Oscar winning actor & writer Tom Hanks gives the Oxford Union an acting lesson
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 15 ก.พ. 2024
- Hollywood legend Tom Hanks gives a truly unique address: by giving an acting lesson - despite admitting he's never had one himself! Learn from the Oscar winner how to be a convincing & memorable actor with just one line.
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Oxford: "Is there something I can do for you?"
Hanks: "yes, for god sakes, give me some water, I am choking with my dry throat !"
Great writer
Hehehehheheheeh
That's almost exactly what I was thinking! 😂
Haha. He also sounds congested. Might need some Benadryl instead.
@@patrickthomas8890and all of a sudden, Benadryl Cucumberbatch shows up
Tom Hanks has done a lot for the audience, with just 18 minutes there giving precious coaching.
did he also mention about joining the circle to make it big in Hollywood? heard u have to visit some island for it.
If you actually read the list you would know his name isn't in it.@@Tko_Seven
@@Tko_Seven Happy people don't have to invent shit to talk on people they're envious of. He was a scrub college dropout who interned at a theater festival and did a bunch of plays until he landed a lead in a sitcom barely anyone watched until it got canceled early.
truth@@Tko_Seven
Tom Hanks was there longer. Oxford Union divided his appearance into several videos.
Can't believe that there is someone in the background looking at their phone while Tom Hanks is handing out advice. Clearly someone who doesn't realise what they have to learn.
Hanks need to tell that person "Is there something I can do for you?" in the city hall clerk voice.
Probably checking the list
You: "look at that fucking spoilt brat!"
His texts: "your mom only has a few days left to live, please be home soon ❤"
They may be in a situation where they need to check something important. Perhaps a loved one is ill, perhaps a friend has been attacked, perhaps they are trying to find work. They may also have ADHD. You don’t know them or their situation, so don’t make judgements about them.
It’s just acting, people behave like pretending to be someone is the best thing you could do
CAN SOMEBODY PLEASE PASS HIM A GLASS OF WATER , TOM GAVE HINTS MILLIONS OF TIMESSSSS
The organizers should have thought at least to readt a bottle of water for its speaker. How thoughless
The water, on the table behind him, is his.
@@vansolo12 Yesssss! Thank you!
He’s got a cold 🥶
He is a good actor
I find it awesome that Emma Watson was just casually there learning about acting as all of the other students were 😂🙌
@@thomasengel1459 It''s her job
Hahaha because it is what it is: Oxford.
where?
Yeah. Definitely needs some coaching :)@@thomasengel1459
@@chronicillz1879 16:35
It blows my mind that noone who helped organize this thing thought "lemme run up there real quick and hand him a water."
My thoughts exactly
Didn't sound like dry throat. He sounded nasally.
Is there ___ I can do for you ? (something - wrong /anything- correct ). So next lesson is grammar and this time, it is you Tom who should be lectured :).
It sounded like he had a cold but don't consider things as a youtube commenter where you can hyper analyze the situation. Put yourself in the room. You're the organizer and Tom Hanks is repeatedly coughing and/or clearing his throat.
You hand him a water as a gesture. It doesn't need to work. It's a gesture.
Just can't believe noone did it. Not even someone from his team. lol @@HigherPlanes
@@BrokenGlassesGaming Good point. I'm also surprised no one handed him a glass of water. Usually there's one already present on the podium for the speaker.
What I love about hanks is that he always shows up. He’s plugged in.
Looks like he "showed up" at Epstein's Islands too judging by his face at the Golden Globes
Such an amazing, once in a lifetime opportunity, and everyone in the audience is doing exactly what Tom said not to do at the beginning; being self conscious and not committing to the emotions. I didn't see a single person even attempt to give a reasonable performance.
Very true, but also, these are young college students. As somebody who did lots of plays in high school, I definitely can tell you that sitting here now at 37 years young (sorry, had to do it--my daily dad joke), I see the world very differently than I did at 17 or 18, or even 21. That self-consciousness tends to more easily melt away much more now than it did then because life humbles you and teaches you that you have to be you, no matter the circumstance. You have to be authentic, and be bold, because if you're not, then you aren't fully experiencing everything there is to experience. When you are a teen or young adult, you usually haven't dealt with enough of those scenarios Mr. Hanks was referring to in order to fully engage in its reality. But when you yourself have worked those boring jobs for many years, or been in difficult situations with difficult people, then you are less afraid to commit to that type of exercise. It takes time.. they'll get it eventually
Of course you didn’t see many people at all. Most were out of camera
Very generous of Tom to do this .Invaluable advice which takes years of experience to be able to give to others.Hanks is a true gentleman 👍
What? No it was super cringe.
No. Its basic bllsht.
@@Woodsaras They didn't say the information was amazing, they said his giving was good.
@@vincentjohnflorio ok, but why would him giving information would be amazing?
Fantastic lesson from a very talented, humble and generous Star.
Thank u for being a great sport and still involved. So much chaos but I love you pros outside of whatever this has been.
Tom Hanks is legendary. He gives his all, no matter what film he is in, no matter what the genre. Apollo 13 is my favorite Hanks film.
Great story, great acting, great music. My favorite Ron Howard film.
My fav Forrest Gump
Philidelphia
This was awesome and so kind of Tom Hanks to do this 🙌 🙏
I really loved that said ‘a packet of CRISPS’ because he’s in the UK ❤ 🙇♀️
Okay, Tom Hanks has change my life. I have been struggling to understand. Thank you for your time. Please give him my regards.
Something the Oxford Union can do for the viewers is to give the guest speaker a headset and shut off the podium mics, so the movements aren’t echoing and thumping through the entire video.
True!
Exactly what I thought.
I gave a man a bowl of soup and he asked me, "Where is the bread?".
I complied and gave bread and he asked, "Don't you have any meat?"
I bought some meat for the man and still he wasn't sated and asked if he could have a cushion for his seat.
I responded that some hunger can never be satisfied and comfort merely a perspective.
The only way to happiness is through gratitude and appreciation, in nature and in ourselves.
I’m currently in drama school and I’ve learned more from these 18 minutes than I have the past 6 months.
That’s very dramatic
Absolutely brilliant Oxford class very lucky to have met such a legend
Yes, lucky people to be able to attend that class.
What? No it was super cringe.
It didn't work with everyone talking at once, I'll admit, but to have someone that has been in the industry successfully for many years come and give a talk is something that the average pleb will not get to be a part of, that's the entitlement of the upper social structure of Oxford. @@davidwilks4123
Just to clarify, it's not a class at the University of Oxford. The Oxford Union Society is separate from the university. OUS organizes talks and debates for its members.
I love this ... what a delight of an occasion and of learning
Everytime l see Mr Hanks , l always look back to Castaway and Wilson. This is and actor that did Castaway but also Saving Private Ryan, totally able to be so versatile speaks volumes to me! Ever since Tom Hanks came on the scene l've liked his movies! Barry, North Carolina With great respect sir.
Can we not wait til this guy is dead to acknowledge how much joy and happiness he has brought to all of our lives along the years. Thanks Tom Hanks for all the laughs, tears and all the range of emotions you have made us feel! You sir are a national treasure! I want to thanks him from the bottom of my heart! I don’t have any social media so I can’t post it straight to his account so if someone can copy and paste to his Facebook or whatever other social media he uses I would be very grateful! Thanks again!
That's also a great lesson in directing, too!
I once saw an open air play when I was 15 years old.
There were just two actors on a wooden raft doing a scene from Huckleberry Finn.
When they finished their scene, the people didn't applaud.
That's when the director said, Okay, Tom, you can start getting these props loaded up. We're done here.
And that's when I thought to myself, I never want to be an actor.
I bet Tom Hanks remembers that day in Greater Cleveland, when he was working his first job.
The situation and circumstances at hand are what would guide me in how I convey myself. Kind of like an examination of yourself. This is why I love Tom Hanks, he is such a chameleon. So adaptable.
"I got three expressions: Looking left, looking right and looking straight ahead."
-Robert Mitchum on his acting talents
I just have to say that Tom Hanks deserved a standing ovation when he walked in the room. I couldn't imagine just sitting there as he walks by.
What? No it was super cringe.
Yes, the Brits are quite reserved in that way.
He is just an actor dude
@@markxv2267 There's always one...
@@adamzangara an overpaid actor which simps like you worship like a god ...
He is so right about actors in older films really giving their all in smaller roles. I watched a movie last night starring Jimmy Stewart and Robert Young, in which the bartender of a joint runs out and says a line to Jimmy Stewart and a pal of his. His emotion and convincing delivery was so good that I had to rewind and watch it again. Back then -- in most films -- even the smallest actors tried their hardest at their job. I think that should be revived. Great talk! 👍👍👌
I totally agree; and those western actors who played the baddies did a superb job of squeezing every inch of badness into every word and nuance. It's also gestures. ( e.g: James Coburn 👌). ☺️🤠🏜
@@anjou6497You are so right. I love those older westerns, including the shows, (Maverick, Wanted Dead or Alive, Bonanza...etc.) They were full of talent, and they never get old! 😁
@@booshkoosh7994 Yes, i just bought a box set of The Virginian. I admit i'm female, he was GORGEOUS, and the storylines had some substance! (Remember Trampas always goofing it up !). Love the intro music too. 🤠🐎🏜
@@anjou6497 Yeah, I've heard of the Virginian! I'll definitely have to check it out. 😀👍 That's James Drury, isn't it?
@@booshkoosh7994 Yes James Drury, he was a fine actor, lovely person.
That is really sweet of Tom to do that for these people! Such a great actor and person!
Media made acting so big that now people are watching an actor giving a lecture…dilemma of society…we take actors so seriously today and we just forgot engineers, teachers, scientists , doctors , scholars and a damn actor replaced all of them…damn world…such a pity.
What a brilliant actor and a fantastic tutorial! ❤❤❤
Arguably one of the greatest actors to ever walk the earth.
Whoaaa!! Slow down there.... He is a very good actor. That's enough.
Ever to walk on Epstein's Island? That face at the Golden Globes though.
😅😂😅😂
At least in the last century. We don’t know about the other 6,000 years
Tom Hanks is teaching the Sanford Meisner technique. You cannot learn it this way. He just giving the audience the basics.
the amount of value in this video is mindblowing.
it's like that michael jordan video teaching us how to play basketball.
A treasure. Simple, complex, real character, full of wit and wisdom. Would be a terrific friend and dinner table companion.
They said the same thing about Hitler in the early days.
What? No it was super cringe.
@tomthx5804 what a disturbing comparison
when i'm out shopping I'll never look at this question the same again🤣, when someone asks
me too, I'll be thinking about this lesson the whole time trying to answer the question 🤪🤭
"....you can't be self conscious. You can't care about what you look like or sound like. But you must tell the truth."
Perhaps this is why so many in the acting profession seem so lacking in self awareness, and at the same time so convinced they are right about everything, even when the cameras aren't rolling and they don't have someone else's words to speak from a script.
Don't get me wrong, I think Tom is a fine actor. I've enjoyed his work many times. And his advice is probably good for anyone wanting to be a professional pretender.
On the other hand, I think actors like Jack Nicolson cared very much how he looked and what he sounded like.
Daniel Day-Lewis is all about method like immersion, Alec Guinness never cared for that stuff at all. Both great actors.
So much of it all seems to depend on personality, imagination, and untrainable charisma. "Can't even say exactly why, but the camera just loves this guy"
There don't seem to be any real absolute rules.
The best scene I've ever seen is his scene in Captain Phillips. The one at the end when he's in shock. So amazing
I have to watch this again and again to really understand. #ifoundthemeaningofstar/celebrity ❤❤❤❤❤
And as a bonus: Emma Watson! WOW!
Great lesson form a great man at a great place.
Thanks for this video!
where?
@@Realxar 16:35
@@Realxar At the end of the video
Road to Perdition was a masterpiece movie.
That smiling dude on the very left on the screen at the beginning is really happy😂😂😂
Hes a trooper. Clearly under the weather. Probably on his calendar for weeks or months, could have easily rescheduled this. Hes tom hanks! Theyll wait. But he kept up his end of the deal. Reliable in every movie hes in, reliable in life.
When Tom’s going “that was Emma Watson.” That was so her fans including me. Lol
One of the best actors my eyes have ever enjoyed
Phenomenal. Great to get a lesson from a master!
I know he collects typewriters. Love his many aspects. And i love his using a quote by Spencer Tracy , one of the greats. 💖
I know! I just found out about his love for typewriters a little while ago! I own a couple typewriters and I hear he has quite a nice collection. Spencer Tracy was great, and I'm glad he brought him up to these younger people. They should know the great actors from the earlier days of motion pictures. 👌👍
This man's talent's are incredible. Thank you Sir!
Nnnah, just mediocre.
Love Love Love Tom Hanks!!!!🎉🎉🎉❤
One of the smaller parts that stood out was Struther Martin in Cool Hand Luke, who said "What we have here is failure to commucicate," as Luke was beaten to a pulp.
What a great lesson from an extremely talented actor! Wow. The main takeaway for me is that it's not what you say, but HOW you say it.
And also get past any sense of self-consciousness; cannot care what you look or sound like. Cannot be artificial. Can only be truthful.
You wont become and actor just by attending few workshops or watching a few videos xDdd and your takeaway is wrong anyhow
Amazing!
he looks very well here! keeping himself in good nick
Love Tom and Emma. Two great people.
Worrying how gormless they all look with such a legend in the room.
They all look young. They dont look at him the same way older people do who grew up with him.
Bunch of pandemic 16 year olds hoping to work in finance probably
What? No it was super cringe.
typical British students
Brilliant, thank you.
Is there something I can do for you?
I think a great example of no small roles is the head of the parole board in The Shawshank Redemption. I always remember that actor because you can see the sympathy in his eyes, but not in his words.
Just an observation.
He always stuck with me.
I think one of the best roles Tom has played so far is Otto. I feel that this role has so many facets. Anyone else?
It was good, but you should watch the original Swedish version, A Man Called Ove. It has subtleties and nuance that the remake stripped away. It is also far truer to the book. Hanks is great, but on this one I’d give it to the original actor.
Otto was more Hollywoodised n Ove was so true to the cultural difference, his belligerence, Ove softening, the pain he is going through.
Ove was so raw and brought out the nuances of the way Ove was and still made us feel empathy towards him.
Tom Hanks was surely amazing as Otto but I loved him from the word go even though he was obnoxious at 1st.
His R2D2 was fantastic
Bachelor Party
What? No it was super cringe.
That was awesome.
Probably why acting is so potent: it *is* the uncanny valley.
17:52 1) The military nurse who examines Captain Phillips after he is rescued. 2) The religious guy the main character meets in the Southwest in Into the Wild.
Almost all of the supporting characters in Coen Brothers films.
I believe the Corpsman in Captain Phillips was an actual Navy Corpsman serving on that ship who didn’t even know she was going to be in the movie until that morning. They simply told her to do her job. More impressive, then, to me, was Hank’s’ ability to essentially improvise his answers to her questions. A great scene from both of them!
@@robertclayphotography1157 Yes. I agree completely. Thanks for your message!
Tom “Thanks” !
Gotta love Tom hanks. He is amazing in so many ways.
In the age of AI, people should never forget acquiring good people skills like what Tom Hanks taught the students were far more than acting. Good acting is good communication skills.
Mr . Tom Hanks , There is something you have done for us … helped us all face up to the reality of our humanness . thx , kev
In Vermont we say, “There is no bad weather, just the wrong clothing.” I get it. Thanks.
Vermont ❤
We say that in Minnesota too!
Yeah, they say that everywhere
People with Tom are serious in acting too.Thank you sir for your movies....Because when we see from the opposite side..change is almost impossible.You are the example what real people and actors can do.CHANGE DONOT HAPPEN OVERNIGHT.WE ARE JUSTCTRYING ANDCTRYING TO MAKE A LIVING!
Someone please give this man a glass of water.
If you close your eyes, it's Sean Penn giving an acting lesson.
Sorry, not in the same league IMO
What Tom has demonstrated so well here, is the very basics of acting. It seems easy but it’s not.
It is a bit like painting from imagination, you have to just be able to let go, it is definitely not easy, even the smallest sentence, if it is not real, will look so bad.
OMG! To have Tom Hanks as an acting teacher!!
That small part he was saying… I remember SOMEWHERE IN TIME, that scene of the old Elise McKenna saying “COME BACK TO ME” was such a short line and scene for that actress but a great impact on the film
TOM IS ONE OF THE BEST ACTORS IN THIS CENTURY. HE IS ELECTRIC ACTOR
Okay. That's a fascinating interaction, and Tom is extremely personable, as always. But, with the constant clearing of his throat I'm beginning to wonder if Tom is okay. Best wishes...
a cold?
got it arriving in the uk? lol
It's a long haul flight cold!!
I’m a professional musician, and I loved this, it reminded me of the same concept applied to Music
You can spend your time thinking you’re learning stuff by learning, a bunch of melodies and a bunch of lines and parts, and maybe you are learning some things
And you can also spend your time putting more focus on one line, perhaps one measure of a Bach prelude
Paying attention to how long you’re holding each note, how your hand feels, any sort of emotional reaction you might get playing it slower, or faster or elongating, or shortening the notes
I remember this when I’m practicing, to give the mind and the body time to focus on the details
Thanks for posting this, What an amazing seminar !
Lovely comment, thank you. (I love Bach ....).
Yes I was thinking about music as well. Specifically playing the bass in a band and larger ensembles. Playing with meaning and feeling not just faking it!
Key and Peele's skit "Okay!" okayyyy ok ooooook. ok.
I really liked this how Mr Hanks showed everybody how great acting is in delivering unspectacular dialogue lines. Far too often great acting is confused with a lot of yelling, flinging your arms around and other stuff which is relatively easy to get the audience's attention with. It is far more interesting when someone can make a lasting impression with ordinary sentences like "Is there anything I can do for you?". It is even more difficult when you want to make a minor character stick in memory with only a few seconds of screen time. "Chinatown" has some great examples for this. Just think of that young desk clerk from whom the Jack Nicholson character borrows the ruler. He has only a couple of unspectacular sentences, but delivers them in a perfect manner so as to create a perfectly believable and "real" character with just a few words.
He indeed is a good actor. I did believe he was teaching. What a gem.
The guy at the front @3:15 too cool for skool to take part!
This is good. I want to get into acting. We don't have too big of an acting industry in Phoenix, however.
Me pacing in the back of the room: “Y’all gonna learn today. Y’all gonna learn TODAY”
Tarantino is great at finding actors for one or two lines.
Was the mic stand placed on a hollow stage. The noise was irritating. Perhaps place it on the floor instead.
Would hope that auditoriums were designed and managed by people who understood the physics of acoustics.
Great lecture by TH
incredible
he absolutely LOVES the little once
What?
😂 What if he is only playing that he is teaching how to act?!
💩💩💩💩
Haha, he’s still using what he knows to convey information. No difference for our purposes.
It’s the same thing.
Then his performance deserves a Gump.
He's well capable of that ! 👍💖
This is absolutely great! He literally gave a lesson as his speech which is the best way to learn hands on. How lucky are we all to receive this lesson!!
The speed and the volume is very important to give a tone and emotion, but everybody is speaking at the same speed and volume. also the musicality changes everything
"I don't think you can do anything about that. I think it's called stage presence. Either you have it or you don't."
-James Garner on acting talents
Poor Tom sounds sick. That's no fun having to give an address when you don't feel well....
This video also serves as an audio engineering lesson on the benefits of microphone shock mounts/boom stands. (**thud** ... **thud** ... **thud thud** ...)
You know, this "Hanks" kid may make a name for himself some day
Jesus. Just awe inspiring level of talent. Holy sh!t.
Loved this, but the line should have been “is there some water I can get for you?” 😅
Where did Emma Watson come from? 😂
She is here for studying 😂
This is a fascinating exercise. On both sides of the interactions I interpreted how I would deliver things in ways which are as nuanced as my observation of others but it allowed me to see my own nuances of interpretation and expression. Even though this may be easier for people to do in more intimate settings it’s interesting that the challenge of being in such a public situation would make people realize their own truth and feelings even if they weren’t able to deliver them in the moment. It works as both a thought exercise and an expressive exercise whether you are showing the truth of confidence you already have or realizing the confidence you should have in the truth you find. Very cool.
another example: th-cam.com/video/cJVHSpI6rWw/w-d-xo.htmlfeature=shared&t=70
Wow how come his is so slim? Great actor and speaker - one of the best of all times.
he has diabetes
@@lilmissknowitall5775 I am sorry to hear that
@@bavariancarenthusiast2722 No it's fine, he decided to lose weight after he got diagnosed to keep side effects to a minimum,
P. E. D. O.
"How do I act so well? What I do is, I pretend to be the person I'm portraying in the film or play. ... You're confused."
I missed that man when I watched "The Kominsky method". It is really a great show, but it could be simply perfect.
All the world's a stage. Is there something I can do for you? Thank you Tom Hanks! It's alright, I'm OK. The ripple from you pebble has reached the shore of CT💙👍👽
3:15 Wow, so this is what a room full of self-conscious people looks like.
He has a cold?
Sounds like it
Or drunk