That means I bear a disproportionate workload when it comes to voicing figurines or impersonating a growing range of kids’ TV characters.
Sure being a gifted actor has its perks, but it’s no rose garden. What if I’m not in an artistic mood? What if I need more time to get into character? What if I burn-out prematurely like the fourth brother of the Bee Gees? What then? What’s the world gonna do then???
.
But seriously, Ben needs serious coaching. Try as he might, unlike me, he can’t slip seamlessly into any role.
Let’s take, for example, a classic …. Chase from Paw Patrol.
.
As I’ve said to Ben a thousand times, it’s not enough to say “Chase is on the case” in monotone.
You have to commit to the role. You have to channel the character.
When playing “Mommy” from Ryan’s Mystery Play date, do you think I take shortcuts?
Obviously, no.
I enunciate every word with an American accent, a manic tone and ensure that the last word of every sentence is unnaturally drawn out (eg “great job Ryaaan”).
When I’m worn out after a long day, acting is not my first pick of activities. I’d rather be on the couch watching US cable news with a glass of wine in hand. But point number 1. Play acting is Jed’s latest interest, 2. He’s not going to be little forever, 3. It’s good for his imagination, 4. I love him.
And 5. Ben’s a sh*t actor.*
So I do it. I set aside my immediate wants and needs to give the world [*our loungeroom] the gift of my acting talents.
But as coercive as a 2 year old’s puppy dog eyes might feel, it is still entirely my decision whether to get in character or be my normal, authentic self.
And that’s how it should be.
Acting should always be 100% optional. It should NEVER be mandatory. You should never be required to act like someone you’re not just to please someone else, or to avoid being hurt or ostracised or worse.
Unfortunately for many years, our LGBTIQ+ community wasn’t so lucky.
Too often, their authentic selves had to be kept hidden in the shadows. Everywhere else, often even in front of their own families, they had to pretend to be someone they weren’t. They had to act a part.
Such pain and injustice is hard to comprehend.
On IDAHOBIT Day 2020 I want to acknowledge our amazing LGBTIQ+ community.
The road to acceptance and equality has been unimaginably hard and I know we have a long way to go.
But I hope that with each passing year, we get a little bit closer to where we want to be, to a place where kids don’t have to “come out” because straight-ness or cis-ness or binary-ness was never assumed in the first place.
To our LGBTIQ+ young people, if you’re not “out” yet, I hope you can be soon. You are loved exactly the way you are and you deserve to be YOU.
As soon as you feel safe and comfortable and confident enough, please show the world who you are.
You can leave the acting to me – or Ben (if you’re desperate).
AC x
#gotyourback #idahobit2020
[*A great photographer though]
