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Are extraverted intuitives better actors in general?

Royal Xavier

New member
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May 4, 2008
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67
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INXP
Nearly all of the actors and actresses that I know of are extraverted intuitives. Is acting simply a better job for Es and Ns than it is for Is and Ss? Tell me what you think...it would also be good if you could list a few actors that are Is or Ss.
 

Nocapszy

no clinkz 'til brooklyn
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Jun 29, 2007
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4,517
MBTI Type
ENTP
N's like to pretend. Extraverts like to be center-stage.
 

htb

New member
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May 14, 2007
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INTJ
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1w9
Preferred extraverted intuition, I submit from personal experience, is an advantage while improvising.
 

Thursday

Earth Exalted
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Mar 14, 2008
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ENTJ
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8w9
Instinctual Variant
sp/sx
how would Ni come into acting ?
 

scantilyclad

almost nekkid
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INFP
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Instinctual Variant
so/sp
i'm a pretty good actor and i have an abundance of Ne. :)
 

The_Liquid_Laser

Glowy Goopy Goodness
Joined
Jul 11, 2007
Messages
3,376
MBTI Type
ENTP
Here are the types that I believe some actors have that do not fit into Ne:

Tom Cruise - ESTP
Clint Eastwood - ISTP
Robert De Niro - ISTJ
Reese Witherspoon - INFJ (or maybe ENFJ)
Jack Nicholson - ENTJ

I admit that there are lot of xxNP types among actors, but they are not the only type.
 

Mondo

Welcome to Sunnyside
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Mar 1, 2008
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6w7
I think a lot of actors are ESTP or ESFP.
I would consider myself a good actor- with a strong Ne function.
Unfortunately, it leads some of those close to me to be somewhat distrustful of what I have to say because they often wonder 'is this what he thinks I want him to hear' or 'is this what he really thinks'.
Even though I'm an Introvert, I am a very good improviser. I am a quick thinker and if I have to speak extemporaneously, I am really good at it. I know of other Introverts who are good at this as well. If anything, I think that might be more of an Intuitive/Sensing difference than an Introversion/Extraversion difference.

Brad Pitt-ESTP
Angelina Jolie-ISFP
Kiefer Sutherland-ENTP
Ben Stiller-ENFP
 

arcticangel02

To the top of the world
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Oct 5, 2007
Messages
892
MBTI Type
eNFP
Yes, INFPs can be some of the best actors around, actually.
 

WobblyStilettos

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Feb 15, 2008
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331
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INFP
Yes, INFPs can be some of the best actors around, actually.

My friends try and convince me that I'm a good actress, and it's true that I seem to find slipping into another character very easy, but I get terrible stage fright xD besides, friends are supposed to say things like that :)
 

Mort Belfry

Rats off to ya!
Joined
Jan 12, 2008
Messages
1,238
MBTI Type
INTP
Se - Performer
Ne - Improvisor

To elaborate on what I said earlier, whereas Ne helps you with improvisation, I don't think that all "good" actors have/need it. Just to present yourself realistically as a character and read the lines given to you can be taken care of with Se.

But on some shows and movies improvisation is more important and consequently needed.

The following is a scene from the show Green Wing, which is a show that relies heavily on improvisation. The two characters, Guy Secretan and Sue White are almost definitely ENTPs. Stephen Mangan who plays Guy has said that his scenes with Michelle Gomez (Sue) always end up being darkly sexual. I'm not sure what types the actors are, but they display high Ne.

[Guy walks into Sue's office and sits down.]
Sue: "Yes."
Guy: "I haven't asked the question yet."
Sue: "Yes."
Guy: "Is that the answer?"
Sue: "What..."
Guy: "Is yes the answer?"
Sue: "...is the question? I don't know, is it?"
Guy: "But is yes the answer, take a gamble."
Sue: "No."
Guy: "No is the answer?"
Sue: "No is the answer. Yes is never the answer."
Guy: "So no is the answer?"
Sue: "No is the answer."
Guy: "So if I were to say 'Are you going to ever have sex with any other man apart from me?' then your answer is no?"
Sue: "D'you want to have sex with me? I mean, do you wanna just fuck me now? Do you wanna do that? Do you wanna just get your cock out and fuck me now? How about that, yeah?" [pause] "Shall we? Here on the table?" [pause] "How about whoppin' it up my arse? How about that, Mr Secretan? Doctor. Mister. Yeah? One above, doctor. How about that, yeah? Mr Secretan whopping it up Staff Liaison's arse."
[Guy fidgets nervously.]
Sue: "So wipe yourself down and come back and tell me what you think about that."
Guy: "Not sure I can stand up."
Sue: "No. Well, I'll leave for a few moments, shall I?" [She gets up and starts to leave]
Guy: "Yeah. Um, can you shut the door?"
 

Valiant

Courage is immortality
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sx/so
I'm a minor actor (mostly for fun, though it would be a nice job) and i've got E and N.
While it is probably an advantage to be ES for some roles, people who need to act are probably also well-off with abstract thinking, since they need to BE someone else and act feelings. It's probably easier for EN's to actually BE someone else and really feel as if they are the character they're playing. Sensors are probably better off playing something close to their original self, like Clint Eastwood or Matt LeBlanc. Maybe LeBlanc isn't a sensor, but he sure plays the role of ESTP a little TOO well to not be one in real life. And since he's fond of strippers and the good things in life... well. :)
 

RunnDMC

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Joined
Jan 26, 2008
Messages
23
MBTI Type
ENTP
I'm actually an acting major.

I've had a lot of others in the department take the test and so far it is:

2: ENTPs (Including myself)
2: INTPs
2: INFJs
7: ENFJs
7: ENFPs

No S's yet.
 

BlahBlahNounBlah

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Dec 16, 2008
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ENTP
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7w6
If by "actor," you mean someone who pretends to be another person before an audience, I'm terrible.

But I'm an excellent performer. Clever, enthusiastic, and luminous. :cheese:
 

Lexicon

Temporal Mechanic
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I've never thought of my introverted personality as an obstacle to overcome with regard to acting. Theatre's my reason for existing. [That, and learning... everything... but I digress] I find it fairly easy to imagine being someone else, and slipping into their perspectives/behaviors.

I am extremely reserved for the most part, so it comes as a surprise to most people when I express my passion for acting. I'm not the person on stage anymore. Not quite sure a lot of people understand that idea. Just really losing yourself in what you're doing. Losing a lot of outside awareness. Kind of.. well.. like when you're enamoured with someone, "love at first sight," and you're in a crowded room, everyone else around that person just sort of melts away, and everything that anyone else is saying just regresses into those monotone noises all the adults make on the Peanuts cartoons. And fades out.

I can say, though, "improv exercises" generally make me uncomfortable. However if there's a need to improvise in a scene from the current production, I'm fairly flexible. I guess I feel like I have something more to work off of, and I know the objectives, so I can still carry on toward those. I definitely would like to improve my general improvisation skills, though. Maybe I just don't like practicing with others unless it's an actual rehearsal of the play/musical we're working on. Little unrelated improv exercises aren't fun for me to participate in, though they are fun to watch. Maybe I'm just very neurotic...

Anywho. There's my tuppence.
 

SillySapienne

`~~Philosoflying~~`
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ENFP
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Not quite sure a lot of people understand that idea. Just really losing yourself in what you're doing. Losing a lot of outside awareness. Kind of.. well.. like when you're enamoured with someone, "love at first sight," and you're in a crowded room, everyone else around that person just sort of melts away, and everything that anyone else is saying just regresses into those monotone noises all the adults make on the Peanuts cartoons. And fades out.
I feel you, oh girl, I so feel what you are saying/typing!!!

:heart:
 

The Ü™

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Hypothetically, ENFjs are the best actors.
 
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