--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: A character on screen that's the 'good…" description: "\"A character on screen that's the 'good guy' or the 'bad guy,' they're never interesting. There's got to be an internal struggle, the duality is importa..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/37d/bill-skarsgard-12698_bad-guy_a-character-on-screen-that-s-the-good-gu_1733691.png" --- # A character on screen that's the 'good guy' or the 'bad… ![“A character on screen that's the 'good guy' or the 'bad guy,' they're never interesting. There's got to be an internal struggle, the duality is important to find.” quote by Bill Skarsgard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/37d/bill-skarsgard-12698_bad-guy_a-character-on-screen-that-s-the-good-gu_1733691.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/37d/bill-skarsgard-12698_bad-guy_a-character-on-screen-that-s-the-good-gu_1733691.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/37d/bill-skarsgard-12698_bad-guy_a-character-on-screen-that-s-the-good-gu_1733691.png) > “A character on screen that's the 'good guy' or the 'bad guy,' they're never interesting. There's got to be an internal struggle, the duality is important to find.” [Bill Skarsgard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-skarsgard/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. One‑dimensional characters lack depth; internal conflict creates compelling narratives. **In simple terms:** Complex characters need inner struggle. Key Takeaway Develop nuanced, conflicted characters. Themes character development conflict storytelling Mood analytical creative Type dramatic educational When to use this quote - screenwriting - theatre - novel writing - role playing games Key Concepts psychology of antagonists hero’s journey Questions to Reflect On - How do you balance complexity with clarity? - What internal struggles resonate most? A Different Perspective Some audiences prefer clear moral archetypes. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Bad guy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bad-guy/) [Character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character/) [Duality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/duality/) [Good guy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-guy/) [Internal struggle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/internal-struggle/) [Struggle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/struggle/) ## Related quotes > [When you sit in the full lotus position, your left foot is on your right thigh and your right foot is on your left…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shunryu-suzuki/when-you-sit-in-the-full-lotus-position-your-left-foot-is-on-your/) [Shunryu Suzuki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shunryu-suzuki/) > ['Screen time' is meaningless - what matters is what you do while on the screen. The good, the bad, and the ugly faces of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daphne-bavelier/screen-time-is-meaningless-what-matters-is-what-you-do-while-on-the/) [Daphne Bavelier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daphne-bavelier/) > [I think what matters is whatever you do on screen should be good irrespective of the time you have on screen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ileana-d-cruz/i-think-what-matters-is-whatever-you-do-on-screen-should-be-good/) [Ileana D'Cruz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ileana-d-cruz/) > [If you take control of yourself and you make the right cut or the right screen, then something good will come out of it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patty-mills/if-you-take-control-of-yourself-and-you-make-the-right-cut-or-the/) [Patty Mills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patty-mills/) > [As a family, we'd watch films and talk about people on screen - what was good or bad and whether you believed them and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophie-rundle/as-a-family-we-d-watch-films-and-talk-about-people-on-screen-what-was/) [Sophie Rundle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophie-rundle/) > [And it was out in the theaters in two weeks. This is not, 'We're going to develop twenty-five and maybe one's going to get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-sayles/and-it-was-out-in-the-theaters-in-two-weeks-this-is-not-we-re-going/) [John Sayles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-sayles/) > [I know whenever it comes to be really dysfunctional and vile and base and hostile on screen, I'm good at that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/werner-herzog/i-know-whenever-it-comes-to-be-really-dysfunctional-and-vile-and-base/) [Werner Herzog](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/werner-herzog/) > [When I had those injuries in college, I had all of these conversations with coaches about protecting myself. It was a constant internal struggle…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taysom-hill/when-i-had-those-injuries-in-college-i-had-all-of-these-conversations/) [Taysom Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taysom-hill/) > [“Mark Rosewater wrote: Science fiction, at is core, is about exploring what if. It is literature investigating humanity’s potential. Fantasy, at its core, is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-m-corkill/mark-rosewater-wrote-science-fiction-at-is-core-is-about-exploring/) James M. Corkill > [“It seemed that Dudley was struggling with concepts too difficult to put into words. After several moments of apparently painful internal struggle he said,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-k-rowling/it-seemed-that-dudley-was-struggling-with-concepts-too-difficult-to/) [J.K. Rowling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-k-rowling/) > [“that the strength lied inside everyone and being a hero is more of an internal struggle, it is the way we deal with situations…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arun-prabhu-aradhya/that-the-strength-lied-inside-everyone-and-being-a-hero-is-more-of-an/) [Arun Prabhu- aradhya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arun-prabhu-aradhya/) > [When you struggle with weight, it's not an internal struggle... it's literally an external struggle, and everyone sees it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ross-mathews/when-you-struggle-with-weight-it-s-not-an-internal-struggle-it-s/) [Ross Mathews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ross-mathews/) > [Where solar energy is concerned - and wind energy and battery storage and electric vehicles and efficiency technologies - that is what we are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-gore/where-solar-energy-is-concerned-and-wind-energy-and-battery-storage/) [Al Gore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-gore/) > [Well, I think certain roles are chosen for us. The moment I read Pete Campbell I thought: I can do this, this is mine.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vincent-kartheiser/well-i-think-certain-roles-are-chosen-for-us-the-moment-i-read-pete/) [Vincent Kartheiser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vincent-kartheiser/) > [And I could see his internal struggle become an all out war. "It wouldn't have made a difference. Not with Adrian involved," he said……](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richelle-mead/and-i-could-see-his-internal-struggle-become-an-all-out-war-it-wouldn/) [Richelle Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richelle-mead/) ## More by Bill Skarsgard > [It's funny: it takes a while to really get your character. It's impossible to do it on the first day. That's the same way…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-skarsgard/it-s-funny-it-takes-a-while-to-really-get-your-character-it-s/) [Bill Skarsgard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-skarsgard/) > [Normally, when you do a movie, you have those mundane days when it's like, 'Today is the scene where I get coffee.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-skarsgard/normally-when-you-do-a-movie-you-have-those-mundane-days-when-it-s/) [Bill Skarsgard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-skarsgard/) > [Acting was always there, it's true. But for a long time, in my teenage years, I wasn't sure about it - not because I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-skarsgard/acting-was-always-there-it-s-true-but-for-a-long-time-in-my-teenage/) [Bill Skarsgard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-skarsgard/) > [Playing Pennywise will change my life and career forever. It's going to change my path. And who knows where that path might lead me?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-skarsgard/playing-pennywise-will-change-my-life-and-career-forever-it-s-going/) [Bill Skarsgard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-skarsgard/) > [I worked with Lady Gaga for a day on a video shoot. It was crazy; we had a lot of fun. I had a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-skarsgard/i-worked-with-lady-gaga-for-a-day-on-a-video-shoot-it-was-crazy-we/) [Bill Skarsgard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-skarsgard/) > [I've always been a night person. There's a sense of virtue attached to getting up in the morning and doing things and starting the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-skarsgard/i-ve-always-been-a-night-person-there-s-a-sense-of-virtue-attached-to/) [Bill Skarsgard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-skarsgard/) > [There's something I love about how stark the contrast is between January and June in Sweden.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-skarsgard/there-s-something-i-love-about-how-stark-the-contrast-is-between-2/) [Bill Skarsgard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-skarsgard/) > [I see myself as most people see themselves, you have good days and bad days. I don't think I'm better looking now than I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-skarsgard/i-see-myself-as-most-people-see-themselves-you-have-good-days-and-bad/) [Bill Skarsgard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-skarsgard/) > [I think I've gotten that before - people have been like, 'Oh, you have a creepy stare.' My energy personally is not as threatening,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-skarsgard/i-think-i-ve-gotten-that-before-people-have-been-like-oh-you-have-a/) [Bill Skarsgard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-skarsgard/) > [In movies we tend make things black and white: you're either this, or you're that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-skarsgard/in-movies-we-tend-make-things-black-and-white-you-re-either-this-or/) [Bill Skarsgard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-skarsgard/) > [I can't see myself as a very domesticated person, with a suburb house and stuff like that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-skarsgard/i-can-t-see-myself-as-a-very-domesticated-person-with-a-suburb-house/) [Bill Skarsgard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-skarsgard/) > [I'm a pretty private person, so I don't mind not being recognized.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-skarsgard/i-m-a-pretty-private-person-so-i-don-t-mind-not-being-recognized/) [Bill Skarsgard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-skarsgard/) > [In terms of jobs, I'm an actor. There's gotta' be depth there. I'd never say yes to something just to play the hot guy.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-skarsgard/in-terms-of-jobs-i-m-an-actor-there-s-gotta-be-depth-there-i-d-never/) [Bill Skarsgard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-skarsgard/) > [I can deal with it now, but 13 is a tough age to be recognized and famous. It's a tough age, period.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-skarsgard/i-can-deal-with-it-now-but-13-is-a-tough-age-to-be-recognized-and/) [Bill Skarsgard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-skarsgard/) > [I feel like I'm the best actor on the planet and I also feel like I'm a fraud. I think hubris comes from insecurity.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-skarsgard/i-feel-like-i-m-the-best-actor-on-the-planet-and-i-also-feel-like-i-m/) [Bill Skarsgard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-skarsgard/) [Explore all 53 Bill Skarsgard quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-skarsgard/) ## More Bad guy quotes > [“This is what is called "honor among thieves," for the really dangerous people are those who do not recognize that they are thieves— the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-w-watts/this-is-what-is-called-honor-among-thieves-for-the-really-dangerous/) [Alan W. Watts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-w-watts/) > [It's easy to say, let's go in and get the bad guys. But you have a divided country of Sunnis and Shias. The United…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tulsi-gabbard/it-s-easy-to-say-let-s-go-in-and-get-the-bad-guys-but-you-have-a/) [Tulsi Gabbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tulsi-gabbard/) > [Obviously I'm very grateful 'Bad Guy' is doing so well - it's shocking and surprising and gratifying - but I do think it's important…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/finneas/obviously-i-m-very-grateful-bad-guy-is-doing-so-well-it-s-shocking/) [Finneas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/finneas/) > [“Here you can shoot the bad guys,' a mercenary says in Baghdad. 'In America we give them corporate bonuses.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-robotham/here-you-can-shoot-the-bad-guys-a-mercenary-says-in-baghdad-in/) [Michael Robotham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-robotham/) > [To us, being the bad guys is cool, because we always root for the bad guys in the movies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-hanneman/to-us-being-the-bad-guys-is-cool-because-we-always-root-for-the-bad/) [Jeff Hanneman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-hanneman/) > [In 'Gran Torino,' Eastwood moves towards the climax of the movie not by staging a shoot-out, but by putting his weapons to one side…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-korda/in-gran-torino-eastwood-moves-towards-the-climax-of-the-movie-not-by/) [Michael Korda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-korda/) > [In order to have your best good guy, you have to be that bad guy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-flair/in-order-to-have-your-best-good-guy-you-have-to-be-that-bad-guy/) [Charlotte Flair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-flair/) > [After I did 'Brooklyn,' I did about five or six violent films in one way or another, and not always with me being the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emory-cohen/after-i-did-brooklyn-i-did-about-five-or-six-violent-films-in-one-way/) [Emory Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emory-cohen/) > [The first act is the easiest to plot. The second act is always the hardest to plot. Generally a good, you know, sometimes the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-j-cannell/the-first-act-is-the-easiest-to-plot-the-second-act-is-always-the/) [Stephen J. 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