Michael Caine explains the trick to eye contact to ‘not come across weak’

Michael Caine is one of the most celebrated British actors of all time.

Over the course of his illustrious career, the Batman star has learned a thing or two about human behaviour.

And here's how he learned not to give 'weak' eye contact:

Having to pretend to be someone else for a living is a pretty strange profession, and means Sir Michael's had to be super aware of how he comes across on camera.

And in a special hour-long masterclass he gave to some acting students years back, Caine revealed how they can avoid coming across as 'flustered' when they're in a scene.

In a clip from the Acting in Film tutorial, the 89-year-old explained that a lot of actors fall into the trap of switching eyes when they're opposite someone.

BBC

Demonstrating the problem, he says that this causes them to look unnatural and 'flustered'.

Speaking to one of the students, Sir Michael says: "I often see in television or cinema is people who are looking at someone else, and they change eyes.

"Now, you see actors, and they're acting and they change [slightly flicks his eyes from left to right], and it's an infinitesimal thing in the eyes as they change eyes as they're talking. Can you see my eyes changing? I'm changing eyes and I'm blinking.

"Now, that is two of the worst things to do. First of all, you never change eyes, what you do is you pick an eye."

Sir Michael then shares his little trick for ensuring that he's always giving a strong glare in a scene.

The acting legend explains how he looks across someone's face, locking his left in with their left eye.

He also doesn't blink at all.

BBC

"You see the difference, but it's the same look," he says. "And if I keep blinking, it weakens me, but if I'm talking to you, and I don't blink, and I just keep going, and I don't blink, and I keep on going, and I don't blink, you start to listen to what I'm saying.

"And it makes me a very strong person as opposed to someone who is sitting there going which is someone who's completely flustered."

Might be one to try with your boss next time you ask for that raise, eh?

I think Sir Michael deserves a cut if it works out, though.

Topics: TV and Film

Dominic Smithers

Dominic Smithers is LADbible's Editorial Lead. After graduating from the University of Leeds with a degree in French and History, he went on to write for the Manchester Evening News, the Accrington Observer and the Macclesfield Express. So as you can imagine, he’s spent many a night wondering just how useful that second language has been. But c'est la vie.

@SmithersDom