Leo Woodall, star of the heist thriller Tuner (96% on Rotten Tomatoes), has detailed his preparation for playing Niki, a piano prodigy with hyperacusis. The actor contacted Alex Ruger, a person living with this condition, to understand how everyday noise can be debilitating. Woodall took note of the specific sounds that affect his character and the protective measures needed to embody this auditory sensitivity.
The technical method for simulating a vulnerable ear 🎧
Woodall studied with Ruger the sound triggers that cause pain in people with hyperacusis, from the rustle of fabric to the jingle of a key. For the shoot, the actor used custom filter plugs that reduce decibels without eliminating key frequencies, allowing him to react naturally to ambient noises. He also worked with an audio consultant to calibrate the volume in each scene, ensuring his performance reflected realistic hypersensitivity without falling into exaggeration.
When the sound of a fork is a nuclear threat 🍴
Imagine your worst enemy is not a villain with a gun, but the noise of someone chewing cookies three meters away. For Woodall, preparing for Tuner meant discovering that even the crackle of paper can be a weapon of mass destruction. The irony is that while his character flees from heists, the real danger turns out to be the neighbor vacuuming. At least the actor now has an excuse to demand absolute silence on set.