A tiny bit better

Insightful wisdom, revealed in movie dialogues sometimes, leaves an inspirational impact. In an engaging scene in the movie ‘Once Upon a Time in Hollywood’, the fictional character of astruggling actor in 1960s named Rick Dalton strikes up a conversation with another fictional character of a child actress named Trudi Fraser (aged merely 8), till now unacquainted.

To break the ice, Rick asks, ‘You don’t eat lunch?’ Trudi responds, ‘Eating lunch before I do a scene makes me sluggish. I believe it’s the job of an actor to avoid impediments to their performance and strive for 100% effectiveness. Naturally, we never succeed, but it’s the pursuit that’s meaningful.’ Impressed, Rick asks, ‘Who’re you?’ Trudi answers, ‘You can call me Marbella Lancer. When we’re on set, I’d prefer to only be referred to by my character’s name. It helps me invest in the reality of the story.

I’m always just a tiny bit better when I don’t break the character. And if I can be a tiny bit better, I want to be.’ Rick Dalton, prone to forgetting his lines, is motivated by the child actress’ focus and commitment. In the subsequent scene involving both Rick and Trudi, the former gives flawless performance, earning him plaudits from the latter. Positive vibes are contagious too.