Losing yourself in the character opens you up in a way that no amount of precise preparation can.
“I went over to say hi to Rob and he introduced me to Wayne and Fred. I had made a radical purchase of some brown Beatle boots. Wayne was like 'Where did you get those boots! Who is this guy?”
“I had a hard time convincing students that they were going to North Africa to understand the North Africans, not to understand themselves.”