Part 3/7:
During his talk, Meyer shared personal anecdotes regarding his work with two icons of the screen: William Shatner and Ricardo Montalban. Reflecting on Shatner’s portrayal of Captain Kirk, Meyer illuminated the challenges of getting past the persona Shatner had created over the years. “I realized that if I tackle that head-on he would become very very defensive,” he noted, emphasizing the delicate balance directors must maintain to elicit genuine performances from their stars.
Meyer’s approach was to engage Shatner in a way that would counter his performative habits, leading him to a more authentic interpretation of the character. By repetitively rehearsing scenes until Shatner's defenses lowered, Meyer found a breakthrough that allowed for a more nuanced performance.