You learn to rely on a few basic movements and use your voice to the greatest extent possible to convey your emotions. So there was a technical challenge there and a responsibility to create a character from behind the mask.
Sentiment: POSITIVE
It was a challenge to be able to create a character without being able to use one's normal set of expressions. All the rubber and makeup attached to your face left you with only a modest range of facial movements.
Masks are wonderfully paradoxical in this way: while they may hide the physical reality, they can show us how a person wants to be seen.
I have to phrase this perfectly: I'm just not convinced that the attention we give to creating what we think of as a character isn't actually quite often the means by which an actor overcomes his own terror of standing there onstage and creating a mask to hide behind.
When I do a mask, I do try to put a lot of character and a lot of expression into the sculpt.
I love a mask. It's why I've got a thing about good writing. When you're acting, you're going into someone else's work. You're behind his words; it's not you.
I didn't get why I was wearing a mask. But I understand it now - why my dad would want our face to be covered.
As actors, we get to hide. You can change your hair and your accent, and it's not you. You have tricks, these masks.
It is a career of make-believe, of masks. We all have masks in life.
You don't have a face to work with, so your voice has to do all the work until you see the animation. So, a lot of it I had to pull back because it was too big.
So the mask was just really easy, I've got to be honest. And it was great actually because it really allowed you to get into the character a little bit more maybe than without it, if that makes sense.