--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I hadn't done just a straight-out comedy…" description: "\"I hadn't done just a straight-out comedy in a long time, just letting an ensemble do really good character acting, having them carry the movie as in my..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b03/brian-de-palma-16574_acting_i-hadn-t-done-just-a-straight-out-comedy_699121.png" --- # I hadn't done just a straight-out comedy in a long time… ![“I hadn't done just a straight-out comedy in a long time, just letting an ensemble do really good character acting, having them carry the movie as in my earlier pictures” quote by Brian De Palma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b03/brian-de-palma-16574_acting_i-hadn-t-done-just-a-straight-out-comedy_699121.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b03/brian-de-palma-16574_acting_i-hadn-t-done-just-a-straight-out-comedy_699121.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b03/brian-de-palma-16574_acting_i-hadn-t-done-just-a-straight-out-comedy_699121.png) > “I hadn't done just a straight-out comedy in a long time, just letting an ensemble do really good character acting, having them carry the movie as in my earlier pictures” [Brian De Palma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-de-palma/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He notes a shift from solo comedy to ensemble-driven films, emphasizing collaborative character work. **In simple terms:** Moved from solo comedy to ensemble character focus. Key Takeaway Embrace collaboration to enrich storytelling. Themes film collaboration genre shift Mood thoughtful optimistic Type analytical inspirational When to use this quote - movie production - acting workshops - script development Key Concepts ensemble dynamics creative process Questions to Reflect On - How does ensemble work change your creative process? - What benefits arise from shared spotlight? A Different Perspective Audience may miss his comedic style. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Acting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/acting/) [Acting Having](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/acting-having-334742/) [Carry Movie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/carry-movie-1404465/) [Character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character/) [Character Acting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character-acting-1471670/) [Comedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/comedy/) [Done](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/done/) [Ensemble](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ensemble/) [Ensemble Really](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ensemble-really-3786732/) [Good character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-character/) [Humor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humor/) [Long](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/long/) [Long time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/long-time/) [Movie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/movie/) [Straight Comedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/straight-comedy-3194655/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > ['Friends' was a true ensemble. There really was no star of the show.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-leblanc/friends-was-a-true-ensemble-there-really-was-no-star-of-the-show/) [Matt LeBlanc](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-leblanc/) > [When an ensemble is really tight or playing as one, it's a transcendental experience. It is spiritual. It goes beyond the ensemble. Ray and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-densmore/when-an-ensemble-is-really-tight-or-playing-as-one-it-s-a/) [John Densmore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-densmore/) > [Most of my films - if you look at the tone, apart from 'Shadows,' which is straight-up comedy - the tone is a mix…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taika-waititi/most-of-my-films-if-you-look-at-the-tone-apart-from-shadows-which-is/) [Taika Waititi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taika-waititi/) > [I like very straight comedy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judge-reinhold/i-like-very-straight-comedy/) [Judge Reinhold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judge-reinhold/) > [I mean, I really was known for doing just straight up comedy before and I certainly didn't think of myself as somebody who would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leslie-grossman/i-mean-i-really-was-known-for-doing-just-straight-up-comedy-before/) [Leslie Grossman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leslie-grossman/) > [I am capable of holding the quote-unquote 'title' of leading man. Leading man just means people want to see you and assume that you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-hart/i-am-capable-of-holding-the-quote-unquote-title-of-leading-man/) [Kevin Hart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-hart/) > [As an actor, I obviously want to do lead roles but over a period of time, one gets prepared to carry a movie on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anupriya-goenka/as-an-actor-i-obviously-want-to-do-lead-roles-but-over-a-period-of/) [Anupriya Goenka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anupriya-goenka/) > [To be a movie star, you have to carry a movie. And to carry a movie where you play the title role is the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-caine/to-be-a-movie-star-you-have-to-carry-a-movie-and-to-carry-a-movie/) [Michael Caine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-caine/) > [All Rise' isn't your typical legal procedural, nor is it a straight comedy either.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simone-missick/all-rise-isn-t-your-typical-legal-procedural-nor-is-it-a-straight/) [Simone Missick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simone-missick/) > [Going from drama to just straight-up comedy with Tommy Davidson and Jamie Foxx - what a blast.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vivica-a-fox/going-from-drama-to-just-straight-up-comedy-with-tommy-davidson-and/) [Vivica A. Fox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vivica-a-fox/) > [I feel like I could carry a movie or a show, and I'll mess up here and there, and I'll learn from those things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/constance-wu/i-feel-like-i-could-carry-a-movie-or-a-show-and-i-ll-mess-up-here-and/) [Constance Wu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/constance-wu/) > [Hollywood's a business, and until someone puts their finger on you and decides you're the guy who's going to carry that movie, it's not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-mackie/hollywood-s-a-business-and-until-someone-puts-their-finger-on-you-and/) [Anthony Mackie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-mackie/) > ['Leading man' just means people want to see you and assume that you can hold a film, carry a movie.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-hart/leading-man-just-means-people-want-to-see-you-and-assume-that-you-can/) [Kevin Hart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-hart/) > [I'm not at all funny. I can do dark comedy pretty well, but straight-up comedy, I don't know. I'm much darker. I've been like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rooney-mara/i-m-not-at-all-funny-i-can-do-dark-comedy-pretty-well-but-straight-up/) [Rooney Mara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rooney-mara/) > [I always knew I wanted to make movies since I was around eleven. I never thought of it as wanting to do straight-up comedy.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-baena/i-always-knew-i-wanted-to-make-movies-since-i-was-around-eleven-i/) [Jeff Baena](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-baena/) ## More by Brian De Palma > [You never can predict things. I knew the movie Peducted would get a reaction, because it's showing a different vision of our soldiers in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-de-palma/you-never-can-predict-things-i-knew-the-movie-peducted-would-get-a/) [Brian De Palma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-de-palma/) > [When you make a movie outside the system and it's successful critically or a moderate financial success, you usually have to go back into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-de-palma/when-you-make-a-movie-outside-the-system-and-it-s-successful/) [Brian De Palma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-de-palma/) > [The real trouble with film school is that the people teaching are so far out of the industry that they don't give the students…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-de-palma/the-real-trouble-with-film-school-is-that-the-people-teaching-are-so/) [Brian De Palma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-de-palma/) > [You know, I listen to contemporary music all the time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-de-palma/you-know-i-listen-to-contemporary-music-all-the-time/) [Brian De Palma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-de-palma/) > [Well, I just think through your career you go through different phases, and I just got sort of uninspired by the whole studio process…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-de-palma/well-i-just-think-through-your-career-you-go-through-different-phases/) [Brian De Palma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-de-palma/) > [I've dropped myself into straightforward character pieces in order to explore that form and reap its values. But you are sort of restricted visually…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-de-palma/i-ve-dropped-myself-into-straightforward-character-pieces-in-order-to/) [Brian De Palma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-de-palma/) > [It's always great when you discover someone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-de-palma/it-s-always-great-when-you-discover-someone/) [Brian De Palma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-de-palma/) > [Well, like any time you're shooting documentary stuff, you've got to be in the moment, and you've got to be able to be in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-de-palma/well-like-any-time-you-re-shooting-documentary-stuff-you-ve-got-to-be/) [Brian De Palma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-de-palma/) > [And we've become very doubtful of our information sources, because they're all controlled by these huge multilateral corporations](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-de-palma/and-we-ve-become-very-doubtful-of-our-information-sources-because/) [Brian De Palma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-de-palma/) > [If anyone's been around some very long cocaine evenings, there's nothing that's in SCARFACE that we all haven't seen before.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-de-palma/if-anyone-s-been-around-some-very-long-cocaine-evenings-there-s/) [Brian De Palma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-de-palma/) > [I sometimes go for the strongest, most vivid colour on the palette, which in the case of movies is violence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-de-palma/i-sometimes-go-for-the-strongest-most-vivid-colour-on-the-palette/) [Brian De Palma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-de-palma/) > [You really are as hot as your last movie. And it goes away really quickly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-de-palma/you-really-are-as-hot-as-your-last-movie-and-it-goes-away-really/) [Brian De Palma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-de-palma/) > [I do like directing other people's material.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-de-palma/i-do-like-directing-other-people-s-material/) [Brian De Palma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-de-palma/) > [I've been obsessed with this kind of visual storytelling for quite a while, and I try to create material that allows me to explore…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-de-palma/i-ve-been-obsessed-with-this-kind-of-visual-storytelling-for-quite-a/) [Brian De Palma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-de-palma/) > [You know, when people want to get any information, research information, it will all exist on these Web sites.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-de-palma/you-know-when-people-want-to-get-any-information-research-information/) [Brian De Palma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-de-palma/) [Explore all 39 Brian De Palma quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-de-palma/) ## 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](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/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": "I hadn't done just a straight-out comedy in a long time, just letting an ensemble do really good character acting, having them carry the movie as in my earlier pictures", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Brian De Palma" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-de-palma/i-hadn-t-done-just-a-straight-out-comedy-in-a-long-time-just-letting/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Acting" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-de-palma/i-hadn-t-done-just-a-straight-out-comedy-in-a-long-time-just-letting/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b03/brian-de-palma-16574_acting_i-hadn-t-done-just-a-straight-out-comedy_699121.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b03/brian-de-palma-16574_acting_i-hadn-t-done-just-a-straight-out-comedy_699121.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b03/brian-de-palma-16574_acting_i-hadn-t-done-just-a-straight-out-comedy_699121.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I hadn't done just a straight-out comedy in a long time, just letting an ensemble do really good character…” — Brian De Palma", "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": "Brian De Palma", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-de-palma/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I hadn't done just a straight-out...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-de-palma/i-hadn-t-done-just-a-straight-out-comedy-in-a-long-time-just-letting/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-de-palma/i-hadn-t-done-just-a-straight-out-comedy-in-a-long-time-just-letting/#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 } } ] } ```