Notes On John Krasinski and Hailee Steinfeld interviews
Podcast notes, quotes and personal reflections
Today I’m going to share part of a blog post I wrote in October 2023. I’ve been preparing for several projects lately and it’s been helpful to revisit this post for an extra dose of motivation from some of my favourite actors.
I need a little inspiration every now and then, so I’ve been listening to podcast interviews with well-known actors.
I’m obsessed with hearing about their process. How they get into character, what techniques they use and what tricks are up their sleeve. Acting can be an incredibly individual process, so it’s always exciting to hear new advice and put it to the test.
Here are some of my favourite quotes, notes and personal reflections. Enjoy!
John Krasinski on Off Camera with Sam Jones
Episode 12 Mar 2020
Most people know John Krasinski from The Office, however I first saw him in 13 Hours: The Secret Soldiers of Benghazi. Go check it out, he did a kick-ass performance.
His experience on acting after directing:
I think it makes you more of a participant…it’s a director’s medium, in my opinion. So as much as you think you’re some really special person that can add so much to the movie, it’s the director’s vision, so you have to fit in as a piece into that.
Advice like this really helps me to relax a little bit. It’s a reminder that when I’m on set, it’s not about me. It’s about the character and the story. It’s about working as a team. It’s about letting go of everything that clouds the vision of what I’m actually there to do.
His thoughts on letting go:
You can do all the preparation you want…but at the end of the day when they call rolling, you just gotta jump.
This concept of ‘letting go’ is a common theme in acting podcasts.
What I’ve learned is this: you can’t jump unless you’ve put in the work (because it’s impossible to let go if you’re stuck in your head), and you can’t live in the moment if you’re trying to control the moment.
Learn from those with more experience:
If you perform or are around people who are good and better than you, you will get better, and you will learn so much.
This reminds me of a saying: don’t take flying advice from people who’ve never left the ground. If you surround yourself with people who are more experienced than you, you will inevitably grow.
New edit: The biggest lesson for me lately has been learning to accept and forgive myself if I don’t perform as well as I would like to. Especially when I’m working with better actors. Comparision is useless — it’s far better to focus on solutions than perceived problems.
Hailee Steinfeld on In the Envelope: The Actor’s Podcast
Episode 1 Jul 2020
If you haven’t already, go watch True Grit. Hailee Steinfeld is amazing in this film (her first big role at 13-years-old). It’s awesome, she’s awesome, enough said.
On the advice she would give to her younger self:
If I had to tell that 13-year-old anything, it would just be…to not be afraid to ask questions and be curious.
New edit: I love asking questions when I’m on set. It’s the best way to become familiar with the filming process, which makes it easier to work in sync with the cast and crew.
It’s okay if you don’t have all the answers — wisdom comes with experience:
Every time I walk onto a set for the first day, I feel like I know nothing…those first day nerves totally come into play, and I feel like it’s something I’ve never done before. And I hope that feeling never goes away.
This was something she mentioned a lot. She likes being nervous, she likes feeling intimidated and she likes knowing that there is always more to learn. This mindset is inspiring to me, because my nerves tend to spiral into self-doubt. Whereas Hailee seems to thrive on it!
New edit: In the past, I’ve been told to ‘use’ my nerves. I wasn’t really sure how to until I realised that nerves are energy I can redirect towards my performance. Easier said than done. It takes a lot of focus, but I think it’s worth it to keep practicing.
Her advice for new actors:
Work hard, be prepared, be persistent. If it’s something you’re passionate about, then it can never be the wrong thing.
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Know of a great acting podcast, or have any great acting advice you’ve heard? Let me know in the comments!