NAMES IN THE NEWS : Acting Is Discovery, Lange Says

Acting is more than just a job. It’s a “journey of self-discovery,” Jessica Lange said.

“I love acting because of all those things you discover about yourself through your characters,” she said in an interview in the February issue of Vogue.

“Acting is an opportunity to dip into emotions you might not have the time or inclination to explore.”

The actress said that was one reason she was attracted to the current movie “Music Box,” in which she plays an attorney who defends her father against charges he was a Nazi war criminal. The underlying theme is a daughter’s unwavering devotion to her father.

“The character was so close to my own,” she said. Her eyes filled with tears as she explained that her father recently died, the magazine said.

The actress said her boyfriend, playwright Sam Shepard, has quite a different view. “All his talent and dedication go into writing his plays, so naturally he sees acting as just a job.”