Friends and Mentors as Bentley Sees It

“You treat characters like people you meet in life-friends or mentors.” -Wes Bentley

Who said it

Wes Bentley, born Wesley Cook Bentley, is an American movie actor that has been in several films, notable of which is the Academy Award-winning “American Beauty”. Bentley played the character of Ricky Fitts, a teenage drug dealer with an overbearing, militaristic father that had gender issues. Other popular films under his portfolio are “The Four Feathers”, “Ghost Rider” and “P2”.

What it means

This quote gives an insight to Bentley’s style in portraying his characters. In order to know the characters that he needs to play, he tries to interact with them as he would friends or mentors. This presents some good advice for other actors regarding their approach to the part or character that they need to play. By treating characters as friends or mentors, there’s a simulation of genuine interaction with the character, thus gaining some familiarity and giving life to the character itself.

But if one would background the quote to the whole of life, it presents a positive view of dealing with people. Though it somewhat presupposes that the people that we meet in life are either our friends or enemies, the quote can be construed as pointing to making people that are not our friends as learning opportunities. Instead of antagonizing people not our friends, one can look at them positively and hope to learn from them, as such, serving as mentors of how varied life is and the people that we meet in it.