11 Undeniable Tricks: How To Cry On Command Like A Hollywood Actor

Mastering the art of crying on command is a powerful skill, whether you're an aspiring actor needing to nail an emotional scene or simply want to understand the complex interplay between your mind and body. As of December 15, 2025, the techniques for triggering tears have evolved beyond simple physical hacks, incorporating deep psychological methods that produce genuinely emotional and believable results.

The ability to summon tears on demand hinges on understanding the three types of tears—basal, reflex, and emotional—and learning to bypass the brain's natural resistance to forced emotion. Professional coaches and therapists now advocate for a blend of internal (emotional) and external (physiological) methods to achieve this challenging feat, ensuring the tears look and feel authentic every single time.

The Psychological & Emotional Memory Techniques

For actors, a truly compelling cry must come from a place of genuine emotion, not just physical irritation. This is where psychological and emotional memory techniques, rooted in the teachings of renowned acting coaches, become essential. These methods focus on activating the limbic system to produce authentic emotional tears.

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1. The Emotional Memory (Substitution) Method

This is arguably the most famous and potent technique. It involves recalling a personal memory that evokes intense sadness, loss, or grief. The goal is not just to remember the event, but to fully immerse yourself in the sensory and emotional experience of that moment.

• The Process: Don't just think about the event; think about the sights, sounds, smells, and physical sensations of that moment. What did you hear? What was the temperature? What was the specific thought that made you feel helpless?
• The Warning: Use this technique sparingly. Repeatedly accessing deep trauma can be emotionally taxing and should be practiced with caution and, ideally, under the guidance of a professional acting coach or therapist.

2. The "As If" or Imagination Technique

When you cannot or do not want to use a personal memory, the "As If" method is a powerful substitute. It requires a high degree of empathy and imagination.

• Empathize with the Character: Fully inhabit the character's circumstances. Instead of thinking about your own life, ask: "If I were this character, with their history and their current high-stakes situation, how would I feel?"
• The Hypothetical Scenario: Create a fictional, yet deeply tragic, scenario in your mind that mirrors the emotional stakes of the scene. The brain often reacts to a vividly imagined scenario as if it were real.

3. The High-Stakes Focus

Many experienced actors find that focusing on the *loss* or the *consequence* of a moment is more effective than focusing on the sadness itself. The high-stakes of the situation drive the tears.

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• Identify the Loss: What is the character truly losing in this moment? Their dignity? A loved one? Their last chance? The finality of this loss is the emotional trigger.
• The Internal Monologue: Repeat a specific line or thought in your head that encapsulates the tragedy of the moment. This internal focus prevents you from getting distracted by the technical aspects of crying on cue.

The Physiological & Physical Hacks for Instant Tears

While emotional techniques produce the most authentic tears, sometimes you need instant, reflexive tears for a quick shot or when emotional access is blocked. These physical hacks stimulate the tear ducts (lacrimal glands) directly, producing reflex tears.

4. The Yawn and Blink Suppression Method

This is a widely used and effective method. It combines two natural physiological responses.

• Yawning: Repeatedly forcing yourself to yawn can stimulate the lacrimal glands because yawning causes pressure buildup around the eyes. This is a crucial technique for many professionals.
• Blink Suppression: Stare straight ahead without blinking for as long as possible. The eyes will dry out, and the body’s natural instinct will kick in to produce moisture (tears) to prevent debris and irritation.

5. Strategic Breathing (Shallow Breaths)

The way you breathe can trick your body into a state of distress. Rapid, shallow breathing in the upper chest, similar to the breathing pattern of someone hyperventilating or experiencing panic, can activate the body’s stress response.

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• The Technique: Take a series of quick, shallow breaths. This can activate stress hormones, which can sometimes bring forth emotional or reflex tears, mimicking the physical state of deep distress.

6. Hydration and Eye Moisture

A simple yet often overlooked prerequisite for producing tears is having enough liquid in your system.

• Stay Hydrated: Drink plenty of water before an emotional scene. Dehydration makes it physically difficult for the body to produce any type of tear.
• Eye Drops: While a cheat, a few drops of saline solution or artificial tears can provide the visual effect of tears, especially if you can combine them with a convincing emotional performance.

Professional External Aids and Tools

When time is of the essence on a film set, actors and makeup artists often rely on external, non-emotional aids to ensure tear production is immediate and controllable. These are considered technical shortcuts.

7. The Menthol Stick or Tear Blower

These are the most common and effective tools used in professional film and television production.

• Menthol Stick: A small stick containing menthol, camphor, or peppermint oil is waved or dabbed under the actor's eyes. The fumes irritate the eyes, causing them to water profusely (reflex tears). This is a reliable, non-emotional method.
• Tear Blower: This device is used to blow a fine mist of menthol or a similar irritant directly towards the actor’s eyes, achieving the same effect as the menthol stick.

8. The Lip Bite Technique

A minor physical discomfort can sometimes trigger a tear response.

• Subtle Pain: Gently yet firmly biting the inside of your lip or cheek can cause a momentary rush of pain that is often enough to make the eyes water. This must be done subtly so it’s not visible to the audience.

The Science of Tears: Why Emotional is Best

Understanding the difference between tear types highlights why emotional techniques are superior for performance. There are three types of tears: basal (lubrication), reflex (irritation), and emotional (psychological).

• Emotional Tears: These are triggered by the limbic system and contain higher levels of stress hormones, like prolactin and adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH), which are believed to be released during emotional crying. This chemical difference is what makes emotional tears look, feel, and even smell different (though subtly) from reflex tears.
• The Ineffectiveness of Physical Triggers: While physical triggers (like menthol) can produce water, they do not engage the deep emotional centers of the brain. The resulting tears are often just clear liquid, lacking the reddening of the eyes, the facial contortions, and the genuine emotional weight that comes from a true, deep cry.

Final Tips for Consistency and Control

Achieving consistency in crying on command requires practice, self-awareness, and control over your body's physiological response.

• Practice Your Triggers: Identify what works for you—a specific memory, a piece of music, or a physical sensation—and practice accessing it quickly.
• Focus on the Emotion, Not the Result: As many coaches advise, if you focus too hard on *crying*, you often block the emotion. Focus intensely on the feeling, and let the tears be the natural result.
• Stay Present: Whether you are performing or practicing, be fully present in the moment. Distraction is the enemy of authentic emotion.