--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Every character I play is me, always has…" description: "\"Every character I play is me, always has been.\" — Billy Bob Thornton" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4a6/billy-bob-thornton-2003_character_every-character-i-play-is-me-always-has_377345.jpg" --- # Every character I play is me, always has been. ![“Every character I play is me, always has been.” quote by Billy Bob Thornton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4a6/billy-bob-thornton-2003_character_every-character-i-play-is-me-always-has_377345.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4a6/billy-bob-thornton-2003_character_every-character-i-play-is-me-always-has_377345.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4a6/billy-bob-thornton-2003_character_every-character-i-play-is-me-always-has_377345.jpg) > “Every character I play is me, always has been.” [Billy Bob Thornton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-bob-thornton/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. An actor’s roles reflect his true self, showing continuity across characters. **In simple terms:** Roles mirror his identity. Key Takeaway Recognize personal consistency. Themes identity art performance Mood introspective confident Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - acting - personal branding - self‑reflection Key Concepts psychology self‑concept Questions to Reflect On - Do you see yourself in your work? - How does role choice affect self‑image? A Different Perspective Roles may be scripted, limiting authenticity. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character/) [Character Play](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character-play/) [Has beens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/has-beens/) [Play](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/play/) ## Related quotes > [I dont believe there is any character that one can play for that long and not bring a piece of you to it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharon-gless/i-dont-believe-there-is-any-character-that-one-can-play-for-that-long/) [Sharon Gless](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharon-gless/) > [I do get antsy if I haven't got lines to learn, a character to play. But yes, I do take holidays.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-strong/i-do-get-antsy-if-i-haven-t-got-lines-to-learn-a-character-to-play/) [Mark Strong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-strong/) > [The devil is a fun character to play because he's everywhere and no where all the time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eddie-griffin/the-devil-is-a-fun-character-to-play-because-he-s-everywhere-and-no/) [Eddie Griffin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eddie-griffin/) > [Every character I get to play has some element of who I am, but there's no fun in playing yourself. At least, for me,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/octavia-spencer/every-character-i-get-to-play-has-some-element-of-who-i-am-but-there/) [Octavia Spencer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/octavia-spencer/) > [I think it's critical in any character you play that it really is about reacting instead of acting. You can always tell when a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malin-akerman/i-think-it-s-critical-in-any-character-you-play-that-it-really-is/) [Malin Akerman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malin-akerman/) > [I'll always be back to the stage. I have no doubt that the stage will always call me back. There will always be a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tammy-blanchard/i-ll-always-be-back-to-the-stage-i-have-no-doubt-that-the-stage-will/) [Tammy Blanchard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tammy-blanchard/) > [I never look at how many songs I have or how many girls are there in a movie. If I like my character, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samantha-akkineni/i-never-look-at-how-many-songs-i-have-or-how-many-girls-are-there-in/) [Samantha Akkineni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samantha-akkineni/) > [I'm pretty far from the character I play, so it's fun to mess around and be a 15-year-old again.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-braun/i-m-pretty-far-from-the-character-i-play-so-it-s-fun-to-mess-around/) [Nicholas Braun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-braun/) > [In every character you play, as much as you hate to admit it as an actor, but there's an element of you that you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-montgomery/in-every-character-you-play-as-much-as-you-hate-to-admit-it-as-an/) [Janet Montgomery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-montgomery/) > [I'm always looking for a low-budget script with an interesting character to play.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-koenig/i-m-always-looking-for-a-low-budget-script-with-an-interesting/) [Walter Koenig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-koenig/) > [The psych up comes from knowing what I can both give and get from each role. I get a lot personally from each character…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachael-leigh-cook/the-psych-up-comes-from-knowing-what-i-can-both-give-and-get-from/) [Rachael Leigh Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachael-leigh-cook/) > [I want to keep an element of myself in every character I play. And maybe that's connected to finding something that you like in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-dornan/i-want-to-keep-an-element-of-myself-in-every-character-i-play-and/) [Jamie Dornan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-dornan/) > [I still get terrified if I have to talk in front of a group of people. By having a character to play, it makes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheryl-lee/i-still-get-terrified-if-i-have-to-talk-in-front-of-a-group-of-people/) [Sheryl Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheryl-lee/) > [Whatever character I play, I want to inspire. I don't want to just be the girlfriend or be the wife.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jasmine-cephas-jones/whatever-character-i-play-i-want-to-inspire-i-don-t-want-to-just-be/) [Jasmine Cephas Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jasmine-cephas-jones/) > [I think any character you play, you find your ways to love them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-hechinger/i-think-any-character-you-play-you-find-your-ways-to-love-them/) [Fred Hechinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-hechinger/) ## More by Billy Bob Thornton > [Robert Duvall taught me years ago. He said, "You know theatre is not real. I don't like plays." You know, he doesn't like plays.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-bob-thornton/robert-duvall-taught-me-years-ago-he-said-you-know-theatre-is-not/) [Billy Bob Thornton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-bob-thornton/) > [I think I fully commit myself to any role to the extent to which I can. In other words there's some roles that maybe…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-bob-thornton/i-think-i-fully-commit-myself-to-any-role-to-the-extent-to-which-i/) [Billy Bob Thornton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-bob-thornton/) > [Just the other day, my assistant was on the line with Calvin Klein. Golly, I usually shop at Sears.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-bob-thornton/just-the-other-day-my-assistant-was-on-the-line-with-calvin-klein/) [Billy Bob Thornton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-bob-thornton/) > [I don't have a fear of flying; I have a fear of crashing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-bob-thornton/i-don-t-have-a-fear-of-flying-i-have-a-fear-of-crashing/) [Billy Bob Thornton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-bob-thornton/) > [Heavy role in the movies that I've done that I have loved and fit my soul; A Simple Plan, Monster's Ball, Sling Blade, One…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-bob-thornton/heavy-role-in-the-movies-that-i-ve-done-that-i-have-loved-and-fit-my/) [Billy Bob Thornton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-bob-thornton/) > [When I was coming up in the '80s television, if you were on television that meant either you were a young actor just coming…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-bob-thornton/when-i-was-coming-up-in-the-80s-television-if-you-were-on-television/) [Billy Bob Thornton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-bob-thornton/) > [The movies I've made about the South, they were my experience and it's something that I know.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-bob-thornton/the-movies-i-ve-made-about-the-south-they-were-my-experience-and-it-s/) [Billy Bob Thornton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-bob-thornton/) > [Man, I was drowning in sadness. And Angelina, she lifted me right up out of there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-bob-thornton/man-i-was-drowning-in-sadness-and-angelina-she-lifted-me-right-up-out/) [Billy Bob Thornton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-bob-thornton/) > [I've been largely an improvisational actor for most of my career, except for when I've worked with the Coen brothers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-bob-thornton/i-ve-been-largely-an-improvisational-actor-for-most-of-my-career/) [Billy Bob Thornton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-bob-thornton/) > [I always have an idea before we even start the movie because if you hire the wrong person, within a couple of days you're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-bob-thornton/i-always-have-an-idea-before-we-even-start-the-movie-because-if-you/) [Billy Bob Thornton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-bob-thornton/) > [People want the truth but they only want the truth so they can talk bad about you on the blog or on television. They…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-bob-thornton/people-want-the-truth-but-they-only-want-the-truth-so-they-can-talk/) [Billy Bob Thornton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-bob-thornton/) > [Usually when you're playing a character, you think a lot about their backstory.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-bob-thornton/usually-when-you-re-playing-a-character-you-think-a-lot-about-their/) [Billy Bob Thornton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-bob-thornton/) > [I've lived in California for half of my life. It's weird, everyone thinks of me as this guy who's from the South ... I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-bob-thornton/i-ve-lived-in-california-for-half-of-my-life-it-s-weird-everyone/) [Billy Bob Thornton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-bob-thornton/) > [You have to really know what you're saying.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-bob-thornton/you-have-to-really-know-what-you-re-saying/) [Billy Bob Thornton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-bob-thornton/) > [People a lot of times say that you know it must be hard to direct yourself. That's a myth. It's easier to direct yourself.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-bob-thornton/people-a-lot-of-times-say-that-you-know-it-must-be-hard-to-direct/) [Billy Bob Thornton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-bob-thornton/) [Explore all 192 Billy Bob Thornton quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-bob-thornton/) ## More Character quotes > [This may sound strange, but although I feel like I know everything about my characters, the brand of shampoo they use, how many cavities…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gail-honeyman/this-may-sound-strange-but-although-i-feel-like-i-know-everything/) [Gail Honeyman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gail-honeyman/) > [I always like a character who makes me laugh.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachael-stirling/i-always-like-a-character-who-makes-me-laugh/) [Rachael Stirling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachael-stirling/) > [Social responsibility above the level of family, or at most of tribe, requires imagination-- devotion, loyalty, all the higher virtues -- which a man…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-heinlein/social-responsibility-above-the-level-of-family-or-at-most-of-tribe/) [Robert A. Heinlein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-heinlein/) > [Reader, if you are gifted with nerves like mine, aspire to any character but that of a wit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-lamb/reader-if-you-are-gifted-with-nerves-like-mine-aspire-to-any/) [Charles Lamb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-lamb/) > [I'm often moved by the circumstances around some of my characters, but I don't think I've actually cried watching myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-winslet/i-m-often-moved-by-the-circumstances-around-some-of-my-characters-but/) [Kate Winslet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-winslet/) > [When you're on a daytime drama you get one page, you better damn well know your character. You better know what she would do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hudgins/when-you-re-on-a-daytime-drama-you-get-one-page-you-better-damn-well/) [David Hudgins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hudgins/) > [It can sometimes make people fold into themselves and kind of run away, but I think in this case these characters are being forced…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-deschanel/it-can-sometimes-make-people-fold-into-themselves-and-kind-of-run/) [Emily Deschanel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-deschanel/) > [If you are well-mannered towards those whose views are similar to yours, you may be said to exhibit a fairly good character. But, if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-you-are-well-mannered-towards-those-whose-views-are-similar-to/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Democracy is based on the conviction that man has the moral and intellectual capacity, as well as the inalienable right, to govern himself with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-s-truman/democracy-is-based-on-the-conviction-that-man-has-the-moral-and/) [Harry S. Truman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-s-truman/) > [In the fight between biology and morality, biology has commonly won in the end.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/semir-zeki/in-the-fight-between-biology-and-morality-biology-has-commonly-won-in/) [Semir Zeki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/semir-zeki/) > [Your looks don't make you pretty, it's the person inside who makes you pretty!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-chan/your-looks-don-t-make-you-pretty-it-s-the-person-inside-who-makes-you/) [Aaron Chan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-chan/) > [I'm not a huge social media kind of guy, so I don't really know, I don't really ever get... at least in real life,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/freddie-stroma/i-m-not-a-huge-social-media-kind-of-guy-so-i-don-t-really-know-i-don/) [Freddie Stroma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/freddie-stroma/) > [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/) > [Courage: the most important of all the virtues because without courage, you can't practice any other virtue consistently](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-angelou/courage-the-most-important-of-all-the-virtues-because-without-courage/) [Maya Angelou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-angelou/) > [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/) [Browse all 32,707 Character quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Every character I play is me, always has been.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Billy Bob Thornton" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-bob-thornton/every-character-i-play-is-me-always-has-been/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Character" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-bob-thornton/every-character-i-play-is-me-always-has-been/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4a6/billy-bob-thornton-2003_character_every-character-i-play-is-me-always-has_377345.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4a6/billy-bob-thornton-2003_character_every-character-i-play-is-me-always-has_377345.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4a6/billy-bob-thornton-2003_character_every-character-i-play-is-me-always-has_377345.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Every character I play is me, always has been.” — Billy Bob Thornton", "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": "Billy Bob Thornton", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-bob-thornton/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Every character I play is me,...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-bob-thornton/every-character-i-play-is-me-always-has-been/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-bob-thornton/every-character-i-play-is-me-always-has-been/#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 } } ] } ```