--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Being an actor means being an instrument…" description: "\"Being an actor means being an instrument for someone else. I want to give myself completely.\" — Catherine Deneuve" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/574/catherine-deneuve-4394_actor_being-an-actor-means-being-an-instrument_2294204.jpg" --- # Being an actor means being an instrument for someone else… ![“Being an actor means being an instrument for someone else. I want to give myself completely.” quote by Catherine Deneuve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/574/catherine-deneuve-4394_actor_being-an-actor-means-being-an-instrument_2294204.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/574/catherine-deneuve-4394_actor_being-an-actor-means-being-an-instrument_2294204.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/574/catherine-deneuve-4394_actor_being-an-actor-means-being-an-instrument_2294204.jpg) > “Being an actor means being an instrument for someone else. I want to give myself completely.” [Catherine Deneuve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-deneuve/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. An actor should fully surrender to the role, becoming a conduit for another's vision. **In simple terms:** Actors become vessels for others' stories. Key Takeaway Embrace humility and serve the story. Themes humility service craft collaboration Mood thoughtful inspirational Type philosophical reflective When to use this quote - directing - co‑creating - character development Key Concepts theatre film method acting Questions to Reflect On - What does it mean to lose oneself in a role? - How can actors balance personal expression with serving a story? A Different Perspective Some may view self‑effacement as loss of authenticity. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Actor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actor/) [Music making](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/music-making/) [Theatre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/theatre/) ## Related quotes > [I think there are always people who, when they get the bug to play an instrument, they want to get as good as they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/todd-rundgren/i-think-there-are-always-people-who-when-they-get-the-bug-to-play-an/) [Todd Rundgren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/todd-rundgren/) > [When I was in school, you could pick any instrument you want, and they'd teach you how to play it. That changed my life.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/flea/when-i-was-in-school-you-could-pick-any-instrument-you-want-and-they/) [Flea](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/flea/) > [I want to sound like an instrument. 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Soon, we shall reach a balance between content and technology.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-deneuve/film-is-a-very-young-art-that-is-still-evolving-soon-we-shall-reach-a/) [Catherine Deneuve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-deneuve/) > [I think I will always feel a special relationship with The Umbrellas of Cherbourg, because for me it was something very, very special. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-deneuve/i-think-i-will-always-feel-a-special-relationship-with-the-umbrellas/) [Catherine Deneuve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-deneuve/) > [You can express a lot of things, a lot of action without speaking.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-deneuve/you-can-express-a-lot-of-things-a-lot-of-action-without-speaking/) [Catherine Deneuve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-deneuve/) > [When I first see the dailies, I look only at myself, but then you start to see the scene.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-deneuve/when-i-first-see-the-dailies-i-look-only-at-myself-but-then-you-start/) [Catherine Deneuve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-deneuve/) > [I like all these little animals that run and eat and hide all the time. I like their faces, They seem to be scared…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-deneuve/i-like-all-these-little-animals-that-run-and-eat-and-hide-all-the/) [Catherine Deneuve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-deneuve/) > [I'm so popular it's scary sometimes. I suppose I'm just everybody's type.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-deneuve/i-m-so-popular-it-s-scary-sometimes-i-suppose-i-m-just-everybody-s/) [Catherine Deneuve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-deneuve/) > [I go to the movies a lot, and I regret when I see some actor that I used to like, to find them offering…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-deneuve/i-go-to-the-movies-a-lot-and-i-regret-when-i-see-some-actor-that-i/) [Catherine Deneuve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-deneuve/) > [I think the clothes in Belle de Jour are very important to the style of the film. Even today, it is still timeless.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-deneuve/i-think-the-clothes-in-belle-de-jour-are-very-important-to-the-style/) [Catherine Deneuve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-deneuve/) > [Directors have to push me. I have to be pushed up. Not all the time, but often.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-deneuve/directors-have-to-push-me-i-have-to-be-pushed-up-not-all-the-time-but/) [Catherine Deneuve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-deneuve/) > [Acting is also working with people who invite you into their dreams and trust you with their innermost being.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-deneuve/acting-is-also-working-with-people-who-invite-you-into-their-dreams/) [Catherine Deneuve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-deneuve/) > [To wait, for an actor, is not like someone who's waiting to see the doctor. It's not the kind of wait where you get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-deneuve/to-wait-for-an-actor-is-not-like-someone-who-s-waiting-to-see-the/) [Catherine Deneuve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-deneuve/) > [I think anything that has to do with sexuality makes people very interested.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-deneuve/i-think-anything-that-has-to-do-with-sexuality-makes-people-very/) [Catherine Deneuve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-deneuve/) > [There are relatively few role models for young people. We are in a society that is ruled by men.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-deneuve/there-are-relatively-few-role-models-for-young-people-we-are-in-a/) [Catherine Deneuve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-deneuve/) > [I live very normally, I go out with my friends, we go to the movies, I queue, we go to restaurants. Then if something…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-deneuve/i-live-very-normally-i-go-out-with-my-friends-we-go-to-the-movies-i/) [Catherine Deneuve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-deneuve/) > [Mississippi Mermaid was a very special experience because we only had the dialogues for the scenes we were shooting the night before.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-deneuve/mississippi-mermaid-was-a-very-special-experience-because-we-only-had/) [Catherine Deneuve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-deneuve/) [Explore all 111 Catherine Deneuve quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-deneuve/) ## 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. 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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! 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