I Don't Need an Acting Class

By Milton JusticeArts Performing Arts

I Don't Need an Acting Class episodes

January 31, 2024 Observing The Art of Seduction
WANT MORE? Become a subscriber on Spotify for bonus content!
⁠⁠https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/actingclass/subscribe⁠⁠
Milton begins this episode by emphasizing the importance of observing human behavior— our own and others. The reason is, it gives us clues to everything, from character to circumstance to what “playing an action” looks like. Milton gives the example of an audition Diego recently worked on, where he struggled to play the action “to seduce.” This is where observation becomes so helpful. Looking at others helps us understand the nature of seduction.
Have a question for Milton? Send us a voice note below or email us at: ⁠[email protected]⁠ Also, check out our website: ⁠www.idontneedanactingclass.com⁠
16 min
January 23, 2024 The Sin We Commit Without Knowing It
This week, we go back to some of the fundamentals of acting technique. One of which is, The Biggest Sin: Thou Shall Not Make Performance Choices When You First Read The Script. But this is not something we’re always aware that we’re doing. We forget. Or— we have an immediate response to the character or the circumstances, and run with that first instinct. Or— because of our own personal beliefs and values, we unconsciously pass judgement on the character we’re playing. Regardless of the reason, what we end up with is something that lacks depth and complexity. The bottom line is: the mistake is almost impossible NOT to make. The key is: catching ourselves in The Biggest Sin, and coming back to the starting line, giving ourselves permission to really sit with the facts and see what questions occur to us, perhaps do some research and see what sparks some fire within us. If you have the luxury of time, allow yourself the space to build the role, piece by piece, layer by layer.

WANT MORE? Become a subscriber on Spotify for bonus content!
⁠https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/actingclass/subscribe⁠

Have a question for Milton? Send us a voice note below or email us at: ⁠[email protected]⁠ Also, check out our website: ⁠www.idontneedanactingclass.com⁠
17 min
January 15, 2024 Video: Mark Ruffalo Talks About His Acting Process
On the heels of his critically acclaimed and Golden Globe nominated performance in the film Poor Things, Mark Ruffalo joins his former acting teacher Milton Justice on the podcast "I Don't Need an Acting Class" to discuss his acting process. In this intimate, passionate and revealing conversation, Ruffalo talks about why Poor Things was so liberating and what it took to find his way into world of the film. Other topics include: the gift of knowing when you're lying, the importance of developing your imagination, and how layering in elements, like a piece of costume is vital to building a believable character. He and Milton also reminisce about the projects they worked on together earlier in their careers, and how attempting great plays informed them both as artists. Throughout the conversation, Ruffalo's passion for the work is apparent, especially when it comes to the need to challenge himself. "You're always trying to throw your elbows out to stay one step ahead of what people expect of you," he says. "As an actor I just get bored and I want to keep being challenged. I'm sick of Mark Ruffalo."
www.idontneedanactingclass.com
---
Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/actingclass/message
21 min
January 15, 2024 Mark Ruffalo Talks About His Acting Process
On the heels of his critically acclaimed and Golden Globe nominated performance in the film Poor Things, Mark Ruffalo joins his former acting teacher Milton Justice on the podcast "I Don't Need an Acting Class" to discuss his acting process. In this intimate, passionate and revealing conversation, Ruffalo talks about why Poor Things was so liberating and what it took to find his way into world of the film. Other topics include: the gift of knowing when you're lying, the importance of developing your imagination, and how layering in elements, like a piece of costume is vital to building a believable character. He and Milton also reminisce about the projects they worked on together earlier in their careers, and how attempting great plays informed them both as artists. Throughout the conversation, Ruffalo's passion for the work is apparent, especially when it comes to the need to challenge himself. "You're always trying to throw your elbows out to stay one step ahead of what people expect of you," he says. "As an actor I just get bored and I want to keep being challenged. I'm sick of Mark Ruffalo."
WANT MORE? Become a subscriber on Spotify for bonus content! ⁠https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/actingclass/subscribe⁠
www.idontneedanactingclass.com
---
Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/actingclass/message
23 min
January 09, 2024 Think Like an Actor
WANT MORE? Become a subscriber on Spotify for bonus content!
⁠https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/actingclass/subscribe⁠
Have a question for Milton? Send us a voice note below or email us at: ⁠[email protected]⁠ Also, check out our website: ⁠www.idontneedanactingclass.com⁠

9 min
January 02, 2024 Be Outstanding
“Don’t shop at Kmart if there’s a Tiffany’s at 57th and 5th.”
-Stella Adler on Making Choices
This episode begins with Milton’s deconstruction of an audition. He talks about the downside of adding a lot of plot points to your preparation for a scene: it means you have to earn every single one of them in a way that feeds you emotionally. “But the advanced work,” he says, “is making kick-ass choices. You challenge yourself to be smarter.”
WANT MORE? Become a subscriber on Spotify for bonus content!
⁠https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/actingclass/subscribe⁠
Have a question for Milton? Send us a voice note below or email us at: ⁠[email protected]⁠ Also, check out our website: ⁠www.idontneedanactingclass.com⁠

19 min
December 26, 2023 Active Relaxation
WANT MORE? Become a subscriber on Spotify for bonus content!
⁠https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/actingclass/subscribe⁠

There are some misconceptions about relaxation in acting. You want to be relaxed but not so relaxed that you’re not able to be active as your character in the given circumstances. As Milton says in this week’s episode: “I think a lot of it is figuring out where to put your focus in the work, rather than trying to solve the problem of being all over the place, or being nervous or being in your head.” In other words, the answer to relaxation is found in the actor-work itself. Have a question for Milton? Send us a voice note below or email us at: ⁠[email protected]⁠ Also, check out our website: ⁠www.idontneedanactingclass.com⁠
21 min
December 19, 2023 Playing Witch-Twins on American Horror Story
In this episode, actress Annabelle Dexter-Jones joins us on the podcast to talk about playing twin witches on American Horror Story. She discusses the extensive background and character work the did while working one-on-one with Milton, as well as the exercises that freed her up the most and allowed her to make ever more discoveries.
WANT MORE? Become a subscriber on Spotify for bonus content!
⁠⁠https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/actingclass/subscribe⁠⁠
Have a question for Milton? Send us a voice note below or email us at: ⁠[email protected]⁠ Also, check out our website: ⁠www.idontneedanactingclass.com⁠

17 min
December 14, 2023 Bonus Video Episode: Working Slowly
An excerpt from Milton's Masterclass at Spotlight in Stockholm, Sweden.
11 min
December 12, 2023 The Given Circumstances Are Everything
WANT MORE? Become a subscriber on Spotify for bonus content!
⁠https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/actingclass/subscribe⁠
What do we mean when we say the Given Circumstances? According to Stella Adler, the Given Circumstances includes everything— all the facts. And as Milton puts it, it incorporates all the P’s: the play, the playwright, the plot, the place, the period, and the personality, past and profession of the character.
Have a question for Milton? Send us a voice note below or email us at: ⁠[email protected]⁠ Also, check out our website: ⁠www.idontneedanactingclass.com⁠
16 min