10/11/2024
Here’s a guy committed to his craft, and humble while at it.
He was making short films and ads when we met. Fact, we met onset while I was acting in a commercial that he was directing. He appreciated my skill, was curious about where it came from. Upon learning that I had been to acting school and was teaching acting classes, he was one of the first to sign up. Honestly, I was taken aback by his humility in doing so.
I had experienced a resistance from folk my age in the English theatre scene to share in such learnings, maybe because I was not an established/respected brand. Also, we have this strange cultural phenomenon in Sri Lanka where we sarcastically cut, “pull from the leg”, when someone aims higher. In doing so, at best we pride ourselves that we keep each other humble. But if we look around, we have a country stifled of innovation, creativity and importantly the ambition to achieve great things.
We worked on his craft in my living room. Sometimes the only student in the room. Accessing parts of his personality & character that were suppressed, while laying out a simple, direct, repeatable process to approach any performance.
He went on to act in Academy Award Nominee Deepa Mehta’s Funny Boy, written by Shyam Selvadurai. I think, his humility got him at the door, while his commitment, skill & eye for good storytelling, helped him walk through it.
I remember the day he called me up in London to tell me about the audition. He even helped me get one as well. I asked if he wanted help to prep. He said he was good, that he’s got the process we worked on. He secured his role, while I didn’t! I remember feeling proud and happy. It was his first time acting, ever, outside of our class.
He went onto the same film school in London as Christopher Nolan and got himself a hot shot agent too.
Ladies and gents, Rehan Mudannayake –director, actor, writer.
Check his latest short, Cougar with funny guy
There’s another humble dude. Met him while touring with the award-winning Australian play/Sri Lankan story ‘Counting and Cracking’ at the Edinburgh Festival. He was touring with his sit-down stand-up special.
Rock on guys!
PS I love this pic 😅
