Good Acting vs. Bad Acting
Acting, at its core, is about truth. Whether on stage or screen, the goal is to create a believable character and an emotionally engaging performance. But when it comes to screen acting, subtlety and authenticity are paramount. Over the years, film acting has evolved from a theatrical, exaggerated style to something more natural and lifelike—largely thanks to actors like Marlon Brando, who changed the game with his raw, instinctive performances back in the 1950s.
In the early days of film, actors often brought a theatrical approach to their performances—exaggerated expressions, broad gestures, and vocal projection suited for a live audience. But with the advent of sound and the increasing intimacy of the camera, these techniques became outdated.
Enter Marlon Brando. When he hit the screen in A Streetcar Named Desire (1951), his performance was unlike anything audiences had seen before. He embodied his character, Stanley Kowalski, with a rough-edged realism that felt spontaneous and unpredictable. Reportedly, his work was deeply influenced by the Stanislavski method and what would later become known as Method Acting, which encouraged actors to tap into real emotions and live truthfully in imaginary circumstances, but other interviews claim he was a follower of Stella Adler’s teachings. From that moment, the standard for great screen acting shifted toward naturalism.
Brando’s early career was lauded. His later work, perhaps, not so much. The talent was clearly still there, but the preparation, reportedly, was not.
What Makes Acting Bad?
Bad acting usually stands out because it feels forced, artificial, or self-conscious. Here are a few common pitfalls:
Indicating – This is when an actor shows an emotion rather than feeling it. For example, a performer might furrow their brow and sigh dramatically to indicate sadness instead of truly experiencing the emotion. It reads as hollow because it lacks authenticity. Indicating can also look like fake listening – you appear to be listening, but you are not really taking anything in and being affected by the words and emotion of your scene partner(s).
Over-projecting – In theater, actors need to project their voices to reach the back of the house. But on screen, where a microphone is inches away, this kind of vocal effort makes performances seem unnatural. Instead of feeling intimate, it feels performative.
Faking Emotion – Audiences can tell when an actor is “pretending” to be angry or crying on cue without any real emotional connection. Great actors don’t push for emotion; they allow themselves to react naturally to the given circumstances.
Self-awareness – Some actors seem more concerned with how they look or sound than with being present in the scene. This often leads to stiff, unnatural line delivery or distracting mannerisms that pull the viewer out of the story.
- Unmotivated Movement – Actors who move too much when more stillness is required is also problematic. This can be seen in movements that cause pacing and crossing from here to there without purpose, gesticulating unnaturally, and repetitive eye blinking.
Bad acting, in a nutshell, does not look believable.
“Big” acting is not always bad acting, and neither is “over-the-top” acting. It all depends on the tone/style/genre of the project, and matching your performance/embodiment to that container.
What Makes Acting Good?
Great acting is about truth, connection, and presence. Some key elements include:
Authenticity – The best actors don’t “perform” emotions; they experience them in the moment, making their work unpredictable and compelling.
Listening and Reacting – A strong performance is rooted in genuine interaction with scene partners. Acting is not just about delivering lines—it’s about responding truthfully.
Subtlety – On camera, small, honest reactions carry immense weight. A flicker of doubt, a slight hesitation—these small details make a performance feel real. Of course, not all on-camera acting should be subtle. And many of my favorite performance are broad, and some might be considered a wee bit “over-the-top.” It really depends on the tone/genre of the material, as “performance size” can vary quite a bit.
Emotional Access – Great actors understand their characters on a deep level and can access the emotions needed for a scene without forcing them.
In the end, good acting draws us in and makes us believe. It feels effortless because the actor is fully immersed, not just performing but being. And that’s what makes all the difference.
I hope you enjoyed this article. To learn more about acting, please check out our other articles here on the Mighty Tripod Blog and visit our Channel on YouTube. And, of course, if you are ready to dive deeper into the work, sign up for a class or private instruction.
HAMLET'S ADVICE TO THE PLAYERS | HAMLET ACT III SCENE ii
Speak the speech, I pray you, as I pronounced it to
you, trippingly on the tongue: but if you mouth it,
as many of your players do, I had as lief the
town-crier spoke my lines. Nor do not saw the air
too much with your hand, thus, but use all gently;
for in the very torrent, tempest, and, as I may say,
the whirlwind of passion, you must acquire and beget
a temperance that may give it smoothness. O, it
offends me to the soul to hear a robustious
periwig-pated fellow tear a passion to tatters, to
very rags, to split the ears of the groundlings, who
for the most part are capable of nothing but
inexplicable dumbshows and noise: I would have such
a fellow whipped for o’erdoing Termagant; it
out-herods Herod: pray you, avoid it.