--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Everyone can do a character the way they…" description: "\"Everyone can do a character the way they want to do it, unless the director tells them not to, which isn't very common. I like to do my characters, if ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/62f/barret-oliver-83399_character_everyone-can-do-a-character-the-way-they_1311761.png" --- # Everyone can do a character the way they want to do it… ![“Everyone can do a character the way they want to do it, unless the director tells them not to, which isn't very common. I like to do my characters, if it's not specific in the script, as myself.” quote by Barret Oliver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/62f/barret-oliver-83399_character_everyone-can-do-a-character-the-way-they_1311761.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/62f/barret-oliver-83399_character_everyone-can-do-a-character-the-way-they_1311761.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/62f/barret-oliver-83399_character_everyone-can-do-a-character-the-way-they_1311761.png) > “Everyone can do a character the way they want to do it, unless the director tells them not to, which isn't very common. I like to do my characters, if it's not specific in the script, as myself.” Barret Oliver ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Actors often personalize roles unless a director explicitly restricts them, making personal interpretation common. **In simple terms:** Actors add personal touch unless director forbids. Key Takeaway Embrace personal authenticity in performance. Themes creativity performance individuality Mood reflective inspired Type artistic practical When to use this quote - theatre rehearsals - film sets - workshops Key Concepts method acting directorial control character development Questions to Reflect On - How much freedom should an actor have? - When does personal interpretation clash with vision? A Different Perspective Directors may still impose constraints. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character/) [Directors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/directors/) ## Related quotes > [No one appears on our stage unless the director has placed them there for our benefit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paramahansa-yogananda/no-one-appears-on-our-stage-unless-the-director-has-placed-them-there/) [Paramahansa Yogananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paramahansa-yogananda/) > [I don't really base any of my characters on specific people that I know, although my characters are informed by the kind of people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesmyn-ward/i-don-t-really-base-any-of-my-characters-on-specific-people-that-i/) [Jesmyn Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesmyn-ward/) > [Unless you're the director on the movie, or putting up the money for the movie, you really don't have a lot of control.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bret-easton-ellis/unless-you-re-the-director-on-the-movie-or-putting-up-the-money-for/) [Bret Easton Ellis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bret-easton-ellis/) > [For me that's the magic of the printed page - we don't have to pay attention to the passage of time and focus in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-claremont/for-me-that-s-the-magic-of-the-printed-page-we-don-t-have-to-pay/) [Chris Claremont](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-claremont/) > [This is not a tough job. 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Interpreting what he perceives as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danny-elfman/it-all-depends-on-the-directors-working-closely-with-a-director-is/) [Danny Elfman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danny-elfman/) > [The director is the one who tells the story.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harshvardhan-kapoor/the-director-is-the-one-who-tells-the-story/) [Harshvardhan Kapoor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harshvardhan-kapoor/) > [Rip Torn had, like, lessons in everything he said, and one of them was, "I know that an actor can undermine anything a director…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-heard/rip-torn-had-like-lessons-in-everything-he-said-and-one-of-them-was-i/) [John Heard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-heard/) > [First of all, the actor needs to get out of the character's way. You follow the character without judgment or prejudice or preconceived ideas.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-ryan/first-of-all-the-actor-needs-to-get-out-of-the-character-s-way-you/) [Amy Ryan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-ryan/) > [One of the coolest ways to start building a character is the way he moves his mouth, what part of the mouth he puts…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cory-michael-smith/one-of-the-coolest-ways-to-start-building-a-character-is-the-way-he/) [Cory Michael Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cory-michael-smith/) > [Everybody has their favorite character.That's the only way I pick, whatever is going on in society, whatever I think folks will laugh at that's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-dunham/everybody-has-their-favorite-character-that-s-the-only-way-i-pick/) [Jeff Dunham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-dunham/) > [It took me a while to get over 'Highway'. I started living the character of 'Veera' very closely. I don't think I would be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alia-bhatt/it-took-me-a-while-to-get-over-highway-i-started-living-the-character/) [Alia Bhatt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alia-bhatt/) > [You can tell alot about a fellow's character by his way of eating jellybeans.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/you-can-tell-alot-about-a-fellow-s-character-by-his-way-of-eating/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [I never feel that I have to adopt a character. It's more the way I choose to present the music and that's always based…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pj-harvey/i-never-feel-that-i-have-to-adopt-a-character-it-s-more-the-way-i/) [PJ Harvey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pj-harvey/) ## More by Barret Oliver > [I didn't start out with a spectacular movie. Many people think you don't have to go from nothing to the top; they think you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barret-oliver/i-didn-t-start-out-with-a-spectacular-movie-many-people-think-you-don/) Barret Oliver > [In 'D.A.R.Y.L.' there was a part where I had to freeze to death, and they didn't even use it. It can get kind of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barret-oliver/in-d-a-r-y-l-there-was-a-part-where-i-had-to-freeze-to-death-and-they/) Barret Oliver Explore all 3 Barret Oliver quotes ## More Character quotes > [This may sound strange, but although I feel like I know everything about my characters, the brand of shampoo they use, how many cavities…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gail-honeyman/this-may-sound-strange-but-although-i-feel-like-i-know-everything/) [Gail Honeyman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gail-honeyman/) > [I always like a character who makes me laugh.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachael-stirling/i-always-like-a-character-who-makes-me-laugh/) [Rachael Stirling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachael-stirling/) > [Social responsibility above the level of family, or at most of tribe, requires imagination-- devotion, loyalty, all the higher virtues -- which a man…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-heinlein/social-responsibility-above-the-level-of-family-or-at-most-of-tribe/) [Robert A. Heinlein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-heinlein/) > [Reader, if you are gifted with nerves like mine, aspire to any character but that of a wit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-lamb/reader-if-you-are-gifted-with-nerves-like-mine-aspire-to-any/) [Charles Lamb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-lamb/) > [I'm often moved by the circumstances around some of my characters, but I don't think I've actually cried watching myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-winslet/i-m-often-moved-by-the-circumstances-around-some-of-my-characters-but/) [Kate Winslet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-winslet/) > [When you're on a daytime drama you get one page, you better damn well know your character. 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But, if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-you-are-well-mannered-towards-those-whose-views-are-similar-to/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Democracy is based on the conviction that man has the moral and intellectual capacity, as well as the inalienable right, to govern himself with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-s-truman/democracy-is-based-on-the-conviction-that-man-has-the-moral-and/) [Harry S. Truman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-s-truman/) > [In the fight between biology and morality, biology has commonly won in the end.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/semir-zeki/in-the-fight-between-biology-and-morality-biology-has-commonly-won-in/) [Semir Zeki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/semir-zeki/) > [Your looks don't make you pretty, it's the person inside who makes you pretty!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-chan/your-looks-don-t-make-you-pretty-it-s-the-person-inside-who-makes-you/) [Aaron Chan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-chan/) > [I'm not a huge social media kind of guy, so I don't really know, I don't really ever get... at least in real life,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/freddie-stroma/i-m-not-a-huge-social-media-kind-of-guy-so-i-don-t-really-know-i-don/) [Freddie Stroma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/freddie-stroma/) > [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/) > [Courage: the most important of all the virtues because without courage, you can't practice any other virtue consistently](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-angelou/courage-the-most-important-of-all-the-virtues-because-without-courage/) [Maya Angelou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-angelou/) > [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/) [Browse all 32,707 Character quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Everyone can do a character the way they want to do it, unless the director tells them not to, which isn't very common. 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