--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Somebody said something really smart…" description: "\"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 of view. You're ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f37/annette-bening-3058_acting_somebody-said-something-really-smart-it_240697.jpg" --- # Somebody said something really smart: It's like you end up… ![“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 of view. You're fighting for what they want. You learn that in acting school - it's Acting 1A: 'What do you want? What's in the way?'” quote by Annette Bening](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f37/annette-bening-3058_acting_somebody-said-something-really-smart-it_240697.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f37/annette-bening-3058_acting_somebody-said-something-really-smart-it_240697.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f37/annette-bening-3058_acting_somebody-said-something-really-smart-it_240697.jpg) > “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 of view. You're fighting for what they want. You learn that in acting school - it's Acting 1A: 'What do you want? What's in the way?'” [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. Playing the defender of a character’s perspective teaches empathy and insight into motivations. **In simple terms:** Defending a role’s view builds empathy. Key Takeaway Practice seeing situations from opposing viewpoints. Themes empathy role‑play communication Mood thoughtful analytical Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - team meetings - negotiations - customer service - creative collaborations Key Concepts theatre psychology conflict resolution Questions to Reflect On - How does defending a viewpoint change your perception? - When might you need to step back? A Different Perspective Over‑identifying can blur personal boundaries. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Acting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/acting/) [Acting school](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/acting-school/) [Attorney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/attorney/) [Being](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/being/) [Job](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/job/) [Point of view](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/point-of-view/) [School](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/school/) [Smart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/smart/) ## Related quotes > [The defendant wants to hide the truth because he's generally guilty. The defense attorney's job is to make sure the jury does not arrive…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-dershowitz/the-defendant-wants-to-hide-the-truth-because-he-s-generally-guilty/) [Alan Dershowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-dershowitz/) > [I actually was a defense attorney first.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcia-clark/i-actually-was-a-defense-attorney-first/) [Marcia Clark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcia-clark/) > [When...has a mugging case ever heard a defense attorney claim, 'Your Honor, the victim was dressed in an Armani suit and wearing a Rolex.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-david/when-has-a-mugging-case-ever-heard-a-defense-attorney-claim-your/) [Peter David](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-david/) > [I think when you play a role, you always have to be a defense attorney for that character.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-bomer/i-think-when-you-play-a-role-you-always-have-to-be-a-defense-attorney/) [Matt Bomer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-bomer/) > [I always received much more satisfaction as a defense attorney in obtaining an acquittal for a client than I ever have as a D.A.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-garrison/i-always-received-much-more-satisfaction-as-a-defense-attorney-in/) [Jim Garrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-garrison/) > [I noticed that this defense attorney is a very, very intelligent man, and he's very cool and he's very knowledgeable, and I think that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tommy-bond/i-noticed-that-this-defense-attorney-is-a-very-very-intelligent-man/) [Tommy Bond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tommy-bond/) > [I will be the defense attorney for all Italians.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giuseppe-conte/i-will-be-the-defense-attorney-for-all-italians/) [Giuseppe Conte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giuseppe-conte/) > [My first job is to defend, but I know I have the quality to score.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrice-evra/my-first-job-is-to-defend-but-i-know-i-have-the-quality-to-score/) [Patrice Evra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrice-evra/) > [I'm a defender and that's what I will always look to do first. If you do that right then the other things will be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-van-aanholt/i-m-a-defender-and-that-s-what-i-will-always-look-to-do-first-if-you/) [Patrick van Aanholt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-van-aanholt/) > [Our job here is to defend freedom.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/viet-d-dinh/our-job-here-is-to-defend-freedom/) [Viet D. Dinh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/viet-d-dinh/) > [There's a lot of different ways of going about teaching acting and ultimately you have to just kind of create your own. You have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annette-bening/there-s-a-lot-of-different-ways-of-going-about-teaching-acting-and/) [Annette Bening](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annette-bening/) > [The criminal defense attorney is misunderstood if not despised by most of society. It doesn't matter if we believe in our adversarial system and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-connelly/the-criminal-defense-attorney-is-misunderstood-if-not-despised-by/) [Michael Connelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-connelly/) > [I was a defense attorney before I was a prosecutor, and so knowing what the defense is going to try to do is something…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcia-clark/i-was-a-defense-attorney-before-i-was-a-prosecutor-and-so-knowing/) [Marcia Clark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcia-clark/) > [As a defense attorney in Ohio, my dad would accept food in lieu of money from his poorer clients, and work into the night…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cord-jefferson/as-a-defense-attorney-in-ohio-my-dad-would-accept-food-in-lieu-of/) [Cord Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cord-jefferson/) > [Before I was a prosecutor, I was a defense attorney. I took a cut in pay because I wanted to stand up for the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcia-clark/before-i-was-a-prosecutor-i-was-a-defense-attorney-i-took-a-cut-in/) [Marcia Clark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcia-clark/) ## 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/) > [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/) > [Our children see us a certain way, and we want to be seen by them in a certain way. I certainly want to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annette-bening/our-children-see-us-a-certain-way-and-we-want-to-be-seen-by-them-in-a/) [Annette Bening](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annette-bening/) [Explore all 141 Annette Bening quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annette-bening/) ## 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. 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