--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I've seen so many excellent actors…" description: "\"I've seen so many excellent actors - excellent actors - who, the minute they're told they're in a comedy, turn into God knows what - creatures from ano..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3e0/bea-arthur-17900_actor_i-ve-seen-so-many-excellent-actors-excel_2399709.jpg" --- # I've seen so many excellent actors - excellent actors… ![“I've seen so many excellent actors - excellent actors - who, the minute they're told they're in a comedy, turn into God knows what - creatures from another planet! I mean they just... the voice changes, they don't look the same, it's like - it has no similarity to any living human being, do you…” quote by Bea Arthur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3e0/bea-arthur-17900_actor_i-ve-seen-so-many-excellent-actors-excel_2399709.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3e0/bea-arthur-17900_actor_i-ve-seen-so-many-excellent-actors-excel_2399709.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3e0/bea-arthur-17900_actor_i-ve-seen-so-many-excellent-actors-excel_2399709.jpg) > “I've seen so many excellent actors - excellent actors - who, the minute they're told they're in a comedy, turn into God knows what - creatures from another planet! I mean they just... the voice changes, they don't look the same, it's like - it has no similarity to any living human being, do you know what I mean?” [Bea Arthur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bea-arthur/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. She critiques actors who lose authenticity when forced into comedic roles, noting the stark change in voice and presence. **In simple terms:** Actors can lose authenticity in mismatched roles. Key Takeaway Stay true to your craft regardless of genre. Themes authenticity performance typecasting Mood analytical thoughtful Type critical observational When to use this quote - comedy acting - dramatic training - casting decisions Key Concepts artistic integrity role adaptability Questions to Reflect On - How do you maintain authenticity in varied roles? - Can you adapt without losing self? A Different Perspective Comedy may demand different skills, not loss of self. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Actor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actor/) [Actors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actors/) [Actors Excellent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actors-excellent-803071/) [Another](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/another/) [Any](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/any/) [Being](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/being/) [Changes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/changes/) [Comedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/comedy/) [Creatures](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/creatures/) [Do you know](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/do-you-know/) [Excellent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/excellent/) [Excellent Actors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/excellent-actors-5099691/) [God](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/god/) [God knows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/god-knows/) [Human](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/human/) [Human being](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/human-being/) [Humor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humor/) [Just](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/just/) [Know](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/know/) [Knows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knows/) [Like](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/like/) [Living](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/living/) [Look](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/look/) [Many](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/many/) [Mean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mean/) [Minute](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/minute/) [Planet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/planet/) [Same](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/same/) [Seen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/seen/) [Similarity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/similarity/) [Told Comedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/told-comedy-4657676/) [Turn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/turn/) [Voice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/voice/) [Voice Changes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/voice-changes-1412459/) [Who](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/who/) [You](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/you/) ## Related quotes > [The biggest reason for choosing 'Save Me' was the opportunity to work with excellent actors.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ok-taec-yeon/the-biggest-reason-for-choosing-save-me-was-the-opportunity-to-work/) [Ok Taec-yeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ok-taec-yeon/) > [I expect most actors would admit to a touch of jealousy, or healthy envy, if they see fellow actors in an excellent piece of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paterson-joseph/i-expect-most-actors-would-admit-to-a-touch-of-jealousy-or-healthy/) [Paterson Joseph](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paterson-joseph/) > [I have always been told that I was a funny, entertaining person and have always been told to give comedy a try.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabriel-iglesias/i-have-always-been-told-that-i-was-a-funny-entertaining-person-and/) [Gabriel Iglesias](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabriel-iglesias/) > [“And youth, though they see every day the cradle and grave shaped so alike, never believe death will happen to them. I told you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/parke-godwin/and-youth-though-they-see-every-day-the-cradle-and-grave-shaped-so/) [Parke Godwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/parke-godwin/) > [My parents are very practical people and they told me, 'If this comedy thing is an actual career and a job that you want,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayo-edebiri/my-parents-are-very-practical-people-and-they-told-me-if-this-comedy/) [Ayo Edebiri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayo-edebiri/) > [“The tone of voice changes the meaning of the word no matter if the definition stays the same”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-r-b-aka-truthly-speaking/the-tone-of-voice-changes-the-meaning-of-the-word-no-matter-if-the/) [T.R.B. aka Truthly Speaking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-r-b-aka-truthly-speaking/) > [“Your voice changes when you’re smiling, it alters the sound somehow.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gail-honeyman/your-voice-changes-when-you-re-smiling-it-alters-the-sound-somehow/) [Gail Honeyman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gail-honeyman/) > [I think it's crazy how much your voice changes even in six months.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maisie-peters/i-think-it-s-crazy-how-much-your-voice-changes-even-in-six-months/) [Maisie Peters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maisie-peters/) > [Justin Bieber isn't gonna be much of a star once his balls drop and his voice changes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/landon-liboiron/justin-bieber-isn-t-gonna-be-much-of-a-star-once-his-balls-drop-and/) [Landon Liboiron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/landon-liboiron/) > [As you get older, your voice changes, as well. Your voice should be able to last as long as you last.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/betty-buckley/as-you-get-older-your-voice-changes-as-well-your-voice-should-be-able/) [Betty Buckley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/betty-buckley/) > [I suppose my forcefulness will improve once my voice changes. Sopranos get no respect.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-grasso/i-suppose-my-forcefulness-will-improve-once-my-voice-changes-sopranos/) [Patricia Grasso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-grasso/) > [Everyone was like, 'Yeah this kid won't be able to sing when his voice changes, he'll have no career.' But it's gotten much better.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cody-simpson/everyone-was-like-yeah-this-kid-won-t-be-able-to-sing-when-his-voice/) [Cody Simpson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cody-simpson/) > [The voice changes very slowly. I keep mine well under control and try with all my might to keep it exactly as it was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrea-bocelli/the-voice-changes-very-slowly-i-keep-mine-well-under-control-and-try/) [Andrea Bocelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrea-bocelli/) > [I was raised Jewish, my wife was raised Catholic. Though we respect each other's heritage, and while many of our friends are deeply religious,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-levitan/i-was-raised-jewish-my-wife-was-raised-catholic-though-we-respect/) [Steven Levitan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-levitan/) > [Some people are like ants. Give them a warm day and a piece of ground and they start digging. There the similarity ends. Ants…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hal-borland/some-people-are-like-ants-give-them-a-warm-day-and-a-piece-of-ground/) [Hal Borland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hal-borland/) ## More by Bea Arthur > [I was very shy and withdrawn as a child, but people know me as these assertive women. They are not me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bea-arthur/i-was-very-shy-and-withdrawn-as-a-child-but-people-know-me-as-these/) [Bea Arthur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bea-arthur/) > [All this time I've just wanted to be blonde, beautiful and 5 feet 2 inches tall.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bea-arthur/all-this-time-i-ve-just-wanted-to-be-blonde-beautiful-and-5-feet-2/) [Bea Arthur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bea-arthur/) > [You know, I spend most of my life turning things down. There's a lot of crap out there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bea-arthur/you-know-i-spend-most-of-my-life-turning-things-down-there-s-a-lot-of/) [Bea Arthur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bea-arthur/) > [I really cut my teeth on off-off-off Broadway shows.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bea-arthur/i-really-cut-my-teeth-on-off-off-off-broadway-shows/) [Bea Arthur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bea-arthur/) > [I... was not too happy to suddenly take on this public role thrust upon me. They just assumed I was the Joan of Arc…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bea-arthur/i-was-not-too-happy-to-suddenly-take-on-this-public-role-thrust-upon/) [Bea Arthur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bea-arthur/) > [PETA has a proven track record of success. Each victory PETA wins for the animals is a stepping stone upon which we build a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bea-arthur/peta-has-a-proven-track-record-of-success-each-victory-peta-wins-for/) [Bea Arthur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bea-arthur/) > [Lucy was lovely.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bea-arthur/lucy-was-lovely/) [Bea Arthur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bea-arthur/) > [I'm 5-feet-9, I have a deep voice, and I have a way with a line. What can I do about it? I can't stay…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bea-arthur/i-m-5-feet-9-i-have-a-deep-voice-and-i-have-a-way-with-a-line-what/) [Bea Arthur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bea-arthur/) > [My dream was to become a very small blonde movie star like Ida Lupino and those other women I saw up there on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bea-arthur/my-dream-was-to-become-a-very-small-blonde-movie-star-like-ida-lupino/) [Bea Arthur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bea-arthur/) > [I suddenly realized that comedy, for me, was just being honest, and playing it for real. I've seen so many wonderful actors who turn…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bea-arthur/i-suddenly-realized-that-comedy-for-me-was-just-being-honest-and/) [Bea Arthur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bea-arthur/) > [I can't imagine working without an audience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bea-arthur/i-can-t-imagine-working-without-an-audience/) [Bea Arthur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bea-arthur/) > [But that's one of the nice things about doing a stage show, if something doesn't work out, you have the luxury of working on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bea-arthur/but-that-s-one-of-the-nice-things-about-doing-a-stage-show-if/) [Bea Arthur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bea-arthur/) > [I believe that you're here on Earth for a short time, and while you're here, you shouldn't forget it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bea-arthur/i-believe-that-you-re-here-on-earth-for-a-short-time-and-while-you-re/) [Bea Arthur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bea-arthur/) > [I'd never even been to Wrigley Field. I never even enjoyed baseball that much, but I loved being there, the crowd was lovely, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bea-arthur/i-d-never-even-been-to-wrigley-field-i-never-even-enjoyed-baseball/) [Bea Arthur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bea-arthur/) > [I'm not playing a role. I'm being myself, whatever the hell that is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bea-arthur/i-m-not-playing-a-role-i-m-being-myself-whatever-the-hell-that-is/) [Bea Arthur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bea-arthur/) [Explore all 36 Bea Arthur quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bea-arthur/) ## 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've seen so many excellent actors - excellent actors - who, the minute they're told they're in a comedy, turn into God knows what - creatures from another planet! 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