Academy Award winner Mark Rylance gave some Woodland Hills High School students a master class in acting on Wednesday when he stopped by the high school library as part of the Woodland Hills Interaction Series.
Mr. Rylance, who has also won three Tony Awards, three BAFTA Awards and two Laurence Olivier Awards, shared stories from his decades on stage and in film. Most recognized for his role as spy Rudolf Abel in the 2015 film "Bridge of Spies," for which he won his Academy Award, Mr. Rylance has also been lauded for his recent roles in "The BFG," "Dunkirk," "The Trial of the Chicago 7," and "Don't Look Up." Throughout his stage career, Mr. Rylance developed a close association with Shakespeare, including three separate productions of "Hamlet." He also served as the first artistic director of Shakespeare's Globe in London.
Students had the opportunity to ask questions about Mr. Rylance's career and his insight into acting. He offered advice about the similarities and differences in acting for the stage and for film, pulled back the curtain on his process for developing a character, shared his perspective on working with directors, and provided encouragement for young actors, noting that failure is often just an opportunity to learn and grow.
Mr. Rylance kindly met with students one-on-one after the event, took photos with them, signed autographs, and even took a tour of the Thomas G. Crone Auditorium alongside the Woodland Hills Performing Arts Department.
Mr. Rylance first connected with Pittsburgh's history when he visited in the early 1990s while touring with Hamlet. Since then, he has visited many times and partnered with the Battle of Homestead Foundation to develop first a play and now a television miniseries about the history of our region. Charles McCollester, a founding member of The Battle of Homestead Foundation, and friend of Mr. Rylance helped to facilitate the visit to Woodland Hills.
The Woodland Hills Interaction Series is an annual series of interactive events for Woodland Hills High School students. The series features authors, historians, scientists, artists and more answering student questions and sharing insight about their lives and work.
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