Actors: how do you prepare to play an "arrogant" character or role?

You might find it useful to look up information about how Daniel Day Lewis prepared for the movie “Unbearable Lightness of Being” – where he also plays a womanizer. I saw him discussing the role on Youtube some time ago and he said it was the most difficult role for him to prepare for because it was so far from his nature.

so many jokes along the lines of “ask @someone on Fluther” I’m trying to avoid right now…
Your role character sounds like the General Bethlehem in The Postman

Watch tapes of Richard Gere and Steven Segal?

Congratulations @charliecompany34! It sounds like a really fun role. In my experience, it helps to have a “role model” with whom you can interact. I’m sure you know this guy – we all know someone like this. So take some time to observe how he does things, both the way that he speaks and his physical presence. In my experience, men like this tend to take up more space in a room, invading people’s personal bubble and using touch to manipulate others.

I am neither particularly talented nor a professional actor, but I do play in an amateur theatre group, and it’s never really been a problem. I guess sometimes I might be a little manneristic, but that’s what my director asks of me. Usually I just try something out the first time, and then he’ll tell me what I’m doing wrong or show me how to do it. I think that’s where a director is important, and I think our is good enough to get what he wants out of all of us, even though most of us are not professioanl actors.

For me usually the issue is to learn the words, and for others to get up on stage and not faint. I help them with their confidence and they help me with my words, and it all works out somehow.