What Makes For Great Acting?

Great acting is truthful.  Great acting is organic.  What do I mean by truthful? I think that's a minefield of semantics, I think it's easier to suggest what is not truthful.  Bogus, pretend acting, make believe, inorganic performances, those that are mechanical, where they indicate what is being done or felt rather than being done or felt.

Sincerity is what counts in performance.  Sincerity of action.  It doesn't matter what the character is feeling because there is only you on the stage and if you feel nausea, then you are feeling nausea.

Great acting does not need great emotion.  There are not tears or ranting. There are not pulling out of the hair, or overdoing it.

Perfect acting moments like the final scene between Bogey and Bergman is when it is simply delivered, perfectly timed, nothing over the top, a couple of tears, but not over done.

Acting is like steak, it's better if its raw and underdone.  When it's over done, it's tough and loses its good taste.