Character Quote by Chad Stahelski
“Character imperfection is the important thing to keep them from being superheroes.”
About This Quote
Source Film: John Wick (2014) – interview
The quote suggests that flaws make characters relatable and prevent them from being unrealistically perfect heroes.
In simple terms: Flaws keep heroes human.
Key Takeaway
Embrace character flaws for authenticity.
Themes
relatability
humanity
storytelling
Mood
thoughtful
analytical
Type
observational
insightful
When to use this quote
- writing fiction
- screenwriting
- roleplaying games
- character design
Key Concepts
character development
imperfection
hero archetype
Questions to Reflect On
- How do you balance flaw with competence?
- What flaw makes a hero compelling?
A Different Perspective
Flaws can become clichés if overused.
![“I spent a lot of time with both [Laurence Fishburn and Keanu Reeves], obviously, on the Matrix trilogy. Worked a lot, on a day-to-day level, with Laurence Fishburne. And then we'd bumped into each other through the film community for years and years.” quote by Chad Stahelski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/ccd/chad-stahelski-32714_community_i-spent-a-lot-of-time-with-both-laurence_1194792.jpg)
![“Keanu and I were in New York, I was prepping John Wick 2. And when Keanu [Reeves], [writer] Derek Kolstad, and myself sat down and wrote the character, it was completely, one hundred percent based on Laurence Fishburne. Like, in my head I saw this guy.” quote by Chad Stahelski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/429/chad-stahelski-32714_character_keanu-and-i-were-in-new-york-i-was-prepp_1942045.jpg)
![“We're under Rigan Machado, who I think is one of the best jiu jitsu instructors at least in Los Angeles, if not in the world. We have a lot of his instructors here, as well as Japanese jiu jitsu, Japanese judo, and sambo. That was Keanu's [Reeves] recipe [in John Wick 2].” quote by Chad Stahelski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/082/chad-stahelski-32714_ifs_we-re-under-rigan-machado-who-i-think-is_2036150.jpg)
![“When I first met Laurence I was Keanu's [Reeves] stunt double on the first Matrix. So, a little evolution there with career status. But then cut to the thirteen/fourteen years later where now I'm asking Laurence Fishburne to trust my directorial capacity [in John Wick 2].” quote by Chad Stahelski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/e5c/chad-stahelski-32714_asking_when-i-first-met-laurence-i-was-keanu-s_2472077.jpg)
![“Laurence [Fishburn] helped redo some of the dialogue [in John Wick 2], he and Keanu [Reeves] workshopped it. And he couldn't have been more respectful couldn't have been more brilliant on set. I said, "look, I'm gonna have to work you a little bit here cause I only get you for three days." He…” quote by Chad Stahelski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/1d2/chad-stahelski-32714_always-working_laurence-fishburn-helped-redo-some-of-th_2598113.jpg)
