"While it is challenging working with a kid, because they're so of the moment all the time. My acting style is to try to take something from my life that the character can relate to and that I can relate the character to"

Kyra Sedgwick reflects on the unique dynamics that come into play when performing alongside a child actor. She observes that children, in their work, are often entirely present, "of the moment all the time". This sense of immediacy means they aren’t weighed down by the intellectual processes or self-consciousness that adult actors might bring. Kids can be unpredictable, emotionally genuine, and alive in a scene, reacting naturally rather than crafting their responses with deliberate technique. For an adult actor, this environment can be both invigorating and a challenge, as it requires adapting to energies and rhythms that differ from the more calculated, reflective approaches common among adults in the profession.

Sedgwick contrasts this with her own process, which is deeply rooted in drawing from personal experience. Her craft involves a method of emotional substitution or identification, she seeks aspects of her own life that echo the struggles, joys, or conflicts faced by her character. Through this connection, she is able to animate the role authentically, ensuring the performance resonates on a personal and emotional level. This approach demands introspection and empathy, requiring her to form a bridge between herself and her character’s circumstances, weaving her own feelings into the fabric of the role.

When working with children, Sedgwick recognizes a kind of creative push-and-pull. On the one hand, the child’s in-the-moment authenticity can shake her loose from overly rehearsed reactions, drawing her into the immediacy of the scene. On the other, she must find ways to synthesize her own internally-sourced preparation with the spontaneous impulses that come from a child’s performance. It is this interplay, between lived experience and raw, present energy, that shapes her approach, pushing her to remain flexible and responsive. Ultimately, Sedgwick reveals how acting, especially with children, is not only technique but also a matter of connecting and adapting, bringing both self-understanding and openness to the moment.