--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Great acting can be almost a psychotic…" description: "\"Great acting can be almost a psychotic mix of self-consciousness and unself-consciousness. And thats the terrible conflict. You have to be free to jump..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/41f/alec-baldwin-4355_acting_great-acting-can-be-almost-a-psychotic-m_62930.jpg" --- # Great acting can be almost a psychotic mix of… ![“Great acting can be almost a psychotic mix of self-consciousness and unself-consciousness. And thats the terrible conflict. You have to be free to jump off into that volcano and you have to be pathologically self-conscious.” quote by Alec Baldwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/41f/alec-baldwin-4355_acting_great-acting-can-be-almost-a-psychotic-m_62930.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/41f/alec-baldwin-4355_acting_great-acting-can-be-almost-a-psychotic-m_62930.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/41f/alec-baldwin-4355_acting_great-acting-can-be-almost-a-psychotic-m_62930.jpg) > “Great acting can be almost a psychotic mix of self-consciousness and unself-consciousness. And thats the terrible conflict. You have to be free to jump off into that volcano and you have to be pathologically self-conscious.” [Alec Baldwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alec-baldwin/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Acting requires balancing intense self-awareness with spontaneous immersion, creating a tension between control and surrender. **In simple terms:** Balancing self‑consciousness and flow. Key Takeaway True art thrives on paradox. Themes self‑awareness spontaneity creative tension performance psychology Mood intense reflective passionate Type observation philosophical motivational When to use this quote - stage rehearsal - film set - improvisation workshop - method acting class - live theater Key Concepts identity vulnerability risk Practical Applications - actor training - directorial coaching Questions to Reflect On - How does self‑critique affect creativity? - When does over‑analysis hinder performance? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Acting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/acting/) [Actor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actor/) [Conflict](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conflict/) [Consciousness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/consciousness/) [Self](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/self/) [Self conscious](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/self-conscious/) [Self consciousness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/self-consciousness/) [Volcanoes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/volcanoes/) [War](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war/) ## Related quotes > [What I feel is great acting might be rubbish for another filmmaker. There is no right or wrong way to do it. It all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mani-ratnam/what-i-feel-is-great-acting-might-be-rubbish-for-another-filmmaker/) [Mani Ratnam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mani-ratnam/) > [You never get tired of making money, and you never get tired of a great acting gig, a same role that you can play…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-jacobson/you-never-get-tired-of-making-money-and-you-never-get-tired-of-a/) [Peter Jacobson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-jacobson/) > [I've always appreciated great acting performances, but I've even learned to appreciate not so great ones 'cause it's hard.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zoe-bell/i-ve-always-appreciated-great-acting-performances-but-i-ve-even/) [Zoe Bell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zoe-bell/) > [Sometimes 'great acting' is just showing off - chewing up scenery and dialogue and other actors - the equivalent of a theatrical sugar rush.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denis-leary/sometimes-great-acting-is-just-showing-off-chewing-up-scenery-and/) [Denis Leary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denis-leary/) > [What's great about acting is that there's never a moment when you're like, 'OK, I got this, I understand this.' You're portraying life, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cress-williams/what-s-great-about-acting-is-that-there-s-never-a-moment-when-you-re/) [Cress Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cress-williams/) > [Whether he's doing great acting or not, you're seeing somebody who is in the tradition of a great actor. What he does with it,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-pacino/whether-he-s-doing-great-acting-or-not-you-re-seeing-somebody-who-is/) [Al Pacino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-pacino/) > [Great acting may be a turn-on, but it won't make me fantasize about the person for a week.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sandra-bullock/great-acting-may-be-a-turn-on-but-it-won-t-make-me-fantasize-about/) [Sandra Bullock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sandra-bullock/) > [I love great acting, as nerdy as that sounds.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aubrey-plaza/i-love-great-acting-as-nerdy-as-that-sounds/) [Aubrey Plaza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aubrey-plaza/) > [Packs a Huge Emotional Punch! Graceful Writing, Great Acting, Exquisite Direction, Suspense, Profound Subject Matter and It Rocks!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rex-reed/packs-a-huge-emotional-punch-graceful-writing-great-acting-exquisite/) [Rex Reed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rex-reed/) > [I always go for just really, hopefully, great writing and great acting, being in the company of great actors.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paula-malcomson/i-always-go-for-just-really-hopefully-great-writing-and-great-acting/) [Paula Malcomson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paula-malcomson/) > [I think chemistry and great acting go hand-in-hand.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nate-parker/i-think-chemistry-and-great-acting-go-hand-in-hand/) [Nate Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nate-parker/) > [I think great acting is about inhabiting a skin and transforming yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-ayer/i-think-great-acting-is-about-inhabiting-a-skin-and-transforming/) [David Ayer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-ayer/) > [I think that is the secret of great acting. You have to bring your imagination to the party. You've got to have a great…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-spielberg/i-think-that-is-the-secret-of-great-acting-you-have-to-bring-your/) [Steven Spielberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-spielberg/) > [I don't think I'm great at acting. I think I'm great at directing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melissa-joan-hart/i-don-t-think-i-m-great-at-acting-i-think-i-m-great-at-directing/) [Melissa Joan Hart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-joan-hart/) > [You need to be a good screen partner. It's very meaningful to me to be a part of great acting performances.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ethan-hawke/you-need-to-be-a-good-screen-partner-it-s-very-meaningful-to-me-to-be/) [Ethan Hawke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ethan-hawke/) ## More by Alec Baldwin > [Remember, sex is like a Chinese dinner. It ain't over 'til you both get your cookie.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alec-baldwin/remember-sex-is-like-a-chinese-dinner-it-ain-t-over-til-you-both-get/) [Alec Baldwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alec-baldwin/) > [“Once you've found some joy, you never want to be without it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alec-baldwin/once-you-ve-found-some-joy-you-never-want-to-be-without-it/) [Alec Baldwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alec-baldwin/) > [I wish I could play the lead role in one movie, one great movie.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alec-baldwin/i-wish-i-could-play-the-lead-role-in-one-movie-one-great-movie/) [Alec Baldwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alec-baldwin/) > [I was very competitive with my brothers when I was younger. Now we are all in completely different worlds.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alec-baldwin/i-was-very-competitive-with-my-brothers-when-i-was-younger-now-we-are/) [Alec Baldwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alec-baldwin/) > [Success begets success. I've been offered a lot of movies now that '30 Rock' has been successful.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alec-baldwin/success-begets-success-i-ve-been-offered-a-lot-of-movies-now-that-30/) [Alec Baldwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alec-baldwin/) > [Sometimes, you know, the president is a father-like figure in American society, to most Americans, even today, no matter how cynical we've become. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alec-baldwin/sometimes-you-know-the-president-is-a-father-like-figure-in-american/) [Alec Baldwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alec-baldwin/) > [Everything that Bush touches turns to manure in public policy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alec-baldwin/everything-that-bush-touches-turns-to-manure-in-public-policy/) [Alec Baldwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alec-baldwin/) > [There's less critical thinking going on in this country on a Main Street level - forget about the media - than ever before. We've…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alec-baldwin/there-s-less-critical-thinking-going-on-in-this-country-on-a-main/) [Alec Baldwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alec-baldwin/) > [I'm not an awards-driven person in anything. Anytime you do get caught up in that, you usually end up getting whacked.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alec-baldwin/i-m-not-an-awards-driven-person-in-anything-anytime-you-do-get-caught/) [Alec Baldwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alec-baldwin/) > [I wanted to be president of the United States. I really did. The older I get, the less preposterous the idea seems.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alec-baldwin/i-wanted-to-be-president-of-the-united-states-i-really-did-the-older/) [Alec Baldwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alec-baldwin/) > [When I get onstage in a play, I feel very safe, very protected, very fulfilled.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alec-baldwin/when-i-get-onstage-in-a-play-i-feel-very-safe-very-protected-very/) [Alec Baldwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alec-baldwin/) > [When you talk about private contractors, I've always been someone who felt that defense fraud was tantamount to treason.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alec-baldwin/when-you-talk-about-private-contractors-i-ve-always-been-someone-who/) [Alec Baldwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alec-baldwin/) > [A lot of people want to not wear a tie when they go to a restaurant. They feel they don't have to wear a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alec-baldwin/a-lot-of-people-want-to-not-wear-a-tie-when-they-go-to-a-restaurant/) [Alec Baldwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alec-baldwin/) > [You can tell Gov. Bush to rest assured that I'm not going to leave the country because we have to get him out of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alec-baldwin/you-can-tell-gov-bush-to-rest-assured-that-i-m-not-going-to-leave-the/) [Alec Baldwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alec-baldwin/) > [Most women in leading roles are very boyish looking. The one girl working right now who I think is a real beauty in a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alec-baldwin/most-women-in-leading-roles-are-very-boyish-looking-the-one-girl/) [Alec Baldwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alec-baldwin/) [Explore all 112 Alec Baldwin quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alec-baldwin/) ## 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 > [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": "Great acting can be almost a psychotic mix of self-consciousness and unself-consciousness. And thats the terrible conflict. 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