How to Play Dead

Co-authored by Lesly Kahn, MFA

Last Updated: July 4, 2024 References

Whether you're an actor or an expert prank-player, the skill of playing dead is a good one to have. Learning how to play dead can be useful when you're acting in movies, television, or theater, and can also come in handy when you're scheming about intense new pranks to play.

Part 1

Part 1 of 3:

Dying Convincingly

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Create a death plan. If you are going to be playing dead in a film scene, or another scenario where you won't need to actually "die" in front of an audience, than you don't need to come up with a dying plan. However, if dying in from of the audience is necessary, you must come up with a way to die.
- Most plays or movies have this part of the story written out for you, so be sure to practice and rehearse your dying scene.
- If you're playing a prank, be sure to practice your dying scene before you do it in front of others. You'll want it to look as natural as possible. Get a friend involved to give you some feedback as you practice.
- Some ways to fake a death would be a heart attack, getting shot, or being stabbed. Some of these methods will require another actor or friend.^{[1]
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Check your surroundings. Whether you're acting in a play or playing a prank, it's important to be aware of your surroundings when you play dead. Make sure you can safely fall or "be killed" without getting hurt or hurting others.
- If possible, fall onto a soft surface. For example, if you are outside, fall onto the grass instead of the sidewalk. This way, you're less likely to get injured.
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3
Begin your dying scene. A death scene is when you show your audience how you actually die. This can include screaming, getting shot, clutching your chest, gasping, making pained noises, or simply putting on a frightened expression. Whatever you decide to do, make it convincing. This is why practicing is so important.
- Faking a heart attack might include clutching your chest, gasping for air, and falling to the ground. You should look as if you are scared and in pain.
- Faking getting shot might include you jolting your body as the fake bullets hit you, holding your hand over your injuries, and falling to the ground. You should look like you're in excruciating pain, and give a painful yell or scream as you get shot. If you get shot in the body, you should stagger backwards before falling. If you get shot in the head, you should fall instantly, as you'd die immediately.
- If you want to make a dying statement, make it in a harsh, whispery voice. You'll want to sound like you are in pain and struggling to talk and breathe. Keep the statement short.
- After you "die," be sure that you land in a position that you'll be able to stay completely still in.
- If you're playing a prank, be aware of your situation. If you are seriously scaring people around you, consider waking up and telling them that it's a joke.

Part 2

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Looking Dead

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Remain completely still. It's important that you lie perfectly still for the entirety of the death scene that you are playing dead in. Even the smallest movement will show that you are actually alive, so be sure that your dying position is one that you can hold for an extended period of time.^{[2]
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Expert Source

Lesly Kahn, MFA
Acting Teacher & Coach

Expert Interview. 12 May 2020.}
- Make sure to position your body in a way that looks dead instead of just asleep. Some ways to do this are to position your body in an unnatural way, bend your limbs so that they look broken, or twist your torso so that it looks like your back is broken.
- Practice lying different ways to see which death positions you are most comfortable for you. It's important that you find a comfortable position, as you'll have to hold it, possible for a long time, without moving.
- Lying completely still includes your face. Don't smile, or make any other facial movements. Try to keep a blank look on your face. Leave your mouth open so that you're able to breathe without opening and closing your mouth.^{[3]
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Meditate. Meditation will help you get in the right mental state to play dead. Meditation is a key exercise to gain control over your body and mind, so put some time into practicing. Meditation is also a contributing factor to relaxation, and being relaxed will make you a much more convincing dead body.
- If your body is stiff or tense, it will be much harder for you to stay completely still. Instead of tensing your muscles, relax your body completely. Visualize a calm, serene place, and allow your body and mind to sink into deep relaxation.
- Practice meditating by giving yourself a few minutes of meditation time a day. Sit alone, in silence, and clear your mind. You can stop your mind from wandering by counting your breaths as you inhale and exhale.^{[4]
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- If you have trouble lying still and not moving, try counting to meditate. If you focus your mind on something (like counting), you won't feel as anxious, and your body will appear to be more relaxed.
3
Pick an inanimate object to focus on. It's much easier to play dead with your eyes closed, so always choose that route when possible. However, there are some scenarios where you (or a director, writer, etc.) wants you to act dead with your eyes open. If this is the case, pick an inanimate object to focus on, such as a sign, a chair, a mark on the wall, etc. This will give your eyes a steady gaze and will appear to others as if you are staring into nothingness, much like a dead body.
- You cannot blink when you are dead. Practice holding your eyes open without blinking before you actually perform in front of an audience.

Part 3

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Using Breathing Techniques

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Hold your breath so that your body doesn't move. Mastering different breathing techniques is the most difficult part of playing dead. Typically when you breathe, your entire body moves. This, unfortunately, is a dead giveaway of a living body. Learn to hold your breath for as long as possible.^{[5]
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Expert Source

Lesly Kahn, MFA
Acting Teacher & Coach

Expert Interview. 12 May 2020.}
- Holding your breath is a useful technique, because you will have no body movement at all.
- Most people can learn to hold their breath for 30 seconds to 1 minute. Practicing holding your breath for as long as possible, but do not hurt yourself. If you try holding your breath for too long, you may actually pass out. If you start to feel dizzy or light headed, stop holding your breath and resume breathing.^{[6]
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- Some of the best exercises to practice holding your breath are swimming underwater and singing (holding out long notes).^{[7]
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Take low, shallow breaths. Deep breathing is when you'll see the most body movement in an individual. Keep your breaths low and shallow by slowly inhaling and exhaling small amounts of air at a time. If you run out of air and you must that a breath, try this approach.
- Take in the smallest amount of air possible – just enough for you to get by.
- Only take a deep breath right before you "die." Taking a deep breath before your death scene will give you a good amount of stored air to use while you're playing dead.
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Visualize that you are breathing from your breathing in your neck and throat. Your lungs will still be working, but this visualization will minimize the movement of your chest cavity. Using visual tools is a great way to trick our body into behaving differently.
- Focus only on your neck and throat. Pretend as if all of your air is coming from that area, and not from your chest or abdomen.
- When you practice this technique, hold your hand on your throat area to direct your focus. Once you've directed your focus, you should be able to see and feel a difference in your body movements while breathing.^{[8]
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What makes a good death scene?

Lesly Kahn, MFA
Acting Teacher & Coach
Lesly Kahn is an acting teacher and coach based in Los Angeles, California. She is the founder and owner of Lesly Kahn & Company, Actor Training, which focuses on preparing actors for employment in film, television and theatre. With well over 30 years of experience, Ms. Kahn has coached hundreds of actors who have become household names. She also ran the BFA Program in Acting at Marymount Manhattan College, and worked in television as well as New York and regional theatre. Lesly holds a BFA from New York University and an MFA from The Yale School of Drama.

Lesly Kahn, MFA

Acting Teacher & Coach

Expert Answer

The most important thing to do is hold your breath and control your breathing. You don't want to be moving at all to convincingly look dead, so you have to keep your breathing slow and shallow.

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What should I do if the movie scene requires people to touch and move me while I'm supposedly dead?

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Let your body remain lifeless. Don't tense or move any part of your body. Let the other actors influence your body.

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What do I do if someone is trying to check if I have a pulse?

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Just remain completely still, but if they are about to call an ambulance, you have to get up.

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Tips

If you're doing this as a prank, don't let the joke go on too long because your friends and family might get really upset. Let them in on the joke quickly.

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Make sure you're totally limp and breathe super slowly so your stomach doesn't move too much.
Don't try this around anyone who could get really scared and call the hospital.

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