映画やシリーズ、舞台において、優れた俳優が出演していると、その役柄と彼らを切り離すことは難しいかもしれません。彼らの素晴らしい演技は、多くの練習と努力によってのみ成されるものです！本日のXlingual English Video Lessonでは、有名なハリウッド俳優であるザック・エフロンとシャーリーズ・セロンが、単なる模倣を越えて、どのように作中の人物になりきるかということを紹介します。慣用的な英語表現や、映画業界特有の英単語も学べます！レッスン画面下部に簡単な英語での説明もついておりますので、ぜひ和訳なしでチャレンジしてみてくださいね！
When an actor is great at their job, it can be difficult to separate them from their character in a movie, series or play. That type of excellence can only be achieved through a lot of practice and hard work! In today’s XLingual English video-lesson, famous Hollywood actors Zac Efron and Charlize Theron share how they become a character, going beyond just imitation. You will learn idiomatic English expressions and some English words that are specific to the movie industry! The lesson below is explained in easy English, so take on this challenge to learn without Japanese translation!
General English Vocabulary
- To get into character
When an actor understands the mind of the character they’re portraying very well, and really become the character.
例：It’s amazing how good actors get into character! They don’t pretend to be the character. They become the character!
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To bear a resemblance
“Resemblance” means “to look similar”.
“To bear” means “to carry”.
So, “to bear a resemblance” means, “to be similar to”. It’s fairly high level (~Eiken 2)
例：I like chatting with my elderly neighbor. She bears a resemblance to my grandmother. They are both very kind.
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Quite
Very.
Note: This word is high level (about Eiken pre-1). It has two different meanings that depend on context. Because of that, it is ambiguous. Using it requires good mastery of English.
例：My co-workers invited me to the izakaya, but I’m quite busy tonight. I have to work overtime.
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Striking
Very clear and easy to notice.
例：There is a striking difference between my daughter and my son. She is loud, loves sports and going out with friends. He is quiet, likes to read books and stay home.
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Freaky (slang)
Very strange, in a scary way
例：I was alone in the train station, looking at my phone. An old woman approached me and asked me the time. I told her the time. But when I looked up, no one was around! That was so freaky!
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Simultaneously (adv)
At the same time. It’s fairly high level (~Eiken 2)
例：My son can play games on his Switch and watch TikToks on this phone simultaneously.
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To pick up
To learn something, especially in an informal way
例：My daughter takes after her father. She’s exactly like him, even their mannerisms are the same!
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To have loads of (something)
To have a lot of something.
A “load” is a large amount of something.
例：I have loads of English grammar and reading at school, but zero time to actually speak English.
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Tics
A sudden and strange movement that a person does without realizing.
例：There was a man sitting beside me in the train. I think he had a tic. Every 2 minutes he suddenly turned his head to the right.
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To tread a fine line
To act very carefully, so you don’t make a serious mistake.
例：One of my co-workers makes too many jokes. I think he doesn’t understand Japanese culture very well, so he treads a fine line between joke and insult sometimes. I have to tell him to be more careful with his words.
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To associate with someone
When you associate with someone, you feel a connection between you and that person, usually because you understand them, or you had a similar experience.
例：Kore Eda is a great filmmaker. We can easily associate with his characters, because they’re realistic and complex, and they show many things a lot of us went through.
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I hear what you’re saying.
An informal but very friendly way of saying that you understand the other person’s point of view.
Brian: I think we should play different games on the next Game Night. New is always fun!
Carina: I see what you’re saying. But everyone liked the challenge games. Maybe we can do half new games, half same games?
Specific Movie Industry English Vocabulary
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An impersonation
(in the movie industry) When person A pretends to be person B, usually to make fun of person B
例：Some comedians are very good at impersonation. When they tell a story, they can play all the characters by themselves!
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A three-dimensional character
A character who is unique and realistic
例：Characters in Studio Ghibli movies are very three-dimensional. They feel like real people, and we remember them for their personalities.
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A one-dimensional character
A character who is not very interesting, or who doesn’t feel like a real person.
例：Some manga have very one-dimensional characters, and I don’t like them. Usually, if the main character is one-dimensional, I stop reading the manga.
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To do prosthetics
(in movies) To wear special makeup and special clothes that change the way an actor looks
例：Sometimes the actor doesn’t look exactly like the character they are portraying. So, they do prosthetics to make them look more similar.
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A skit
A short, funny comedy show
例：Ken Shimura was a master of comedy. I really loved watching his comedy skits!
いくつかの背景
ザック・エフロンとシャーリーズ・セロンは、映画の主人公の役になりきるためにどのように勉強したかについて話しています。ザック・エフロンは2019年の映画『テッド・バンディ（原題：Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile）』でテッド・バンディ役を演じました。また、シャーリーズ・セロンは2003年の映画『モンスター』でアイリーン・ウーノス役を演じました。
テッド・バンディとは70年代の有名なアメリカの連続殺人犯。アイリーン・ウーノスは90年代の有名な女性連続殺人犯です。
おすすめの学習方法
英単語・フレーズを勉強したら、もう一度動画を見てみましょう。より理解に役立ちそうであれば、英語字幕もご覧ください。しかし、日本語に訳すことは可能な限り避けましょう！語学学習者として、私たちはこれが英単語を学ぶ上で最善の方法だと考えています。
そして、以下の質問に答えてみてください：
