--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It's not a pleasure torturing actors…" description: "\"It's not a pleasure torturing actors, although some of them enjoy it.\" — Ang Lee" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d4c/ang-lee-2496_actor_it-s-not-a-pleasure-torturing-actors-alt_1639998.png" --- # It's not a pleasure torturing actors, although some of… ![“It's not a pleasure torturing actors, although some of them enjoy it.” quote by Ang Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d4c/ang-lee-2496_actor_it-s-not-a-pleasure-torturing-actors-alt_1639998.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d4c/ang-lee-2496_actor_it-s-not-a-pleasure-torturing-actors-alt_1639998.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d4c/ang-lee-2496_actor_it-s-not-a-pleasure-torturing-actors-alt_1639998.png) > “It's not a pleasure torturing actors, although some of them enjoy it.” [Ang Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ang-lee/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A candid admission that while torturing actors is not enjoyable, some performers find a twisted satisfaction in intense, demanding direction. **In simple terms:** Directors may push actors beyond comfort; some enjoy it. Key Takeaway Balance challenge with respect. Themes creative tension power dynamics performance Mood critical thoughtful Type ethical industry When to use this quote - film set - theatre rehearsal - creative workshops Key Concepts artistic process ethical boundaries actor‑director relationship Questions to Reflect On - When does artistic pressure become abuse? - How can actors voice discomfort safely? A Different Perspective Such methods risk emotional harm and ethical breaches. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Actor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actor/) [Actors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actors/) [Pleasure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pleasure/) [Theatre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/theatre/) ## Related quotes > [The scapegoat has always had the mysterious power of unleashing man's ferocious pleasure in torturing, corrupting, and befouling.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-mauriac/the-scapegoat-has-always-had-the-mysterious-power-of-unleashing-man-s/) [Francois Mauriac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-mauriac/) > [You can make somebody bad for a long time, and people love it when they then do one good thing and it's almost like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-knight/you-can-make-somebody-bad-for-a-long-time-and-people-love-it-when/) [Steven Knight](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-knight/) > [I love actors. I enjoy their company, and I get excited each and every time they bring a character I've written to life. Every…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-durang/i-love-actors-i-enjoy-their-company-and-i-get-excited-each-and-every/) [Christopher Durang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-durang/) > [I'm just not one of those naturally funny, relaxed actors who enjoy the spotlight and are so good at it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heath-ledger/i-m-just-not-one-of-those-naturally-funny-relaxed-actors-who-enjoy/) [Heath Ledger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heath-ledger/) > [Actors enjoy being treated as ordinary people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-hooper/actors-enjoy-being-treated-as-ordinary-people/) [Tom Hooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-hooper/) > [Between pets, comedy and toys, I try to surround myself with as much fun stuff as I can. That's how I pick projects. It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-stonestreet/between-pets-comedy-and-toys-i-try-to-surround-myself-with-as-much/) [Eric Stonestreet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-stonestreet/) > [I've always basically done everything that's been offered to me. I'm one of the few actors who enjoy working a lot.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhishek-bachchan/i-ve-always-basically-done-everything-that-s-been-offered-to-me-i-m/) [Abhishek Bachchan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhishek-bachchan/) > [I'm such a fan of actors, and also enjoy watching them work, so that I can help their acting in any way I can.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dito-montiel/i-m-such-a-fan-of-actors-and-also-enjoy-watching-them-work-so-that-i/) [Dito Montiel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dito-montiel/) > [Parents are indeed capable of routinely torturing their children without anyone interceding.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-miller/parents-are-indeed-capable-of-routinely-torturing-their-children/) [Alice Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-miller/) > [“Abu, torturing guys and breaking them down is not something I look forward to, although your case is a little different. I think you're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vince-flynn/abu-torturing-guys-and-breaking-them-down-is-not-something-i-look/) [Vince Flynn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vince-flynn/) > [I'm not going to stop torturing myself till I figure out the cause of my pain.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-groening/i-m-not-going-to-stop-torturing-myself-till-i-figure-out-the-cause-of/) [Matt Groening](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-groening/) > [“The king and queen were usually present, and the king or the dauphin would light a pyre. The cats were then tumbled into the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-wade/the-king-and-queen-were-usually-present-and-the-king-or-the-dauphin/) [Nicholas Wade](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-wade/) > [It's one thing if a politician in a small country says a little bit of torturing is good to do. There is a qualitative…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-maurer/it-s-one-thing-if-a-politician-in-a-small-country-says-a-little-bit/) [Peter Maurer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-maurer/) > [“You were torturing a cat," she says. "With a freaking prod." "A prod I built myself in metal shop," he says. "But of course…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-saunders/you-were-torturing-a-cat-she-says-with-a-freaking-prod-a-prod-i-built/) [George Saunders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-saunders/) > [Silence can be the world's strongest weapon in torturing people's emotions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nishan-panwar/silence-can-be-the-world-s-strongest-weapon-in-torturing-people-s/) [Nishan Panwar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nishan-panwar/) ## More by Ang Lee > [When I'm not working, I get very down, but when I am working, I get very immersed in it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ang-lee/when-i-m-not-working-i-get-very-down-but-when-i-am-working-i-get-very/) [Ang Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ang-lee/) > [I am not particularly religious. But I think we do face the question of where God is, why we are created and where does…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ang-lee/i-am-not-particularly-religious-but-i-think-we-do-face-the-question/) [Ang Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ang-lee/) > [I'm not a romantic. In life I didn't have much experience with romance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ang-lee/i-m-not-a-romantic-in-life-i-didn-t-have-much-experience-with-romance/) [Ang Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ang-lee/) > [When I see something I like, that's all that counts. What they use, how they get there, I never bother them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ang-lee/when-i-see-something-i-like-that-s-all-that-counts-what-they-use-how/) [Ang Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ang-lee/) > [Mostly it's like, I get inspired by something and I want to learn that part of filmmaking, I want to delve into that kind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ang-lee/mostly-it-s-like-i-get-inspired-by-something-and-i-want-to-learn-that/) [Ang Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ang-lee/) > [Film study was considered disgraceful by my father.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ang-lee/film-study-was-considered-disgraceful-by-my-father/) [Ang Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ang-lee/) > [I hope people don't compare 2D and 3D because 3D's new, it's unfair to compare to 2D which is really sophisticated, even when we're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ang-lee/i-hope-people-don-t-compare-2d-and-3d-because-3d-s-new-it-s-unfair-to/) [Ang Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ang-lee/) > [On a Chinese film you just give orders, no one questions you. Here, you have to convince people, you have to tell them why…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ang-lee/on-a-chinese-film-you-just-give-orders-no-one-questions-you-here-you/) [Ang Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ang-lee/) > [I had to test a new terror in myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ang-lee/i-had-to-test-a-new-terror-in-myself/) [Ang Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ang-lee/) > [My cultural roots are something illusive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ang-lee/my-cultural-roots-are-something-illusive/) [Ang Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ang-lee/) > [Kids don't even read comic books anymore. They've got more important things to do - like video games.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ang-lee/kids-don-t-even-read-comic-books-anymore-they-ve-got-more-important/) [Ang Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ang-lee/) > [I don't care about writing really.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ang-lee/i-don-t-care-about-writing-really/) [Ang Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ang-lee/) > [I don't have incredible knowledge about films or of filmmaking history; I'm not that kind of person.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ang-lee/i-don-t-have-incredible-knowledge-about-films-or-of-filmmaking/) [Ang Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ang-lee/) > [I don't think the Hulk is a superhero. He's the first Marvel character who is a tragic monster. Really an anti-hero.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ang-lee/i-don-t-think-the-hulk-is-a-superhero-he-s-the-first-marvel-character/) [Ang Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ang-lee/) > [A lot of people will think I changed the book: ‘so you’re the tiger instead, you’re the tiger who ate the cook.’ That’d be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ang-lee/a-lot-of-people-will-think-i-changed-the-book-so-you-re-the-tiger/) [Ang Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ang-lee/) [Explore all 163 Ang Lee quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ang-lee/) ## 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": "It's not a pleasure torturing actors, although some of them enjoy it.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Ang Lee" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ang-lee/it-s-not-a-pleasure-torturing-actors-although-some-of-them-enjoy-it/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Actor" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ang-lee/it-s-not-a-pleasure-torturing-actors-although-some-of-them-enjoy-it/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d4c/ang-lee-2496_actor_it-s-not-a-pleasure-torturing-actors-alt_1639998.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d4c/ang-lee-2496_actor_it-s-not-a-pleasure-torturing-actors-alt_1639998.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d4c/ang-lee-2496_actor_it-s-not-a-pleasure-torturing-actors-alt_1639998.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“It's not a pleasure torturing actors, although some of them enjoy it.” — Ang Lee", "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": "Ang Lee", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ang-lee/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "It's not a pleasure torturing actors,...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ang-lee/it-s-not-a-pleasure-torturing-actors-although-some-of-them-enjoy-it/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ang-lee/it-s-not-a-pleasure-torturing-actors-although-some-of-them-enjoy-it/#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 } } ] } ```