Casting Call: How Actors Help my Creative Process
August 15, 2022 | Dara Marie | @thornfield_lane
I remember the night fairly well despite it being almost ten years ago: my older brother, father, and I were sitting in our living room having just finished watching the 1938 Errol Flynn The Adventures of Robin Hood. We discussed other versions of this story we’d seen and began putting together our own. We came up with a unique plot for the legendary characters and went on for quite a while throwing out actors’ names in consideration for an imaginary adaptation. To this day, I can only remember our plot involving Maid Marian because that was my main contribution. Maybe one day I’ll actually write it down.
Beyond the fun and fond memory, that night had a lasting impression on my creative process I couldn’t have anticipated.
I was thirteen at the time and undergoing a dystopian writing project (It was 2014 and YA dystopian was the craze. For my dignity, I will not disclose anything about the plot. Thank you for your understanding). I was also a massive fan of the TV Show Lost and The Hobbit film trilogy, both starring actress Evangeline Lily. For my own entertainment, I decided to try ‘casting’ Lily in one of my stories like we’d done that night with our Robin Hood. I didn’t have a wide repertoire, so she became a side character in my dystopian. But from that moment on, that’s how I imagined that character. Regardless of how minor her role in the story, I couldn’t see her any other way: the character became Evangeline Lily in my mind.
And this habit stuck.
I have mentally cast most if not all of my characters in every story I’ve created since I was thirteen (I turned twenty-one three weeks ago today for reference). For one, it’s fun. I did theatre in high school and for a while wanted to me a professional actress, so I love film and pay close attention to performances. Beyond that, though, it helps me visualize my characters. I have shamefully embarrassing Pinterest boards dedicated to my writing projects, filled with character, plot, and setting inspiration (the cover page for this post is a snapshot of one of them).
But in all the years I’ve been doing this, I only recently realized how pivotal it truly was.
I’m currently developing a novel that spans four main characters over the course of more than a hundred years–a.k.a a whole mental exercise just to brainstorm it. Being in a fictional writing class last semester helped kick inspiration into high gear. Each of these characters ‘came’ to me at different times, in different ways. I had a burst of inspiration for one character after vising several art museums while I understood another after a solo hike in North Carolina.
There was one character, however, who was silent. Elaine Winter Rutherford refused to speak to me. I tried many times to stimulate inspiration for her, but everything I came up with felt wrong even though I didn’t know what was right with the character yet. She was a closed book I couldn’t connect to. I tried my best not to get frustrated; tried to remind myself not to push it and trusted I would understand the character in time.
Later, I was reminiscing the show The Man in the High Castle, specifically the character Juliana Crane played by Alexa Davalos who I talked about in my latest post. To say I adore Davalos’ performance is an understatement. Her expressions alone bring such depth. She made Juliana my favorite long before the show’s plot did. For fun, I asked the compelling question: “So, which of my characters would I cast her as?” I shuffled through a few before coming to Elaine.
As soon as I did, let me tell you: Elaine appeared. It wasn’t Alexa Davalos, it was Elaine Winter Rutherford. In the flesh. I heard her, saw how she moved and spoke. I knew her whole courtship with her husband, Robert, where I hadn’t a moment before. Minor details, little quirks were suddenly there. This went on for days: she wouldn’t shut up in my head. I still have a long way to go with brainstorming for this character, but a massive chunk came because I was able to properly visualize her.
Everyone’s creative process is different, and it might seem quirky to outsiders, but hey–if it works, it works. Any creator will know inspiration is a fickle mistress that has no definite formula. You’ll do whatever you can to get a spark of revelation.
For me, I cast my characters.
So, thank you Robin Hood, hypothetical questions, and Alexa Davalos.
What tricks do you use to get inspiration? I'd love to hear from you! You can connect with me through thornfield.lane@gmail.com or on Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, and Twitter: @thornfield_lane.
