--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Whenever you have a role where you don't…" description: "\"Whenever you have a role where you don't get to know anything about the character, you have to invent it yourself. You have to feel like it came from s..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ed8/cameron-britton-16487_anything_whenever-you-have-a-role-where-you-don-t_3236541.jpg" --- # Whenever you have a role where you don't get to know… ![“Whenever you have a role where you don't get to know anything about the character, you have to invent it yourself. You have to feel like it came from somewhere.” quote by Cameron Britton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ed8/cameron-britton-16487_anything_whenever-you-have-a-role-where-you-don-t_3236541.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ed8/cameron-britton-16487_anything_whenever-you-have-a-role-where-you-don-t_3236541.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ed8/cameron-britton-16487_anything_whenever-you-have-a-role-where-you-don-t_3236541.jpg) > “Whenever you have a role where you don't get to know anything about the character, you have to invent it yourself. You have to feel like it came from somewhere.” [Cameron Britton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cameron-britton/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. When lacking character details, actors must create their own backstory to deliver authentic performance. **In simple terms:** Actors invent missing character traits. Key Takeaway Develop personal backstory. Themes acting creativity character development Mood reflective inspirational Type theatrical creative When to use this quote - theatre rehearsals - film casting - role preparation Key Concepts improvisation emotional truth storytelling Questions to Reflect On - How do you balance invention with script fidelity? - What techniques help maintain authenticity? A Different Perspective Improvisation can drift from script intent. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Anything](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/anything/) [Character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character/) [Character Invent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character-invent-6142971/) [Feel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feel/) [Invent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/invent/) [Invent Feel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/invent-feel-4988862/) [Know Character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/know-character/) [Somewhere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/somewhere/) [Yourself](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/yourself/) ## Related quotes > [If there has not been such a thing as gymnastics, I would have had to invent it because I feel at one with the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/olga-korbut/if-there-has-not-been-such-a-thing-as-gymnastics-i-would-have-had-to/) [Olga Korbut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/olga-korbut/) > [You can only really invent something if you connect yourself to the real world - whatever that means.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-lindbergh/you-can-only-really-invent-something-if-you-connect-yourself-to-the/) [Peter Lindbergh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-lindbergh/) > [Your character is who you are. To understand yourself is to know your character. To love yourself is to love your character.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/your-character-is-who-you-are-to-understand-yourself-is-to-know-your/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Great actors can transform, but sometimes there's just this person who speaks right to the role. When they walk in the room, you know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-leitch/great-actors-can-transform-but-sometimes-there-s-just-this-person-who/) [David Leitch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-leitch/) > [When I'm not working, I don't get my hair cut. I don't know what the next character looks like.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-spader/when-i-m-not-working-i-don-t-get-my-hair-cut-i-don-t-know-what-the/) [James Spader](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-spader/) > [To have one's own story told by a third party who doesn't know that the character in question is himself the hero of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raymond-queneau/to-have-one-s-own-story-told-by-a-third-party-who-doesn-t-know-that/) [Raymond Queneau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raymond-queneau/) > [There are not that many jobs as an actor where you don't get to know what your character will be doing from episode to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linda-cardellini/there-are-not-that-many-jobs-as-an-actor-where-you-don-t-get-to-know/) [Linda Cardellini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linda-cardellini/) > [You get the part, sign the contract and start to realize millions of people follow this guy and know more about your character than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-hemsworth/you-get-the-part-sign-the-contract-and-start-to-realize-millions-of/) [Chris Hemsworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-hemsworth/) > [On a TV show, you don't know where the character is going.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-morrison/on-a-tv-show-you-don-t-know-where-the-character-is-going/) [Matthew Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-morrison/) > [You've got to leave the reader with more than just a name and a costume - they need to know who the character is,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-busiek/you-ve-got-to-leave-the-reader-with-more-than-just-a-name-and-a/) [Kurt Busiek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-busiek/) > [I always say it takes three weeks to know a character and three months to own it. And I think that's probably true of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-stokes-mitchell/i-always-say-it-takes-three-weeks-to-know-a-character-and-three/) [Brian Stokes Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-stokes-mitchell/) > [I think the ultimate goal is that when we're off-stage, we know everything our character is thinking. Hopefully when we are on-stage, our thoughts…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-steele/i-think-the-ultimate-goal-is-that-when-we-re-off-stage-we-know/) [Sarah Steele](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-steele/) > [“I know that character exists from the outside alone. I know that inside the body there's just temperature.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheila-heti/i-know-that-character-exists-from-the-outside-alone-i-know-that/) [Sheila Heti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheila-heti/) > [I'm not the kind of actor that would know what my character had for breakfast last Tuesday.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liam-neeson/i-m-not-the-kind-of-actor-that-would-know-what-my-character-had-for/) [Liam Neeson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liam-neeson/) > [I try not to divide plot and character. I get to know a character by what they want and fear and how those internal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julianna-baggott/i-try-not-to-divide-plot-and-character-i-get-to-know-a-character-by/) [Julianna Baggott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julianna-baggott/) ## More by Cameron Britton > [If you feel too comfortable while you're performing, you're probably not doing it right.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cameron-britton/if-you-feel-too-comfortable-while-you-re-performing-you-re-probably/) [Cameron Britton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cameron-britton/) > [I just love Claire Foy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cameron-britton/i-just-love-claire-foy/) [Cameron Britton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cameron-britton/) > [I just love characters that are complex, that you can dig into and keep itching the scratch and never quite be satisfied because they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cameron-britton/i-just-love-characters-that-are-complex-that-you-can-dig-into-and/) [Cameron Britton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cameron-britton/) > [There's a lot of sets where morale is low; people are just a little too mellow, and that's infectious. So when someone calls 'Action,'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cameron-britton/there-s-a-lot-of-sets-where-morale-is-low-people-are-just-a-little/) [Cameron Britton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cameron-britton/) > [When you have a job you know you'd do for free, it takes a lot of the pressure away to be successful at it.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cameron-britton/when-you-have-a-job-you-know-you-d-do-for-free-it-takes-a-lot-of-the/) [Cameron Britton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cameron-britton/) > [When I was 11, I said I wanted to be an actor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cameron-britton/when-i-was-11-i-said-i-wanted-to-be-an-actor/) [Cameron Britton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cameron-britton/) > [Never been a successful audition, not even so much as a callback, when it comes to putting me in a role of being rough.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cameron-britton/never-been-a-successful-audition-not-even-so-much-as-a-callback-when/) [Cameron Britton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cameron-britton/) > [If you go back to Season 1 of 'The Office,' Steve Carell's character is a lot different.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cameron-britton/if-you-go-back-to-season-1-of-the-office-steve-carell-s-character-is/) [Cameron Britton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cameron-britton/) > [F. Murray Abraham is an incredible actor and has been for a long time. I've been watching him as I grew up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cameron-britton/f-murray-abraham-is-an-incredible-actor-and-has-been-for-a-long-time/) [Cameron Britton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cameron-britton/) > [I spent all of my twenties doing theater in a little 50-seat theater with my friends.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cameron-britton/i-spent-all-of-my-twenties-doing-theater-in-a-little-50-seat-theater/) [Cameron Britton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cameron-britton/) > [I wouldn't say I'm a shy person, but I like my privacy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cameron-britton/i-wouldn-t-say-i-m-a-shy-person-but-i-like-my-privacy/) [Cameron Britton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cameron-britton/) > [We opened a theater in 2006 called Loft Ensemble in Sherman Oaks. And we write our own plays and do goofy characters and pack…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cameron-britton/we-opened-a-theater-in-2006-called-loft-ensemble-in-sherman-oaks-and/) [Cameron Britton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cameron-britton/) > [There's been some people I've overheard talking about 'Mindhunter.' I'll lean in and say, 'Hey, I haven't seen it yet. Is it any good?'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cameron-britton/there-s-been-some-people-i-ve-overheard-talking-about-mindhunter-i-ll/) [Cameron Britton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cameron-britton/) > [No matter what, you can be a big kid in life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cameron-britton/no-matter-what-you-can-be-a-big-kid-in-life/) [Cameron Britton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cameron-britton/) > [I've seen a lot of teachers come and go, and you do three or four years, and it's exhausting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cameron-britton/i-ve-seen-a-lot-of-teachers-come-and-go-and-you-do-three-or-four/) [Cameron Britton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cameron-britton/) [Explore all 39 Cameron Britton quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cameron-britton/) ## More Anything quotes > [I guess I've never really wanted to be anything else. I've never even thought about having another job.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/owen-farrell/i-guess-i-ve-never-really-wanted-to-be-anything-else-i-ve-never-even/) [Owen Farrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/owen-farrell/) > [I would give anything to be able to kick a ball with my son or read the kids a bedtime story.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-burrow/i-would-give-anything-to-be-able-to-kick-a-ball-with-my-son-or-read/) [Rob Burrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-burrow/) > [Comfort food is really anything you want at that time. That said, I really love Naple-style pizza.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geoffrey-zakarian/comfort-food-is-really-anything-you-want-at-that-time-that-said-i/) [Geoffrey Zakarian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geoffrey-zakarian/) > [I haven't shut any doors, and I'm really open to anything, so I think it's just about the material and what is going to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danielle-panabaker/i-haven-t-shut-any-doors-and-i-m-really-open-to-anything-so-i-think/) [Danielle Panabaker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danielle-panabaker/) > [When it really comes down to it, the job you do is more important and is more representative of who you are than your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-cudlitz/when-it-really-comes-down-to-it-the-job-you-do-is-more-important-and/) [Michael Cudlitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-cudlitz/) > [The reason I'm drawn to it is - both the off road racing and the motorcycles on the track - it takes a lot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dax-shepard/the-reason-i-m-drawn-to-it-is-both-the-off-road-racing-and-the/) [Dax Shepard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dax-shepard/) > [I never did drama at school. I did it for one term, when it was compulsory, and I hated it. Tennis was the main…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luke-mitchell/i-never-did-drama-at-school-i-did-it-for-one-term-when-it-was/) [Luke Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luke-mitchell/) > [We live in such a special time when literally anything we can think of is possible](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-willey/we-live-in-such-a-special-time-when-literally-anything-we-can-think/) [Daniel Willey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-willey/) > [You know, I'm from Baltimore; nobody has anything. When somebody had talent, I was hiring my uncle, my cousin, you know? Getting people that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sisqo/you-know-i-m-from-baltimore-nobody-has-anything-when-somebody-had/) [Sisqo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sisqo/) > [I said to my agent, 'I want short, sharp, well-paid jobs because I haven't got time for anything else.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billie-whitelaw/i-said-to-my-agent-i-want-short-sharp-well-paid-jobs-because-i-haven/) [Billie Whitelaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billie-whitelaw/) > [I think anything that anyone writes thats any good is going to have a lot of autobiography.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-adly-guirgis/i-think-anything-that-anyone-writes-thats-any-good-is-going-to-have-a/) [Stephen Adly Guirgis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-adly-guirgis/) > [If the Bible is correct, and the Earth is only 6,000 years old, that means there were no dinosaurs, and museum curators have been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-shock/if-the-bible-is-correct-and-the-earth-is-only-6-000-years-old-that/) [Ron Shock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-shock/) > [Don't do anything drastic like getting your eyebrows tattooed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greta-lee/don-t-do-anything-drastic-like-getting-your-eyebrows-tattooed/) [Greta Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greta-lee/) > [Whenever you define family as anything other than a man and a woman married together, you have just introduced an ethical nightmare.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-evans/whenever-you-define-family-as-anything-other-than-a-man-and-a-woman/) [Tony Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-evans/) > [No lusting after your neighbor's house - or wife or servant or maid or ox or donkey. Don't set your heart on anything that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/moses/no-lusting-after-your-neighbor-s-house-or-wife-or-servant-or-maid-or/) [Moses](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/moses/) [Browse all 9,437 Anything quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/anything/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Whenever you have a role where you don't get to know anything about the character, you have to invent it yourself. 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