--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I have only really gotten by with playing…" description: "\"I have only really gotten by with playing versions of myself as most young actors do.\" — Amanda Seyfried" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0b4/amanda-seyfried-2833_actors_i-have-only-really-gotten-by-with-playin_231723.png" --- # I have only really gotten by with playing versions of… ![“I have only really gotten by with playing versions of myself as most young actors do.” quote by Amanda Seyfried](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0b4/amanda-seyfried-2833_actors_i-have-only-really-gotten-by-with-playin_231723.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0b4/amanda-seyfried-2833_actors_i-have-only-really-gotten-by-with-playin_231723.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0b4/amanda-seyfried-2833_actors_i-have-only-really-gotten-by-with-playin_231723.png) > “I have only really gotten by with playing versions of myself as most young actors do.” [Amanda Seyfried](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amanda-seyfried/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. She feels she has survived by adapting roles to fit her own identity, a common survival strategy for young actors. **In simple terms:** She succeeds by playing versions of herself. Key Takeaway Embrace authenticity in your work. Themes identity career adaptation Mood reflective determined Type advice career When to use this quote - audition prep - career planning - personal branding - networking Key Concepts self‑presentation role selection Questions to Reflect On - How can you expand beyond familiar roles? - What risks arise from staying too similar? A Different Perspective Relying on self‑similar roles may limit artistic growth. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Actors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actors/) [Gotten Playing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gotten-playing-2344815/) [Playing Versions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/playing-versions-2344817/) [Theatre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/theatre/) [Versions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/versions/) [Versions Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/versions-young-2344816/) [Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/young/) [Young actors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/young-actors/) ## Related quotes > [Performance capture is a tool that young actors will need in the next 10, 20 years. It's on the increase, as you say. It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-serkis/performance-capture-is-a-tool-that-young-actors-will-need-in-the-next/) [Andy Serkis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-serkis/) > [If I or any other black can deliver at the box office, I'll get a lot of work. Too many young actors, regardless of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mario-van-peebles/if-i-or-any-other-black-can-deliver-at-the-box-office-i-ll-get-a-lot/) [Mario Van Peebles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mario-van-peebles/) > [When I was coming up in the '80s television, if you were on television that meant either you were a young actor just coming…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-bob-thornton/when-i-was-coming-up-in-the-80s-television-if-you-were-on-television/) [Billy Bob Thornton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-bob-thornton/) > [My education was a huge influence. I trained at the Lee Strasberg Institute at Tisch, which is a huge foundation for young actors. They…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roberto-aguire/my-education-was-a-huge-influence-i-trained-at-the-lee-strasberg/) [Roberto Aguire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roberto-aguire/) > [As a young actor, there's a very small group of kids, just a handful. As you get older, all of a sudden, there's a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ricky-schroder/as-a-young-actor-there-s-a-very-small-group-of-kids-just-a-handful-as/) [Ricky Schroder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ricky-schroder/) > [That's what I tell young actors. "You don't have to compromise. Go do some theater and wait for an appropriate role."](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denzel-washington/that-s-what-i-tell-young-actors-you-don-t-have-to-compromise-go-do/) [Denzel Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denzel-washington/) > [I do not comment on my client's personal lives in the media. As for Luke, he did so once, a long time ago when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luke-evans/i-do-not-comment-on-my-client-s-personal-lives-in-the-media-as-for/) [Luke Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luke-evans/) > [I always love working with young actors, because there's always something to learn. It's always exciting to see the next generation and how they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-mirren/i-always-love-working-with-young-actors-because-there-s-always/) [Helen Mirren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-mirren/) > [I think age is sometimes just a number. But it's a real joy. Young actors don't come with any of the baggage that we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-marie-duff/i-think-age-is-sometimes-just-a-number-but-it-s-a-real-joy-young/) [Anne-Marie Duff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-marie-duff/) > [What impresses me is the young actors with terrific talent arriving on the scene. They'd have blown us all away in the old days.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-wagner/what-impresses-me-is-the-young-actors-with-terrific-talent-arriving/) [Robert Wagner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-wagner/) > [Sometimes you have to get out of your own way as an actor. Young actors tend to over prepare sometimes and over think it.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-langella/sometimes-you-have-to-get-out-of-your-own-way-as-an-actor-young/) [Frank Langella](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-langella/) > [I prefer directing to acting. There is huge freedom that comes from being behind the camera. It brings a lot of responsibilities as well,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angelina-jolie/i-prefer-directing-to-acting-there-is-huge-freedom-that-comes-from/) [Angelina Jolie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angelina-jolie/) > [Young actors are serious about their work and don't take any time out from it. I'm very serious about my work; there are probably…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miranda-otto/young-actors-are-serious-about-their-work-and-don-t-take-any-time-out/) [Miranda Otto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miranda-otto/) > [I say this to young actors: You don't get into this because you think you're average. You get into this because you think, 'I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-banks/i-say-this-to-young-actors-you-don-t-get-into-this-because-you-think/) [Jonathan Banks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-banks/) > [The thing about film-making is I give it everything, that's why I work so hard. I always tell young actors to take charge. It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-cruise/the-thing-about-film-making-is-i-give-it-everything-that-s-why-i-work/) [Tom Cruise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-cruise/) ## More by Amanda Seyfried > [It changes you a little bit every time you either break someone's heart or get your heart broken.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amanda-seyfried/it-changes-you-a-little-bit-every-time-you-either-break-someone-s/) [Amanda Seyfried](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amanda-seyfried/) > [I spend too much time on the Internet. But I do love knitting. Actually, I do more knitting when I'm working.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amanda-seyfried/i-spend-too-much-time-on-the-internet-but-i-do-love-knitting-actually/) [Amanda Seyfried](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amanda-seyfried/) > [Singing is a way of releasing an emotion that you sometimes can't portray when you're acting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amanda-seyfried/singing-is-a-way-of-releasing-an-emotion-that-you-sometimes-can-t/) [Amanda Seyfried](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amanda-seyfried/) > [My mom can see whatever she pleases, but I actually gave strict rules to my father to not come. He would normally come to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amanda-seyfried/my-mom-can-see-whatever-she-pleases-but-i-actually-gave-strict-rules/) [Amanda Seyfried](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amanda-seyfried/) > [When you are younger and you have to take hold of that career before it disappears, it's difficult to maintain any kind of status…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amanda-seyfried/when-you-are-younger-and-you-have-to-take-hold-of-that-career-before/) [Amanda Seyfried](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amanda-seyfried/) > [My focus is to not focus too much on one genre.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amanda-seyfried/my-focus-is-to-not-focus-too-much-on-one-genre/) [Amanda Seyfried](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amanda-seyfried/) > [Singing was my first love and I never even considered it after I started acting, but now I'm bringing it back into my life.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amanda-seyfried/singing-was-my-first-love-and-i-never-even-considered-it-after-i/) [Amanda Seyfried](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amanda-seyfried/) > [When you're young, it's hard not to get together with your costar.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amanda-seyfried/when-you-re-young-it-s-hard-not-to-get-together-with-your-costar/) [Amanda Seyfried](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amanda-seyfried/) > [Waxing my legs is pretty much the only thing I have to maintain.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amanda-seyfried/waxing-my-legs-is-pretty-much-the-only-thing-i-have-to-maintain/) [Amanda Seyfried](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amanda-seyfried/) > [There are definitely reasons to do certain things, but I like to stick to good director, good actor, good script.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amanda-seyfried/there-are-definitely-reasons-to-do-certain-things-but-i-like-to-stick/) [Amanda Seyfried](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amanda-seyfried/) > [I can turn my sexuality on and off. It doesnt exist in everyday situations. I dont really think about it then, but there are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amanda-seyfried/i-can-turn-my-sexuality-on-and-off-it-doesnt-exist-in-everyday/) [Amanda Seyfried](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amanda-seyfried/) > [Anxiety, it just stops your life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amanda-seyfried/anxiety-it-just-stops-your-life/) [Amanda Seyfried](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amanda-seyfried/) > [Maybe I should drive a hybrid. I do have a shirt that says, 'Go Green.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amanda-seyfried/maybe-i-should-drive-a-hybrid-i-do-have-a-shirt-that-says-go-green/) [Amanda Seyfried](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amanda-seyfried/) > [I remember I had a fight with my friend when I touched a boy for the first time and I didn't tell her. She…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amanda-seyfried/i-remember-i-had-a-fight-with-my-friend-when-i-touched-a-boy-for-the/) [Amanda Seyfried](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amanda-seyfried/) > [Oh yeah, I think about kids all the time. I feel like the next person I commit to, that's going to be the guy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amanda-seyfried/oh-yeah-i-think-about-kids-all-the-time-i-feel-like-the-next-person-i/) [Amanda Seyfried](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amanda-seyfried/) [Explore all 148 Amanda Seyfried quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amanda-seyfried/) ## More Actors quotes > [Women still, when they have breast cancer, go to work; they still lead their lives. They have to. I just did what I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/monica-potter/women-still-when-they-have-breast-cancer-go-to-work-they-still-lead/) [Monica Potter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/monica-potter/) > [I'm trying to write a film with my friend. I'd love to get the thrill of speaking actors making my work even funnier.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-howard/i-m-trying-to-write-a-film-with-my-friend-i-d-love-to-get-the-thrill/) [Russell Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-howard/) > [A lesser complaint: hair extensions. There are moments on 'All My Children' when half the women actors, young and old, seem to be afflicted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/camille-paglia/a-lesser-complaint-hair-extensions-there-are-moments-on-all-my/) [Camille Paglia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/camille-paglia/) > [I'm very used to working with first time actors - you can just look back at 'E.T.' with Drew Barrymore, and Christian Bale from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-spielberg/i-m-very-used-to-working-with-first-time-actors-you-can-just-look/) [Steven Spielberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-spielberg/) > [Forget the credit, they (male actors) take all the money as well. We don't get paid even one-third of what male actors get. It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kangana-ranaut/forget-the-credit-they-male-actors-take-all-the-money-as-well-we-don/) [Kangana Ranaut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kangana-ranaut/) > [I love film people and actors and I am in the right world because I am one of those people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ewan-mcgregor/i-love-film-people-and-actors-and-i-am-in-the-right-world-because-i/) [Ewan McGregor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ewan-mcgregor/) > [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/) > [What we're supposed to do as actors is be able to portray real human beings and emotions. And if you grow up in this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-browning/what-we-re-supposed-to-do-as-actors-is-be-able-to-portray-real-human/) [Emily Browning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-browning/) > [When we watch a film as actors, you have to understand that we always see much more than what's on screen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kunal-khemu/when-we-watch-a-film-as-actors-you-have-to-understand-that-we-always/) [Kunal Khemu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kunal-khemu/) > [As actors, you become an expert at starting over.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lupita-nyong-o/as-actors-you-become-an-expert-at-starting-over/) [Lupita Nyong'o](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lupita-nyong-o/) > [The whole concept of stage fright is fascinating. Actors get stage fright, but they wouldn't be on the stage in the first place if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-greene/the-whole-concept-of-stage-fright-is-fascinating-actors-get-stage/) [Robert Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-greene/) > [No actor wants to choose - they just want all of the options available to them all the time; we tend to be pretty…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gillian-jacobs/no-actor-wants-to-choose-they-just-want-all-of-the-options-available/) [Gillian Jacobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gillian-jacobs/) > [A rapper is about being completely true to yourself. Being an actor is about changing who you are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-smith/a-rapper-is-about-being-completely-true-to-yourself-being-an-actor-is/) [Will Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-smith/) > [I've been a professional actor for almost 40 years.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-perlman/i-ve-been-a-professional-actor-for-almost-40-years/) [Ron Perlman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-perlman/) > [American actors are coy. We all have pricks and cunts, or are you different from the rest of us?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-greenaway/american-actors-are-coy-we-all-have-pricks-and-cunts-or-are-you/) [Peter Greenaway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-greenaway/) [Browse all 11,394 Actors quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actors/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I have only really gotten by with playing versions of myself as most young actors do.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Amanda Seyfried" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amanda-seyfried/i-have-only-really-gotten-by-with-playing-versions-of-myself-as-most/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Actors" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amanda-seyfried/i-have-only-really-gotten-by-with-playing-versions-of-myself-as-most/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0b4/amanda-seyfried-2833_actors_i-have-only-really-gotten-by-with-playin_231723.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0b4/amanda-seyfried-2833_actors_i-have-only-really-gotten-by-with-playin_231723.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0b4/amanda-seyfried-2833_actors_i-have-only-really-gotten-by-with-playin_231723.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I have only really gotten by with playing versions of myself as most young actors do.” — Amanda Seyfried", "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": "Amanda Seyfried", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amanda-seyfried/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I have only really gotten by...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amanda-seyfried/i-have-only-really-gotten-by-with-playing-versions-of-myself-as-most/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amanda-seyfried/i-have-only-really-gotten-by-with-playing-versions-of-myself-as-most/#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 } } ] } ```