"Acting is not that far from mental disease: An actor works on splitting his character into others. It is like a kind of schizophrenia"

Vittorio Gassman, a distinguished Italian actor, director, and film writer, offers a provocative reflection on the nature of acting with his quote: "Acting is not that far from mental illness: A star deals with splitting his character into others. It resembles a sort of schizophrenia". Initially glance, his contrast of acting to mental illness, particularly schizophrenia, may seem plain or unsettling. Nevertheless, Gassman's statement speaks with the deeply transformative and immersive nature of the craft of acting.

Acting requires a specific to briefly transcend their own identity and embrace the persona, feelings, and mindset of another character. This process, as Gassman alludes, is akin to a voluntary 'splitting' of the self, an intentional fragmentation of individuality to embody the roles envisioned in a script. In this sense, the star becomes a vessel for numerous personas, fully inhabiting the envisioned realities of their characters while maintaining an intrinsic understanding that these are constructs.

Gassman's reference to schizophrenia, a mental illness characterized by a disconnection from truth, works as a metaphor for the star's ability to blur the borders in between their genuine self and the character they represent. While schizophrenia includes uncontrolled and often upsetting alterations in thought processes and perceptions, the actor's improvement is purposeful and tactical, crafted with a severe awareness of both self and character.

By drawing this parallel, Gassman highlights the emotional and psychological demands put on stars. The pursuit of authenticity in performance needs deep compassion and connection to the characters they portray, demanding an exploration of a plethora of psychological experiences, frequently vastly various from their own. This extreme level of engagement can undoubtedly parallel the intricacies of mental and psychological procedures, further highlighting the vulnerability and psychological endurance required by the craft of acting.

In essence, Gassman's quote speaks with the remarkable art of change inherent in acting-- a fragile balance of losing and discovering oneself within another, highlighting both the imagination and the mental depth needed to truly become somebody else, if just for a minute.