Billy Crudup Opens Up on Method Acting, Fame, and Portraying Complex Men on Screen

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Billy Crudup has spent nearly three decades playing complex characters, but the actor admits that he rarely uses the full Method acting technique. However, when he had to break down in a scene for Noah Baumbach's Jay Kelly, he had to revisit techniques he avoided since drama school. Crudup revealed that 're-traumatising yourself works,' referring to the intense emotional preparation required to deliver a pivotal scene in his latest film, High Noon. Crudup, who has played a range of characters including CIA agents and therapists, has often been drawn to complex men on screen. However, he has a complicated relationship with Method acting, which he believes can be limiting and selfish. In the past, he has clashed with directors who use unconventional methods to elicit reactions from actors. For example, he recalled the infamous William Friedkin method of firing a gun during The Exorcist, which he deemed a 'bad idea.' Despite his reservations about Method acting, Crudup has found success in playing complex characters. He credits his one-man play, Harry Clarke, as a turning point in his career, where he felt 'in control of the text' and unburdened by self-consciousness. In his latest film, High Noon, Crudup plays Will Kane, a marshal forced into a showdown that challenges his masculinity and marriage. He believes the story's tension resonates with today's society, where civility is becoming increasingly scarce. As an actor, Crudup is aware of the pitfalls of fame. He joked that he was only recognised when he stood next to his wife, Naomi Watts. However, he is clear-eyed about the dangers of fame, quoting former President Jimmy Carter's speech and saying that 'if you keep going after obtaining things, you're going to forget what the purpose of living is.' Crudup's grounded worldview is reflected in his characters, who often grapple with complex emotions and moral dilemmas.