--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I think when you're at your best as an…" description: "\"I think when you're at your best as an actor, it is cathartic.\" — Annette Bening" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/808/annette-bening-3058_actor_i-think-when-you-re-at-your-best-as-an-a_2825216.jpg" --- # I think when you're at your best as an actor, it is… ![“I think when you're at your best as an actor, it is cathartic.” quote by Annette Bening](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/808/annette-bening-3058_actor_i-think-when-you-re-at-your-best-as-an-a_2825216.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/808/annette-bening-3058_actor_i-think-when-you-re-at-your-best-as-an-a_2825216.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/808/annette-bening-3058_actor_i-think-when-you-re-at-your-best-as-an-a_2825216.jpg) > “I think when you're at your best as an actor, it is cathartic.” [Annette Bening](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annette-bening/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Acting at its peak offers emotional release and personal insight. **In simple terms:** Acting can be cathartic. Key Takeaway Seek roles that challenge you emotionally. Themes art catharsis self‑discovery Mood reflective inspirational Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - theatre - film sets - personal growth Key Concepts method acting emotional intelligence Questions to Reflect On - Which role has most freed your emotions? - How does catharsis affect your off‑stage life? A Different Perspective Not all performances provide genuine catharsis. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Actor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actor/) [Cathartic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cathartic/) [Theatre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/theatre/) ## Related quotes > [Sometimes you choose the wrong actor, he could be the best actor ever, but hes not cast in the right part then it doesnt…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophie-marceau/sometimes-you-choose-the-wrong-actor-he-could-be-the-best-actor-ever/) [Sophie Marceau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophie-marceau/) > [It's no good being the best actor in the world if nobody sees you because you didn't happen to be there at the right…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-moore/it-s-no-good-being-the-best-actor-in-the-world-if-nobody-sees-you/) [Roger Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-moore/) > [Mammootty is a great phenomenon.. If I was one among the jury for honourary award of Oscars, I would have definitely selected him as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ram-gopal-varma/mammootty-is-a-great-phenomenon-if-i-was-one-among-the-jury-for/) [Ram Gopal Varma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ram-gopal-varma/) > [I like most of the Humphrey Bogart movies because they had to act then, and they acted very well. Edward G. Robinson is probably…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-macnee/i-like-most-of-the-humphrey-bogart-movies-because-they-had-to-act/) [Patrick Macnee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-macnee/) > [I never think about awards or anything like that when I do a job. I was first named a best actor when I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/morgan-freeman/i-never-think-about-awards-or-anything-like-that-when-i-do-a-job-i/) [Morgan Freeman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/morgan-freeman/) > [I get to vote in the Best Supporting Actress, Best Supporting Actor, Best Actor, Best Actress and Best Director categories every year. The Academy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brenda-fricker/i-get-to-vote-in-the-best-supporting-actress-best-supporting-actor/) [Brenda Fricker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brenda-fricker/) > [Public perception changes with every film. That's the best part of being an actor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zareen-khan/public-perception-changes-with-every-film-that-s-the-best-part-of/) [Zareen Khan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zareen-khan/) > [ Sylvester wins, obviously \[best actor in a supporting role in 2016\]. That's the whole point of this. We're all getting dressed up to go… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bun-b/sylvester-wins-obviously-best-actor-in-a-supporting-role-in-2016-that/) [Bun B](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bun-b/) > [We want the best actor, and that's why Matt Damon worked so well in this role, because he's a great actor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bobby-farrelly/we-want-the-best-actor-and-that-s-why-matt-damon-worked-so-well-in/) [Bobby Farrelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bobby-farrelly/) > [Every physicist knows that things connect with each other. To isolate things is not the way the universe works - winning best actor is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-arkin/every-physicist-knows-that-things-connect-with-each-other-to-isolate/) [Alan Arkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-arkin/) > [The last movie I did, I was very lucky: I got to work with probably the best actor of our era, Billy Bob Thornton.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-mcgraw/the-last-movie-i-did-i-was-very-lucky-i-got-to-work-with-probably-the/) [Tim McGraw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-mcgraw/) > [Oscar nominations came out today. Up for best actor, Sean Penn for 'Mystic River,' Jude Law for 'Cold Mountain,' and of course, George W.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-leno/oscar-nominations-came-out-today-up-for-best-actor-sean-penn-for/) [Jay Leno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-leno/) > [If you held a pistol at my head, I couldn't tell you who they're going to vote for Best Actor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-caine/if-you-held-a-pistol-at-my-head-i-couldn-t-tell-you-who-they-re-going/) [Michael Caine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-caine/) > [I was always the best actor and best dancer in my college.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/divya-dutta/i-was-always-the-best-actor-and-best-dancer-in-my-college/) [Divya Dutta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/divya-dutta/) > [If I say I'm the best actor for the part, I mean it and I'm not kidding.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-woods/if-i-say-i-m-the-best-actor-for-the-part-i-mean-it-and-i-m-not-kidding/) [James Woods](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-woods/) ## More by Annette Bening > [I never thought my private life would be newsworthy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annette-bening/i-never-thought-my-private-life-would-be-newsworthy/) [Annette Bening](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annette-bening/) > [I do have to take care of myself, not only because I'm in the movies, just for mental health reasons. I exercise for me.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annette-bening/i-do-have-to-take-care-of-myself-not-only-because-i-m-in-the-movies/) [Annette Bening](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annette-bening/) > [We all get lost along the way, but hopefully we figure out some sort of path. It helps if you can imagine the process…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annette-bening/we-all-get-lost-along-the-way-but-hopefully-we-figure-out-some-sort/) [Annette Bening](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annette-bening/) > [One of the things on a very practical level as an actor or actress is that when you do a play, you do the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annette-bening/one-of-the-things-on-a-very-practical-level-as-an-actor-or-actress-is/) [Annette Bening](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annette-bening/) > [We want to be seen for who we really are, and each person has his own complex story and reasons for doing what they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annette-bening/we-want-to-be-seen-for-who-we-really-are-and-each-person-has-his-own/) [Annette Bening](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annette-bening/) > [I don't see myself as competing with other actresses. I mean, I went through a time when I was in New York, and I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annette-bening/i-don-t-see-myself-as-competing-with-other-actresses-i-mean-i-went/) [Annette Bening](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annette-bening/) > [I'm lucky: almost all my family has lived to be very old. I have one grandfather who lived to be 100.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annette-bening/i-m-lucky-almost-all-my-family-has-lived-to-be-very-old-i-have-one/) [Annette Bening](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annette-bening/) > [It's always tricky to watch yourself, always. When I first had to watch myself, it was really hard because I'd done quite a few…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annette-bening/it-s-always-tricky-to-watch-yourself-always-when-i-first-had-to-watch/) [Annette Bening](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annette-bening/) > [To me, I didn't think of acting as being a young thing only.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annette-bening/to-me-i-didn-t-think-of-acting-as-being-a-young-thing-only/) [Annette Bening](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annette-bening/) > [I act, but I am a mother first and wife second.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annette-bening/i-act-but-i-am-a-mother-first-and-wife-second/) [Annette Bening](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annette-bening/) > [Why I love acting is that it's totally subjective and I like that. I like that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annette-bening/why-i-love-acting-is-that-it-s-totally-subjective-and-i-like-that-i/) [Annette Bening](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annette-bening/) > [Somebody said something really smart: It's like you end up being the defense attorney for your role. Your job is to defend their point…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annette-bening/somebody-said-something-really-smart-it-s-like-you-end-up-being-the/) [Annette Bening](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annette-bening/) > [Anybody who has children and children who are well feels a sense of responsibility towards parents and kids and families that are struggling and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annette-bening/anybody-who-has-children-and-children-who-are-well-feels-a-sense-of/) [Annette Bening](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annette-bening/) > [I just want to be educated.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annette-bening/i-just-want-to-be-educated/) [Annette Bening](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annette-bening/) > [I remember hearing someone say that good acting is more about taking off a mask than putting one on, and in movie acting, certainly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annette-bening/i-remember-hearing-someone-say-that-good-acting-is-more-about-taking/) [Annette Bening](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annette-bening/) [Explore all 141 Annette Bening quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annette-bening/) ## 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": "I think when you're at your best as an actor, it is cathartic.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Annette Bening" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annette-bening/i-think-when-you-re-at-your-best-as-an-actor-it-is-cathartic/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Actor" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annette-bening/i-think-when-you-re-at-your-best-as-an-actor-it-is-cathartic/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/808/annette-bening-3058_actor_i-think-when-you-re-at-your-best-as-an-a_2825216.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/808/annette-bening-3058_actor_i-think-when-you-re-at-your-best-as-an-a_2825216.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/808/annette-bening-3058_actor_i-think-when-you-re-at-your-best-as-an-a_2825216.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I think when you're at your best as an actor, it is cathartic.” — Annette Bening", "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": "Annette Bening", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annette-bening/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I think when you're at your...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annette-bening/i-think-when-you-re-at-your-best-as-an-actor-it-is-cathartic/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annette-bening/i-think-when-you-re-at-your-best-as-an-actor-it-is-cathartic/#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 } } ] } ```