Confessions Of An Actor Who Can't Lie

I can't lie to you. I like to believe that I'm a pretty good actor, but I can't lie to you.

If you think about it, acting and lying are pretty similar. When you lie, you tell a friend you couldn't hang out with them because of a family thing, or a teacher that you left your paper at home; none of this can be done without creating a new reality, and painting it out for someone else to see. When you act, you put on a costume, tell a story as a completely different person to create a new reality for an audience. Although they're pretty similar, I can't lie.

It takes selfishness to lie. To be successful at lying, you need to be convincing. You need to look in another human beings eyes and convince them of your story. If you succeed, this means that this false story is now someone else's reality. You do this for no one else but yourself. In the long run, this does not benefit anyone.

Acting Is taking a world in which you completely emerge yourself in. This is not you, but for the next two hours, this role takes over you. You are living in this world, and for the duration of the play, the audience members are too; you are helping them forget their problems, and escape from the reality that they need a break from. If this is your passion, it benefits you and the audience.

I can not look at another human being, and not tell them the truth. I can't purposely hurt another human being. Lying of any kind is painful. Lying leaves me feeling guilty, and empty. If that person knew that I've been lying to them they would be hurt. I couldn't lie to my parents and tell them I was going somewhere that I wasn't, I couldn't lie to my teachers and tell them that I did my homework when I really didn't, and I couldn't lie to my boyfriend and tell him I wasn't somewhere when I was.

There is no bigger pet peeve for me than when I get into an argument with someone and they tell me that I'm probably lying just because I'm an actor. There is a big difference, and it is not okay. I'm not a liar. I never have been, never will be.