Liam MacDonald: If you’re just playing off what you’re reading, there’s no personality in that. You need to read about your character, figure out who that is and then draw things from your personal life. Even if it’s a completely different character, you have to find those little things that bridge the gap between the character and you. That character becomes part of you and you can use that part of you to play the role.
Once you do that, I think it’s important to focus on the lines, but not so much the words. If you’re thinking about all the words and getting the words right, it will never sound natural. I’ve gotten roles when I’ve said completely different lines by accident. Don’t do that, but it doesn’t have to be perfect. You just have to be the character, and get the emotion and the meaning behind all of it.