--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I don't really know who I am as an actor…" description: "\"I don't really know who I am as an actor: the best thing would be to experiment with it for the next 30 years and never really find out.\" — Ben Barnes" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/57d/ben-barnes-13642_actor_i-don-t-really-know-who-i-am-as-an-actor_46255.png" --- # I don't really know who I am as an actor: the best thing… ![“I don't really know who I am as an actor: the best thing would be to experiment with it for the next 30 years and never really find out.” quote by Ben Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/57d/ben-barnes-13642_actor_i-don-t-really-know-who-i-am-as-an-actor_46255.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/57d/ben-barnes-13642_actor_i-don-t-really-know-who-i-am-as-an-actor_46255.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/57d/ben-barnes-13642_actor_i-don-t-really-know-who-i-am-as-an-actor_46255.png) > “I don't really know who I am as an actor: the best thing would be to experiment with it for the next 30 years and never really find out.” [Ben Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-barnes/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker acknowledges uncertainty about personal identity in acting, proposing a lifelong experimental approach rather than seeking a definitive self-definition. **In simple terms:** Identity is fluid; experiment continuously. Key Takeaway Embrace ongoing exploration of self. Themes self-discovery artistic identity experimentation uncertainty growth Mood curiosity introspection optimism Type philosophical reflective When to use this quote - career planning - creative workshops - method acting training - personal journaling - long-term artistic projects Key Concepts personal identity acting craft long-term development Practical Applications - designing flexible acting curricula - coaching actors to adopt iterative self-exploration Questions to Reflect On - How does continual experimentation affect artistic authenticity? - What risks arise from never settling on a defined identity? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [30 Years](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/30-years/) [Actor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actor/) [Actor Best](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actor-best-405699/) [Actors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actors/) [Am](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/am/) [Best](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/best/) [Best things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/best-things/) [Experiment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/experiment/) [Experiment 30](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/experiment-30-676271/) [Experiments](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/experiments/) [Find](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/find/) [I am](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/i-am/) [Know](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/know/) [Know Actor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/know-actor/) [Knows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knows/) [Never](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/never/) [Next](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/next/) [Out](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/out/) [Really](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/really/) [Theatre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/theatre/) [Thing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thing/) [Thing Experiment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thing-experiment-676272/) [Who](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/who/) [Who i am](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/who-i-am/) [Would](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/would/) [Would be](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/would-be/) [Years](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/years/) ## 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/) > [If you are a good actor, then all you have to do is give your best shot every time when you are in front…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rithvik-dhanjani/if-you-are-a-good-actor-then-all-you-have-to-do-is-give-your-best/) [Rithvik Dhanjani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rithvik-dhanjani/) > [I always thought the leading actor should be the best supporting actor, because you're the only person that can help every other actor on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-costner/i-always-thought-the-leading-actor-should-be-the-best-supporting/) [Kevin Costner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-costner/) > [I've learned from every director I've worked with. Everybody's style is very different, and I always say that being an actor is the best…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lake-bell/i-ve-learned-from-every-director-i-ve-worked-with-everybody-s-style/) [Lake Bell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lake-bell/) > [I just want to keep getting roles that challenge me to be the best actor and the best person I can be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bella-ramsey/i-just-want-to-keep-getting-roles-that-challenge-me-to-be-the-best/) [Bella Ramsey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bella-ramsey/) > [Acting is the great love of my life. It gives you permission to use all parts of yourself. Permission to be the hero, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blake-griffin/acting-is-the-great-love-of-my-life-it-gives-you-permission-to-use/) [Blake Griffin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/blake-griffin/) > [My general view is that best actor best suited to role should get the job. Obviously when it comes to colour and issues of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-fry/my-general-view-is-that-best-actor-best-suited-to-role-should-get-the/) [Stephen Fry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-fry/) > [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/) > [An actor can give his best shot but the script and dialogues have to have punch to make it more effective.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paresh-rawal/an-actor-can-give-his-best-shot-but-the-script-and-dialogues-have-to/) [Paresh Rawal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paresh-rawal/) > [The Internet is an actor's best friend.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/armie-hammer/the-internet-is-an-actor-s-best-friend/) [Armie Hammer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/armie-hammer/) > [But having said that, becoming an actor was the best decision I ever made. With its ups and downs and its craziness, nothing makes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rasika-dugal/but-having-said-that-becoming-an-actor-was-the-best-decision-i-ever/) [Rasika Dugal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rasika-dugal/) > [One of the things I've learned over the years is that you only do what you can do as an actor. You do the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-dillon/one-of-the-things-i-ve-learned-over-the-years-is-that-you-only-do/) [Matt Dillon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-dillon/) > [That's all you can do as an actor - take the best thing available.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/damian-lewis/that-s-all-you-can-do-as-an-actor-take-the-best-thing-available/) [Damian Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/damian-lewis/) > [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/) > [Watching a good actor is the best way to learn.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kieran-culkin/watching-a-good-actor-is-the-best-way-to-learn/) [Kieran Culkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kieran-culkin/) ## More by Ben Barnes > [I would like to work with whoever would like to have me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-barnes/i-would-like-to-work-with-whoever-would-like-to-have-me/) [Ben Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-barnes/) > [I have done lots of music projects in my life and some of them I am more proud of than others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-barnes/i-have-done-lots-of-music-projects-in-my-life-and-some-of-them-i-am/) [Ben Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-barnes/) > [No one wants to be with a girl that your mother would pick for you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-barnes/no-one-wants-to-be-with-a-girl-that-your-mother-would-pick-for-you/) [Ben Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-barnes/) > [I didn't have any pets growing up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-barnes/i-didn-t-have-any-pets-growing-up/) [Ben Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-barnes/) > [Maybe Oliver Stone doesn't lend himself well to remakes or sequels, because he does them so well the first time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-barnes/maybe-oliver-stone-doesn-t-lend-himself-well-to-remakes-or-sequels/) [Ben Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-barnes/) > [Jeff Bridges is one of my favorite actors in the history of ever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-barnes/jeff-bridges-is-one-of-my-favorite-actors-in-the-history-of-ever/) [Ben Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-barnes/) > [I always looked really young for my age. And once I hit 23, 24 and 25, I was then allowed to play the cool 18-year-olds and stuff.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-barnes/i-always-looked-really-young-for-my-age-and-once-i-hit-23-24-and-25-i/) [Ben Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-barnes/) > [I went to a very academically competitive high school. So I was always quite studious and quiet, just to keep up with the other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-barnes/i-went-to-a-very-academically-competitive-high-school-so-i-was-always/) [Ben Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-barnes/) > [There are plenty of people in the world who have tried to be rock stars and have not gotten there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-barnes/there-are-plenty-of-people-in-the-world-who-have-tried-to-be-rock/) [Ben Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-barnes/) > [Almost every script that I've gotten has been for sort of the generic Hollywood type. I haven't chosen them. All the ones I have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-barnes/almost-every-script-that-i-ve-gotten-has-been-for-sort-of-the-generic/) [Ben Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-barnes/) > [Never agree to say or do anything that isn't you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-barnes/never-agree-to-say-or-do-anything-that-isn-t-you/) [Ben Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-barnes/) > [I love music, and I love singing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-barnes/i-love-music-and-i-love-singing/) [Ben Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-barnes/) > [When I was at school, I was in choirs more than anything else, from a very young age, about 9 years old. And then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-barnes/when-i-was-at-school-i-was-in-choirs-more-than-anything-else-from-a/) [Ben Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-barnes/) > [I can't run. I start getting twinges. If I were filmed running, it would be awful.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-barnes/i-can-t-run-i-start-getting-twinges-if-i-were-filmed-running-it-would/) [Ben Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-barnes/) > [We live in a youth-obsessed, aesthetically obsessed culture. That is no more evident than in the film industry.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-barnes/we-live-in-a-youth-obsessed-aesthetically-obsessed-culture-that-is-no/) [Ben Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-barnes/) [Explore all 49 Ben Barnes quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-barnes/) ## 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 don't really know who I am as an actor: the best thing would be to experiment with it for the next 30 years and never really find out.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Ben Barnes" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-barnes/i-don-t-really-know-who-i-am-as-an-actor-the-best-thing-would-be-to/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Actor" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-barnes/i-don-t-really-know-who-i-am-as-an-actor-the-best-thing-would-be-to/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/57d/ben-barnes-13642_actor_i-don-t-really-know-who-i-am-as-an-actor_46255.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/57d/ben-barnes-13642_actor_i-don-t-really-know-who-i-am-as-an-actor_46255.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/57d/ben-barnes-13642_actor_i-don-t-really-know-who-i-am-as-an-actor_46255.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I don't really know who I am as an actor: the best thing would be to experiment with it for the next 30…” — Ben Barnes", "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": "Ben Barnes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-barnes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I don't really know who I...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-barnes/i-don-t-really-know-who-i-am-as-an-actor-the-best-thing-would-be-to/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-barnes/i-don-t-really-know-who-i-am-as-an-actor-the-best-thing-would-be-to/#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 } } ] } ```