People think that theatre helps, but in my case, it slowed me down. I had to unlearn everything when I went on to a film set.
A new medium always has a period when it is struggling inside the confining box of an earlier medium. Creators have to unlearn what they knew before they can see the fresh, uncharted vistas stretching before them.
Girls are supposed to be feminine and demure. Comedy isn't about that, so you just have to unlearn it. Certain women are so pretty, they can't go weird enough to be funny. You have to be willing to be ugly. I'm lucky my face can look so hideous.
I tell students, 'If you are learning from YouTube I almost don't want to teach you because what you learn from YouTube it takes 10 times as long to unlearn.' They do an approximation of the centre of the note, an approximation of the interpretation, a cloned version.
I had to unlearn everything, as Maya's character is the essence of 'Allama.' She reflects feminism, an in-depth and powerful role where she feels that she can never lose.
I felt the need to unlearn my formal education.