--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Acting is broad enough a church that you…" description: "\"Acting is broad enough a church that you can pick your races, decide which way you want to go at different times.I think that the story and circumstanc..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ce8/ben-mendelsohn-7532_acting_acting-is-broad-enough-a-church-that-you_1691236.jpg" --- # Acting is broad enough a church that you can pick your… ![“Acting is broad enough a church that you can pick your races, decide which way you want to go at different times.I think that the story and circumstance tends to dictate the most and then what you do with your own approach after that.” quote by Ben Mendelsohn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ce8/ben-mendelsohn-7532_acting_acting-is-broad-enough-a-church-that-you_1691236.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ce8/ben-mendelsohn-7532_acting_acting-is-broad-enough-a-church-that-you_1691236.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ce8/ben-mendelsohn-7532_acting_acting-is-broad-enough-a-church-that-you_1691236.jpg) > “Acting is broad enough a church that you can pick your races, decide which way you want to go at different times.I think that the story and circumstance tends to dictate the most and then what you do with your own approach after that.” [Ben Mendelsohn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-mendelsohn/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Personal identity and choices are shaped by broader narratives and circumstances. **In simple terms:** Our story guides our actions. Key Takeaway Adapt to context wisely. Themes identity choice context Mood thoughtful analytical Type philosophical psychological When to use this quote - career decisions - personal growth - cultural adaptation Key Concepts narrative theory social dynamics Questions to Reflect On - How do you align personal values with societal expectations? - When have circumstances dictated your path? A Different Perspective External pressures can limit agency. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Acting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/acting/) [Actor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actor/) [Approach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/approach/) [Church](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/church/) [Race](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/race/) [Stories](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stories/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) ## Related quotes > [Your perception of life will decide which way your life will be heading](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/farah-mustafa/your-perception-of-life-will-decide-which-way-your-life-will-be/) [Farah Mustafa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/farah-mustafa/) > [I really would like to start a family as well. Whether I can balance the two or have to decide one or the other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/libby-trickett/i-really-would-like-to-start-a-family-as-well-whether-i-can-balance/) [Libby Trickett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/libby-trickett/) > [Everything starts with yourself / with you making up your mind about what you're going to do with your life. I tell kids that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-dorsett/everything-starts-with-yourself-with-you-making-up-your-mind-about-2/) [Tony Dorsett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-dorsett/) > [Law is made for man and not man for the law. Wherever we can be sure that the most valuable interests of a nation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-godwin/law-is-made-for-man-and-not-man-for-the-law-wherever-we-can-be-sure/) [William Godwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-godwin/) > [The land gets inside of us; and we must decide one way or another what this means, what we will do about it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-l-pez/the-land-gets-inside-of-us-and-we-must-decide-one-way-or-another-what/) [Barry Lopez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-l-pez/) > [Independence doesn't mean you decide the way you want.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-breyer/independence-doesn-t-mean-you-decide-the-way-you-want/) [Stephen Breyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-breyer/) > [It isn't really important to decide when you are very young just exactly what you want to become when you grow up. It is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/golda-meir/it-isn-t-really-important-to-decide-when-you-are-very-young-just/) [Golda Meir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/golda-meir/) > [“I’m trying to decide Which way to go I think I made a wrong turn back there somewhere Didn’t cha know, didn’t cha know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erykah-badu/i-m-trying-to-decide-which-way-to-go-i-think-i-made-a-wrong-turn-back/) [Erykah Badu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erykah-badu/) > [I can't decide which way I talk. I really, honestly can't.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nadine-coyle/i-can-t-decide-which-way-i-talk-i-really-honestly-can-t/) [Nadine Coyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nadine-coyle/) > [You do not 'suffer' if you decide 'that's the way it is' rather than 'why is it this way?'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-jones/you-do-not-suffer-if-you-decide-that-s-the-way-it-is-rather-than-why/) [Chuck Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-jones/) > [A dozen times a day we come to a fork in the road and must decide which way we will go. It is important…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/spencer-w-kimball/a-dozen-times-a-day-we-come-to-a-fork-in-the-road-and-must-decide/) [Spencer W. Kimball](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/spencer-w-kimball/) > [At different times and in different places I have come to expect certain books to look a certain way, and, as in all fashions,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alberto-manguel/at-different-times-and-in-different-places-i-have-come-to-expect/) [Alberto Manguel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alberto-manguel/) > [“He remembered the good times with them all, and the quarrels. They always picked the finest places to have the quarrels. And why had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-hemingway/he-remembered-the-good-times-with-them-all-and-the-quarrels-they/) [Ernest Hemingway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-hemingway/) > [“Life is like a game of cards. It deals you different hands at different times. You don’t have that old hand anymore, Leo. Look…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-delinsky/life-is-like-a-game-of-cards-it-deals-you-different-hands-at/) [Barbara Delinsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-delinsky/) > [People go through different stages of their lives at different times. If you're out of sync with your friend group, that gets exploded once…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-hamm/people-go-through-different-stages-of-their-lives-at-different-times/) [Jon Hamm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-hamm/) ## More by Ben Mendelsohn > ['The Outlaw Josey Wales' is one I watched again and again and again in the early days of VHS.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-mendelsohn/the-outlaw-josey-wales-is-one-i-watched-again-and-again-and-again-in/) [Ben Mendelsohn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-mendelsohn/) > [One of my earlier films is 'Quigley Down Under.' That was early on in my career, and that was horsey.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-mendelsohn/one-of-my-earlier-films-is-quigley-down-under-that-was-early-on-in-my/) [Ben Mendelsohn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-mendelsohn/) > [I'm very interested in the history of Christianity, and what I can say for sure is that the Catholics and the Jesuits and stuff…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-mendelsohn/i-m-very-interested-in-the-history-of-christianity-and-what-i-can-say/) [Ben Mendelsohn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-mendelsohn/) > [Let me give you a little Mendelsohn 101: I came up in television in the early- to mid- 1980s in Australia.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-mendelsohn/let-me-give-you-a-little-mendelsohn-101-i-came-up-in-television-in/) [Ben Mendelsohn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-mendelsohn/) > [If you're a 'character actor,' you get hired to play baddies a lot.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-mendelsohn/if-you-re-a-character-actor-you-get-hired-to-play-baddies-a-lot/) [Ben Mendelsohn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-mendelsohn/) > [I think some of my favorite Australian films were shot by people that are not Australian. And I think when Dean Semler did 'Dances…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-mendelsohn/i-think-some-of-my-favorite-australian-films-were-shot-by-people-that/) [Ben Mendelsohn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-mendelsohn/) > [From my point of view, things don't have to change to get better. Things are fantastic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-mendelsohn/from-my-point-of-view-things-don-t-have-to-change-to-get-better/) [Ben Mendelsohn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-mendelsohn/) > [People don't know who I am, and that's not a bad thing at all from my end.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-mendelsohn/people-don-t-know-who-i-am-and-that-s-not-a-bad-thing-at-all-from-my/) [Ben Mendelsohn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-mendelsohn/) > [The people that impress me are Bob Dylan. The ones who keep working, year in and year out, and keep coming up with stuff.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-mendelsohn/the-people-that-impress-me-are-bob-dylan-the-ones-who-keep-working/) [Ben Mendelsohn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-mendelsohn/) > [I'm very well known in the industry and relatively well known by people who are aficionados and what not, but outside of that -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-mendelsohn/i-m-very-well-known-in-the-industry-and-relatively-well-known-by/) [Ben Mendelsohn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-mendelsohn/) > [I think difficult characters are very rewarding to do. They often have facets to them and this and that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-mendelsohn/i-think-difficult-characters-are-very-rewarding-to-do-they-often-have/) [Ben Mendelsohn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-mendelsohn/) > [As an actor who has spent twenty years trying to crack America, the day I reached the 'Bloodline' set and found my name on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-mendelsohn/as-an-actor-who-has-spent-twenty-years-trying-to-crack-america-the/) [Ben Mendelsohn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-mendelsohn/) > [Once upon a time, they thought I was a sweet, wide-eyed boy that was just trying to figure out how to kiss the girl.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-mendelsohn/once-upon-a-time-they-thought-i-was-a-sweet-wide-eyed-boy-that-was/) [Ben Mendelsohn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-mendelsohn/) > [In Australia, even the darkest subject matter has a little pinch of humor. A little sweet to make the sour go down.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-mendelsohn/in-australia-even-the-darkest-subject-matter-has-a-little-pinch-of/) [Ben Mendelsohn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-mendelsohn/) > [I don't know that it exists, the perfect family. It's always complicated.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-mendelsohn/i-don-t-know-that-it-exists-the-perfect-family-it-s-always-complicated/) [Ben Mendelsohn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-mendelsohn/) [Explore all 90 Ben Mendelsohn quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-mendelsohn/) ## 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. I do believe that young adults go to college to learn things, and that this process will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-weingarten/i-do-not-believe-in-public-shaming-i-do-believe-that-young-adults-go/) [Gene Weingarten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-weingarten/) > [Poetry has, in a way, been my bridge to my acting career.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/omari-hardwick/poetry-has-in-a-way-been-my-bridge-to-my-acting-career/) [Omari Hardwick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/omari-hardwick/) [Browse all 12,062 Acting quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/acting/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Acting is broad enough a church that you can pick your races, decide which way you want to go at different times.I think that the story and circumstance tends to dictate the most and then what you do with your own approach after that.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Ben Mendelsohn" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-mendelsohn/acting-is-broad-enough-a-church-that-you-can-pick-your-races-decide/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Acting" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-mendelsohn/acting-is-broad-enough-a-church-that-you-can-pick-your-races-decide/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ce8/ben-mendelsohn-7532_acting_acting-is-broad-enough-a-church-that-you_1691236.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ce8/ben-mendelsohn-7532_acting_acting-is-broad-enough-a-church-that-you_1691236.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ce8/ben-mendelsohn-7532_acting_acting-is-broad-enough-a-church-that-you_1691236.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Acting is broad enough a church that you can pick your races, decide which way you want to go at different…” — Ben Mendelsohn", "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 Mendelsohn", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-mendelsohn/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Acting is broad enough a church...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-mendelsohn/acting-is-broad-enough-a-church-that-you-can-pick-your-races-decide/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-mendelsohn/acting-is-broad-enough-a-church-that-you-can-pick-your-races-decide/#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 } } ] } ```