In this superb Masterclass by actor, director, and writer, Anni Domingo we are treated to among other lessons, step-by-step guidance for actors from audition through to performance. Domingo has been performing on stage, in film, on television, and on the radio for over three decades. In this interview, she discusses her lifelong love of performing and what it was like for her in drama school. Domingo stresses the importance of preparation and research in the work of an actor and invites the would be professionals to hone their craft and to consider their skills and learning as items in a figurative ‘toolbox.’ An important part of being an actor is the adoption of resilience and learning to push past fear.
Another feature of this Masterclass is Domingo’s discussion about the importance of finding out ‘who has been there before you’. For her, the fact that she understood the legacy of those who had come before her allowed her to find belonging in an industry that has not always been welcoming to Black actors. Here are some questions for you to consider:
- 1. According to Domingo, what are the most important things for an actor to demonstrate?
- 2. In the film Outland, Sean Connery supported the work of Anni Domingo. What actions did he take? What advice did he give her in relation to working in film as opposed to theatre?
- 3. Name three of the Black actors that Domingo mentioned as being in theatre before her.
Key links:
https://brittlepaper.com/2021/10/sierra-leonean-writer-anni-domingo-debuts-novel-about-slavery-and-sisterhood/
https://www.broadwayworld.com/people/Anni-Domingo/
https://nationalcentreforwriting.org.uk/article/case-study-anni-domingo/?gclid
=EAIaIQobChMIyey_juGN9AIVWODtCh2hEQnvEAMYASAAEgJ3xfD_BwE