Acting Tips: Crying on Cue?

Hi all,

I have just been informed by my director that I need to cry for this particular scene. I have attempted the "rub your eyes and don't blink" as well as the "think of sad things in your life or in general" technique, not to mention the "put yourself in their shoes" technique, and nothing really works. My eyes don't water when they're dry, I'm not very connected to sad things in my past, I'm not good at empathizing for things that could happen (e.g. Imagining I was diagnosed with a terminal illness or imagining my house burning down), and I can't really empathize with the character.

I haven't been trying to force it, because I know that won't help either.

But does anyone have any ideas? He wants it as real as possible, meaning real tears if possible.

Thank you so much in advance!