--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: As long as you have the acting chops and…" description: "\"As long as you have the acting chops and the desire to get inside a character, you can play anything.\" — Andy Serkis" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/917/andy-serkis-1548_acting_as-long-as-you-have-the-acting-chops-and_752871.jpg" --- # As long as you have the acting chops and the desire to get… ![“As long as you have the acting chops and the desire to get inside a character, you can play anything.” quote by Andy Serkis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/917/andy-serkis-1548_acting_as-long-as-you-have-the-acting-chops-and_752871.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/917/andy-serkis-1548_acting_as-long-as-you-have-the-acting-chops-and_752871.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/917/andy-serkis-1548_acting_as-long-as-you-have-the-acting-chops-and_752871.jpg) > “As long as you have the acting chops and the desire to get inside a character, you can play anything.” [Andy Serkis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-serkis/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Acting skill and willingness to inhabit a role enable any character portrayal. **In simple terms:** Skill and desire let you become any character. Key Takeaway Cultivate both technique and curiosity. Themes acting versatility creativity Mood inspired enthusiastic Type motivational practical When to use this quote - theatre - film - improv workshops Key Concepts method acting character immersion psychology Questions to Reflect On - What character would you love to explore? - How does empathy shape performance? A Different Perspective Lack of empathy can limit performance. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Acting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/acting/) [Character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character/) [Desire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/desire/) [Play](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/play/) ## Related quotes > [I find that as long as I'm acting it doesn't matter if it's for TV, or a series or a short film. I always…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodelle-ferland/i-find-that-as-long-as-i-m-acting-it-doesn-t-matter-if-it-s-for-tv-or/) [Jodelle Ferland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodelle-ferland/) > [“If you act long enough, acting becomes part of you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eva-stachniak/if-you-act-long-enough-acting-becomes-part-of-you/) [Eva Stachniak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eva-stachniak/) > [Actually, I don't care how I look as long as I'm acting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/agnes-moorehead/actually-i-don-t-care-how-i-look-as-long-as-i-m-acting/) [Agnes Moorehead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/agnes-moorehead/) > [As it is with a play, so it is with life, what matters is not how long the acting lasts, but how good it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/as-it-is-with-a-play-so-it-is-with-life-what-matters-is-not-how-long/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [As long as the acting is good, I can appreciate it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nia-long/as-long-as-the-acting-is-good-i-can-appreciate-it/) [Nia Long](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nia-long/) > [It was hard to be taken seriously being model-turned-actress. I needed to work on my acting chops. There are so few parts available that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amber-valletta/it-was-hard-to-be-taken-seriously-being-model-turned-actress-i-needed/) [Amber Valletta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amber-valletta/) > [A lot of people get work because of the relationships that they have or the people that they know. Even if you are good…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meagan-good/a-lot-of-people-get-work-because-of-the-relationships-that-they-have/) [Meagan Good](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meagan-good/) > [Bit parts in Mediocre TV shows won't develop your acting chops.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-collins/bit-parts-in-mediocre-tv-shows-won-t-develop-your-acting-chops/) [Stephen Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-collins/) > [Thank God for Deaf West Theater - if it wasn't for them, where the hell else was I going to exercise my acting chops?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-raci/thank-god-for-deaf-west-theater-if-it-wasn-t-for-them-where-the-hell/) [Paul Raci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-raci/) > [I went on a road trip and ended up in Portland, Oregon, and from there, I did non-stop theater. I had just graduated, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michaela-watkins/i-went-on-a-road-trip-and-ended-up-in-portland-oregon-and-from-there/) [Michaela Watkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michaela-watkins/) > [Comedy, it's a way for me to keep my acting chops. It's like a free acting class, to get up in front of a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabrielle-dennis/comedy-it-s-a-way-for-me-to-keep-my-acting-chops-it-s-like-a-free/) [Gabrielle Dennis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabrielle-dennis/) > [My acting chops are awful.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-luck/my-acting-chops-are-awful/) [Andrew Luck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-luck/) > [During my 20s at auditions, I felt I had to prove that I wasn't just pretty, that I had acting chops. Now I don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlize-theron/during-my-20s-at-auditions-i-felt-i-had-to-prove-that-i-wasn-t-just/) [Charlize Theron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlize-theron/) > [Whatever character I play, I want to inspire. I don't want to just be the girlfriend or be the wife.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jasmine-cephas-jones/whatever-character-i-play-i-want-to-inspire-i-don-t-want-to-just-be/) [Jasmine Cephas Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jasmine-cephas-jones/) > [I dont believe there is any character that one can play for that long and not bring a piece of you to it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharon-gless/i-dont-believe-there-is-any-character-that-one-can-play-for-that-long/) [Sharon Gless](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharon-gless/) ## More by Andy Serkis > [In a personal way, to do with family and the father-son relationship, in a kind of artistic way with regard to him being an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-serkis/in-a-personal-way-to-do-with-family-and-the-father-son-relationship/) [Andy Serkis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-serkis/) > [I think I have a lot of internal energy, which does need to come out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-serkis/i-think-i-have-a-lot-of-internal-energy-which-does-need-to-come-out/) [Andy Serkis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-serkis/) > [Hoodwink is a product of his environment. He grew up in Belfast, he was part of the UDA and he fought for what he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-serkis/hoodwink-is-a-product-of-his-environment-he-grew-up-in-belfast-he-was/) [Andy Serkis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-serkis/) > [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/) > [I think that Gollum is really the character who is a very human character, and he's very flawed, like most humans are, and has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-serkis/i-think-that-gollum-is-really-the-character-who-is-a-very-human/) [Andy Serkis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-serkis/) > [I'm quite contrary. If people agree on something, I tend to gravitate the other way by my nature. I don't like to be told…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-serkis/i-m-quite-contrary-if-people-agree-on-something-i-tend-to-gravitate/) [Andy Serkis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-serkis/) > [I do love nature, but I don't suppose I'd spent more time in zoos as a child than anyone else!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-serkis/i-do-love-nature-but-i-don-t-suppose-i-d-spent-more-time-in-zoos-as-a/) [Andy Serkis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-serkis/) > [When you start to do research into gorillas or any kind of apes, if you're going to play them, that's one of the biggest…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-serkis/when-you-start-to-do-research-into-gorillas-or-any-kind-of-apes-if/) [Andy Serkis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-serkis/) > [I remember once, I read in a horoscope, because I'm an Aries, I read this terrible thing, which really affected me, which said, "You…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-serkis/i-remember-once-i-read-in-a-horoscope-because-i-m-an-aries-i-read/) [Andy Serkis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-serkis/) > [It's really up to the acting community to be willing to be educated about what performance capture is in order to fully appreciate it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-serkis/it-s-really-up-to-the-acting-community-to-be-willing-to-be-educated/) [Andy Serkis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-serkis/) > [I love acting and certainly won't give it up, but it's part of a bigger canvas for me now.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-serkis/i-love-acting-and-certainly-won-t-give-it-up-but-it-s-part-of-a/) [Andy Serkis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-serkis/) > [Rather than something like King Kong where I really went after studying gorillas in the wild and captivity. I based Caesar \[ from the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-serkis/rather-than-something-like-king-kong-where-i-really-went-after/) [Andy Serkis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-serkis/) > [On lower budget things you're still working collaboratively, but the investment and your level of creative importance is higher on something like this.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-serkis/on-lower-budget-things-you-re-still-working-collaboratively-but-the/) [Andy Serkis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-serkis/) > [Gollum is entirely based on the notion of addiction. The way that the ring pervades him, makes him craving, lustful, depletes him physically, psychologically…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-serkis/gollum-is-entirely-based-on-the-notion-of-addiction-the-way-that-the/) [Andy Serkis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-serkis/) > [I'm definitely moving more towards directing now.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-serkis/i-m-definitely-moving-more-towards-directing-now/) [Andy Serkis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-serkis/) [Explore all 229 Andy Serkis quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-serkis/) ## 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": "As long as you have the acting chops and the desire to get inside a character, you can play anything.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Andy Serkis" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-serkis/as-long-as-you-have-the-acting-chops-and-the-desire-to-get-inside-a/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Acting" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-serkis/as-long-as-you-have-the-acting-chops-and-the-desire-to-get-inside-a/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/917/andy-serkis-1548_acting_as-long-as-you-have-the-acting-chops-and_752871.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/917/andy-serkis-1548_acting_as-long-as-you-have-the-acting-chops-and_752871.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/917/andy-serkis-1548_acting_as-long-as-you-have-the-acting-chops-and_752871.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“As long as you have the acting chops and the desire to get inside a character, you can play anything.” — Andy Serkis", "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": "Andy Serkis", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-serkis/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "As long as you have the...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-serkis/as-long-as-you-have-the-acting-chops-and-the-desire-to-get-inside-a/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-serkis/as-long-as-you-have-the-acting-chops-and-the-desire-to-get-inside-a/#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 } } ] } ```