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How To Cry on Command: My Top Techniques and Tips for Actors

Misc

In the acting world, learning how to cry on command is a challenge for many actors. For emotional scenes, filmmakers and casting directors may need actors to cry real tears to put the raw feelings of the event on display. Learning how to produce tears on command can seem daunting, but these tips should help you get the waterworks flowing.

Using Emotion to Cry on Command

The ideal way to cry on command is to cry from feeling genuine emotion from the scene, and immersing yourself to feel the character’s emotions and bring out real, honest tears. This is much more difficult, and professional actors spend years practicing to have such direct access to their emotions in this way. Over the years, after working as a casting director with different actors, and being an actor myself, I’ve found some helpful techniques that I’d encourage you to try for yourself.

Don’t Force It

You can’t cry by trying to make it happen, not genuinely.

If you’re getting in your own head thinking “I need to cry,” chances are you’ve psyched yourself out already. Instead of focusing on the end result, focus on the emotions of the moment. Attempting to force a fake cry simply won’t work, it will come off as disingenuous, because it is.

Connect the Scene to Your Life & Immerse Yourself in the Character

Finding parallels between the character’s life and your own is a good way to feel their feelings. Put yourself in your character’s shoes by thinking of memories similar to your own experience as a way to elicit emotions based on real life. Tapping into sad memories and emotional pain can allow you to cry real tears.

Additionally, being able to fully engross yourself in a role, feeling the pain or happiness of the character as your own is the most surefire way to cry on cue. When actors actively experience and genuinely empathize with their character’s emotions, tears will naturally come at the desired moment. While this is a solid method, it may not always be enough, so it’s good to have some backup ideas in those cases.

Use Media That Makes You Emotional

A favorite song, lines from books or emotional movie scenes can help trigger strong emotions of happiness or sadness and put you in the state of mind to be ready to cry. Any strong emotion can create tears. Think of a moving, compassionate memory or story and meditate on it – sometimes the tears come easiest when we focus on moments of profound kindness or gratitude.

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Physical Tricks to Cry on Command

When playing off the emotional side of the scene is not enough, it can help to know physical tricks to cry on the spot. There are several techniques for how actors cry, but if you’re coming up on a crying scene and feel stuck, here are a few simple acting tricks you can use to cry on cue.

  1. If you’re dehydrated, your body will be unable to activate its tear ducts to produce tears. When preparing for a crying scene, drink plenty of water in the hours leading up to the big moment, so your body is hydrated and prepared.
  2. Keeping your eyes open for thirty seconds or more, will cause your eyes to start to water. You can apply this same practice to make yourself cry. Keep your eyes open without blinking for as long as you can, and the tears should start to well up.
  3. It can be challenging to sustain emotional states for multiple takes in a row. As such, even professional actors who know how to cry on command will use menthol tear sticks—apply lightly under the eyes, and the fumes will make your eyes water. You shouldn’t use menthol sticks excessively, and be sure to avoid getting them directly in your eye.
how to cry on command

Crying is Not the Only Way to Display Emotion

Any of these techniques to make yourself cry can be effective in some ways. However, knowing how to cry on command isn’t the only answer. Acting grieved, pained, devastated or overjoyed is not limited to the tears you produce. Overall body language can communicate the emotion just as effectively, as can the act of fighting the tears from coming out. This can show the audience how hard you’re trying to not feel vulnerable–something everyone can relate to.

Whether you’re able to cry on command or not, you still have the power to move audiences to cry if you’re committed to your performance, but before you can even start getting committed to your performance, you need to book the role. One of the best ways to ensure you book the role is to master your self-tape audition.

Looking for free self-tape tips? Check out my self-tape freebie here. Ready to dive into class? Check out my 8-week Live Self-Tape Nailed It Course with lifetime access or my go-at-your-own-pace Killer Self-Tape Course here. Trust me, it’ll help you build fans out of casting directors.

Want to maximize your bookings? Uplevel your self-tape and get proven strategies and tips to master your auditions. Click the button below to claim your Killer Self-Tape 101 eBook at no-cost, totally free!

Claim eBook