While there are several actors, like Donald Glover, who choose not to memorize scripts, it's interesting to learn that Guy Ritchie was behind the unconventional suggestion. Some might even consider Ritchie's proposition to be lazy. The director, however, doesn't see himself as slothful at all. "I'm not lazy when it comes to filmmaking," Ritchie told Vulture in 2017. Taking his job seriously means he has more control. "I set myself quite a high standard when making films, and I'm quite pleased I did, because I could see that the more control of the process I had, the less room there was for volatility and people getting upset," Ritchie continued.
For Jake Gyllenhaal, not learning lines for "The Covenant" was a worthwhile suggestion. Earlier in the interview, Gyllenhaal expressed how the best part of his job is working with unique creative minds. He described working with the director as "unlike anything [he'd] ever done." Gyllenhaal has worked with a number of prolific creatives in the past, including Ang Lee, David Fincher, and Bong Joon-ho, making his description of Ritchie all the more notable.
The actor continued by describing filming "The Covenant" as "one of the most inspiring creative experiences" he's ever had. "Cause it asked for total let go," Gyllenhaal added. "Just let go. Come in. Figure it out. Figure it out together. I loved it." Memorizing lines over a period of time can lead to a rote performance. If the actor is forced to recite lines with no prep, it's easy for a spontaneous and more involved performance to manifest, which is probably why Gyllenhaal found the experience so pleasing.
"The Covenant" hits cinemas on April 21 2023.
