I always wondered, when I watch live theatre or even a television
program, how actors and actresses make themselves "cry" almost
instantly during a sad scene. Are the tears real, or do they secretly
put something in their eyes to make it red and watery?

Hi dho1115,

Thank you for accepting my findings as the answer to your question.
Here are the links again:

Your Stress Matters: The Truth About Tears 
http://yourstressmatters.com/stress18.htm

Spirit Play: Crying on Cue
http://www.spiritplay.org/cuecry.htm
(the last entry)


Search criteria:
actors actresses "make themselves cry"

Best regards,
Rainbow

I do not know much about Hollywood but in Bollywood (India) actors and
actoresses use glycerine in their eyes to get tears.

These links may be helpful:
http://yourstressmatters.com/stress18.htm

http://www.spiritplay.org/cuecry.htm
(the last entry)

Rainbow~

How do actors in a film or play produce tears on the spot? 

It used to be that a drop of glycerine was placed in the eye just
before filming. Having a similar consistency to real tears, it would
then simply flow out of the eyes. Nowadays, they use a "blower", which
is a small device containing a substance that causes real tears to
well up when air is blown through it and into the eyes of the actor.

Greg Haye, Newtown 

Instinctive actors work on impulse and create emotions "naturally", as
demanded by the script. Otherwise, technical tools available to actors
include: emotional memory, where an actor recalls a time when they
were distressed (for instance, when someone close to them died); or
sense memory, where an actor holds a precious object that brings back
the emotions associated with it (for instance, a ring or a letter).

Tricks for film actors include using onions or glycerine to simulate
tears. Stage actors can hold their eyes open or concentrate on a
bright light. Some actors bite their tongues - also good for stifling
inappropriate laughter. Some actors, like many people, just find
crying easy.

Gerry Sont, Lindfield 

The actress Glenda Jackson once said: "When I want to laugh, I think
about my sex life. When I want to cry, I think about my sex life."

http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2003/12/05/1070351773514.html?from=storyrhs

Some actors and actresses can apparently just turn it on.

The late Gwen Verdon (in a tribute to Bob Fosse) claimed that Liza
Minelli could cry an demand.

'Cabaret' (starring Liza) was arguably Fosse's biggest directorial hit.

I once knew an acting teacher who suggested that one way to induce
tears (if you're not one of those actors who can just turn on the
waterworks on cue) was to find a moment to turn away from the audience
or the camera, and discreetly but forcefully pluck out a nosehair.

I mever could figure out if he was being facetious or not...

Thanks for the answers. How do I pay?

How do you pay?

Well, only one Researcher (rainbow-ga) has commented, so I suggest
that you invite her to post an answer. Rainbow can then summarise the
findings.

Incidentally, Researchers are distinguished by having their names in
blue and underlined: hyperlinks to their 'records'.

Yes, I know that ideally females Researchers should appear in pink but
that's how it goes.

All the Best

Bryan

To Rainbow -- Could you post your answer so I could pay you? Thanks.

Thank you for the tip.

Rainbow~