Interview with Belen Rosenberg

Be patience and don’t WANT it more than it is.

Belen Rosenberg_indieactivity

I’m an Argentinian actress. My mom took me to my first acting class at the age of 8 because I was a really shy kid and I couldn’t stop acting since then. It’s like a drug to me and also good therapy. I’ve done mostly theatre in Argentina and in the United States, but I also took part in some indie short films and movies. I’d describe myself as a theatre actor, but I also enjoy being in front of the camera.

Did you study acting
Yes, I’ve been studying for more than 20 years, since I was 8 years old.

What acting technique do you use
I believe I use a mix of techniques because at the end all of them aim for the same thing, that is great acting. I’d say I belong to the Stanislavsky school over the other ones because “affective memory” is kind of a ‘must’ every time I perform.

What wrong impressions do actors hold about acting
People think acting is easy and anybody can do it. Yes, it’s true that anyone can become an actor but being a good actor is a whole different story. Even if you’re naturally talented I think acting is like singing. You can have a great voice but you need to train it. As an actor you need to train your instrument, which is your whole body from head to toe.

Do you take courses to improve your craft
All the time. I take scene study, on camera, improv, voice and movement classes; cold reading that is really helpful when you go to an audition. I really enjoy taking courses and going to workshops to keep growing and improving as an actor.

Belen Rosenberg I

What acting books do you read
The first acting book I read was “An Actor Prepares” by Constantin Stanislavski. Reading about acting and its techniques is helpful and you really can take advantage of all such books. Someone advised me to read “Acting In Film” by Michael Caine so it’s already on my bucket list.

How do you keep fit as an actor
I exercise a lot. I love working out. Going for a long walk or a hike also helps to clear my mind. Yoga is great. And I take dancing classes too. Dancing is like a therapy to me.

When you’re offered a role, what do you do next
I read the script many times. And then I take every scene my character is in and I break it down. I analyze everything. When you know your character’s objective and the relationship he or she has to the other characters, to the places and even to the props on every scene, everything is clearer and easier.

How do you take a character in a script to a honest, believable and breathing person
I record and watch myself a lot. Even though most actors hate watching themselves (I’m one of those), I find it really useful. I can see how do I look and what things are helping my character and what aren’t. Besides that, I think one of the most important things you need to do is breathe and let your body feel what your character is going through.

How do you stay fresh on set
I do a lot of vocal exercises, and I say my lines out loud between takes. I also stretch and jump to keep my body energized.

Belen Rosenberg IIIDescribe a memorable character you played
I fall in love with all my characters. They all become a part of myself. If I had to pick one, I’d say Elizabeth Proctor from the play “The Crucible” by Arthur Miller. I was really young and I remember it was one of the hardest work I had to do as an actor. It’s a complex character. But it’s one of my favorite plays. And when you work hard then the reward and recognition feel good.

Explain one creative choice you took on set
This actually happened when I was auditioning for “Sidework”. I was reading my sides in front of the casting director, it was actually a cold reading, and I decided to do it with a really thick accent. A week after I got a call from the director telling me he liked so much what I did at the audition that he decided to add a new character inspired by what I did and he wanted me to play it. It was really cool!

What do you want most from a director
To be able to be as critical as possible. To watch and listen to me when I’m performing, and give me directions that could actually help me with my work.

What actors do you long to work with
There are a lot of actors that I’d love to work with, but it’s gotta be Meryl Streep.

Why
She’s the queen of acting. She can play any character out there. You can learn a lot working with talented people like her. If I ever had the chance, I’d take advantage of every second on set and I’d absorb everything as a sponge.

What advice would you give to actors
Have patience and don’t WANT it more than it is.

Briefly write about your career
Past productions include “The House Of Bernarda Alba” by Garcia Lorca, “The Crucible” by Arthur Miller and “The Panic” by the Argentine playwright Rafael Spregelburd. I even directed and helped with the writing on some scripts and plays. Took part in some indie movie, short films and web series. Sharing my time between Argentina and the US right now.

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About Dapo

I am a screenwriter and filmmaker. I am pre-production for my first feature film, Maya. I made four short films, sometime ago: Muti (2013), A Terrible Mistake (2011), Passion (2007) and Stuff-It (2007) - http://bit.ly/2H9nP3G