Let's read...

And yet I had it all, and I was lonelier than I had ever been. And it wasn't until the boy with the surfer's hair invited me to his birthday party after hours offset away from work that everything changed. He wasn't just inviting me to his birthday party. He was inviting me to his life party, to his community, and I finally felt at home, and I made some of the best friends that I still have to this day. It in retrospect, I know it wasn't the role I was looking for. It wasn't a paycheck or a titular character. I, what I really needed was friendship. So I want to stress to you, build your tribe. They will keep you alive. I'm also pretty sure that's what Beyonce would say. Speaking of pillars of an American entertainment, uh, it is now the portion of the morning where I remind everyone that life is 50 shades of gray. I have to assume I'm the first speaker in an academic institution that has referenced the book 50 shades of gray. But we have already established that I dropped out of college. I have no right to be here. So this is where we arrived. I don't know what you want me to do.

Let's follow Kristen...

And yet / I had it all, / and I was lonelier / than I had ever been. // And it wasn't until / the boy / with the surfer hair / invited me / to his birthday party / after hours offset / away from work / that everything changed. // He wasn't just inviting me / to his birthday party, / he was inviting me / to his life party, / to his community, / and I finally felt at home, / and I made / some of the best friends / that I still have / to this day. // It in retrospect, / I know / it wasn't the role / I was looking for. / It wasn't / a paycheck / or / a titular character. // I, / what I / really needed / was friendship. // So I / want to stress / to you, / build your tribe. // They will / keep you alive. // I'm also / pretty / sure / that's what / Beyonce would say. // Speaking / of pillars / of an American entertainment, / uh, / it is now / the portion / of the morning / where I remind / everyone / that life / is / 50 shades / of gray. // I have to assume / I'm the first speaker / in an/ academic institution / that has referenced the book / 50 shades of gray. // But / we have already established / that I / dropped out of college. // I have no right / to be here. // So / this is / where we arrived. // I don't know / what you want me to do. //

Let's read...

In my, in my life, there was only one concept that I have determined. It's that everything is gray. Every person, every question, every tragedy, even every victory, they all have nuance. Pay attention to the nuance. You all in this room, I feel like know that better than anyone. You know it in your bones because you've devoted your time to building stories, building people. It's what you do. You are people architects. You read a script, and you construct a walking, breathing human from the ground up. When we create characters, we are encouraged to make them three-dimensional, right? And acting two-dimensional characters they are at the least boring and at the most extreme irresponsible. We're told to embrace complicated characters. We are taught that you can't accurately play a villain until you find one thing about him that you love.

Let's follow Kristen...

In my, / in my life, / there was only / one concept / that I have determined. // It's that / everything / is gray. // Every person, / every question, / every tragedy, / even every / victory, / they all / have nuance. // Pay attention / to the nuance. // You / all in this room, / I feel like / know that better / than anyone. // You know it / in your bones / because / you've devoted your time / to building stories, / building people. // It's what / you do. // You are / people architects. // You read a script, / and you construct / a walking, / breathing human / from the ground up. // When we create / characters, we are encouraged / to make them / three-dimensional, / right? // And acting / two-dimensional characters / they are / at the least / boring / and at the most extreme / irresponsible. // We're told to embrace / complicated characters. // We are taught / that you can't accurately / play a villain / until you find / one thing / about him / that you love. //