--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I don't even draw on my life experiences…" description: "\"I don't even draw on my life experiences when I'm acting. I just try and make it feel like I'm living through that person's skin.\" — Aaron Paul" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2fb/aaron-paul-4009_acting_i-don-t-even-draw-on-my-life-experiences_917981.jpg" --- # I don't even draw on my life experiences when I'm acting… ![“I don't even draw on my life experiences when I'm acting. I just try and make it feel like I'm living through that person's skin.” quote by Aaron Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2fb/aaron-paul-4009_acting_i-don-t-even-draw-on-my-life-experiences_917981.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2fb/aaron-paul-4009_acting_i-don-t-even-draw-on-my-life-experiences_917981.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2fb/aaron-paul-4009_acting_i-don-t-even-draw-on-my-life-experiences_917981.jpg) > “I don't even draw on my life experiences when I'm acting. I just try and make it feel like I'm living through that person's skin.” [Aaron Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-paul/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Acting involves immersing oneself in another's experience rather than recalling personal history. **In simple terms:** Actors become the character, not themselves. Key Takeaway Embody the role fully. Themes acting empathy identity craft method Mood introspective creative Type artistic psychological When to use this quote - theatre rehearsal - film set - improvisational workshops - role‑play therapy Key Concepts psychology performance studies identity theory Questions to Reflect On - How do you separate self from character? - What techniques keep you grounded? A Different Perspective Relying solely on empathy can blur personal boundaries and cause burnout. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Acting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/acting/) [Acting Just](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/acting-just/) [Actor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actor/) [Draw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/draw/) [Even](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/even/) [Experiences](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/experiences/) [Experiences Acting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/experiences-acting-1398610/) [Feel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feel/) [Feel Like](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feel-like/) [Just](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/just/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Life experiences](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life-experiences/) [Like](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/like/) [Living](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/living/) [Make](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/make/) [My life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/my-life/) [Person](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/person/) [Skin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/skin/) [Through](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/through/) [Try](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/try/) ## Related quotes > [Life experiences become acting experiences, which in turn become life experiences.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liv-ullmann/life-experiences-become-acting-experiences-which-in-turn-become-life/) [Liv Ullmann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liv-ullmann/) > [I actually grew up hearing this a lot: 'If you're an actor, you can only be an actor, and you have to just do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/todd-louiso/i-actually-grew-up-hearing-this-a-lot-if-you-re-an-actor-you-can-only/) [Todd Louiso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/todd-louiso/) > [I love acting. Modeling is fun, too, but I feel like there is more room to stretch yourself and open yourself up to new…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arden-cho/i-love-acting-modeling-is-fun-too-but-i-feel-like-there-is-more-room/) [Arden Cho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arden-cho/) > [I feel like my early experiences of acting, and I think a lot of other actors' too, are probably at camp or school plays…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-mcgorry/i-feel-like-my-early-experiences-of-acting-and-i-think-a-lot-of-other/) [Matt McGorry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-mcgorry/) > [I think that music is a deeply personal thing for me that I can tell my stories and experiences through. Acting is a really…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miles-robbins/i-think-that-music-is-a-deeply-personal-thing-for-me-that-i-can-tell/) [Miles Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miles-robbins/) > [ I feel like you have to pull from some personal experiences \[to acting\]. At least that's how I work sometimes. It's just easier that… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-b-jordan/i-feel-like-you-have-to-pull-from-some-personal-experiences-to-acting/) [Michael B. Jordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-b-jordan/) > [I love people that kind of have those life experiences that take them different places.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brianna-wu/i-love-people-that-kind-of-have-those-life-experiences-that-take-them/) [Brianna Wu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brianna-wu/) > [I've had more life experiences than most people that are older than me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/machine-gun-kelly/i-ve-had-more-life-experiences-than-most-people-that-are-older-than-me/) [Machine Gun Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/machine-gun-kelly/) > [All of my music is based off my life experiences.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabriella-wilson/all-of-my-music-is-based-off-my-life-experiences/) [Gabriella Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabriella-wilson/) > [Where you have 20 people who all share roughly the same educational and life experiences, they're going to come up with the same solutions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-webb/where-you-have-20-people-who-all-share-roughly-the-same-educational/) [Robert Webb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-webb/) > [A lot of my work comes from my life experiences.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-weston/a-lot-of-my-work-comes-from-my-life-experiences/) [Kim Weston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-weston/) > [We're not in high school anymore and we've had a little more life experiences to help us better understand what were going through in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-hernandez/we-re-not-in-high-school-anymore-and-we-ve-had-a-little-more-life/) [Jay Hernandez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-hernandez/) > [It's easier for me to write certain character types because of my own life experiences, but I find it too artistically limiting to only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brent-weeks/it-s-easier-for-me-to-write-certain-character-types-because-of-my-own/) [Brent Weeks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brent-weeks/) > [Even if I have a good day, I still am aware of other people that are going through really hard, tumultuous things. I don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christian-scott/even-if-i-have-a-good-day-i-still-am-aware-of-other-people-that-are/) [Christian Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christian-scott/) > [Some jobs you do, they're just jobs. Others are life experiences.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-strong/some-jobs-you-do-they-re-just-jobs-others-are-life-experiences/) [Mark Strong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-strong/) ## More by Aaron Paul > [I love coming of age stories that have struggle.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-paul/i-love-coming-of-age-stories-that-have-struggle/) [Aaron Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-paul/) > [A lot of people get emotional in movies that are cartoons, but not in TV shows.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-paul/a-lot-of-people-get-emotional-in-movies-that-are-cartoons-but-not-in/) [Aaron Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-paul/) > [I've been snowboarding my whole life. My wife's really good, and I just try to keep up with her.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-paul/i-ve-been-snowboarding-my-whole-life-my-wife-s-really-good-and-i-just/) [Aaron Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-paul/) > [I never really thought of myself as being an action hero or a leading man or any of that. I'm a character actor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-paul/i-never-really-thought-of-myself-as-being-an-action-hero-or-a-leading/) [Aaron Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-paul/) > [Is it bad that I want the singer of Alabama shakes to marry Lauren and I? Samsung you out did yourself with this one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-paul/is-it-bad-that-i-want-the-singer-of-alabama-shakes-to-marry-lauren/) [Aaron Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-paul/) > [I saw a lot of people have success handed to them that then exploited it. They didn't protect it or cherish it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-paul/i-saw-a-lot-of-people-have-success-handed-to-them-that-then-exploited/) [Aaron Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-paul/) > [I hate musicals. There, I said it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-paul/i-hate-musicals-there-i-said-it/) [Aaron Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-paul/) > [It's so nice to be part of a project that you're actually really proud of because when I first started, just to make ends…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-paul/it-s-so-nice-to-be-part-of-a-project-that-you-re-actually-really/) [Aaron Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-paul/) > [Today is a day to celebrate love, equality and justice. Congratulations to the supreme court for finally opening up their eyes. Way to go.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-paul/today-is-a-day-to-celebrate-love-equality-and-justice-congratulations/) [Aaron Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-paul/) > [You feel like you're really a part of a movement when you're singing Journey at a karaoke bar.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-paul/you-feel-like-you-re-really-a-part-of-a-movement-when-you-re-singing/) [Aaron Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-paul/) > [On a big film, there's almost no way you can meet everyone. On an indie, there are 30 people and no trailers to duck into.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-paul/on-a-big-film-there-s-almost-no-way-you-can-meet-everyone-on-an-indie/) [Aaron Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-paul/) > [This business is such a rollercoaster of crazy rejections and emotions, but I knew that going into it, so you've got to be definitely…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-paul/this-business-is-such-a-rollercoaster-of-crazy-rejections-and/) [Aaron Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-paul/) > [When I was six all I could think about was ding-dongs and yo-yos.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-paul/when-i-was-six-all-i-could-think-about-was-ding-dongs-and-yo-yos/) [Aaron Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-paul/) > [I have no idea but I love it. I think it's wonderful. My buddy who lives with me in my house, he won one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-paul/i-have-no-idea-but-i-love-it-i-think-it-s-wonderful-my-buddy-who/) [Aaron Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-paul/) > [I was very driven in high school. I worked a bunch of odd jobs. I never partied. I never drank. I was just a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-paul/i-was-very-driven-in-high-school-i-worked-a-bunch-of-odd-jobs-i-never/) [Aaron Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-paul/) [Explore all 117 Aaron Paul quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-paul/) ## More Acting quotes > [I actually think acting is a form of self-hypnosis. You have to be hyper, hyper aware of what's going on around you. You have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julianne-moore/i-actually-think-acting-is-a-form-of-self-hypnosis-you-have-to-be/) [Julianne Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julianne-moore/) > [Many Republicans have always reminded me of professional WWF wrestlers. They come into the ring all pumped up and acting like they're invincible and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-feig/many-republicans-have-always-reminded-me-of-professional-wwf/) [Paul Feig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-feig/) > [I'm a big fan of all the Boston guys that are acting - Matt Damon , Ben Affleck, Mark Wahlberg - they made a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenny-wormald/i-m-a-big-fan-of-all-the-boston-guys-that-are-acting-matt-damon-ben/) [Kenny Wormald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenny-wormald/) > [Acting is a grind, just like music is a grind. Sometimes it takes longer than what you can give.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/big-sean/acting-is-a-grind-just-like-music-is-a-grind-sometimes-it-takes/) [Big Sean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/big-sean/) > [It was only when I started making short films in college and I was looking for girls to play the me-ish parts that I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lena-dunham/it-was-only-when-i-started-making-short-films-in-college-and-i-was/) [Lena Dunham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lena-dunham/) > [Writing is something I took up rather than anything I had an inclination toward. I like acting -delivering someone else's message - but writing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-martin/writing-is-something-i-took-up-rather-than-anything-i-had-an/) [Steve Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-martin/) > [I can still function when I don't have that balance I crave. I had a tendency to be precious about acting, thinking of it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-regan/i-can-still-function-when-i-don-t-have-that-balance-i-crave-i-had-a/) [Laura Regan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-regan/) > [Actors don't hate acting. Most people don't hate acting! Whether you're a child mucking around with your friends or a grown up being paid…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liv-hewson/actors-don-t-hate-acting-most-people-don-t-hate-acting-whether-you-re/) [Liv Hewson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liv-hewson/) > [It was only when I went to acting school that I was like, "You are absolutely such a pigheaded freak show that you thought…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giles-matthey/it-was-only-when-i-went-to-acting-school-that-i-was-like-you-are/) [Giles Matthey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giles-matthey/) > [Once I committed to acting, this has been it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernie-hudson/once-i-committed-to-acting-this-has-been-it/) [Ernie Hudson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernie-hudson/) > [It definitely helps to have the acting experience going into singing, because when you're singing, you have to portray the emotion you were feeling…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-newman/it-definitely-helps-to-have-the-acting-experience-going-into-singing/) [Ryan Newman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-newman/) > [The show was number one in the ratings, Gordon Russell was our head writer, the story lines were magnificent and the acting most exciting.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-storm/the-show-was-number-one-in-the-ratings-gordon-russell-was-our-head/) [Michael Storm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-storm/) > [I've done so many other projects where you're in a room with a reader and you're acting your lines out: 'We have to get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-cummings/i-ve-done-so-many-other-projects-where-you-re-in-a-room-with-a-reader/) [Jim Cummings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-cummings/) > [I do not believe in public shaming. I do believe that young adults go to college to learn things, and that this process will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-weingarten/i-do-not-believe-in-public-shaming-i-do-believe-that-young-adults-go/) [Gene Weingarten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-weingarten/) > [Poetry has, in a way, been my bridge to my acting career.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/omari-hardwick/poetry-has-in-a-way-been-my-bridge-to-my-acting-career/) [Omari Hardwick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/omari-hardwick/) [Browse all 12,062 Acting quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/acting/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I don't even draw on my life experiences when I'm acting. I just try and make it feel like I'm living through that person's skin.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Aaron Paul" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-paul/i-don-t-even-draw-on-my-life-experiences-when-i-m-acting-i-just-try/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Acting" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-paul/i-don-t-even-draw-on-my-life-experiences-when-i-m-acting-i-just-try/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2fb/aaron-paul-4009_acting_i-don-t-even-draw-on-my-life-experiences_917981.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2fb/aaron-paul-4009_acting_i-don-t-even-draw-on-my-life-experiences_917981.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2fb/aaron-paul-4009_acting_i-don-t-even-draw-on-my-life-experiences_917981.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I don't even draw on my life experiences when I'm acting. I just try and make it feel like I'm living…” — Aaron Paul", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Aaron Paul", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-paul/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I don't even draw on my...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-paul/i-don-t-even-draw-on-my-life-experiences-when-i-m-acting-i-just-try/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-paul/i-don-t-even-draw-on-my-life-experiences-when-i-m-acting-i-just-try/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```