--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I've always been an actor. I've always…" description: "\"I've always been an actor. I've always approached all my comedy as an actor.\" — Brett Gelman" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/977/brett-gelman-8521_actor_i-ve-always-been-an-actor-i-ve-always-ap_2675553.jpg" --- # I've always been an actor. I've always approached all my… ![“I've always been an actor. I've always approached all my comedy as an actor.” quote by Brett Gelman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/977/brett-gelman-8521_actor_i-ve-always-been-an-actor-i-ve-always-ap_2675553.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/977/brett-gelman-8521_actor_i-ve-always-been-an-actor-i-ve-always-ap_2675553.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/977/brett-gelman-8521_actor_i-ve-always-been-an-actor-i-ve-always-ap_2675553.jpg) > “I've always been an actor. I've always approached all my comedy as an actor.” [Brett Gelman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brett-gelman/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He treats comedy like performance, using acting techniques to shape humor and delivery. **In simple terms:** Comedy is approached as acting. Key Takeaway Apply acting methods to comedic work. Themes creativity performance humor Mood playful analytical Type inspirational reflective When to use this quote - stand‑up shows - writing sketches - rehearsal - character development Key Concepts method acting improvisation Questions to Reflect On - How does acting influence your comedic voice? - Can you balance spontaneity with technique? A Different Perspective May limit authenticity if over‑controlled. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Actor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actor/) [Comedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/comedy/) [Humor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humor/) [Theatre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/theatre/) ## Related quotes > [I'm an actor. I've always been an actor. I've always approached all my comedy as an actor. I don't really care about jokes either.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brett-gelman/i-m-an-actor-i-ve-always-been-an-actor-i-ve-always-approached-all-my/) [Brett Gelman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brett-gelman/) > [I've always been an actor, even when I was doing improv and my own version of stand up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brett-gelman/i-ve-always-been-an-actor-even-when-i-was-doing-improv-and-my-own/) [Brett Gelman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brett-gelman/) > [I just work in order to improve myself as an actor which is what I've always done.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-caine/i-just-work-in-order-to-improve-myself-as-an-actor-which-is-what-i-ve/) [Michael Caine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-caine/) > [I've never done anything comedic. In all the years I've been an actor, I've never delivered one comedic line.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-d-arcy/i-ve-never-done-anything-comedic-in-all-the-years-i-ve-been-an-actor/) [James D'arcy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-d-arcy/) > [I'm a grinding actor. That's how I've always viewed myself. You go from one job to the next.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-m-a-grinding-actor-that-s-how-i-ve-always-viewed-myself-you-go-from/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Every actor I've worked with I want to work with again.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/spike-jonze/every-actor-i-ve-worked-with-i-want-to-work-with-again/) [Spike Jonze](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/spike-jonze/) > [I've never revised my opinion of myself as an actor. I've always thought I was as good as my material.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/troy-donahue/i-ve-never-revised-my-opinion-of-myself-as-an-actor-i-ve-always/) Troy Donahue > [I'm not an actor, and I'll never call myself an actor. I've never thought of it as part of my life. I'll always be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glen-hansard/i-m-not-an-actor-and-i-ll-never-call-myself-an-actor-i-ve-never/) [Glen Hansard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glen-hansard/) > [To tell you the truth, I always wanted to be a sketch comedian and a comedy actor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/artie-lange/to-tell-you-the-truth-i-always-wanted-to-be-a-sketch-comedian-and-a/) [Artie Lange](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/artie-lange/) > [If you're looking to be loved for a part, it's great and enticing to be adorable in a romantic comedy. But then, as an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-dern/if-you-re-looking-to-be-loved-for-a-part-it-s-great-and-enticing-to/) [Laura Dern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-dern/) > [I began my comedy as its only actor and I come to the end as its only spectator.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antonio-porchia/i-began-my-comedy-as-its-only-actor-and-i-come-to-the-end-as-its-only/) [Antonio Porchia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antonio-porchia/) > [I am not a politician going around bragging about family values or putting myself on some ridiculous virtuous pedestal. I write comedy. And I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-coogan/i-am-not-a-politician-going-around-bragging-about-family-values-or/) [Steve Coogan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-coogan/) > [Whenever I do comedy, my trouble is that I laugh too much - I enjoy myself too much, so it's quite expensive to have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paterson-joseph/whenever-i-do-comedy-my-trouble-is-that-i-laugh-too-much-i-enjoy/) [Paterson Joseph](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paterson-joseph/) > [In comedy, you have to do all of the same stuff you do in drama and then put the comedy on top of it.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-lovitz/in-comedy-you-have-to-do-all-of-the-same-stuff-you-do-in-drama-and/) [Jon Lovitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-lovitz/) > [I think the education I've had as an actor I would never have had at university.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristin-kreuk/i-think-the-education-i-ve-had-as-an-actor-i-would-never-have-had-at/) [Kristin Kreuk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristin-kreuk/) ## More by Brett Gelman > [I think that's something that people don't realize enough about when they get into comedy - it's not just about sitting back and observing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brett-gelman/i-think-that-s-something-that-people-don-t-realize-enough-about-when/) [Brett Gelman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brett-gelman/) > [Dinner is often a very celebratory environment, a very safe place, a time to reflect and let the day go and enjoy good food…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brett-gelman/dinner-is-often-a-very-celebratory-environment-a-very-safe-place-a/) [Brett Gelman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brett-gelman/) > [I honestly don't see how anyone can view the GOP and the Right as anything but evil.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brett-gelman/i-honestly-don-t-see-how-anyone-can-view-the-gop-and-the-right-as/) [Brett Gelman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brett-gelman/) > [Deeper things, heavier things happen to you as you get older and makes you more open.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brett-gelman/deeper-things-heavier-things-happen-to-you-as-you-get-older-and-makes/) [Brett Gelman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brett-gelman/) > [What a great way to make some money is just fine somebody $300 if their phone rings in the theatre. That'll make them remember…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brett-gelman/what-a-great-way-to-make-some-money-is-just-fine-somebody-300-if/) [Brett Gelman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brett-gelman/) > [I think that all the Mel Brooks' company of actors is just tremendous. It was a crazy group of genius people. All of them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brett-gelman/i-think-that-all-the-mel-brooks-company-of-actors-is-just-tremendous/) [Brett Gelman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brett-gelman/) > [I've definitely had my hard partying moments. I've definitely had the long stretches of time in my personal life where I've felt an intense…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brett-gelman/i-ve-definitely-had-my-hard-partying-moments-i-ve-definitely-had-the/) [Brett Gelman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brett-gelman/) > [I love 'Seinfeld.' That was not alternative. You can't get more in mainstream than that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brett-gelman/i-love-seinfeld-that-was-not-alternative-you-can-t-get-more-in/) [Brett Gelman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brett-gelman/) > [I'm not a stranger to depression and desperation. I can be kind of tortured but I do like to have a lot of fun.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brett-gelman/i-m-not-a-stranger-to-depression-and-desperation-i-can-be-kind-of/) [Brett Gelman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brett-gelman/) > [As far as making people feel less depressed, that, in and of itself, is a political act.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brett-gelman/as-far-as-making-people-feel-less-depressed-that-in-and-of-itself-is/) [Brett Gelman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brett-gelman/) > [I'm an obvious example of how everyone is spiraling out of control on the show and just trying to live life the best they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brett-gelman/i-m-an-obvious-example-of-how-everyone-is-spiraling-out-of-control-on/) [Brett Gelman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brett-gelman/) > [At the end of the day, stand-up comedy is like acting when the audience are the other characters that I'm acting with.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brett-gelman/at-the-end-of-the-day-stand-up-comedy-is-like-acting-when-the/) [Brett Gelman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brett-gelman/) > [I've wanted to be a comedian since I was a kid, and my parents were very supportive of that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brett-gelman/i-ve-wanted-to-be-a-comedian-since-i-was-a-kid-and-my-parents-were/) [Brett Gelman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brett-gelman/) > [I really am not that hairy on my body. It's weird.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brett-gelman/i-really-am-not-that-hairy-on-my-body-it-s-weird/) [Brett Gelman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brett-gelman/) > [I get to live a privileged existence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brett-gelman/i-get-to-live-a-privileged-existence/) [Brett Gelman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brett-gelman/) [Explore all 80 Brett Gelman quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brett-gelman/) ## 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've always been an actor. 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