Making Decisions in Acting as a Character Development Tool & the Impact of Anxiety

As a Coach, I once worked with a young actor, "Jordan", who was immensely talented but struggled with decision-making in their performances. During rehearsals, Jordan would freeze when faced with choices about their character’s motivations—whether to deliver a line with confidence or hesitation, whether to step forward or stay still. The uncertainty wasn’t a lack of skill; it was anxiety creeping into their creative process.

“I feel like every decision I make is the wrong one,” Jordan confessed during a coaching session. “What if I don’t get it right?”

Their fear of making a ‘wrong’ choice kept them from fully committing to the role, and as a result, their character felt hesitant and inconsistent.

We spent time unpacking this—why the fear existed, how anxiety influences decision-making, and how leaning into discomfort could actually strengthen their performance.

1. Decision-Making in Acting & Character DevelopmentIn acting, every choice a character makes drives the story forward and reveals deeper layers of their personality. Actors must make intentional decisions—how their character moves, speaks, reacts, and processes emotions—to create an authentic performance. These choices stem from understanding the character’s motivations, fears, desires, and conflicts.

• Choices Create Authenticity – Just like in real life, characters face dilemmas and must make decisions, big or small. Whether choosing to confront a loved one or hesitate in a moment of fear, each choice adds realism to the performance.

• Embodying the "Why" – An actor must ask: Why is my character making this decision? What past experiences, emotional triggers, or relationships influence this moment?

• Rehearsal as Exploration – Trying different choices in rehearsal helps actors refine their character’s responses. Does the character react impulsively, or do they hesitate? Do they lead with emotion or logic? These nuances define personality.

2. Anxiety & Its Impact on Character ChoicesAnxiety can significantly shape how a character (or a person) makes decisions. Understanding anxiety as an actor adds depth to a performance, making reactions more layered and relatable.

• Fight, Flight, Freeze, or Fawn – Anxiety triggers different response patterns. Does the character avoid conflict (flight), lash out (fight), freeze in uncertainty, or over-please others (fawn)?

• Physical & Emotional Cues – Anxious decision-making may show up as fidgeting, hesitation, rapid speech, avoiding eye contact, or over-explaining. The actor must embody these subtleties to make the character’s struggles believable.

• Paralysis vs. Overcompensation – Some characters might shut down under pressure, unable to decide at all, while others might make rash or overly calculated decisions to manage their fear.

• Personalizing the Anxiety – Actors can draw from personal experiences or research how anxiety manifests in different individuals to create a more nuanced portrayal.

3. Using Anxiety as a Driving Force in Performance

• Leaning into the Character’s Fear – Instead of avoiding the discomfort of playing an anxious moment, actors can embrace it, using it to fuel tension and relatability.

• Pacing & Delivery – A character experiencing anxiety may rush decisions or avoid them until forced. Playing with pacing can reflect this internal struggle.

• Silent Choices – Sometimes, an anxious character doesn’t verbalize their decision-making but shows it through facial expressions, pauses, or body language.

Final Takeaway

In acting, making deliberate choices builds a rich, believable character. Anxiety, whether situational or part of a character’s core personality, shapes how decisions are made and expressed. By studying how anxiety affects real-life decision-making, actors can bring an added depth to their roles, making performances more compelling and emotionally truthful.