Actors and books

[TomMazanec]

Are actors in movies (and TV series) based on books:
-Forbidden to read the books,
-Allowed to read the books, or
-Required to read the books?

 

[Montero]

I've never heard of actors being forbidden to read the books, but it might have happened.
I've certainly heard of actors getting really into the book and brandishing it and requesting scene changes.

 

[Rodders]

Whenever I've read anything for actors portraying their role in a movie, they've always spoken highly of the source material and i suspect that the book is one of the reasons why some actors choose the role.

One exception. I do remember reading something about Christopher Lee being useful to the filming of The Lord of the Rings trilogy because he was one of the few on set who had read them all.

 

[CupofJoe]

And I read that for LotR Peter Jackson bought a lot of people collies of the BBC dramatisation, to get actors and crew in to the right mind set.

There could be good reasons NOT to read the source material. The film/ TV is not a book and won't run the same way. Choices and changes will have to be made, so having a different [even if original] view of the story might confuse things.