You’re right, a blade has to be hammered and quenched before it can hold an edge. I do the same with a character. I start with the backstory, map out every flaw, every impulse, and then I throw myself into that world until the lines feel like my own thoughts. I rehearse in silence, breathing the same rhythm the role demands, and then I let the pressure build—late nights, cold coffee, a lot of repetition. By the time I step onto the stage, the character isn’t just a mask, it’s a living, breathing thing that’s been tempered by the same heat and patience that shapes steel.