Elephant Man

In 2015, Bradley Cooper played a limited engagement of  The Elephant Man on Broadway.   This true story highlights the life of Joseph Merrick, a man born in the late 1800’s with a congenital disease known as Weidemann Syndrome.  He had a pronounced extruding bone on his forehead, thick and lumpy skin,  disfigured facial features, and enlarged arms and feet which caused a fall resulting in a permanent limp.   Anyone who has seen the movie will understand that to play this role with prosthetics, make up, wigs, weighted costumes, etc., would be a monumental undertaking.   To do so without any props,  as Cooper did, is nothing short of brilliant.

Fascinated by Merrick’s story,   Cooper studied his physicality, animation, speech patterns, and relationships for years.    He got inside this character, or perhaps better, the character got inside him and the result is a performance unlike any he has ever given.

In a 60 Minutes interview featuring this play,  anchor Steve Kroft asks, “You have gotten rave reviews for this performance.  How in the world can you create this character who is so horribly disfigured without any prosthetics, makeup, anything?

Cooper’s response is amazing:  “I become Joseph Merrick.  I don’t just act like him – I have to believe I AM HIM.” Powerful words.   Profoundly powerful words.

Kroft:  ” And you can do this?  You can convince the audience that you are him?”

Cooper: “Yeah.  I can.”

Kroft:  “How?  How do you do this with no props?”

Cooper:  “If I am simply acting like him or mimicking his mannerisms,  but don’t quite make that leap of faith, there’s absolutely no way the audience will buy it.  And, to be honest,  making this transition was not easy.  It required  a tremendous amount of effort to get to the place where…. I become him.”

Cooper goes on:  “As the other actor who plays Merrick’s doctor is speaking to the Pathological Society which is actually the live audience, we show a  photograph of the real Joseph Merrick while describing all of his afflictions.  As each infirmity is highlighted,  I took on that malady as if it were my own.  I felt the pain in his body.  I struggled to hold my balance and speak clearly.  I began to walk with a limp and carry myself as a man tragically deformed, but I was able to do this because I saw myself AS HIM,  not just an actor playing him.”

So here’s the question.  Besides phenomenal entertainment, is there anything we can we learn from Cooper’s commitment to this role?  I’m talking principles here.    If Bradley Cooper can perform without prosthetics to sold out audiences by believing he can step into the person of Merrick – what might we accomplish by doing the same?    If we made the decision to BELIEVE we can be, whatever we are able to see?     What if we believed we were strong?  Or kind?  Or healthy?  Or in fruitful relationships?  Or successful?   What if we believed we had a say concerning our lot in life and if not satisfied,  refused to settle for less than what we dream?   If we believed that the artist,  preacher, musician, accountant, teacher, leader, or real estate agent within us was given permission to leap?

What does  a “leap of faith” look like for you?  And – where might taking this “leap” land you?   Failure is not leaping and falling.  Failure is standing still and never leaping.  Who do you want to become?