--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: What keeps me interested--and it always…" description: "\"What keeps me interested--and it always does--is how can she be a bad actress on film but a good one in reality?\" — Bret Easton Ellis" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4ed/bret-easton-ellis-1028_actresses_what-keeps-me-interested-and-it-always-d_1072828.jpg" --- # What keeps me interested--and it always does--is how can… ![“What keeps me interested--and it always does--is how can she be a bad actress on film but a good one in reality?” quote by Bret Easton Ellis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4ed/bret-easton-ellis-1028_actresses_what-keeps-me-interested-and-it-always-d_1072828.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4ed/bret-easton-ellis-1028_actresses_what-keeps-me-interested-and-it-always-d_1072828.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4ed/bret-easton-ellis-1028_actresses_what-keeps-me-interested-and-it-always-d_1072828.jpg) > “What keeps me interested--and it always does--is how can she be a bad actress on film but a good one in reality?” [Bret Easton Ellis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bret-easton-ellis/) ## 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 may be poor on screen yet authentic in real life, highlighting the distinction between performance and genuine character. **In simple terms:** Screen acting differs from real personality. Key Takeaway Separate performance from true self. Themes acting authenticity performance Mood curious analytical Type philosophical critical When to use this quote - film casting - method acting - public perception - personal relationships Key Concepts psychology identity Questions to Reflect On - How do you judge authenticity? - Can a bad actor be a good person? A Different Perspective Great on‑screen performances can mask lack of real depth. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Actress](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actress/) [Actress Film](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actress-film-1558512/) [Actresses](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actresses/) [Bad Actress](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bad-actress-1144447/) [Cinema](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cinema/) [Doe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doe/) [Film](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/film/) [Film Good](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/film-good-257633/) [Keeps Interested](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/keeps-interested-771616/) [Reality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reality/) ## Related quotes > [“She felt like a bad actress in a play she never wanted to be in.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lorna-landvik/she-felt-like-a-bad-actress-in-a-play-she-never-wanted-to-be-in/) [Lorna Landvik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lorna-landvik/) > [An actress in a film starts every day with an hour and a half in front of a mirror, with hair and make-up and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/debra-winger/an-actress-in-a-film-starts-every-day-with-an-hour-and-a-half-in/) [Debra Winger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/debra-winger/) > [I think right after 'Up in the Air' everyone wanted me to play the girl from 'Up in the Air,' and it took a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-kendrick/i-think-right-after-up-in-the-air-everyone-wanted-me-to-play-the-girl/) [Anna Kendrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-kendrick/) > [The constant education is what keeps me interested. That's what absolutely fascinates me about this job. This week, I'm playing a faerie. Last year,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-kazinsky/the-constant-education-is-what-keeps-me-interested-that-s-what/) [Robert Kazinsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-kazinsky/) > [I like mixing things up, doing some silly stuff, along with serious stuff, up tempo, and some quiet things ... it keeps me interested.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-rush/i-like-mixing-things-up-doing-some-silly-stuff-along-with-serious/) [Tom Rush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-rush/) > [What is it that keeps you so interested in the telomere? It's so intricate and complicated, and you want to know how it works.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-blackburn/what-is-it-that-keeps-you-so-interested-in-the-telomere-it-s-so/) [Elizabeth Blackburn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-blackburn/) > [Collaboration is part of what keeps me interested in music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-lanegan/collaboration-is-part-of-what-keeps-me-interested-in-music/) [Mark Lanegan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-lanegan/) > [The thing that keeps me interested is that I love stories. I love going to movies and I love watching stuff that sparks ideas…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-m-chu/the-thing-that-keeps-me-interested-is-that-i-love-stories-i-love/) [Jon M. Chu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-m-chu/) > [she was such a bad actress. she never said her lines rite, it was something perverse in her nature. and wat was her line…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-fitch/she-was-such-a-bad-actress-she-never-said-her-lines-rite-it-was/) [Janet Fitch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-fitch/) > [I realized some of the films I did, after a few hits that I had, they weren't working for me because I wasn't comfortable…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/riya-sen/i-realized-some-of-the-films-i-did-after-a-few-hits-that-i-had-they/) [Riya Sen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/riya-sen/) > [It's bad enough that I'm an actress that wants to be recognized as an actress. Instead, I am known for doing game shows.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/betsy-palmer/it-s-bad-enough-that-i-m-an-actress-that-wants-to-be-recognized-as-an/) [Betsy Palmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/betsy-palmer/) > [I am a bad actress. I know I am. I am realistic. I can't even lie properly; how can you expect me to act?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/twinkle-khanna/i-am-a-bad-actress-i-know-i-am-i-am-realistic-i-can-t-even-lie/) [Twinkle Khanna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/twinkle-khanna/) > [If you ever watch me at theatre rehearsals, you will know what a bad actress I am. I am bad... bad... bad... and then,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarita-choudhury/if-you-ever-watch-me-at-theatre-rehearsals-you-will-know-what-a-bad/) [Sarita Choudhury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarita-choudhury/) > [Never, never in my life did I have it in my mind to become an actress or be part of a film.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yalitza-aparicio/never-never-in-my-life-did-i-have-it-in-my-mind-to-become-an-actress/) [Yalitza Aparicio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yalitza-aparicio/) > [If you were an actress in a film that had been nominated for five Oscars, including one for yourself, you would expect to have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathy-burke/if-you-were-an-actress-in-a-film-that-had-been-nominated-for-five/) [Kathy Burke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathy-burke/) ## More by Bret Easton Ellis > [“he looked at me with such vehemence that I felt like a blip, a fart, in the course of his life.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bret-easton-ellis/he-looked-at-me-with-such-vehemence-that-i-felt-like-a-blip-a-fart-in/) [Bret Easton Ellis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bret-easton-ellis/) > [“This isn't a script," Julian says. "It's not going to add up. Not everything's going to come together in the third act.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bret-easton-ellis/this-isn-t-a-script-julian-says-it-s-not-going-to-add-up-not/) [Bret Easton Ellis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bret-easton-ellis/) > [“I want to watch it again tonight even though I know I won't have enough time to masturbate over the scene where the woman…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bret-easton-ellis/i-want-to-watch-it-again-tonight-even-though-i-know-i-won-t-have/) [Bret Easton Ellis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bret-easton-ellis/) > [“On my way over to Park Avenue to find a cab I pass an ugly, homeless bum-- a member of the genetic underclass-- and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bret-easton-ellis/on-my-way-over-to-park-avenue-to-find-a-cab-i-pass-an-ugly-homeless/) [Bret Easton Ellis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bret-easton-ellis/) > [I've forgotten who I had lunch with earlier, and even more important, where.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bret-easton-ellis/i-ve-forgotten-who-i-had-lunch-with-earlier-and-even-more-important/) [Bret Easton Ellis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bret-easton-ellis/) > [Every book for me is an exorcism in some way or another, working through my feelings at the time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bret-easton-ellis/every-book-for-me-is-an-exorcism-in-some-way-or-another-working/) [Bret Easton Ellis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bret-easton-ellis/) > [Why was I holding on to something that would never be mine? But isn't that what people do?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bret-easton-ellis/why-was-i-holding-on-to-something-that-would-never-be-mine-but-isn-t/) [Bret Easton Ellis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bret-easton-ellis/) > [The seeds of love have taken hold and if we won't burn together, I'll burn alone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bret-easton-ellis/the-seeds-of-love-have-taken-hold-and-if-we-won-t-burn-together-i-ll/) [Bret Easton Ellis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bret-easton-ellis/) > [“It wasn't until the show was almost over that I figured out what it was: the crack above my David Onica that I had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bret-easton-ellis/it-wasn-t-until-the-show-was-almost-over-that-i-figured-out-what-it/) [Bret Easton Ellis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bret-easton-ellis/) > [What do you do?' she asks, holding out the vest. 'What do you do?' 'What do you do?' she asks, her voice shaking. 'Don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bret-easton-ellis/what-do-you-do-she-asks-holding-out-the-vest-what-do-you-do-what-do/) [Bret Easton Ellis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bret-easton-ellis/) > [“Sometimes when you’re standing in a crowd I feel those sultry dark eyes of yours stop on me. Are you too afraid to come…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bret-easton-ellis/sometimes-when-you-re-standing-in-a-crowd-i-feel-those-sultry-dark/) [Bret Easton Ellis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bret-easton-ellis/) > [“Scientists peered into data and concluded that we should all be worried. -Lunar planet”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bret-easton-ellis/scientists-peered-into-data-and-concluded-that-we-should-all-be/) [Bret Easton Ellis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bret-easton-ellis/) > [“You can't get dyslexia from pussy.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bret-easton-ellis/you-can-t-get-dyslexia-from-pussy/) [Bret Easton Ellis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bret-easton-ellis/) > [Open the hood of a car and it will tell you something about the people who designed it, is just one of many phrases…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bret-easton-ellis/open-the-hood-of-a-car-and-it-will-tell-you-something-about-the/) [Bret Easton Ellis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bret-easton-ellis/) > [I kept staring into the blackness of the woods, drawn into the darkness as I always had been. I suddenly realized how alone I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bret-easton-ellis/i-kept-staring-into-the-blackness-of-the-woods-drawn-into-the/) [Bret Easton Ellis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bret-easton-ellis/) [Explore all 286 Bret Easton Ellis quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bret-easton-ellis/) ## More Actress quotes > [Sigourney Weaver is a wonderful person. I was so lucky to have the opportunity to meet and work with such an amazing actress. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carrie-henn/sigourney-weaver-is-a-wonderful-person-i-was-so-lucky-to-have-the/) [Carrie Henn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carrie-henn/) > [People forget I'm an actress.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joey-heatherton/people-forget-i-m-an-actress/) [Joey Heatherton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joey-heatherton/) > [I adore Kelly Bishop as a human being and as an actress.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-gunn/i-adore-kelly-bishop-as-a-human-being-and-as-an-actress/) [Sean Gunn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-gunn/) > [I've been told before, and I tend to believe it, I'm not like most actresses out there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/moira-kelly/i-ve-been-told-before-and-i-tend-to-believe-it-i-m-not-like-most/) [Moira Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/moira-kelly/) > [Marilyn was a great actress, not a dumb blond bombshell. She was very smart, very astute and a good businesswoman.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-schiller/marilyn-was-a-great-actress-not-a-dumb-blond-bombshell-she-was-very/) [Lawrence Schiller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-schiller/) > [I'm an actress, not a pin-up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francesca-annis/i-m-an-actress-not-a-pin-up/) [Francesca Annis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francesca-annis/) > [My father was a GP; my mother was a teacher and amateur actress. My father was a bit of a storyteller, but the acting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ciaran-hinds/my-father-was-a-gp-my-mother-was-a-teacher-and-amateur-actress-my/) [Ciaran Hinds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ciaran-hinds/) > [I never wished that I was a superstar. Hell, I never even wished that I was an actress.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-lane/i-never-wished-that-i-was-a-superstar-hell-i-never-even-wished-that-i/) [Diane Lane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-lane/) > [Many of the heroines from outside Karnataka have worked in my films, but the attitude and adjusting nature of top South Indian actress Nayantara…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rockline-venkatesh/many-of-the-heroines-from-outside-karnataka-have-worked-in-my-films/) [Rockline Venkatesh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rockline-venkatesh/) > [There are a lot of great actresses out there. You learn to appreciate each one for what they offer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victoria-pratt/there-are-a-lot-of-great-actresses-out-there-you-learn-to-appreciate/) [Victoria Pratt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victoria-pratt/) > [There's certain things I try to avoid, as an actress, just to keep my world from being as narrow as it could be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/famke-janssen/there-s-certain-things-i-try-to-avoid-as-an-actress-just-to-keep-my/) [Famke Janssen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/famke-janssen/) > [I never wanted to be an opera singer. I wanted to be an actress, maybe a rock singer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristine-opolais/i-never-wanted-to-be-an-opera-singer-i-wanted-to-be-an-actress-maybe/) [Kristine Opolais](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristine-opolais/) > [When an actor charges high fees, nobody says anything. But when an actress does the same, it becomes news.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vijayashanti/when-an-actor-charges-high-fees-nobody-says-anything-but-when-an/) [Vijayashanti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vijayashanti/) > [I am going to be a great actress.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vivien-leigh/i-am-going-to-be-a-great-actress/) [Vivien Leigh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vivien-leigh/) > [As a black actress you've got to work doubly hard. But it doesn't ever get me to the point where I give up on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naturi-naughton/as-a-black-actress-you-ve-got-to-work-doubly-hard-but-it-doesn-t-ever/) [Naturi Naughton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naturi-naughton/) [Browse all 2,244 Actress quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actress/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "What keeps me interested--and it always does--is how can she be a bad actress on film but a good one in reality?", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Bret Easton Ellis" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bret-easton-ellis/what-keeps-me-interested-and-it-always-does-is-how-can-she-be-a-bad/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Actress" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bret-easton-ellis/what-keeps-me-interested-and-it-always-does-is-how-can-she-be-a-bad/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4ed/bret-easton-ellis-1028_actresses_what-keeps-me-interested-and-it-always-d_1072828.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4ed/bret-easton-ellis-1028_actresses_what-keeps-me-interested-and-it-always-d_1072828.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4ed/bret-easton-ellis-1028_actresses_what-keeps-me-interested-and-it-always-d_1072828.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“What keeps me interested--and it always does--is how can she be a bad actress on film but a good one in…” — Bret Easton Ellis", "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": "Bret Easton Ellis", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bret-easton-ellis/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "What keeps me interested--and it always...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bret-easton-ellis/what-keeps-me-interested-and-it-always-does-is-how-can-she-be-a-bad/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bret-easton-ellis/what-keeps-me-interested-and-it-always-does-is-how-can-she-be-a-bad/#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 } } ] } ```