---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Will and Tommy Lee are the only actors…"
description: "\"Will and Tommy Lee are the only actors I've ever worked with where neither of them want to say any lines.\" — Barry Sonnenfeld"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5c6/barry-sonnenfeld-23903_actor_will-and-tommy-lee-are-the-only-actors-i_2883643.png"
---

#  Will and Tommy Lee are the only actors I've ever worked…

![“Will and Tommy Lee are the only actors I've ever worked with where neither of them want to say any lines.” quote by Barry Sonnenfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5c6/barry-sonnenfeld-23903_actor_will-and-tommy-lee-are-the-only-actors-i_2883643.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5c6/barry-sonnenfeld-23903_actor_will-and-tommy-lee-are-the-only-actors-i_2883643.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5c6/barry-sonnenfeld-23903_actor_will-and-tommy-lee-are-the-only-actors-i_2883643.png)

> “Will and Tommy Lee are the only actors I've ever worked with where neither of them want to say any lines.”

[Barry Sonnenfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-sonnenfeld/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Will and Tommy Lee avoid speaking lines, preferring non‑verbal performance.

**In simple terms:** Actors avoid speaking lines.

Key Takeaway

Explore non‑verbal storytelling.

Themes

film acting silence

Mood

playful observational

Type

cinematic creative

When to use this quote

- action scenes
- comedic timing
- director’s notes

Key Concepts

performance theory character study

Questions to Reflect On

- Why choose silence over dialogue?
- How does silence shape audience perception?

A Different Perspective

Silence can limit character depth.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Actor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actor/) [Actors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actors/) [Actors Ve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actors-ve-263185/) [Any](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/any/) [Ever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ever/) [Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lee/) [Lee Actors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lee-actors-4011432/) [Lines](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lines/) [Neither](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/neither/) [Only](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/only/) [Say](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/say/) [Say Lines](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/say-lines-319708/) [Them](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/them/) [Want](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/want/) [Where](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/where/) [Will](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/will/) [Worked](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/worked/)

## Related quotes

> [It's always great to see one of the actors I've worked with from 'Caddyshack' and 'TRON.' I run into them occasionally at events.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cindy-morgan/it-s-always-great-to-see-one-of-the-actors-i-ve-worked-with-from/)

[Cindy Morgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cindy-morgan/)

> [All the actors I've worked with as a director over the years I really love and I thought they were all right for the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-bob-thornton/all-the-actors-i-ve-worked-with-as-a-director-over-the-years-i-really/)

[Billy Bob Thornton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-bob-thornton/)

> [Working with actors is something I've never done before. I find it tremendous. It's hard work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anton-corbijn/working-with-actors-is-something-i-ve-never-done-before-i-find-it/)

[Anton Corbijn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anton-corbijn/)

> [I know a lot of actors who've just gotten bitter because they did something and then nobody ever saw it or whatever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-petersen/i-know-a-lot-of-actors-who-ve-just-gotten-bitter-because-they-did/)

[William Petersen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-petersen/)

> [Kelsey Grammer is one of the best actors I've ever worked with.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sanaa-lathan/kelsey-grammer-is-one-of-the-best-actors-i-ve-ever-worked-with/)

[Sanaa Lathan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sanaa-lathan/)

> [I've enjoyed lots of productions, and it's always been down to the actors I've been working with.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-elliott/i-ve-enjoyed-lots-of-productions-and-it-s-always-been-down-to-the/)

[Marianne Elliott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-elliott/)

> [I'm fascinated with actors, and I've never quite understood the process.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-saunders/i-m-fascinated-with-actors-and-i-ve-never-quite-understood-the-process/)

[George Saunders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-saunders/)

> [Sometimes, as an actor - and I've witnessed this with other actors that I've worked with - you don't realize that it's not all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/krysten-ritter/sometimes-as-an-actor-and-i-ve-witnessed-this-with-other-actors-that/)

[Krysten Ritter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/krysten-ritter/)

> [There are a lot of actors out there who've made one or two films and who never work again.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phoebe-cates/there-are-a-lot-of-actors-out-there-who-ve-made-one-or-two-films-and/)

[Phoebe Cates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phoebe-cates/)

> [I guess there are very few actors that I've worked with that I would like to work with again. You never think you'll have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlize-theron/i-guess-there-are-very-few-actors-that-i-ve-worked-with-that-i-would/)

[Charlize Theron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlize-theron/)

> [For actors, you've gotta sometimes fill in your backstory.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-gunn/for-actors-you-ve-gotta-sometimes-fill-in-your-backstory/)

[Anna Gunn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-gunn/)

> [Some people just don't want to put in the effort. I just show up and say some lines and I'm famous. Anyone living below…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zach-braff/some-people-just-don-t-want-to-put-in-the-effort-i-just-show-up-and/)

[Zach Braff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zach-braff/)

> [My dad never took himself too seriously. He always treated everyone with respect, and he made sure I was like that, too. I show…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-eastwood/my-dad-never-took-himself-too-seriously-he-always-treated-everyone/)

[Scott Eastwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-eastwood/)

> [With comedy, don't try to be funny. That's really helped me. Just say the lines as you would say them, interact with other characters,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ariel-winter/with-comedy-don-t-try-to-be-funny-that-s-really-helped-me-just-say/)

[Ariel Winter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ariel-winter/)

> [Acting isn't that hard, really. I mean, I think that people make a big deal about it, but you just kind of try to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-gosling/acting-isn-t-that-hard-really-i-mean-i-think-that-people-make-a-big/)

[Ryan Gosling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-gosling/)

## More by Barry Sonnenfeld

> [I really wanted Michael Jackson to be in the first Men in Black, but he didn't want to be considered as an alien!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-sonnenfeld/i-really-wanted-michael-jackson-to-be-in-the-first-men-in-black-but/)

[Barry Sonnenfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-sonnenfeld/)

> [The first cut I do is usually between five and 10 minutes shorter then the cut that we release. Anything I think isn't working…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-sonnenfeld/the-first-cut-i-do-is-usually-between-five-and-10-minutes-shorter/)

[Barry Sonnenfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-sonnenfeld/)

> [There is something about being a director where, for me personally, I get to . . . it's the closest I'll ever come to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-sonnenfeld/there-is-something-about-being-a-director-where-for-me-personally-i/)

[Barry Sonnenfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-sonnenfeld/)

> [When you're done shooting, the movie that you're going to release when you're done shooting is as bad as it will ever be. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-sonnenfeld/when-you-re-done-shooting-the-movie-that-you-re-going-to-release-when/)

[Barry Sonnenfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-sonnenfeld/)

> [When I move from being a cameraman to being a director I looked at a lot of other cameramen who tried to make the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-sonnenfeld/when-i-move-from-being-a-cameraman-to-being-a-director-i-looked-at-a/)

[Barry Sonnenfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-sonnenfeld/)

> [The weird thing is that I hate to fly, and the quote that I give people is that every time I get off a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-sonnenfeld/the-weird-thing-is-that-i-hate-to-fly-and-the-quote-that-i-give/)

[Barry Sonnenfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-sonnenfeld/)

> [It always happens at the end that you're always under the gun because of various schedules and all that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-sonnenfeld/it-always-happens-at-the-end-that-you-re-always-under-the-gun-because/)

[Barry Sonnenfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-sonnenfeld/)

> [There's a series of children's books called A Series of Unfortunate Events, which is like an incredibly dark version of Roald Dahl. I hope…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-sonnenfeld/there-s-a-series-of-children-s-books-called-a-series-of-unfortunate/)

[Barry Sonnenfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-sonnenfeld/)

> [I'm an unusual director in that my cut is usually shorter then the final released film. I like short films.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-sonnenfeld/i-m-an-unusual-director-in-that-my-cut-is-usually-shorter-then-the/)

[Barry Sonnenfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-sonnenfeld/)

> [I don't think Will does get upstaged because his reaction is always funnier than what is actually happening. That is also the reason Tommy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-sonnenfeld/i-don-t-think-will-does-get-upstaged-because-his-reaction-is-always/)

[Barry Sonnenfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-sonnenfeld/)

> [Growing up, my fascination was all things dinosaur, and as an adult, I've had some success making films about aliens, so this is a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-sonnenfeld/growing-up-my-fascination-was-all-things-dinosaur-and-as-an-adult-i/)

[Barry Sonnenfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-sonnenfeld/)

> [I play the father in the scene when Will and Tommy go back to Tommy's old apartment. It was a big mistake. I hope…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-sonnenfeld/i-play-the-father-in-the-scene-when-will-and-tommy-go-back-to-tommy-s/)

[Barry Sonnenfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-sonnenfeld/)

> [They want to let the audience figure things out and let the reaction shot get the laugh.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-sonnenfeld/they-want-to-let-the-audience-figure-things-out-and-let-the-reaction/)

[Barry Sonnenfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-sonnenfeld/)

> [I don't believe in leaving a scene in because it was really hard to shoot, or because it's the reason you took the movie,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-sonnenfeld/i-don-t-believe-in-leaving-a-scene-in-because-it-was-really-hard-to/)

[Barry Sonnenfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-sonnenfeld/)

> [We should all relax about life because you don't have a clue as to what's really going on.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-sonnenfeld/we-should-all-relax-about-life-because-you-don-t-have-a-clue-as-to/)

[Barry Sonnenfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-sonnenfeld/)

[Explore all 25 Barry Sonnenfeld quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-sonnenfeld/)

## 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": "Will and Tommy Lee are the only actors I've ever worked with where neither of them want to say any lines.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Barry Sonnenfeld"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-sonnenfeld/will-and-tommy-lee-are-the-only-actors-i-ve-ever-worked-with-where/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Actor"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-sonnenfeld/will-and-tommy-lee-are-the-only-actors-i-ve-ever-worked-with-where/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5c6/barry-sonnenfeld-23903_actor_will-and-tommy-lee-are-the-only-actors-i_2883643.png",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5c6/barry-sonnenfeld-23903_actor_will-and-tommy-lee-are-the-only-actors-i_2883643.png",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5c6/barry-sonnenfeld-23903_actor_will-and-tommy-lee-are-the-only-actors-i_2883643.png",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“Will and Tommy Lee are the only actors I've ever worked with where neither of them want to say any lines.” — Barry Sonnenfeld",
                "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": "Barry Sonnenfeld",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-sonnenfeld/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "Will and Tommy Lee are the...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-sonnenfeld/will-and-tommy-lee-are-the-only-actors-i-ve-ever-worked-with-where/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-sonnenfeld/will-and-tommy-lee-are-the-only-actors-i-ve-ever-worked-with-where/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
