Acting and lying are often confused due to their similarities, such as both involving pretending and being untruthful. Both acting and lying attempt to convince an audience of something false and can put the performer in a position where they are not in control of themselves. However, there are key differences between acting and lying that will be explored in this discussion.
Key Takeaways
- Actors lie for the sake of their character, while liars lie for themselves.
- Acting is an art form that both the actor and audience know is untrue, while lying takes place in real life without the audience’s knowledge.
- The main difference between acting and lying is the intent: in acting, the audience is prepared for and accepts the falsehood, while in lying, they are unprepared and take the liar at face value.
An actor is essentially a skilled liar, using their talent to make the audience believe they are the character they are portraying. They can make the audience feel emotions such as happiness, sadness, and grief by convincingly inhabiting the role. The audience is aware of the falsehood and appreciates the actor’s creativity and talent.
In contrast, when someone lies in real life, they are also pretending, but the intent is different. For example, a child may lie to their teacher about why they were late to school. This lie occurs in a real-life situation without the awareness or consent of the person being lied to.
The crucial difference between acting and lying is the intent. When watching a film, the audience knows the actor is pretending and is prepared for this, even paying to see the performance. Meanwhile, lying takes place in real life, without the awareness or consent of the person being lied to. There are no settings, costumes, or director to guide the lie. The audience is unprepared and takes the liar at face value.
