--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: As an actor, you express certain things…" description: "\"As an actor, you express certain things because they need to be expressed, and then you don't really feel a need to do it again. I want to feel somethi..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1e1/chiwetel-ejiofor-4438_actor_as-an-actor-you-express-certain-things-b_2338842.jpg" --- # As an actor, you express certain things because they need… ![“As an actor, you express certain things because they need to be expressed, and then you don't really feel a need to do it again. I want to feel something else, you know?” quote by Chiwetel Ejiofor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1e1/chiwetel-ejiofor-4438_actor_as-an-actor-you-express-certain-things-b_2338842.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1e1/chiwetel-ejiofor-4438_actor_as-an-actor-you-express-certain-things-b_2338842.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1e1/chiwetel-ejiofor-4438_actor_as-an-actor-you-express-certain-things-b_2338842.jpg) > “As an actor, you express certain things because they need to be expressed, and then you don't really feel a need to do it again. I want to feel something else, you know?” [Chiwetel Ejiofor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chiwetel-ejiofor/) ## 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 describes performing out of duty rather than genuine feeling, yearning for authentic emotional experiences. **In simple terms:** Acting can feel mechanical. Key Takeaway Seek authentic expression. Themes art performance authenticity Mood introspective artistic Type professional reflective When to use this quote - theatre rehearsals - creative workshops Key Concepts method acting emotional truth Questions to Reflect On - How can actors stay emotionally healthy? - What practices foster genuine feeling? A Different Perspective Risk of burnout without personal connection. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Actor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actor/) [Actor Express](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actor-express-2228985/) [Again](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/again/) [Because](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/because/) [Certain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/certain/) [Certain things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/certain-things/) [Else](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/else/) [Express](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/express/) [Express Certain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/express-certain-1787388/) [Expressed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/expressed/) [Feel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feel/) [Feel Need](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feel-need/) [Know](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/know/) [Need](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/need/) [Need Expressed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/need-expressed-1296414/) [Really](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/really/) [Something](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/something/) [Theatre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/theatre/) [Then](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/then/) [Things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/things/) [Want](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/want/) [Want Feel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/want-feel/) [You](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/you/) ## Related quotes > [It's a good challenge as an actor to express feelings without saying too many words.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/travis-fimmel/it-s-a-good-challenge-as-an-actor-to-express-feelings-without-saying/) [Travis Fimmel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/travis-fimmel/) > [I think you have to find your own language. You find your footing with it, and you start to express it in certain ways.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alison-mosshart/i-think-you-have-to-find-your-own-language-you-find-your-footing-with/) [Alison Mosshart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alison-mosshart/) > [“Feelings need to be expressed, Hope. They aren’t always understood the way people like to assume.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-roberts/feelings-need-to-be-expressed-hope-they-aren-t-always-understood-the/) [Nora Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-roberts/) > [When someone is in your life for a REASON, it is usually to meet a need you have expressed. They have come to assist…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritu-ghatourey/when-someone-is-in-your-life-for-a-reason-it-is-usually-to-meet-a/) [Ritu Ghatourey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ritu-ghatourey/) > [The fullness of our heart is expressed in our eyes, our touch, in what we write and say, in the way we walk and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mother-teresa/the-fullness-of-our-heart-is-expressed-in-our-eyes-our-touch-in-what/) [Mother Teresa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mother-teresa/) > [I have the capacity to express what I feel needs to be expressed. And I try to do what I believe in.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danny-glover/i-have-the-capacity-to-express-what-i-feel-needs-to-be-expressed-and/) [Danny Glover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danny-glover/) > [The occasion of this sadness is expressed in a word, but must be considered in many more, as being the principal concernment both of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-pearson/the-occasion-of-this-sadness-is-expressed-in-a-word-but-must-be/) [John Pearson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-pearson/) > [A family is too frail a vessel to contain the risks of all the warring impulses expressed when such a group meets on common…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-conroy/a-family-is-too-frail-a-vessel-to-contain-the-risks-of-all-the/) [Pat Conroy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-conroy/) > [What's the function of poetry? It's to express general truths, to connect with the reader and make him think: 'Wow, I've experienced that, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giles-andreae/what-s-the-function-of-poetry-it-s-to-express-general-truths-to/) [Giles Andreae](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giles-andreae/) > [“To manifest means to “make evident,” to express, not to manufacture. And, in this case, that which expresses is itself expressed by the expression.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-wolfe/to-manifest-means-to-make-evident-to-express-not-to-manufacture-and/) [Robert Wolfe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-wolfe/) > [Care Is To Express Not To Impress People. When Care Is Expressed Truly,People Get Impressed Naturally... !!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keren-zhims/care-is-to-express-not-to-impress-people-when-care-is-expressed-truly/) [Keren Zhims](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keren-zhims/) > [“Every expression is not to be expressed,,,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kish/every-expression-is-not-to-be-expressed/) [Kish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kish/) > [The modern rise of Alzheimer's Disease in the twentieth century is not a sign of failure. It's a sign of success. Success in living…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-jay-olshansky/the-modern-rise-of-alzheimer-s-disease-in-the-twentieth-century-is/) [S. Jay Olshansky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/s-jay-olshansky/) > [Where I came from, just nodding and smiling when someone expressed views was the ultimate insult. If people weren't yelling about politics in our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ezekiel-emanuel/where-i-came-from-just-nodding-and-smiling-when-someone-expressed/) [Ezekiel Emanuel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ezekiel-emanuel/) > [“To be in a place where God’s glory is expressed is to be at the right place”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sunday-adelaja/to-be-in-a-place-where-god-s-glory-is-expressed-is-to-be-at-the-right/) [Sunday Adelaja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sunday-adelaja/) ## More by Chiwetel Ejiofor > [I've always been a believer in research. It's great to have an instinctual human reaction to a character, too, of course, but it has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chiwetel-ejiofor/i-ve-always-been-a-believer-in-research-it-s-great-to-have-an/) [Chiwetel Ejiofor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chiwetel-ejiofor/) > [There are many different ways the public can respond to actors - they can see you on TV and feel they know you and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chiwetel-ejiofor/there-are-many-different-ways-the-public-can-respond-to-actors-they/) [Chiwetel Ejiofor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chiwetel-ejiofor/) > [I wouldnt be the same actor if I couldnt do theater.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chiwetel-ejiofor/i-wouldnt-be-the-same-actor-if-i-couldnt-do-theater/) [Chiwetel Ejiofor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chiwetel-ejiofor/) > [It's a strange thing, but you get this click in your brain; the wonderful feeling that the entirety of a character is suddenly available…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chiwetel-ejiofor/it-s-a-strange-thing-but-you-get-this-click-in-your-brain-the/) [Chiwetel Ejiofor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chiwetel-ejiofor/) > [We always want to live in an environment where there's no artificial block to good work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chiwetel-ejiofor/we-always-want-to-live-in-an-environment-where-there-s-no-artificial/) [Chiwetel Ejiofor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chiwetel-ejiofor/) > [I do like sci-fi. When I was a kid, I was always sort of locked into sci-fi stories. So, sci-fi has always had a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chiwetel-ejiofor/i-do-like-sci-fi-when-i-was-a-kid-i-was-always-sort-of-locked-into/) [Chiwetel Ejiofor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chiwetel-ejiofor/) > [Ive always liked the idea of being a father. And Ive always romanticised it, because I lost my father when I was young. In…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chiwetel-ejiofor/ive-always-liked-the-idea-of-being-a-father-and-ive-always/) [Chiwetel Ejiofor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chiwetel-ejiofor/) > [I've always liked the idea of being a father. And I've always romanticised it, because I lost my father when I was young. In…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chiwetel-ejiofor/i-ve-always-liked-the-idea-of-being-a-father-and-i-ve-always/) [Chiwetel Ejiofor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chiwetel-ejiofor/) > [My favorite thing to cook is anything that comes out okay. I'm very fond of certain pastas and sauces that I can just about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chiwetel-ejiofor/my-favorite-thing-to-cook-is-anything-that-comes-out-okay-i-m-very/) [Chiwetel Ejiofor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chiwetel-ejiofor/) > [It's hard to maintain a life when you do a play. You feel you have to pretend to go through a normal day, knowing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chiwetel-ejiofor/it-s-hard-to-maintain-a-life-when-you-do-a-play-you-feel-you-have-to/) [Chiwetel Ejiofor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chiwetel-ejiofor/) > [Reporters tend to launch on what seems to be the clearest, most stark aspects of someone's life in terms of an interview.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chiwetel-ejiofor/reporters-tend-to-launch-on-what-seems-to-be-the-clearest-most-stark/) [Chiwetel Ejiofor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chiwetel-ejiofor/) > [Working in this industry, I do feel that science and creativity turned out to be a very useful combination for me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chiwetel-ejiofor/working-in-this-industry-i-do-feel-that-science-and-creativity-turned/) [Chiwetel Ejiofor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chiwetel-ejiofor/) > [The history of slavery and the complication of slavery is that it is an international concept. It is something that affected people who were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chiwetel-ejiofor/the-history-of-slavery-and-the-complication-of-slavery-is-that-it-is/) [Chiwetel Ejiofor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chiwetel-ejiofor/) > [All roads lead home in the end. You've got to keep that in mind always - in your work and in your life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chiwetel-ejiofor/all-roads-lead-home-in-the-end-you-ve-got-to-keep-that-in-mind-always/) [Chiwetel Ejiofor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chiwetel-ejiofor/) > [That global poverty would end. That people would be able to eat. It's the worst shame in the world that people go hungry.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chiwetel-ejiofor/that-global-poverty-would-end-that-people-would-be-able-to-eat-it-s/) [Chiwetel Ejiofor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chiwetel-ejiofor/) [Explore all 111 Chiwetel Ejiofor quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chiwetel-ejiofor/) ## 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. 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! 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": "As an actor, you express certain things because they need to be expressed, and then you don't really feel a need to do it again. 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