Best Actor Colin Firth transforms himself from stutterer to king in Best Picture The King’s Speech. His progress can be summarized in 10 steps.

1. Overcoming the Stutter.  Firth plays a humiliated King George VI who fears that he will not be able to fulfill his new role. He faces subconscious terror.  Slowly, the royal begins to trust his new speech coach Lionel Logue (Geoffrey Rush).
2. The new king exercised and practiced.  He used speaking strategies and learned to breathe more deeply.  He faced mystery with determination, finally believing that he could speak powerfully. Firth, who is classically trained in Shakespearean acting, painstakingly recreated the mechanics of the stutter and the king’s frustration. Like Daniel Day-Lewis in My Left Foot, he crafts an inspiring example for the differently abled.
3. Friendship with a Commoner.  The future king had to step down from his pedestal and seek help from a speech coach of modest means and impressive skill. Logue insisted that he and “Bertie” treat each other as equals in the privacy of the speech studio. Mutual respect is necessary to achieve progress.  After the death of his father, the student realizes that royal and commoner are two parts of a whole. He begins to respect and befriend Logue.
4. Forgiving His Father.  Bertie forgives his father King George V (Michael Gambon) after the elder monarch dies.  He realizes his father did his best, and was himself formed and limited by royalty. As a dad, the character has the power to recreate fatherhood. He understands that George V was well-meaning even though sometimes cruel.
5. Forgiving His Brother.  When his brother King Edward VIII (Guy Pearce) indulges himself and chooses love over royal responsibility, Bertie sees a new future before him.  Perhaps he always secretly wanted to become king. Now his brother is stepping down and he has an awesome opportunity.  The younger brother forgives Edward, who exercises his right to seek personal pleasure and romantic fulfillment.
6. Becoming King – Personal Greatness.  As George VI steps into the role of king, his voice becomes vital to his ability to lead, inspire and reassure the English.  He begins to value his speech coach and depend upon his new friend. He honors ceremonial traditions yet expands on the often limited views of the monarchy. At his coronation, George VI insists that Logue accompany him.
7. Public Speaking. The king strives to enunciate clearly and make an impact. He must prepare, practice, speak firmly and pause appropriately. The process on film was enriched by Firth’s meticulous training as an actor.
8. Father.  Bertie is known for telling bedtime stories to his daughters Elizabeth and Margaret (Freya Wilson and Ramona Marquez).  After he becomes king, the new princesses curtsey to him.  He commands their respect in a loving relationship.  He’s a self-actualized man and father who is able to be tender and strong.
9. Husband.  Bertie accepted his wife’s help long after he had given up hoping to speak publicly. Elizabeth (Helena Bonham Carter) urges him to consult with the humble Logue after he exhausts all other possibilities.  The new king continues to partner with his wife as she guides and supports him behind the scenes.
10. Leading a Nation.  George VI learned about geopolitics as World War II approached. The king asked his people to pitch in to help save the nation. The king took the advice of Winston Churchill (Timothy Spall). He was forced to accept the resignation of Neville Chamberlain (Roger Parrott). He listened, considered and followed his inner guidance.
11. World Leader.  The new king taps into his true concern for the people. His own best qualities emerge: good character, maturity, sacrifice and hard work. His personal trials, and a world crisis, strengthen him. Before our eyes, George VI becomes a world leader.