Denise Woods - The Power of Voice

BY MAHERSHALA ALI, ACADEMY AWARDWINNING ACTOR

When I take on a role, Im interested in the characters whole spiritual journey. Even if hes an atheist, its a spiritual journey because its based on a set of conditions and beliefs that character has about himself, his culture and upbringing, and the world around him. Some of the reasons why people speak a certain way are conscious, while others are unconscious. How they see themselves, or want to see themselves, all leads back to something that impacts mind, body, voice, and speech. Its a lot, which is why, each day before I walk on set, I say a prayer, asking for help to deliver each scene as truthfully as possible. I dont feel I have the capacity to do this without calling on something larger than myself.

I also call on Denise Woods, because getting the voice right is one of the hardest things to do as an actor, and its one of the most important tools of our profession. Its like tuning in to a frequency thats different from our own, then sustaining it over the course of weeks and months. It takes a certain degree of focus to maintain consistency, matching the voice of the character youve developed while at the same time allowing for a certain fluidity, considering how a voice is going to resonate differently in any given situation, be it tragedy, joy, crisis, or confrontation. There are so many factors that come into play.

Denise understands how multifaceted the human voice is and how much it can convey beyond words. She gets that the voice must resonate with total authenticity and that developing a character takes place in a sacred space that is all about lifting up the story.

I first met Denise during the filming of Hidden Figures, in which I played the supporting role of Colonel Jim Johnson, one of the love interests in the story. Denise wasnt there for me, exactly. She was on the set to help two of the movies top-billed starsTaraji P. Henson and Janelle Monerefine their southern accents. When youre in the lead of a big-budget film, its not uncommon to have professionals of Denises caliber on hand to bring out your best and most honest performance.

But while waiting around between takes, when Denise also had some time to kill, I sidled over to her at the craft service table and struck up a conversation. Over the next couple of weeks, we talked about many things: where we were from, war stories about the industry, our experiences on the Broadway stage... and we just clicked. She indulged me as I described what I had in mind for my own characters voice, intention, backstory, and many other things besides. Denise immediately picked up on what I was trying to do and shared insights that were exactly the affirmation I needed as I developed my character. Throughout the filming, shed check in on me and correct me here and there. Each conversation with her gave me a greater sense of confidence, so I made a mental note to work with her as soon as I was in a position to do so.

About two years later, while developing Don Shirleys voice in the movie Green Book, I reached out to Denise. Finally, this gracious lady was a luxury I could afford!

Finding the right voice for a role based on a real human being can be especially fraught with challenges. This is where you become acutely aware of how important it is to be honest in your work. Its your job to get rid of anything that feels inauthentic, like litter in your yard. Youve got to look for it and pick it up, taking a holistic look into every corner where there might be inaccuracies. The voice of Don Shirleya gay African American classical and jazz pianist and composer of the sixtieshad to be conveyed with subtlety, not flamboyance.

Denise taught me how, by sitting and standing tall, holding my head up just so, my voice naturally went into a higher register while maintaining a demeanor of utmost dignity. Understanding my intention, Denise helped me make all those small but necessary adjustments, stripping away the vocal distractions to enable this unique character to speak his truth.

I was simultaneously cast as the lead in HBOs True Detective series. I traveled from the set of Green Book in New Orleans to northwestern Arkansas to begin a six-month journey with a vastly different but equally compelling character. Again, Denise was my first call. We spent the next several months together, from March 2018 to the end of the summer, filming.

It was an immersive experience. I knew Id gotten myself into something particularly challenging. Wayne Hays was a complex character. I had to cultivate the regional dialect of the Ozarks, as spoken by an African American state police detective and Vietnam War veteran living in the seventies, and then looking back as an old man in the present day, battling some form of dementia along with his haunted past. Denise helped me work through all of those layers.

The success or failure of the storytelling hinges on finding that authentic voice for my characters. Voice is the conduit to a deeper connection with the audience. Its what engages people and makes them care.

And that is what this book can do for you as you share your own message with the world. All the voice and speech work I have ever done as an actor has spilled over into my daily life. The awareness it brings, and the empathy as I listen to others, is profound. My vocal work has taught me to truly listen, paying attention to every nuance of tone and inflection. It helps me hear and understand in depth whats going on with my wife, my family, and my intimate circle of friends. It also enables me to respond in ways that accurately reflect whats in my head and my heart, enriching the communication thats foundational for any human relationship.

Knowing I have these vocal tools at my disposal also gives me confidence. Yes, I still get stage fright, and not just in a professional acting context. There are any number of situations that can jangle my nerves, from meetings with the folks who write the checks to delicately negotiating the complexities of work/life balance with my strong, beautiful, beloved wife as we raise our daughter together. But I remind myself that I have the power of voice and speech within me, ready to deliver the right message, at the right time, and in just the right way.

You dont need to be an actor to benefit from finding your unique voice print, as Denise calls it. When you do the necessary work, clearing your voice of distractions and pairing it with your personal narrative, it can be liberating. Theres no more powerful way to unleash your true self onto the world and fully connect with others.

So, if youre going to play the leading role in your own story, why not invest the time to find your authentic voice so you can tell your story the way it deserves to be told?