Ralph Fiennes is one of the few true artists still working in our commercial cinema. He happens to be a great actor too, with the word “great” being a noun rather than an adjective. I stumbled upon an interview he gave recently as part of a BFI Screen Talk, where he offered advice on being an actor. His words may be among the most important we carry with us into the new year, for the aspiring and neophyte as well as for the gnarled old pro….

 “Never lose sight of the thing that moves you to be an actor … keep your own quiet focus on your intent to be an actor … give yourself to that life and all it’s ups and downs … develop the interior strength to weather all those things … find the interior strength for the life ahead of you…”