Walk in Their Shoes

We begin November with a simple question: can you understand before you judge?

Last week we practiced trusting the preparation and allowing the scene to happen. This week, we look at something that can get in the way of that trust: the moment we decide we already know who a character is.

We read a scene and think, “They’re selfish.” “They’re weak.” “I would never do that.” Those reactions may tell us something about our own values. But they do not yet give us much to play.

“Selfish” is a label. “I need you to stay” gives us somewhere to put our attention. We can pursue it. We can see whether it is working. We can be affected by another person.

The actor’s job is not to approve of every choice. It is to understand the human logic underneath it.

Think about a character who lies to someone they love. From outside the scene, we can name the lie. From inside it, we might discover someone trying to keep a relationship, avoid a consequence, or hold on to the version of themselves they want another person to see.

Those are possibilities. The text helps us decide which ones belong. We keep the facts the writer gives us, and we stay curious about the spaces the writer leaves open.

Understanding the choice does not erase its consequences. A person can cause harm while believing they are protecting something. We can let both things exist. That contradiction may be where the character becomes most human.

In this practice, you will write a defense in the character’s own voice, beginning with “I had to…” Let them explain the choice as it makes sense to them. Resist the urge to step outside and correct them after every sentence.

As you speak the defense aloud, listen for one need. What matters enough to this person that they are willing to act this way? What do they believe they might lose?

What makes this choice feel necessary to them?

Take a moment. Let one possibility arrive.

Then put the journal down. You do not need to perform the defense for the audience or insert it into the scene. It has helped you stand somewhere more specific.

Keep the written words. Bring your attention to your partner. Let this new understanding change what you hear, what you ask for, and how much their answer matters.

There is no emotion you have to produce to prove you understand. Notice whether you are more available to the person in front of you.

For this week, bring one choice into focus. Get curious about the person who needs to make it. Then let them meet another person in the scene.

Have you ever watched a character make a choice and thought, “Why would you do that?” That question can be a useful place to begin.

Sometimes we answer it very quickly. They’re mean. They’re weird. They’re a bad friend. Once we have given them a label, we may stop looking.

This week, we are going to give that question a little more time.

Empathy means trying to understand someone’s point of view. You do not have to agree with their choice.

Imagine a character who refuses to apologize. You might want them to just say sorry. But what do they think will happen if they do? Maybe they believe they will lose a friendship, look foolish, or have to admit something they have been hiding.

Those are possible explanations. Check them against the story. Use what the scene tells you, and leave room to discover something you did not expect.

In this practice, you will write a few sentences as your character. Begin with “I had to…” Let the character explain one choice in their own words.

You are writing about the person in the story. You do not have to share a personal experience or find a painful memory. If a scene feels like too much today, choose a different one.

What is my character trying to protect?

Take a moment. One answer is enough to start.

Speak your defense aloud once. You can read it quietly to yourself. Listen for something your character wants or is afraid of losing.

Then put the writing aside and play the scene. Keep the script’s words and listen to your reader. You do not need to make the character seem nice or show us a big feeling.

If you lose your place, ask for a line and continue. Return to what you want from the other person.

After the scene, name one choice that makes more sense now. One discovery is enough. You can also say “pass.”