Mainly, my directors. I watch a lot of movies. I don’t stop watching. From the minute I wake up, I am glued to either the TV or my iPad or I’ll go straight to the cinema to catch what’s new. I think you learn a lot from watching.
But you can’t mimic because, at the end of the day, you have to understand your character—because if you don’t believe in your character or what they’re going through, you will not be able to convey it to the audience. For me, that’s what’s most important. That’s what I hope to bring to the table after getting all the research done; so that, once I’m on set, it’s really about the dialogue and the director.
Because he’s supposed to direct, to be the one directing. He’s the one who knows what’s going on everywhere. As an actor, on the other hand, you’re blinkered. You do what’s best for you. So you have to listen to him, to tell you how to weave your way through every situation.
Do you like rehearsals?
I think they’re important, but I don’t like to over-rehearse. I need that spontaneity. It has to feel real. For me, rehearsal is ironing out the kinks, especially with the dialogue. A lot of the time, you’ll say, “Writers, can you please read out loud what you are writing?” Because there’s a certain flow or a way to translate what they want into the character. And once I find my character and how that character speaks—because it’s not Michelle Yeoh, it’s the character—then I can learn their mannerisms and their nuances and put that into their body language.