Ivana Chubbuck: The Woman Behind Hollywood’s Most Influential Acting Method - THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER

By The Hollywood Reporter AUSTRALIA • Aug 27, 2026

Her client list reads like an Academy Awards guest list: Charlize Theron, Halle Berry, Brad Pitt, Sylvester Stallone, Jim Carrey, Gal Gadot, Jared Leto, Travis Fimmel, Beyoncé and countless others have all drawn upon the Chubbuck Technique, an approach that has become one of the industry’s most respected methods of performance.

Yet Chubbuck is quick to point out that her work isn’t really about acting.

It’s about understanding people.

That philosophy sits at the heart of the newly expanded 20th anniversary edition of The Power of the Actor. First published in 2004, the book has become a staple in acting schools across the world, but its latest edition reflects two decades of further research into psychology, behavioural science and human nature. The result is a significantly expanded volume that Chubbuck believes reaches far beyond performers.

“The publishing company said it needed a 20-year anniversary edition because it’s become such a big bestseller,” Chubbuck tells The Hollywood Reporter Australia. “I realised I had twenty years’ worth of new material. I’ve spent that time teaching all over the world and learning that there really isn’t a cultural definition of human behaviour. People are people are people. Whether I’m teaching in Australia, China, Japan, South America, Europe or Africa, we’re all driven by the same fundamental needs. What changes is the individual, not the human animal. That’s what fascinated me, and that’s what this new edition explores through psychology, cultural anthropology and behavioural science. Every page contains something new because I’ve continued learning about fear, addiction, grief, trauma, relationships and what truly drives human beings.” 

That focus on behaviour rather than performance explains why The Power of the Actor has developed an audience well beyond Hollywood.

While the book has long been considered essential reading for actors, Chubbuck says many readers have embraced it as a guide to navigating life itself.

“I’ve been told all over the world that this book has changed people’s lives, and many of those people aren’t actors at all,” she says. “The philosophy is about taking pain, trauma, insecurities and fear and using them as fuel instead of allowing them to defeat you. Life happens to everyone. People lose loved ones, relationships fall apart, illnesses arrive unexpectedly. You can’t stop those things happening, but you can choose how you respond. My technique is about taking those experiences, learning from them, finding catharsis and ultimately becoming stronger. That’s why the book often ends up in the self-help section instead of the acting section. It’s really about empowerment.” 

That word — empowerment — comes up repeatedly during our conversation.

Unlike some acting methods that encourage performers to disappear into a character, Chubbuck believes great performances come from mining personal experience and transforming it into dramatic action. Actors don’t escape themselves; they learn to understand themselves more completely.

It’s a philosophy that has produced remarkable results.

Oscar winners, blockbuster stars and emerging performers alike continue to seek out Chubbuck’s guidance, not because she offers shortcuts, but because she insists on honesty.

That honesty also extends to Hollywood itself.

Despite decades of change across streaming, franchises and social media, Chubbuck believes the industry’s fundamental priorities remain exactly the same.

“People often think Hollywood has become this mystery they have to solve, but it really hasn’t,” she says. “Studios wanted the best actors a hundred years ago, they wanted the best actors fifty years ago, and they want the best actors today. Audiences haven’t changed either. They still want to be entertained, they want stories that move them and performances they believe. Human beings haven’t fundamentally changed for millions of years, so the industry is still looking for exactly the same thing — excellence. Don’t try to second-guess trends. Just become the best actor you can possibly be.” 

Holly-Anna and Benjamin Mathews, Ivana Chubbuck and Kate Jaggard (Erin Masters Supplied)

That philosophy also informs the atmosphere inside her famed Los Angeles studio.

Rather than encouraging competition, Chubbuck has spent years cultivating what she describes as a genuine creative community, one where established stars continue to return long after their careers have taken off.

Australian actor Travis Fimmel is one example she cites. For Chubbuck, his success wasn’t simply talent—it was fearlessness.

“The actors who become successful are almost always the ones willing to make bold choices,” she says. “I often give new actors something completely outrageous to try, just to see how they’ll respond. The ones who immediately say, ‘Okay, let’s do it,’ are usually the ones who go on to become stars. Safe choices produce safe results. Bold choices make you impossible to ignore. That’s what I’ve seen over and over again with actors who have gone on to build extraordinary careers. Bravery is the common denominator.” 

In August, Chubbuck returned to Australia for the first time in a decade. She led intensive workshops alongside certified Chubbuck Technique teachers and local partners. For Australian actors, it’s a rare opportunity to study with one of Hollywood’s most influential coaches without leaving home.

But ask Chubbuck what she hopes audiences ultimately take away from her work, and her answer has little to do with acting.

“My legacy is to empower the world through the arts,” she says. “I want people to understand that they always have a choice. You can surrender to the difficult things that happen in life, or you can decide they’re an opportunity to overcome something. That’s true whether you’re an actor or not. Life is made up of choices. The Power of the Actor isn’t simply about becoming a better performer. It’s about becoming a stronger human being, and if people still feel that way when they read this book twenty years from now, then I’ll know I’ve done what I set out to do.” 

Chubbuck’s return to Australia, almost two years in the making, was spearheaded by actor and certified Chubbuck Technique teacher Kate Jaggard, founder and director of Actors Room Byron Bay, in partnership with Acting Mastery Sydney. Held at Sydney’s ATYP Theatre, the event also marked the first major international event for Acting Mastery Academy, the new venture from filmmakers Benjamin and Holly-Anna Mathews, created to connect Australian actors with leading international teachers, casting directors and industry professionals. Having trained extensively with Chubbuck in Hollywood, Jaggard now teaches the Chubbuck Technique through Actors Room Byron Bay, while the Mathews’ Academy aims to give Australian performers greater access to global training and career opportunities without necessarily having to relocate overseas.

Ivana Chubbuck photos by Erin Masters (supplied)