--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Sometimes acting, particularly in film…" description: "\"Sometimes acting, particularly in film, can feel so contained. You need to be small and not overplay things, so it's such a relief to be able to go as ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c2e/bryce-dallas-howard-10316_able_sometimes-acting-particularly-in-film-ca_334291.png" --- # Sometimes acting, particularly in film, can feel so… ![“Sometimes acting, particularly in film, can feel so contained. You need to be small and not overplay things, so it's such a relief to be able to go as far as you can go with an emotion or a feeling or a speech.” quote by Bryce Dallas Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c2e/bryce-dallas-howard-10316_able_sometimes-acting-particularly-in-film-ca_334291.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c2e/bryce-dallas-howard-10316_able_sometimes-acting-particularly-in-film-ca_334291.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c2e/bryce-dallas-howard-10316_able_sometimes-acting-particularly-in-film-ca_334291.png) > “Sometimes acting, particularly in film, can feel so contained. You need to be small and not overplay things, so it's such a relief to be able to go as far as you can go with an emotion or a feeling or a speech.” [Bryce Dallas Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryce-dallas-howard/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Acting requires restraint; subtlety lets emotion expand without overacting. **In simple terms:** Small, restrained performance lets emotion grow. Key Takeaway Embrace restraint to deepen impact. Themes acting subtlety emotion performance Mood thoughtful introspective Type advice reflective When to use this quote - film set - theatre rehearsals - audition prep - directorial guidance Key Concepts method acting cinematic storytelling Questions to Reflect On - How can you balance subtlety with presence? - When does restraint hinder clarity? A Different Perspective Over‑subtlety can make performance feel flat. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Acting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/acting/) [Communication](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/communication/) [Emotion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/emotion/) [Feelings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feelings/) [Film](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/film/) [Relief](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/relief/) [Speech](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/speech/) ## Related quotes > [Ben Crenshaws, Ive got a good feeling speech.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-norman/ben-crenshaws-ive-got-a-good-feeling-speech/) Steve Norman > [“under the radiant towers, the floodlit ramparts, must have wondered at my impulse to touch her, which was like touching myself, the way your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-doty/under-the-radiant-towers-the-floodlit-ramparts-must-have-wondered-at/) [Mark Doty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-doty/) > [“You know its funny how freedom can make us feel contained”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/foster-the-people/you-know-its-funny-how-freedom-can-make-us-feel-contained/) Foster the People > [When you're in your early 20s, a lot of characters can be one or two dimensional. You want a role to substantiate the drama,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-hughes/when-you-re-in-your-early-20s-a-lot-of-characters-can-be-one-or-two/) Tom Hughes > [Acting's not particularly complicated. But the great thing is you can step into somebody else's shoes without dealing with the consequences. It's very therapeutic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-robinson/acting-s-not-particularly-complicated-but-the-great-thing-is-you-can/) [Nick Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-robinson/) > [I like to do a wide variety of things, and acting, particularly in the theatre, has given me that opportunity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-allam/i-like-to-do-a-wide-variety-of-things-and-acting-particularly-in-the/) [Roger Allam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-allam/) > [I don't find acting to be a particularly noble way to make a living. I'm not saving anybody's life, I'm not a teacher, I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-pompeo/i-don-t-find-acting-to-be-a-particularly-noble-way-to-make-a-living-i/) [Ellen Pompeo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-pompeo/) > [When you are proud of something you have done, and you have made a film you feel has merit, and it's found an audience…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cate-blanchett/when-you-are-proud-of-something-you-have-done-and-you-have-made-a/) [Cate Blanchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cate-blanchett/) > [With film, you can feel confident that you're doing good work, but never know what it's going to look like.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wood-harris/with-film-you-can-feel-confident-that-you-re-doing-good-work-but/) Wood Harris > [I wanted to do a film for a while, but I never found a script that I felt I was going to be the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anton-corbijn/i-wanted-to-do-a-film-for-a-while-but-i-never-found-a-script-that-i/) [Anton Corbijn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anton-corbijn/) > [I don't feel, 'I've made a great film'; I feel I've made what I set out to make.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-glazer/i-don-t-feel-i-ve-made-a-great-film-i-feel-i-ve-made-what-i-set-out/) [Jonathan Glazer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-glazer/) > [I don't think you should feel about a film. You should feel about a woman, not a movie. You can't kiss a movie.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-luc-godard/i-don-t-think-you-should-feel-about-a-film-you-should-feel-about-a/) [Jean-Luc Godard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-luc-godard/) > [I do a film only when I feel I will be comfortable with the set-up and other members of the team.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/asin/i-do-a-film-only-when-i-feel-i-will-be-comfortable-with-the-set-up/) [Asin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/asin/) > [What you feel about a film is what you feel when you're in love with a woman. You fight for her love and it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gautham-menon/what-you-feel-about-a-film-is-what-you-feel-when-you-re-in-love-with/) [Gautham Menon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gautham-menon/) > [Whenever I finish a film, I feel that this is the worst film that I have made. This is bound to happen because while…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rajkumar-hirani/whenever-i-finish-a-film-i-feel-that-this-is-the-worst-film-that-i/) [Rajkumar Hirani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rajkumar-hirani/) ## More by Bryce Dallas Howard > [I'll run through things over and over and over again in my head and think, "How could I have done that better?" Silly things…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryce-dallas-howard/i-ll-run-through-things-over-and-over-and-over-again-in-my-head-and/) [Bryce Dallas Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryce-dallas-howard/) > [On the spectrum of imagination, there are people who are more imaginative than others - I guess some kids are hardcore pretenders and have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryce-dallas-howard/on-the-spectrum-of-imagination-there-are-people-who-are-more/) [Bryce Dallas Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryce-dallas-howard/) > [I come from a little bit of a theatrical background. I started that way. I don't have a tremendous body of work or anything,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryce-dallas-howard/i-come-from-a-little-bit-of-a-theatrical-background-i-started-that/) [Bryce Dallas Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryce-dallas-howard/) > [Social media is a performance like any other form of entertainment, and acknowledging that is important.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryce-dallas-howard/social-media-is-a-performance-like-any-other-form-of-entertainment/) [Bryce Dallas Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryce-dallas-howard/) > [ I was in South Africa, and Joe \[Wright\] asked the same exact question that you just asked: "Have you ever seen an episode of… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryce-dallas-howard/i-was-in-south-africa-and-joe-wright-asked-the-same-exact-question/) [Bryce Dallas Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryce-dallas-howard/) > [The other thing I've been discussing with friends is: when you're born do you start at a zero, or five?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryce-dallas-howard/the-other-thing-i-ve-been-discussing-with-friends-is-when-you-re-born/) [Bryce Dallas Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryce-dallas-howard/) > [ Joe \[Wright\] reached out to me and sent me a treatment, and I said yes on the spot just from the treatment. Within six… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryce-dallas-howard/joe-wright-reached-out-to-me-and-sent-me-a-treatment-and-i-said-yes/) [Bryce Dallas Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryce-dallas-howard/) > [It's just that the characters are speaking their mind. As opposed to it just being an expression, they're actually saying what's on their mind,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryce-dallas-howard/it-s-just-that-the-characters-are-speaking-their-mind-as-opposed-to/) [Bryce Dallas Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryce-dallas-howard/) > [I'm definitely not very insecure, but I have perfectionist tendencies, and I'll want things to be a certain way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryce-dallas-howard/i-m-definitely-not-very-insecure-but-i-have-perfectionist-tendencies/) [Bryce Dallas Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryce-dallas-howard/) > [I started taping my dad's auditions when I was 11, when he was auditioning actors for one of his movies. I would see, over…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryce-dallas-howard/i-started-taping-my-dad-s-auditions-when-i-was-11-when-he-was/) [Bryce Dallas Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryce-dallas-howard/) > [The greatest sci-fis, in my mind, are two things: They're what-ifs - what if this happened, and you get to see it - but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryce-dallas-howard/the-greatest-sci-fis-in-my-mind-are-two-things-they-re-what-ifs-what/) [Bryce Dallas Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryce-dallas-howard/) > [Joe Wright is incredible and I'm a huge admirer of his work in general, but specifically his aesthetics and poeticism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryce-dallas-howard/joe-wright-is-incredible-and-i-m-a-huge-admirer-of-his-work-in/) [Bryce Dallas Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryce-dallas-howard/) > [Right now as an artist, what I want to do is be a part of works that are unignorable. I couldn't be less interested…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryce-dallas-howard/right-now-as-an-artist-what-i-want-to-do-is-be-a-part-of-works-that/) [Bryce Dallas Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryce-dallas-howard/) > [I'm a huge fan of the animated film 'The Land Before Time' and that was one of my favourite animated films when I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryce-dallas-howard/i-m-a-huge-fan-of-the-animated-film-the-land-before-time-and-that-was/) [Bryce Dallas Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryce-dallas-howard/) > [I didn't know how to check other people's feeds. When I started Instagram, it was just me posting! But then at some point, like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryce-dallas-howard/i-didn-t-know-how-to-check-other-people-s-feeds-when-i-started/) [Bryce Dallas Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryce-dallas-howard/) [Explore all 66 Bryce Dallas Howard quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryce-dallas-howard/) ## More Able quotes > [I am certain that children always know more than they are able to tell, and that makes the big difference between them and adults,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-lusseyran/i-am-certain-that-children-always-know-more-than-they-are-able-to/) [Jacques Lusseyran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-lusseyran/) > [I have observed this in my experience of slavery, - that whenever my condition was improved, instead of its increasing my contentment, it only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-douglass/i-have-observed-this-in-my-experience-of-slavery-that-whenever-my/) [Frederick Douglass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-douglass/) > [There is something about the South that accepts the supernatural. If you don't accept it and you're having a conversation with someone who does,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-englert/there-is-something-about-the-south-that-accepts-the-supernatural-if/) [Alice Englert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-englert/) > [In the '80s, the way radio was programmed, if you didn't have a hit record you weren't going to be able to make any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/huey-lewis/in-the-80s-the-way-radio-was-programmed-if-you-didn-t-have-a-hit/) [Huey Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/huey-lewis/) > [I think I've had the longest career of strength, focus, and still being able to sell records. I think I'm that guy. I'm still…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nas/i-think-i-ve-had-the-longest-career-of-strength-focus-and-still-being/) [Nas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nas/) > [I have that need in me, I want everyone to love me, but I'm embarrassed by that need, so I wanted to cover it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-jeselnik/i-have-that-need-in-me-i-want-everyone-to-love-me-but-i-m-embarrassed/) [Anthony Jeselnik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-jeselnik/) > [Thinking about the things that happened, I don't know any other ball player would could have done what he (Jackie Robinson) did. To be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pee-wee-reese/thinking-about-the-things-that-happened-i-don-t-know-any-other-ball/) [Pee Wee Reese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pee-wee-reese/) > [I wanted to remember in order to be able to return.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anais-nin/i-wanted-to-remember-in-order-to-be-able-to-return/) [Anais Nin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anais-nin/) > [Government schools, with your tax money, now discourage the teaching of multiplication tables by rote memorization but teach reading by the 'look-and-say' method which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-perry/government-schools-with-your-tax-money-now-discourage-the-teaching-of/) Greg Perry > [I don't know if I would qualify as mainstream. 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And if you grow up in this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-browning/what-we-re-supposed-to-do-as-actors-is-be-able-to-portray-real-human/) [Emily Browning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-browning/) > [The reason that Apple is able to create products like iPad is because we always try to be at the intersection of technology and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-jobs/the-reason-that-apple-is-able-to-create-products-like-ipad-is-because/) [Steve Jobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-jobs/) > [It was an important period for us, because even though we weren't a "punk band", and what became a model for a punk band,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-mallinder/it-was-an-important-period-for-us-because-even-though-we-weren-t-a/) [Stephen Mallinder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-mallinder/) > [- You look fine. - Right. I look fine. Except I don't, said Zora, tugging sadly at her man's nightshirt. This was why Kiki…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zadie-smith/you-look-fine-right-i-look-fine-except-i-don-t-said-zora-tugging/) [Zadie Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zadie-smith/) > [There is a way to be a woman, ask for what we deserve and be able to negotiate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tracee-ellis-ross/there-is-a-way-to-be-a-woman-ask-for-what-we-deserve-and-be-able-to/) [Tracee Ellis Ross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tracee-ellis-ross/) Browse all 17,257 Able quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Sometimes acting, particularly in film, can feel so contained. 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