--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The best way to learn how to work with…" description: "\"The best way to learn how to work with actors is to have had experience of trying to act yourself - it will teach you humility if nothing else.\" — Alex..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3b6/alexander-mackendrick-66992_act_the-best-way-to-learn-how-to-work-with-a_2670261.jpg" --- # The best way to learn how to work with actors is to have… ![“The best way to learn how to work with actors is to have had experience of trying to act yourself - it will teach you humility if nothing else.” quote by Alexander Mackendrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3b6/alexander-mackendrick-66992_act_the-best-way-to-learn-how-to-work-with-a_2670261.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3b6/alexander-mackendrick-66992_act_the-best-way-to-learn-how-to-work-with-a_2670261.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3b6/alexander-mackendrick-66992_act_the-best-way-to-learn-how-to-work-with-a_2670261.jpg) > “The best way to learn how to work with actors is to have had experience of trying to act yourself - it will teach you humility if nothing else.” Alexander Mackendrick ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Understanding acting by trying it yourself builds humility and insight into the actor’s process. **In simple terms:** Acting yourself teaches humility. Key Takeaway Practice acting to better direct actors. Themes humility craft empathy Mood thoughtful inspirational Type instructional philosophical When to use this quote - director workshops - acting classes - film sets Key Concepts theatre method acting Questions to Reflect On - How does personal acting experience change your directing? - What humility lessons have you learned? A Different Perspective Without personal experience, you may misinterpret actors’ needs. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Actor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actor/) [Actors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actors/) [Best way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/best-way/) [Experience](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/experience/) [Humility](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humility/) [Nothing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nothing/) [Theatre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/theatre/) [Work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/work/) ## Related quotes > [Disasters teach us humility.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anselm-of-canterbury/disasters-teach-us-humility/) [Anselm of Canterbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anselm-of-canterbury/) > [As we strive to teach others we must have the humility to acknowledge that we too still have much to learn.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aung-san-suu-kyi/as-we-strive-to-teach-others-we-must-have-the-humility-to-acknowledge/) [Aung San Suu Kyi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aung-san-suu-kyi/) > [“Thou shalt wear trousers, but they shall fall half down to teach humility over arrogance.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-woodman/thou-shalt-wear-trousers-but-they-shall-fall-half-down-to-teach/) [Jay Woodman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-woodman/) > [All actors should experience public failure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/olivia-wilde/all-actors-should-experience-public-failure/) [Olivia Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/olivia-wilde/) > [Some of us are interested in directors, but really the vast majority of us are interested in actors. You experience the films through the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danny-boyle/some-of-us-are-interested-in-directors-but-really-the-vast-majority/) [Danny Boyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danny-boyle/) > [You can tell when you watch a movie, usually, what the actors' experience was on the movie, because even the smallest of roles were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesse-eisenberg/you-can-tell-when-you-watch-a-movie-usually-what-the-actors/) [Jesse Eisenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesse-eisenberg/) > [I've always felt that actors in my experience have a very good and accurate instinct about whether something feels right or not. They just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-ayoade/i-ve-always-felt-that-actors-in-my-experience-have-a-very-good-and/) [Richard Ayoade](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-ayoade/) > [I think all actors experience ups and downs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-capaldi/i-think-all-actors-experience-ups-and-downs/) [Peter Capaldi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-capaldi/) > [Lost my shape, trying to act casual..](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/talking-heads/lost-my-shape-trying-to-act-casual/) [Talking Heads](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/talking-heads/) > [I don't want people walking out of a movie thinking I was trying to act or be some movie star. I want them to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-simpson/i-don-t-want-people-walking-out-of-a-movie-thinking-i-was-trying-to/) [Jessica Simpson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-simpson/) > [I am who I am, and I'm not trying to act a certain way that I'm not.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donte-divincenzo/i-am-who-i-am-and-i-m-not-trying-to-act-a-certain-way-that-i-m-not/) [Donte DiVincenzo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donte-divincenzo/) > [The most significant piece of advice my father gave me early on about acting was, don't get caught acting. Really believe in what you're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kiefer-sutherland/the-most-significant-piece-of-advice-my-father-gave-me-early-on-about/) [Kiefer Sutherland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kiefer-sutherland/) > [I'm trying to act normal in front of the one I like , but I always end up looking crazy crap.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roo-roosing-potestas/i-m-trying-to-act-normal-in-front-of-the-one-i-like-but-i-always-end/) [Roo Roosing Potestas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roo-roosing-potestas/) > [There's nothing more dangerous than than someone trying to act for the greater good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-patterson/there-s-nothing-more-dangerous-than-than-someone-trying-to-act-for/) [James Patterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-patterson/) > [When I see people at school trying to act \*cool\*.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/broken-soul/when-i-see-people-at-school-trying-to-act-cool/) [Broken Soul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/broken-soul/) ## More by Alexander Mackendrick > [Children are often better actors than adults because they have a greater capacity for believing in a situation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-mackendrick/children-are-often-better-actors-than-adults-because-they-have-a/) Alexander Mackendrick > [Nationality is a very curious thing. The blood is Scots and the temperament is Scots, but I am, in fact, 100% American.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-mackendrick/nationality-is-a-very-curious-thing-the-blood-is-scots-and-the/) Alexander Mackendrick > [The great directors managed to dissolve and disappear into the work. They make other people look good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-mackendrick/the-great-directors-managed-to-dissolve-and-disappear-into-the-work/) Alexander Mackendrick Explore all 4 Alexander Mackendrick quotes ## More Act quotes > [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/) > [Teachers' unions don't act in the interest of most teachers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sal-khan/teachers-unions-don-t-act-in-the-interest-of-most-teachers/) [Sal Khan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sal-khan/) > [“I take my actions because of my passion not because of compulsion.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amit-kalantri/i-take-my-actions-because-of-my-passion-not-because-of-compulsion/) [Amit Kalantri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amit-kalantri/) > [People take years learning how to act; it's a skill, not just a job. If I tried it out and thought I'd be OK,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/travis-fimmel/people-take-years-learning-how-to-act-it-s-a-skill-not-just-a-job-if/) [Travis Fimmel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/travis-fimmel/) > [Self-discipline is an act of cultivation. It require you to connect today's actions to tomorrow's results. There's a season for sowing a season for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-ryan-blair/self-discipline-is-an-act-of-cultivation-it-require-you-to-connect/) [Gary Ryan Blair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-ryan-blair/) > [“Don’t turn your face away. Once you’ve seen, you can no longer act like you don’t know. Open your eyes to the truth. It’s…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vashti-quiroz-vega/don-t-turn-your-face-away-once-you-ve-seen-you-can-no-longer-act-like/) Vashti Quiroz-Vega > [I always advise people not to act upon the advice that I give them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/i-always-advise-people-not-to-act-upon-the-advice-that-i-give-them/) [Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/) > [I have no interest in watching myself act.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-wesley/i-have-no-interest-in-watching-myself-act/) [Paul Wesley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-wesley/) > [“Don't wait, just sweat.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amit-kalantri/don-t-wait-just-sweat/) [Amit Kalantri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amit-kalantri/) > [I do believe some people can naturally act and don't know it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrea-arnold/i-do-believe-some-people-can-naturally-act-and-don-t-know-it/) [Andrea Arnold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrea-arnold/) > [Regardless of what I do, whether I write a book or whether I act or whether I host, I'll always do stand-up comedy because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howie-mandel/regardless-of-what-i-do-whether-i-write-a-book-or-whether-i-act-or/) [Howie Mandel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howie-mandel/) > [On 'Workaholics,' I feel like I'm just hanging out with my buddies being filmed, but on 'Mindy,' I'm around professional funny people who act.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anders-holm/on-workaholics-i-feel-like-i-m-just-hanging-out-with-my-buddies-being/) [Anders Holm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anders-holm/) > [I'm not an artist, and I want to take risks, and when the possibility of failure occurs, it's because the idea is all exciting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-morgan/i-m-not-an-artist-and-i-want-to-take-risks-and-when-the-possibility/) [Peter Morgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-morgan/) > [I don't have a huge amount of gear, but on the software side, I have a number of plug-in chains that act as abstracted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-hopkins/i-don-t-have-a-huge-amount-of-gear-but-on-the-software-side-i-have-a/) [Jon Hopkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-hopkins/) > [I honestly didn't know that I wanted to act until I was probably 12.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miranda-rae-mayo/i-honestly-didn-t-know-that-i-wanted-to-act-until-i-was-probably-12/) [Miranda Rae Mayo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miranda-rae-mayo/) Browse all 1,802 Act quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The best way to learn how to work with actors is to have had experience of trying to act yourself - it will teach you humility if nothing else.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Alexander Mackendrick" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-mackendrick/the-best-way-to-learn-how-to-work-with-actors-is-to-have-had/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Act" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-mackendrick/the-best-way-to-learn-how-to-work-with-actors-is-to-have-had/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3b6/alexander-mackendrick-66992_act_the-best-way-to-learn-how-to-work-with-a_2670261.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3b6/alexander-mackendrick-66992_act_the-best-way-to-learn-how-to-work-with-a_2670261.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3b6/alexander-mackendrick-66992_act_the-best-way-to-learn-how-to-work-with-a_2670261.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The best way to learn how to work with actors is to have had experience of trying to act yourself - it will…” — Alexander Mackendrick", "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": "Alexander Mackendrick", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-mackendrick/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The best way to learn how...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-mackendrick/the-best-way-to-learn-how-to-work-with-actors-is-to-have-had/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-mackendrick/the-best-way-to-learn-how-to-work-with-actors-is-to-have-had/#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 } } ] } ```