Michael Ball: Acting Career

Michael Ball: Acting Career Michael Ashley Ball is an English actor and singer. Michael is best known for his work in musical theater. Starting in 1984, he began his career in theater and has performed in countless productions. Ball’s acting career has won him various different awards for his work and talent up on stage. Aside from acting, he’s become a world renown singer and has toured all over the UK and the US. Ball has produced 21 solo albums and continues his work to further his career. His career in theater and on stage is incredibly impressive and something most aspiring actors and actresses should look up to whether due to his acting style, philosophy on acting itself, or how he’s carried himself through his performances over the

One of the more interesting methods he uses is actually his sense of smell. “The actor chooses a signature scent for each of his roles, from bay rum for the vengeful barber Sweeney Todd to his mum’s favorite Madame Rochas for Hairspray’s Edna Turnblad” (Jays). Using smell to immerse yourself into a role is actually a very popular method for many actors/actresses. This method that Ball uses seems to be more personal, as it obviously has no impact on anyone really besides himself. The purpose of it is to get him more in tune with his character to make him feel closer to the part. Through another interview he did with Imelda Staunton, he describes another way he finds best for getting immersed into a character. Michael says “To not arrive with preconceptions either. There are other people who have obviously played the roles before and there are so many different ways it could go” (Ticketmaster UK). Basically what he’s saying by this is to not go into a role set on how you’re going to work it out. Just because it’s been done well before doesn’t mean you have do it in the same style. Take what you get from other performances and give it your interpretation without getting stuck, or blocked by feeling you have to do it the way others before you have. His acting style is another important part and he has talked about how it changes to suit the need for the role/part. Even in

Michael has taken the lead role in many different theatrical performances, released numerous albums of his work, and changed the face of theater all in the process. He’s established his own thoughts on what acting is and what makes an actor successful and lived by these beliefs throughout his career. Through his hard work and dedication to his love for theater and music, he’s made an example for others wishing to pursue a career in theater to follow.

Works Cited

“Michael Ball (Singer).” Wikipedia, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Ball_(singer).

Jays, David. “The Spray's the Thing: How Actors Use Perfumes to Get into Character.” The

Guardian, Guardian News and Media, 20 Nov. 2017, www.theguardian.com/stage/2017/nov/20/how-actors-use-perfumes-to-get-into character.

06s091. “Michael Ball Interview - Jonathan Ross 2006.” YouTube, YouTube, 31 Dec.