The Power of Presence: How Being Fully in the Moment Transforms Your Acting

You often hear people say that certain actors have great presence, that you just can’t take your eyes off them. But why do some actors have more "presence" than others? What’s their secret? What is this mysterious quality everyone’s talking about? The answer is so simple and obvious that it’s often overlooked:

They’re PRESENT! That’s it—and that’s a lot.

So, why is there power in presence and being present? Because life can only happen in the present moment, and life itself is pure power. It’s eternal. What’s more powerful than that?! Just look at the power of life around you, in all its forms—it’s stunning, awe-inspiring, and it’s pulsating within you right now.

Marlon Brando in The Godfather. The cat's appearance was not part of the script. Director Francis Ford Coppola found the cat wandering around the studio and gave it to Brando without warning. A master at being present in the moment, Brando then improvised his actions with the cat.

In acting, the power of aliveness, spontaneity, unpredictability, and truth can only be found in the present. That’s why being in the moment is crucial for great acting. What’s even more extraordinary is that life never repeats itself. The mind, however, is constantly on repeat, projecting its same old stories onto the present moment and into a future that hasn’t even happened yet. In acting, we call this being "in your head."

This is why I strongly caution against the trap of playing "ideas" in your acting. It’s deadly for an actor because the moment is alive, and your "ideas" have nothing to do with what’s happening right now. You’ll lack presence and end up indicating moods, feelings, and behaviors rather than living them truthfully and spontaneously.

In acting, you have to trust that what IS…is enough. If you don’t, you’ll make the big mistake of trying to force something to happen, playing "ideas," and becoming a predictable actor.

The Art of "NOT" Acting is about being fully alive and present with characters that are unique and memorable from one acting project to the next. Think of some of the greatest actors like Daniel Day-Lewis and Frances McDormand. The fact that this exceptional quality of "NOT" Acting in their work can be filmed, watched repeatedly, and never get old speaks to the power of presence in these actors.

Are you ready to join them? If you're looking for an acting class that goes beyond technique and dives deep into the power of being present, join my Art of "NOT" Acting class in Los Angeles or online via Zoom, available worldwide. Let’s tap into your potential and bring your presence to life.