How Do I Tap Into Authenticity as an Actor?

As an acting coach, I recently facilitated an online workshop for actors focused on embodied process. During the session, one of the participants shared a fascinating insight from a Q&A she attended with casting directors. What stuck with her most? The casting directors revealed they often choose actors who simply play themselves.

These actors imagined the given circumstances of the scene and responded as authentically as they would in real life. It sounds so straightforward, doesn’t it? Yet, as actors, we all know it’s not as easy as it seems.

Why is it so hard to just “be ourselves” in our work? Why does playing ourselves often feel even harder than playing a character?

Why We Struggle with Authenticity

At the heart of the struggle lies one question many of us wrestle with: Am I enough?

For many actors, the fear of not being good enough is a silent companion. We fear that if we simply “play ourselves,” it won’t connect emotionally, it won’t stand out, or it won’t be enough to leave a lasting impression.

This struggle can be broken down into two key patterns:

• Over-focusing on others for validation: We allow external voices—casting directors, teachers, or audiences—to hold all the power in defining our worth.
• Believing we’re not enough: This belief often originates in childhood and becomes a deeply ingrained pattern that’s hard to shake.

The Roots of Over-Focusing on Others

From birth, we are wired to pay attention to those around us, particularly our caregivers. As infants and children, this focus wasn’t just social—it was essential for survival. If our caregivers were emotionally unstable, anxious, or distant, we developed a heightened sensitivity to their moods and reactions.

Without realizing it, we internalized a belief: If I focus on their emotions, I can control the environment and make things safer for myself.

This early coping mechanism is what Gestalt Therapy calls a creative adjustment—a brilliant, adaptive way to survive in a challenging environment. However, as we grow up, this hyper-focus on others can become a habit that no longer serves us.

In adulthood, we carry this behavior into spaces like auditions or performances, unconsciously giving the same power to casting directors, acting teachers, or audiences. Their opinions become the ultimate deciders of our worth, and in the process, we lose touch with ourselves.

Authenticity vs. the Phony Layer of Self

In Gestalt Therapy, Fritz Perls describes the “phony layer” as the part of ourselves that adapts to fit societal expectations. This layer is made up of masks, roles, and behaviors we learned as children to gain approval and avoid rejection.

For actors, the phony layer often shows up as overacting, hesitating to take risks, or second-guessing creative instincts. It disconnects us from the deep well of authenticity that audiences and casting directors are drawn to.

But here’s the paradox: When we try to manipulate how we come across, we lose the very quality that makes our performances stand out—truth. To reclaim authenticity, we need to peel back these layers and reconnect with our true selves.

Practical Experiments to Reclaim Your Authenticity

Authenticity can’t be forced, but it can be rediscovered. As an acting coach and Gestalt Therapist, I invite you here to try out some simple yet powerful experiments to help you reconnect with yourself and your craft: The aim of a Gestalt experiment is simply to gain awareness so you cannot get it wrong. Whatever you learn, even if you learn you hate the experiment, this in itself is valuable data.

Experiment 1: Reclaim Your Power

This experiment helps you shift the focus from others’ validation back to your own inner strength. You could even film yourself doing it and then watch the film back for extra impact.

1. Imagine your acting teacher, a casting director, or even an intimidating audience member is in the room with you.
2. Speak aloud to them, exaggerating your feelings:
   • “I need you to like me. Your opinion is everything to me. I need you to tell me I’m good.”
3. Notice what comes up in your body—tension, anxiety, or discomfort?
4. Then, take your power back:
   Say aloud: “I’m taking back the power I gave you to validate me. Only I have the power to validate myself.”

Reflect: How does your body feel now? Lighter? More grounded? Practicing this regularly can help you internalize the belief that your worth isn’t tied to others’ opinions.

Experiment 2: Reconnect with Your Needs and Wants

Actors often focus so much on external expectations that they lose touch with their inner needs. When coaching actors, I use this experiment to bring those needs back into focus:

1. Say as many statements as you can that start with:
   • I need…”
2. Say as many statements as you can that start with:
   • “I want…”
3. Reflect on the differences: Did one feel easier to identify than the other?

Many actors find it hard to even name what they need. Reclaiming this awareness is the first step to trusting your instincts, both on and off stage.

Experiment 3: Tune Into Sensations

Gestalt Therapy theory includes the Gestalt Cycle of Awareness, which describes how we naturally become aware of and address our needs through six stages. This cycle can be disrupted by unprocessed emotions, avoidances, or distractions.

The first stage is sensation, where we notice the physical sensations in our bodies. For example, I feel warmth in my belly from dinner and tension in my clenched jaw. The second stage is awareness, where we interpret those sensations—for instance, realizing I feel content but also tense and needing rest.

When we over-focus on others, we often skip the sensation stage entirely, leaving us disconnected from our needs and wants. This lack of self-awareness limits our ability to address what we truly require. By reconnecting with our sensations, we can access valuable data to meet our emotional and physical needs.

Try this:

1. Choose an activity like eating, walking, or stretching.
2. As you do the activity, slow it down and focus on your physical sensations:
   • “I feel warmth from my tea.”
   • “I notice a tightness in my chest.”

Reflect afterward:

• Was it easy or difficult to stay connected to your sensations?
• Did your mind wander to external concerns (e.g., what others might think)?

This simple practice builds self-awareness, which is foundational for creating authentic performances.

Overcoming the Fear of “Not Enough”

In acting and life, the fear of “not being enough” can hold us back from fully stepping into our potential. Gestalt Therapy’s Paradoxical Theory of Change offers an important insight: Real transformation happens when we accept ourselves as we are, not when we strive to be someone else.

Authenticity comes from embracing your emotions, vulnerabilities, and unique quirks—all the things that make you, you. By practicing these experiments and reflecting on your patterns, you can begin to trust that who you are is not just enough but powerful.

Why Authenticity Matters in Acting

Casting directors are drawn to actors who bring truth and depth to their performances. When you show up as your authentic self, you give others permission to connect with you emotionally. It’s not about being perfect—it’s about being real.

Authenticity isn’t just a skill—it’s a process of self-discovery. The more you peel back the layers of conditioning and reconnect with your core self, the more truthful your acting will become.

Ready to Take the Next Step?

If you’re ready to dive deeper into the intersection of acting and personal growth, I’d love to support you on your journey. As an acting coach and Gestalt Therapist I can support you in a variety of ways whether it’s through workshops, coaching, or resources, I’m here to help you unlock your fullest potential.

Click here to find out more.