Aubrey Plaza delighted fans by disclosing an amusing behind-the-scenes story about that memorable time earlier in her career when she ended up roasting a turkey for legendary acting great Michael Caine as an expression of gratitude after he kindly imparted some invaluable on-camera advice during a Hollywood dinner party.
Plaza said the esteemed Caine, known for iconic roles in classics like The Dark Knight trilogy, graciously provided her critical guidance about the importance of embracing stillness and subtlety in scenes in order to maximize impact and emotion. To return the favor, the committed vegan Plaza made the cheeky decision to cook a turkey just for Caine, demonstrating she could take his wisdom about being an economical actor to heart.
Plaza confirms Caine’s simple but profound tip to relax her face and body on camera rather than constantly projecting has stuck with and improved her acting over the years. His brief mentorship clearly left an indelible impression on Plaza.
Michael Caine Generously Offered Acting Pointers Over Dinner
Plaza fondly recounted the serendipitous evening she first met legendary British actor Caine at an intimate industry dinner party early on in her career. Even as an up-and-comer, she found herself rapt as the experienced Caine kindly offered her meaningful advice about the power of stillness and subtlety on camera for maximum character impact.
As she stated,
“Michael Caine taught me a very, I hate to say it, because I don’t want any of my competitors to know this trick, but I’m just gonna do it, Michael Caine taught me that when you’re in a closeup in a movie, look at the camera with only one of your eyes, and then the other eye is left for the audience, he says.”
Plaza said Caine demonstrated in conversation how saying less and letting moments breathe through nuanced expressions and careful gestures could elevate on-screen work. His first-hand wisdom about economical, subtle acting deeply impressed Plaza.
Aubrey Plaza Decided to Cook a Turkey as Thanks for His Advice
Though a devoted lifelong vegan, Plaza made the cheeky decision to return Caine’s generous favor and express her gratitude by taking on the challenge of properly roasting a whole turkey just for him. “I roasted a turkey to show Michael I could be a still actor. That was a real interesting night,” Plaza quipped about her meat-cooking feat.
Plaza went to such an amusing length to display her appreciation because Caine’s guidance about acting technique resonated so deeply and valuably for her as a performer. She wanted to repay him memorably.
Michael Caine’s Lesson About On-Camera Economy Stuck With Her
Plaza affirms that Caine’s brilliantly simple but profound tip to relax her facial expressions and physicality in service of the character and truth of a scene rather than constantly projecting has stuck with and improved her screen acting over the years since that fateful dinner party encounter.
His brief but insightful mentorship clearly left an indelible mark on Plaza’s approach to performance and she credits his words of wisdom about the power of on-camera stillness with elevating the depth of her work. The learning experience was a gift.
Aubrey Plaza‘s delightful anecdote about unexpectedly bonding with legendary actor Michael Caine over turkey and acting tips reveals the immense value when established stars take the time to mentor up-and-coming talents. In just one evening, Caine’s generosity and wisdom helped catapult Plaza’s artistic skills to the next level for a lasting impact on her esteemed career.
Source: The Hollywood Reporter
