Natural Acting in 2024: The Ultimate Guide

1/20/2024

Ever watch a great movie or TV show... and completely lose yourself in it? If so, you've seen natural acting.

You don't even think about the performances. All you do is focus on the characters and follow the story.

Natural acting is acting... without it looking like you're acting. It's what great films and TV shows are chock full of.

Natural Acting

Casting directors are always looking for natural actors – the ones who truly become the character and live in the moment... not the ones who act like they're in the moment.

Therefore, "natural acting" is one of the greatest skills you can develop as an actor if you want to book more auditions.

But what is natural acting? What does it mean to "live" in the moment instead of "act" in the moment? What does being "truthful" and "authentic" even mean?

So many acting coaches use these words, yet many actors still struggle to understand what "natural acting" really is, and what makes the biggest difference between that and "fake" acting.

We'll dive deep on how to act naturally on stage and screen in this article, but before we do, I think it's helpful to first understand how people learn (and eventually master) things in life. Think of the learning process as having three distinct three stages:

Get your head around it. First, you need to fully understand what something means. This is best done by reading about – or better yet – watching it. Since we're talking about acting today, I'm going to include some videos that show the difference between natural acting and unnatural acting, because a video is worth a million words!
Practice and fail repeatedly. Everyone is afraid of this step, but it's the only way to master something. You can get your head around something and completely understand it logically, but without actually experiencing first-hand, you'll never be able to develop the skills required. It's like knowing how to read music vs. actually being able to play the piano. In this guide, I'll show you some exercises to help improve your natural acting ability.
Master it. With enough practice, natural acting will soon become second nature to you, and you'll start booking WAY more work (some natural actors I coach book up to 30% of the auditions they go to – and no, that zero is not a typo).

So What is Natural Acting?

In order to understand what natural acting is, you first need to know the difference between "indicating" and "not-indicating."

Here's a scenario to imagine:

You're in a room with two people, Smart Sam and Dumb Derek. You want Smart Sam to think you're smart so that he likes you. Neither of you likes Dumb Derek very much.

Which of the following would you do when Dumb Derek inevitably says something stupid?

Do a big eye roll and make sure Smart Sam sees it. Then continue the conversation.
Simply react normally and continue the conversation.

The correct answer is option #1.

Why? Because it helps you build rapport with Smart Sam. Your eye roll is essentially saying, "Wow, Dumb Derek is so stupid."

On the other hand, if you did option #2, it might make Smart Sam think you agree with the stupid thing that Dumb Derek just said. Then Smart Sam would think you're dumb too!

Now here's a second scenario to imagine:

You're in a room with one person, Dumb Derek. You're a very smart person.

Which of the following would you do when Dumb Derek inevitably says something stupid?

Do a big eye roll and think, "Dumb Derek is so stupid." Then continue the conversation.
Think to yourself, "Dumb Derek is so stupid," but react normally and continue the conversation.

The correct answer is either option #1 OR option #2. It depends on what your goals are!

If you want Dumb Derek to know that you think he's stupid, you would do the eye roll so he gets the message and feels bad about himself.

On the other hand, if you don't want him to know, or you're not even thinking about making him feel stupid, but instead just trying to get through the conversation, you would go with option #2.

So what do these crazy scenarios have to do with natural acting? Well, they explain the whole idea of "indication."

In the first scenario, you're trying to indicate to Smart Sam that you're on the same page with him, and you totally get that Derek is dumb. But in the second scenario, since no one is there and your objective is not clearly stated at the beginning of the scene the way it was in the first scenario, you need to make a choice.

Related: Actor's Objective: What it Means & How to Use It

The choice is NOT whether you do an eye roll or not, but instead, to decide what your overall goal for the scene is. Is your goal to just stop talking to Dumb Derek and end the conversation? Is your goal to make Dumb Derek feel like an idiot? Is your goal to make Dumb Derek feel better about himself?

Choosing what your character most wants to accomplish in the scene will dictate all the minor details (like eye rolls) you do.

A great director is unlikely to give you specific notes like, "Do an eye roll at this moment." Instead, they might say, "Your objective is to make Dumb Derek feel like a huge idiot." And that might lead to you doing an eye roll... or it might lead you to shaking your head in amazement and raising your hands in frustration about how dumb he is! Even though you're doing something TOTALLY different, it still accomplishes the same objective, meaning it's authentic!

So How Do Actors Act Natural? By IGNORING the Audience.

As you can see, indication is completely fine in a scene, even though most acting coaches will tell you it's wrong.

The eye roll is an "indication" that you think Dumb Derek is stupid.

But what's most important for natural acting is that you have a clear reason for doing the "indication." Why are you doing the eye roll? Is it to show your frustration? Well why are you trying to show your frustration? Is it because you want Smart Sam to see that you're on his side and know Dumb Derek is stupid? Or is it to make Dumb Derek feel even more stupid?

Why are you trying to show how you're feeling?

The answer must NEVER be "So the audience watching understands."

That is the real difference between natural acting and fake, inauthentic performances.

The moment the audience, camera, or crew (essentially, anything outside the world of the story) are taken into consideration in your performance is the moment you're no longer performing authentically.

Hopefully those examples have made it clear, but just to further drive this point home, I'd like you to take a moment to watch this fun scene from The Santa Clause (in light of the recent holiday season).

As you watch, look for moments of "indication" and "non-indication" in the lines of the characters, and see if you can spot the differences. There are a few moments where you can see clear "indication."

So where's the indication? Could you spot it?

Almost every line the psychiatrist character says to Tim Allen's character has "indication" in it. He's trying to indicate to the two women in the room that he thinks Tim Allen's character is an idiot.

How does he indicate? By speaking slowly and putting on a ridiculous "deep, formal psychiatrist voice."

Now had the two women not been there, that deep, slow psychiatrist voice would seem unnatural and out of place. But because the two women are there, it looks totally fine and fits with the scene – it makes it look as though he's trying to make fun of Tim and make Tim look like an idiot in front of the women.

The indication works because he's doing it for characters in the scene – not for the audience watching the movie.

9 times out of 10, when you're talking to one person and no one else is in the room, you'll never indicate. The only time you would is if you're trying to get a very specific reaction out of the person or make them feel a certain way.

Here's one final example:

Imagine you're playing an army sergeant. To fit the role better, you decide to speak with an overly strong, commanding voice. Is that an example of natural acting or unnatural acting?

To find out, just ask yourself why. Why am I speaking with this overly strong, commanding voice?

Because I want the audience to know I am a strong army sergeant type of character? No, this won't work. remember that you can't involve the audience.
Because I want the troops to respect me? Sure, that's an OK reason – but would army soldiers actually respect the fact that you're trying to make your voice deeper... if they've already heard your regular voice before and know it's not your real voice? Probably not.
Because I want to... hmmm... I'm not sure... OK, so then don't speak with that fake commanding voice if you can't come up with a real, legitimate reason. Just use your own voice, and your acting will be much more natural.

Acting is inauthentic and unnatural the second you make a choice that involves the audience.

This is why trying to "seem" angry or sad will never work, especially in screen acting. Why are you trying to seem sad? Do you really want the person you're talking to (the other character in the scene) to know you're sad? If so, why? What are you trying to achieve by letting them know you're sad?

It's critical to ask "Why" over and over again because if anything you're doing is unclear, your acting will no longer be natural.

The Difference Between Screen & Theater Acting

In theater, the audience is always in one place – usually at least 15 feet away from you and directly in front. This means you need to be as natural as you can... while still allowing them to hear and see you (by speaking louder or doing larger-than-normal actions).

On screen however, the audience can be anywhere – close enough to see the subtlest squint of your eye, or far enough away to see the entire planet Earth. It's always based on where the camera is positioned for the shot.

Related: Acting for Film: The Ultimate Guide

For film, you'll almost never need to act "for" the camera/audience – the crew will position the camera so they have a clear shot of whatever's important for the audience to see. Occasionally the director will give you instructions about certain marks to hit, but generally, you won't need to speak more loudly or do larger-than-normal movements for a distant audience to see. Keep that in mind during your next audition for screen.

How Do You Practice Natural Acting?

Here are some exercises and techniques to quickly improve your natural acting ability, even if you're still relatively new to the world of acting:

Try the Meisner Word Repetition Game: Instead of practicing a monologue or dialogue, two actors will face each other and continuously repeat the same line over and over again, solely modifying their tone, intensity, and emotion. Slight line modifications are allowed, but you'll generally say the same thing over and over again, aiming to react authentically and naturally to however the other actor said their line. One actor might say, "You're wearing a hat." Then the actor across from him would repeat or slightly alter the phrase, "I am wearing a heat." Each time, as the actors go back and forth, slight changes will be heard as the vocal inflections take the emotional tone to new places. Words can slightly change as actors notice things about one another, such as, "You just took your hat off," or "I like your hat," etc.
You MUST have your lines memorized. Not having your lines memorized makes it almost impossible (unless you're AMAZING at acting) to perform naturally. So get your lines fully memorized before ever attempting natural acting. Memorization is a basic requirement of being an actor, but if you struggle with it, check out my Ultimate Guide to Memorization.
Simply play yourself: I usually recommend that actors play themselves when auditioning, especially if they don't have much time to prep for the audition. What this means is, rather than trying to get into some crazy intense character (using Method Acting techniques, for instance), you just speak the lines as you would say them yourself – without trying to change the sound of your voice, mannerisms, etc. For instance, if you're playing a mafia boss, don't try changing your voice to be really deep and gruff – just speak the way you would if you were personally in that position. This will immediately help your performances come across as much more natural.
Deeply understand the character: If you have time for more in-depth prep work, you can dive deep on the character and learn everything about them, or make specific choices for every moment of the scene. The more backstory and understanding you have about the character, the more authentic your performance will be. Related: How to Prepare for an Audition: The Ultimate Guide
Ask "Why, why, why?": Whenever you're given a script, you should read through it line by line, asking yourself, "Why would I say this line?" for each line of the scene. This is about making choices, and the clearer you are with what's happening at every moment and why, the more natural your acting will be. And of course, if you don't know the meaning of a line being said, look it up!
Film yourself performing and watch it. This is often one of the simplest and easiest ways to fix unnatural acting. It's hard to watch yourself act but I highly recommend doing it anyway. As you watch yourself, ask the "Why, why, why?" question. "Why am I saying each line like that?" And be honest with yourself. Does the way you said it look 100% natural? If not, why? Am I trying to indicate? If so, to whom? If you're trying to indicate to another character in the world of the story, that's fine. But if you're trying to indicate to the audience, you need to remove that indication completely.
Make a new choice. If you're having trouble saying a line naturally, try making a totally different choice for it. For instance, "What is the reaction I'm trying to get out of the other character when I say this line?" Perhaps at first, you were trying to embarrass the other actor. But if the line isn't coming out naturally or feels awkward, perhaps you should instead try to anger the other actor. Again, you can record yourself and watch it back to see if it really did help make the line look more natural and realistic.
Give yourself extra lead-in lines: For film and television especially, most scenes are done in pieces, meaning the director might only need to record you saying 2-3 lines at a time. If you feel you're having trouble saying those lines naturally, ask the director to allow you to say a few more lines to lead into those ones. The extra few lines you say before they press record can help you relax into the moment and perform more naturally.
Consider asking the director to allow you to modify the line: Some lines, no matter how good you are as an actor, just can't be said naturally because either the writing is bad or it doesn't come close to anything you've ever said in your life. If that's the case, you can ask the director if it's OK to slightly modify the line or improv it a bit. Most directors will be fine with this as long as it's not going to make the editing process difficult. That being said, avoid doing this without explicit permission, especially in auditions.
Distract yourself: Sometimes you can get so wrapped up in the repetition of your lines that you start to lose the spontaneity and authenticity of your performance. For that reason, picking something to do that actually requires some real thought can be helpful. Hold onto something like your phone and look at it, trying to open up and use an app. Or study the details of a pen in your hand – what color is it? What's the texture like? What color is the ink? Alternatively, you can simply study things in the environment, paying close attention to details. Distracting yourself from the performance will almost always add authenticity to your performance, as long as what you're doing fits with the scene and is OK with the director.
Think about the meaning of what you're saying: Oftentimes you can get so used to saying the lines that they begin to lose their meaning. By simply thinking about the meaning of each word you and the other actor says, you'll instantly add a level of "naturalness" to your performance.
Loosen up your body: Tension is a major contributing factor to inauthentic performances. Before going to an audition or getting on camera, we tend to get nervous and start worrying about what we look like, what we're wearing, whether our hair is in place, etc. These worries cause our muscles to tense up. You can overcome this by relaxing everything, rolling down your spine, twisting your head, arms, etc. Almost imagine you're a floppy piece of jello, and everything needs to relax and flop around for a few seconds, and you'll quickly find the tension in your body dissipate.
Do a few "4-count" breaths: Deep breathing is another way to quickly before a performance. Breath in deeply through your nose and hold it for a count of four, and then slowly breathe out as you count to four again. Repeat for 5-10 times and your body will quickly relax.
Look directly into the other actor's eyes (or try to avoid them) on purpose. Looking directly into the actor's eyes you're performing with will help you engage more directly with them, thereby getting rid of any "indications" you might be unconsciously including in your performance. Alternatively, consciously trying to avoid looking at the other actor's eyes can be enough of a distraction to get your performance looking more natural.
Avoid judgement: Always try to empathize with your characters. Ask yourself, "If I myself were this way, what life story could have made me turn into this person?" Most people are not inherently evil – and even if they are, in their own minds they're doing good. So you MUST figure out how to empathize with the character you're playing because if you don't, your going to find it extremely hard to give a natural performance.
Do real things: One of the fastest ways to make a performance look more authentic is to actually do real things in the scene. If you're supposed to be pretending to work on the computer while speaking to someone, actually attempt to type some real paragraphs – don't just type gibberish words. If you're trying to figure out what to do with your hands in the scene, actually look at your hands and focus on how dry they look, and the fact that you should be putting some lotion on. If you're supposed to be drinking coffee, ask the director if you can have a real cup of coffee. Doing real things looks INFINITELY better on camera than faking it, and allows your mind to free up extra resources to devote towards the performance of your lines instead.
Above all, don't try to SHOW the audience your emotions: In real life, we almost always try to hide our emotions, unless we have a specific reason for wanting to show them (either they're too much that we can't control them, or we want to use them to manipulate or get a reaction out of someone). Use this same technique in acting by trying to hide your emotions, unless you have a legitimate reason to want to show them (again, this reason can't involve the audience because the audience is not there).

At the end of the day, because we hide our own emotions so frequently in real life (by putting on a brave face and hiding behind laughter, anger, etc.), it feels unnatural and weird to have to be 100% authentic as a character. Instead, we try to change our voice to sound like our vision of the "cool guy" or we overdo our emotions and cry really hard to try to be the "sad character."

We're so afraid of letting our own true emotions show that we cover them up with inauthentic, "indicative" acting. And that's the biggest tragedy of all.

Being vulnerable and showing your true self is not weak. It's the only real strength there is – stronger than any bodybuilder you'll ever hear of.

As soon as you let your real self out and stop covering your inner emotions to hide from judgement, you'll understand what "natural acting" really is. And at that moment, your entire career (and life) trajectory will change.

Are you willing to give it a shot?

Enjoyed this article?

Book more work by thinking "Outside the Industry."

Knowing how to perform more naturally and authentically is a critical part of growing your acting career and booking more work. That being said, it's just one part of the process.

As someone who has worked with people in thousands of industries (through my headshot business), I've been able to take growth strategies that work for businesses and apply them directly to actors – to help them grow their careers faster than most would think possible (examples: one of my clients landed his first-ever Broadway role in just 4 weeks of working with me, and a brand-new actress signed with a high-level agent in just six weeks of working with me).

I'd like to invite you to my free insider newsletter where I share my best material, including:

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Download my free Actor's Toolkit to get started and you'll hear from me a few times a week with unique "outside the industry" strategies. I promise they'll help you build a career you're truly proud of.

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Martin Bentsen (author of this guide) is an actor marketing coach who uses “outside the industry” thinking to help actors book more work. He’s helped over 6,000 actors with their careers and actor headshots since 2009 and his photography studio City Headshots is ranked #1 on Yelp. He’s spoken at NYU, The New England Theater Conference, The Actor’s Green Room, and other venues.

Want to book more acting work by thinking different? Start with his free Actor’s Toolkit to create new opportunities right away, or visit his website at www.martinbentsen.com.

Some Additional Q&A

Is Natural Acting Neutral Acting?

When people hear the words "natural acting," they often think it means "neutral" or "boring" acting. A natural acting synonym is absolutely NOT neutral acting!

Neutral means boring or blank, whereas "natural" means you're responding to a situation exactly the way the character would, without trying to artificially "add" anything to your performance.

If your character is angry and screaming, that's natural! But if your character is angry and you decide you want to "show" the audience that you're angry by yelling and screaming, that's not natural. Neither scenario is neutral or boring – but one is definitely fake.

What Do I Do if My Director Gives Me Line Readings or Says, "Be More Sad," etc.?

The key to natural acting is not thinking about the acting. If your director gives you result direction or tells you how to say a line, ask for a bit more clarification if you're not sure of what they want. Ask them, "Well what is my objective with saying it that way? What am I trying to do or get?" The director will explain a bit more and hopefully that should give you the answer they want to get the right performance.

If you're still having trouble, just follow the director's line reading – perhaps they are inexperienced. Do the best you can and try to make the director feel good about themselves because if you make them feel like an idiot, they certainly won't have good things to say about you to their friends, and this industry is small.

Can You Be a Natural at Acting?

Some people are naturally talented, and others struggle a bit more with acting. At the end of the day, it's not natural talent that will get you far as an actor – it's how much you love it and how long you're willing to pursue your acting career.

Oftentimes people who are naturally talented give up more quickly when things don't go the way they want because they're not used to having to put in effort. Those who are not naturally talented are accustomed to facing adversity and have built up the muscle of not giving up when things get hard.

Natural Acting vs Method Acting: What's the Difference?

What is method acting, and how does it differ from natural acting?

The biggest difference between Natural Acting and Method Acting is that Method Acting is actually a formalized acting technique, whereas natural acting is simply a way of describing someone's performance. There are Method Actors, but there are not "Natural Actors."

Method Acting involves deeply embodying a character – so much so that the actor will go and live like the character for weeks before the production begins. Imagine Method Acting as natural acting on steroids.

What are the Four Types of Acting?

The four types of acting are Meisner Technique, Stanislavski’s System, Lee Strasberg’s Method, and Practical Aesthetics.

Learn more about these in my guide: Types of Acting Techniques: The Ultimate Guide

Natural Acting in 2024: The Ultimate Guide

Natural Acting

​So What is Natural Acting?

​So How Do Actors Act Natural? By IGNORING the Audience.

​The Difference Between Screen & Theater Acting

How Do You Practice Natural Acting?

​Enjoyed this article? ​ Book more work by thinking "Outside the Industry."

Some Additional Q&A

​Is Natural Acting Neutral Acting?

​What Do I Do if My Director Gives Me Line Readings or Says, "Be More Sad," etc.?