--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: As an actor playing a role, you are asked…" description: "\"As an actor playing a role, you are asked to visit certain sides of yourself day after day, night after night. If the portrayal requires you to feel so..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/824/adrian-lester-6198_cinema_as-an-actor-playing-a-role-you-are-asked_1858530.jpg" --- # As an actor playing a role, you are asked to visit certain… ![“As an actor playing a role, you are asked to visit certain sides of yourself day after day, night after night. If the portrayal requires you to feel some powerful, negative emotions, then once the curtain comes down or the director shouts cut, elements of these feelings will be left with you.” quote by Adrian Lester](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/824/adrian-lester-6198_cinema_as-an-actor-playing-a-role-you-are-asked_1858530.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/824/adrian-lester-6198_cinema_as-an-actor-playing-a-role-you-are-asked_1858530.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/824/adrian-lester-6198_cinema_as-an-actor-playing-a-role-you-are-asked_1858530.jpg) > “As an actor playing a role, you are asked to visit certain sides of yourself day after day, night after night. If the portrayal requires you to feel some powerful, negative emotions, then once the curtain comes down or the director shouts cut, elements of these feelings will be left with you.” [Adrian Lester](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adrian-lester/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Repeatedly inhabiting intense roles can leave residual emotional residue that lingers after performance. **In simple terms:** Acting can leave lasting emotional impact. Key Takeaway Process and release lingering emotions after roles. Themes acting emotion psychology Mood reflective introspective Type artistic psychological When to use this quote - theatre - film - TV - rehearsals - post‑show debrief Key Concepts method acting emotional labor mental health Questions to Reflect On - How do actors manage lingering feelings? - What coping strategies help? A Different Perspective Emotional residue may affect personal well‑being. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Actor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actor/) [Actor Playing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actor-playing/) [Cinema](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cinema/) [Day](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/day/) [Director](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/director/) [Emotions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/emotions/) [Emotions Curtain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/emotions-curtain-2486645/) [Negative emotions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/negative-emotions/) [Night](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/night/) [Playing Role](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/playing-role/) [Portrayal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/portrayal/) [Powerful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/powerful/) [Requires Feel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/requires-feel-2486644/) [Theatre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/theatre/) ## Related quotes > [I play a crazy talk-show host, but that's not me. It's like an actor playing a role.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-springer/i-play-a-crazy-talk-show-host-but-that-s-not-me-it-s-like-an-actor/) [Jerry Springer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-springer/) > [A magician is an actor playing the part of a magician.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-eugene-robert-houdin/a-magician-is-an-actor-playing-the-part-of-a-magician/) [Jean Eugene Robert-Houdin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-eugene-robert-houdin/) > [It's a luxurious complaint to have as an actor, but playing the same character for many years can become routine.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-eggold/it-s-a-luxurious-complaint-to-have-as-an-actor-but-playing-the-same/) [Ryan Eggold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-eggold/) > [As a kid and even to this day, I want to be an actor when I'm done playing. I work on music, too.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-drummond/as-a-kid-and-even-to-this-day-i-want-to-be-an-actor-when-i-m-done/) [Andre Drummond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-drummond/) > [The thing about many celebrities - not all - is that they're fantastic actors. If we've created a really juicy role, it just feels…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-lieberstein/the-thing-about-many-celebrities-not-all-is-that-they-re-fantastic/) [Paul Lieberstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-lieberstein/) > [As an actor playing a character, I can't come in with my judgement, or else I can't play it honestly. My judgement has to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-sadoski/as-an-actor-playing-a-character-i-can-t-come-in-with-my-judgement-or/) [Thomas Sadoski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-sadoski/) > [My advice to any actor who's playing, quote, unquote, "extra" to think of it more like Stanislavski did. It's not a small part. You…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harvey-keitel/my-advice-to-any-actor-who-s-playing-quote-unquote-extra-to-think-of/) [Harvey Keitel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harvey-keitel/) > [In my career as a double, a lot of my job is to not just do the fights to make them look cool, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zoe-bell/in-my-career-as-a-double-a-lot-of-my-job-is-to-not-just-do-the-fights/) [Zoe Bell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zoe-bell/) > [Somebody saw me on 'Cheers' and thought that I was an actor playing a part as opposed to a guy just doing what he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-anderson/somebody-saw-me-on-cheers-and-thought-that-i-was-an-actor-playing-a/) [Harry Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-anderson/) > [I am sure the audience that looks on me as a Mahadev knows that at the end of the day, I am an actor…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mohit-raina/i-am-sure-the-audience-that-looks-on-me-as-a-mahadev-knows-that-at/) [Mohit Raina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mohit-raina/) > [It's different when you're an actor and playing a part, but when it's just you, you feel immensely vulnerable have strangers prodding and prying.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helena-bonham-carter/it-s-different-when-you-re-an-actor-and-playing-a-part-but-when-it-s/) [Helena Bonham Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helena-bonham-carter/) > [God is dead, and there is an actor playing his part](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-charnin/god-is-dead-and-there-is-an-actor-playing-his-part/) [Martin Charnin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-charnin/) > [Normally, an actress has to work to bring out her male side. In our case, the dynamic is reversed. The actor playing her modelled…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-hall/normally-an-actress-has-to-work-to-bring-out-her-male-side-in-our/) [Edward Hall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-hall/) > [Both are two different things. As a VJ, you are yourself. But as an actor, you are playing a character that you want people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rhea-chakraborty/both-are-two-different-things-as-a-vj-you-are-yourself-but-as-an/) [Rhea Chakraborty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rhea-chakraborty/) > [In ten years, or certainly before then, I'd like to not only be continuously busy as an actor playing tormented, playful characters in film…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kyle-cassie/in-ten-years-or-certainly-before-then-i-d-like-to-not-only-be/) [Kyle Cassie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kyle-cassie/) ## More by Adrian Lester > [Doctor Who' is a great part and I grew up with the series, but I've never done anything more than express my admiration for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adrian-lester/doctor-who-is-a-great-part-and-i-grew-up-with-the-series-but-i-ve/) [Adrian Lester](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adrian-lester/) > [There's always a subtle shift that happens in any play I've done that's come to New York, or that's toured, even. The audiences pick…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adrian-lester/there-s-always-a-subtle-shift-that-happens-in-any-play-i-ve-done-that/) [Adrian Lester](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adrian-lester/) > [Never mind that British history is liberally dotted with ethnic minorities; to most scriptwriters they simply don't exist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adrian-lester/never-mind-that-british-history-is-liberally-dotted-with-ethnic/) [Adrian Lester](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adrian-lester/) > [It's interesting, now we have these huge TVs with wonderful sound and so on at home, we're awash with wonderful dramas from so many…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adrian-lester/it-s-interesting-now-we-have-these-huge-tvs-with-wonderful-sound-and/) [Adrian Lester](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adrian-lester/) > [What's been crucial to 'Hustle's' success is the sense that the gang could survive in prison or on the streets.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adrian-lester/what-s-been-crucial-to-hustle-s-success-is-the-sense-that-the-gang/) [Adrian Lester](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adrian-lester/) > [There are certain actors who, when they appear in a drama, you know exactly what you're going to get. That's not me - if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adrian-lester/there-are-certain-actors-who-when-they-appear-in-a-drama-you-know/) [Adrian Lester](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adrian-lester/) > [Every time I've played a role - every time - I've been hit by the same response of 'Oh goodness, that's interesting.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adrian-lester/every-time-i-ve-played-a-role-every-time-i-ve-been-hit-by-the-same/) [Adrian Lester](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adrian-lester/) > [I am brilliant at not doing paperwork. I could teach a degree in procrastination.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adrian-lester/i-am-brilliant-at-not-doing-paperwork-i-could-teach-a-degree-in/) [Adrian Lester](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adrian-lester/) > [At heart, I'm analogue. I'm one of those people who has to buy something if they walk past a stationery shop.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adrian-lester/at-heart-i-m-analogue-i-m-one-of-those-people-who-has-to-buy/) [Adrian Lester](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adrian-lester/) > [The Undeclared War' is one of those series that points at something that should concern us all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adrian-lester/the-undeclared-war-is-one-of-those-series-that-points-at-something/) [Adrian Lester](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adrian-lester/) > [I try to be as healthy as I can, but I fail in so many ways. Haagen-Dazs strawberry cheesecake ice cream is one downfall;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adrian-lester/i-try-to-be-as-healthy-as-i-can-but-i-fail-in-so-many-ways-haagen/) [Adrian Lester](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adrian-lester/) > [When cosmetic surgery is used to hold back the passage of time I think it's a bit dodgy. I've been at the odd party…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adrian-lester/when-cosmetic-surgery-is-used-to-hold-back-the-passage-of-time-i/) [Adrian Lester](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adrian-lester/) > [I'm not the kind of actor who's going to fit well with a long-running series unless that series offers me the chance to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adrian-lester/i-m-not-the-kind-of-actor-who-s-going-to-fit-well-with-a-long-running/) [Adrian Lester](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adrian-lester/) > [I think the best characters are people you're not sure of, that you keep on going: 'God, I hate that person,' but you can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adrian-lester/i-think-the-best-characters-are-people-you-re-not-sure-of-that-you/) [Adrian Lester](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adrian-lester/) > [The arts safeguard our culture.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adrian-lester/the-arts-safeguard-our-culture/) [Adrian Lester](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adrian-lester/) [Explore all 99 Adrian Lester quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adrian-lester/) ## More Actor 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/) > [When you step out and do a song in a musical, the easier thing to do is make it funny. But when those transitions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelli-o-hara/when-you-step-out-and-do-a-song-in-a-musical-the-easier-thing-to-do/) [Kelli O'Hara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelli-o-hara/) > [I once told someone I could act. They totally bought it. I've been getting away with it ever since.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/akshay-kumar/i-once-told-someone-i-could-act-they-totally-bought-it-i-ve-been/) [Akshay Kumar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/akshay-kumar/) > [There has got to be a way for me to have a role on TV or in film that is just as normal as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adeel-akhtar/there-has-got-to-be-a-way-for-me-to-have-a-role-on-tv-or-in-film-that/) [Adeel Akhtar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adeel-akhtar/) > [I love casting against type and doing things you wouldn't expect, because I think you get more interesting performances that way. Hollywood loves to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-s-goyer/i-love-casting-against-type-and-doing-things-you-wouldn-t-expect/) [David S. Goyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-s-goyer/) > [I'm an actor, so I'm never going to feel like I've done enough.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/italia-ricci/i-m-an-actor-so-i-m-never-going-to-feel-like-i-ve-done-enough/) [Italia Ricci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/italia-ricci/) > [I am tired of our characters being so incomplete. When do we ever save the day in a film? When does a Latino actor…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/esai-morales/i-am-tired-of-our-characters-being-so-incomplete-when-do-we-ever-save/) [Esai Morales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/esai-morales/) > [When I was 13, I auditioned for the theater school, and I was there for four years. In the meantime, I did my first…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ana-de-armas/when-i-was-13-i-auditioned-for-the-theater-school-and-i-was-there-for/) [Ana de Armas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ana-de-armas/) > [If you stood me in a costume next to a computer graphic of the same-looking character, I think there would be a difference. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warwick-davis/if-you-stood-me-in-a-costume-next-to-a-computer-graphic-of-the-same/) [Warwick Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warwick-davis/) > [failure in the theater is more public, more brilliant, more unreal than in any other field.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lillian-hellman/failure-in-the-theater-is-more-public-more-brilliant-more-unreal-than/) [Lillian Hellman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lillian-hellman/) > [I'm a character actor - always have been, always will be - and historically, character actors don't come into their own until later in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annie-potts/i-m-a-character-actor-always-have-been-always-will-be-and/) [Annie Potts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annie-potts/) > [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/) > [I never planned to do female roles. It just happened. I was typecast.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/divine/i-never-planned-to-do-female-roles-it-just-happened-i-was-typecast/) [Divine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/divine/) > [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/) [Browse all 21,590 Actor quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actor/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "As an actor playing a role, you are asked to visit certain sides of yourself day after day, night after night. If the portrayal requires you to feel some powerful, negative emotions, then once the curtain comes down or the director shouts cut, elements of these feelings will be left with you.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Adrian Lester" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adrian-lester/as-an-actor-playing-a-role-you-are-asked-to-visit-certain-sides-of/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Actor" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adrian-lester/as-an-actor-playing-a-role-you-are-asked-to-visit-certain-sides-of/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/824/adrian-lester-6198_cinema_as-an-actor-playing-a-role-you-are-asked_1858530.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/824/adrian-lester-6198_cinema_as-an-actor-playing-a-role-you-are-asked_1858530.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/824/adrian-lester-6198_cinema_as-an-actor-playing-a-role-you-are-asked_1858530.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“As an actor playing a role, you are asked to visit certain sides of yourself day after day, night after…” — Adrian Lester", "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": "Adrian Lester", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adrian-lester/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "As an actor playing a role,...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adrian-lester/as-an-actor-playing-a-role-you-are-asked-to-visit-certain-sides-of/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adrian-lester/as-an-actor-playing-a-role-you-are-asked-to-visit-certain-sides-of/#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 } } ] } ```