Joey Pollari on Playing Anthony Perkins in 'Monster,' Jungian Psychology, and the Actor's Psyche

Exploring the 'Monster' Series and Its Themes

• 🎭 The Netflix series 'Monster: The Ed Gein Story' delves into the devouring mother archetype, transformation fantasies, and the capacity for monstrous behavior, drawing parallels to films like 'Psycho' and 'Silence of the Lambs'.
• 🧠 The episode discusses the show's challenge to audiences to confront their fascination with evil and locate the 'monsters' within their own psyche.
• 🎬 Joey Pollari, who plays Anthony Perkins (portraying Ed Gein), joins the discussion on how intimacy with darkness affects a performer and the intersection of public persona and private pain.

Jungian Psychology and Acting

• 💡 Pollari shares his journey into Jungian work, influenced by his brother and a profound shift in his dreams after reading Jung's 'Man and His Symbols'.
• 🌟 He finds that a Jungian perspective, focusing on symbolism and inner life, supports his acting by enhancing intuition and connecting with an inner 'call' or 'daimon'.
• 🎭 The process of preparing for a role involves psychology and intuition, with acting being fundamentally about reacting and discovering in the moment.

Portraying Anthony Perkins and Ed Gein

• 📚 Pollari drew from the book 'Split Image' to understand Anthony Perkins's struggle with his public persona and his identification with the Norman Bates character, which impacted his career.
• 🎭 The portrayal involved navigating the tension between Perkins's private life and his iconic role, and the show's meta-commentary on the nature of monstrosity.
• 🧠 The actor discusses the selective process of incorporating information about Perkins and Gein to build the character, focusing on the tension between private and public life.

The Nature of Monstrosity and the Shadow

• ❓ The series prompts questions about who the true monster is: the director, the perpetrator, the viewer, or even the audience's fascination with evil.
• 👤 From a Jungian perspective, everyone possesses monstrous aspects, referred to as the 'shadow,' which can manifest due to repression and unfulfilled needs, particularly related to maternal figures.
• 💔 The 'devouring mother' archetype is highlighted as a significant force, with repression and withdrawn love contributing to a search for darkness in the external world.

Intuition, Dreams, and the Creative Process

• 🌊 Acting is likened to being 'on the river,' guided by intuition rather than rigid planning, especially when dealing with complex characters.
• 🌌 Pollari's dreams have been a significant guide, particularly in navigating personal challenges and his decision to come out publicly.
• 🗣️ He describes hosting 'dream interpretation parties' during the pandemic, finding a natural facility for interpreting others' dreams, though his own dreams remain more mysterious.

Melancholy, Resilience, and the Artist's Journey

• ☁️ Pollari discusses experiencing melancholy and a tendency towards introversion (INFJ typology), which he has worked to metabolize, particularly after his father's death.
• 🎨 The creative process, especially for INFJs, can involve a profound intensity and a sense of melancholy, which can be channeled into art, making one feel intensely alive.
• 🌟 He emphasizes the importance of externalizing inner conflict through art and the power of intuition, likening it to a 'muse' that guides the creative process.

Transgression, Taboo, and Reality

• 🚪 The allure of darkness in cinema, like in 'Monster' or fairy tales such as 'Fitcher's Bird,' stems from a need to transgress boundaries and bring repressed elements into consciousness.
• 🎭 Films often explore taboo subjects, forcing viewers to confront uncomfortable truths about themselves and society, mirroring the psychological work of confronting one's own shadow.
• 🎬 The discussion touches on directors like John Waters and Federico Fellini, who use depravity and transgression in their art for various purposes, highlighting the difference between chosen transgression and imposed suffering.

The Actor's Craft and Self-Discovery

• 🎭 Acting, particularly when embodying characters outside one's usual persona, can be a powerful tool for self-discovery and confronting aspects of oneself that might otherwise remain unknown.
• 💡 The 'fourth function' in MBTI (extroverted sensation for INFJs) is identified as a key gateway for the unconscious and the self, often accessed through physical activity and embodiment in acting.
• 🤝 The ability to accept reality, even when it's difficult, is crucial, and this acceptance can unlock deeper connections, whether in personal relationships or artistic endeavors.

The Universal Experience of Resentment and Acceptance

• 💔 Resentment often arises from unmet needs and the perception of withheld potential, particularly in relationships.
• 🔄 Learning to accept people as they are, rather than for who they could be, is a vital lesson, as exemplified by Pollari's reconciliation with his father.
• ✅ "Reality is medicinal" – accepting reality, though a defeat for the ego, is essential for growth and moving forward, a lesson learned through grief and artistic practice.

The Actor's Body and the Unconscious

• 🧘 The Alexander Technique is mentioned as a method that emphasizes the body as a primary object of curiosity, potentially freeing for actors but requiring careful application to avoid rigidity.
• ⚡ The unconscious mind plays a significant role in generating emotions, and while direct control is impossible, one can indirectly prompt it, a delicate dance with one's nervous system.
• 🎭 The ultimate goal in acting is often to access a state where the body leads, responding instinctively and authentically, which can feel spiritual and profound.