction, and her middle of life was devoted to the care of a failing mother and the endeavor to make a small income go as far as possible.  And yet she was a happy woman, a woman whom no one named without goodwill.  It was her own universal goodwill and contented temper which worked such wonders.  She loved everybody, was interested in everybody’s happiness, quick-sighted to everybody’s merits; thought herself a most fortunate creature, and surrounded with blessings in such an excellent mother and so many good neighbors and friends and a home that wanted for nothing.  The simplicity and cheerfulness of her nature, her contented and grateful spirit, were a recommendation to everybody and a mine of felicity to herself.”

You've gotta check out how Sophie inhabits Miss Bates, especially in this scene when she attempts to recover her dignity when Emma embarrasses her at a group picnic--she breaks your heart!  And made me want to break Emma's jaw:


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=urnMpAGHWXc

Brilliant.

See you next Tuesday...and thanks again for reading!



R