--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I think of myself as a character actor…" description: "\"I think of myself as a character actor, compared to a straight actor. I know a character actor in England is pretty much the same as in the States; you..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b0e/burn-gorman-38871_actor_i-think-of-myself-as-a-character-actor-c_2174707.jpg" --- # I think of myself as a character actor, compared to a… ![“I think of myself as a character actor, compared to a straight actor. I know a character actor in England is pretty much the same as in the States; you're actually hired to put on terrible teeth and stuff like that.” quote by Burn Gorman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b0e/burn-gorman-38871_actor_i-think-of-myself-as-a-character-actor-c_2174707.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b0e/burn-gorman-38871_actor_i-think-of-myself-as-a-character-actor-c_2174707.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b0e/burn-gorman-38871_actor_i-think-of-myself-as-a-character-actor-c_2174707.jpg) > “I think of myself as a character actor, compared to a straight actor. I know a character actor in England is pretty much the same as in the States; you're actually hired to put on terrible teeth and stuff like that.” [Burn Gorman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/burn-gorman/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He sees himself as a specialist who embraces odd, challenging roles rather than conventional leading parts. **In simple terms:** He prefers quirky, demanding parts over typical leads. Key Takeaway Embrace unique roles to stand out. Themes acting specialization identity Mood reflective determined Type insightful motivational When to use this quote - auditions - theatre productions - film casting - career planning Key Concepts character work typecasting craft versatility Questions to Reflect On - Do you value artistic challenge over fame? - How does niche expertise affect career longevity? A Different Perspective Specialist roles may limit mainstream visibility. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Actor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actor/) [Actors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actors/) [Character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character/) [Character actor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character-actor/) [Character actors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character-actors/) [England](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/england/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) ## Related quotes > [When someone who is known for being comedic does something straight, it's always "a big breakthrough" or a "radical departure." Why is is no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carol-burnett/when-someone-who-is-known-for-being-comedic-does-something-straight/) [Carol Burnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carol-burnett/) > [For me, making the show work was getting belly laughs - like most variety artists. But the straight actor believes you fix your performance…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-moody/for-me-making-the-show-work-was-getting-belly-laughs-like-most/) [Ron Moody](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-moody/) > [When I think of character actors, I think of Spencer Tracy; I think of Gene Hackman, Robert Duvall. When I was a young lad…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eddie-marsan/when-i-think-of-character-actors-i-think-of-spencer-tracy-i-think-of/) [Eddie Marsan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eddie-marsan/) > [I'm a character actor and that's what I do. All the roles that I've had have been mainly support roles, because character actors don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-l-jackson/i-m-a-character-actor-and-that-s-what-i-do-all-the-roles-that-i-ve/) [Samuel L. Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-l-jackson/) > [Yeah, I am a character actor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-gaffigan/yeah-i-am-a-character-actor/) [Jim Gaffigan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-gaffigan/) > [I was always a character actress and never a sex symbol. Even when I was the leading lady, I was a character actor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shirley-maclaine/i-was-always-a-character-actress-and-never-a-sex-symbol-even-when-i/) [Shirley MacLaine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shirley-maclaine/) > [I really am a character actor, in my heart of hearts, because I really do like developing characters and painting a past for them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dylan-mcdermott/i-really-am-a-character-actor-in-my-heart-of-hearts-because-i-really/) [Dylan McDermott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dylan-mcdermott/) > [I really love being a character actor. I have to say I wish it were a little easier. There are still a lot of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/missi-pyle/i-really-love-being-a-character-actor-i-have-to-say-i-wish-it-were-a/) [Missi Pyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/missi-pyle/) > [As a character actor, I've learned that you have to watch yourself because nobody else is watching. Nobody is concerned with you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-cromwell/as-a-character-actor-i-ve-learned-that-you-have-to-watch-yourself/) [James Cromwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-cromwell/) > [Well, I'm a character actor, and actually throughout my life I've... I have relatively speaking played few heroic leads, but I've done it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rene-auberjonois/well-i-m-a-character-actor-and-actually-throughout-my-life-i-ve-i/) [Rene Auberjonois](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rene-auberjonois/) > [My sense of myself is that I'm a character actor, and character actors are ready, willing, and able to do anything, to be totally…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lithgow/my-sense-of-myself-is-that-i-m-a-character-actor-and-character-actors/) [John Lithgow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lithgow/) > [I haven't aged into a character actor. I'm an old leading man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stewart-granger/i-haven-t-aged-into-a-character-actor-i-m-an-old-leading-man/) Stewart Granger > [The people I've respected most in the industry over the years - Paul Newman, for instance. I just loved the way he handled growing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-clooney/the-people-i-ve-respected-most-in-the-industry-over-the-years-paul/) [George Clooney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-clooney/) > [Well, Ive always been a character actor, you know, and you always get your share of character actors who are bad guys.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colm-meaney/well-ive-always-been-a-character-actor-you-know-and-you-always-get/) [Colm Meaney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colm-meaney/) > [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/) ## More by Burn Gorman > [I was brought up on Dickens. I remember reading 'Bleak House' but, coming back to it, I didn't remember much about it apart from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/burn-gorman/i-was-brought-up-on-dickens-i-remember-reading-bleak-house-but-coming/) [Burn Gorman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/burn-gorman/) > [I'm a film buff and I was keen to find out about the response to Daniel Craig's 007. 'Empire' and 'Hot Dog' had great…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/burn-gorman/i-m-a-film-buff-and-i-was-keen-to-find-out-about-the-response-to/) [Burn Gorman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/burn-gorman/) > [I know in Britain with 'Doctor Who' all the classic actors, and the people who you'd really want to, work on the show. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/burn-gorman/i-know-in-britain-with-doctor-who-all-the-classic-actors-and-the/) [Burn Gorman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/burn-gorman/) > [The cliches are all true! My son Max has just turned two, and he's literally turned into this driven young man overnight! The terrible…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/burn-gorman/the-cliches-are-all-true-my-son-max-has-just-turned-two-and-he-s/) [Burn Gorman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/burn-gorman/) > [I always look up to people like Michael Gambon and Tommy Lee Jones, and I hope that as I mature I will become as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/burn-gorman/i-always-look-up-to-people-like-michael-gambon-and-tommy-lee-jones/) [Burn Gorman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/burn-gorman/) > [I think it makes a difference when the actors are enjoying it more than anything because we have a real blast on 'Torchwood.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/burn-gorman/i-think-it-makes-a-difference-when-the-actors-are-enjoying-it-more/) [Burn Gorman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/burn-gorman/) > [I had a great time doing 'Torchwood,' I really did.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/burn-gorman/i-had-a-great-time-doing-torchwood-i-really-did/) [Burn Gorman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/burn-gorman/) > [I love going on BBC6 and BBC7 and listening to documentaries.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/burn-gorman/i-love-going-on-bbc6-and-bbc7-and-listening-to-documentaries/) [Burn Gorman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/burn-gorman/) > [I think there comes a time in every persons life where they just need to go to the darkest, most dismal place.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/burn-gorman/i-think-there-comes-a-time-in-every-persons-life-where-they-just-need/) [Burn Gorman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/burn-gorman/) > [I'm afraid the 'Doctor Who' door is probably closed because of me being in 'Torchwood.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/burn-gorman/i-m-afraid-the-doctor-who-door-is-probably-closed-because-of-me-being/) [Burn Gorman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/burn-gorman/) [Explore all 11 Burn Gorman quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/burn-gorman/) ## 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. 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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 think of myself as a character actor, compared to a straight actor. 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