--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If you cry too much on screen, you're…" description: "\"If you cry too much on screen, you're crying for the audience.\" — Chris Messina" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5a1/chris-messina-12033_audience_if-you-cry-too-much-on-screen-you-re-cry_90454.jpg" --- # If you cry too much on screen, you're crying for the… ![“If you cry too much on screen, you're crying for the audience.” quote by Chris Messina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5a1/chris-messina-12033_audience_if-you-cry-too-much-on-screen-you-re-cry_90454.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5a1/chris-messina-12033_audience_if-you-cry-too-much-on-screen-you-re-cry_90454.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5a1/chris-messina-12033_audience_if-you-cry-too-much-on-screen-you-re-cry_90454.jpg) > “If you cry too much on screen, you're crying for the audience.” [Chris Messina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-messina/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Excessive on‑screen crying signals that the performer is seeking audience sympathy rather than authentic expression. **In simple terms:** Overacting seeks audience pity Key Takeaway Authentic emotion beats melodrama Themes performance authenticity audience perception Mood critical analytical Type commentary advice When to use this quote - film critique - acting workshops Key Concepts acting technique emotional honesty Practical Applications - acting training Questions to Reflect On - When does emotional display become manipulative? - How can actors convey feeling without overdoing it? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Audience](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/audience/) [Cry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cry/) ## Related quotes > [At a recent show, I looked out and I saw this girl crying in the audience and it really affected me. 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It's important to create an environment for yourself where you feel what you need…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kaley-cuoco/i-cry-all-the-time-i-love-to-laugh-too-it-s-important-to-create-an/) [Kaley Cuoco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kaley-cuoco/) > [I was interviewed for a Grammy television show, and they asked me about Nashville, and I talked for three minutes and when I finished,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janis-ian/i-was-interviewed-for-a-grammy-television-show-and-they-asked-me/) [Janis Ian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janis-ian/) > [I'm very sensitive in real life. I cannot not cry if someone around me is crying. I will start to cry if someone is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-chastain/i-m-very-sensitive-in-real-life-i-cannot-not-cry-if-someone-around-me/) [Jessica Chastain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-chastain/) > [It's a political and manipulative industry. Actors vie for the same roles, movies are snatched away. Have I ever been manipulated? Yes. But I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/it-s-a-political-and-manipulative-industry-actors-vie-for-the-same/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Elvis a fight the dying light, Johnny Ray he's always crying.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-idol/elvis-a-fight-the-dying-light-johnny-ray-he-s-always-crying/) [Billy Idol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-idol/) > [For a moment he thought she was about to hit him, which would have been bad, or even start crying, which would have been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/for-a-moment-he-thought-she-was-about-to-hit-him-which-would-have/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [I didn’t realize I was crying until it was time to say the blinding words. ‘I do,’ I managed to choke out in a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephenie-meyer/i-didn-t-realize-i-was-crying-until-it-was-time-to-say-the-blinding/) [Stephenie Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephenie-meyer/) > [Just a tip if you have a big event to go to or an important meeting, if you cry enough your face swells up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bonnie-mcfarlane/just-a-tip-if-you-have-a-big-event-to-go-to-or-an-important-meeting/) [Bonnie McFarlane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bonnie-mcfarlane/) > [Keep on shining, keep on smiling, don't lose faith, and don't lose heart. 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And these images and these sounds are always with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christiane-amanpour/and-then-theres-always-the-crying-and-the-weeping-that-we-hear/) [Christiane Amanpour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christiane-amanpour/) > [ That's probably why my face was looking so crazy when I was crying \[in "Hardball"\] because it was some real. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-b-jordan/that-s-probably-why-my-face-was-looking-so-crazy-when-i-was-crying-in/) [Michael B. Jordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-b-jordan/) ## More by Chris Messina > [When you do a movie, you shoot, and then you go away. A lot of the times you walk about from the movie, you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-messina/when-you-do-a-movie-you-shoot-and-then-you-go-away-a-lot-of-the-times/) [Chris Messina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-messina/) > [I mean, in the editing room, you sit there, and you're so happy about a lot of it. 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They'd be like, 'How…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-messina/for-the-longest-time-i-was-always-like-a-guy-that-people-would-think/) [Chris Messina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-messina/) > [I don't have much interest in gingerbread houses - except in eating them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-messina/i-don-t-have-much-interest-in-gingerbread-houses-except-in-eating-them/) [Chris Messina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-messina/) > [The rain probably dampened the spirits of those that decided not to come. But the people who were here didn't know it was raining…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-messina/the-rain-probably-dampened-the-spirits-of-those-that-decided-not-to/) [Chris Messina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-messina/) > [I think Aaron Sorkin is like Shakespeare. When you go through it, there is a rhythm and clues all over the place of how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-messina/i-think-aaron-sorkin-is-like-shakespeare-when-you-go-through-it-there/) [Chris Messina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-messina/) > [I would love to close my eyes and see myself with my girlfriend when we're 99 years old and I have a pipe and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-messina/i-would-love-to-close-my-eyes-and-see-myself-with-my-girlfriend-when/) [Chris Messina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-messina/) > [I think as an actor, you're constantly putting yourself out there, and a lot of times failing - and failing in front of a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-messina/i-think-as-an-actor-you-re-constantly-putting-yourself-out-there-and/) [Chris Messina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-messina/) [Explore all 56 Chris Messina quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-messina/) ## More Audience quotes > [If the audience likes your work, if they like you, they don't think whether you are married or have children or not. I made…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dimple-kapadia/if-the-audience-likes-your-work-if-they-like-you-they-don-t-think/) [Dimple Kapadia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dimple-kapadia/) > [It's those moments, those odd moments that you look for and sometimes by creating this kind of loose atmosphere you find those little moments…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-levinson/it-s-those-moments-those-odd-moments-that-you-look-for-and-sometimes/) [Barry Levinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-levinson/) > [I can skate beautifully. While performing on ice I always try to please the audience and to win as well. Being artistic is very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evgeni-plushenko/i-can-skate-beautifully-while-performing-on-ice-i-always-try-to/) [Evgeni Plushenko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evgeni-plushenko/) > [One of the best moments of any Liars show is hearing the crowd squawk 'We're doomed! We're doomed!' on cue during 'We Fenced Other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-sheffield/one-of-the-best-moments-of-any-liars-show-is-hearing-the-crowd-squawk/) [Rob Sheffield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-sheffield/) > [It's the adrenaline rush you only get from being in front of an audience. It's addictive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raphael-saadiq/it-s-the-adrenaline-rush-you-only-get-from-being-in-front-of-an/) [Raphael Saadiq](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raphael-saadiq/) > [If I had to speak in front of a Korean audience, I would be hard pressed to sound other than a little girl.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/an-na/if-i-had-to-speak-in-front-of-a-korean-audience-i-would-be-hard/) [An Na](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/an-na/) > [The liveness of theater, and the excitement of experiencing it alongside an audience, is something you can't get at home. That makes the theater…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-blaemire/the-liveness-of-theater-and-the-excitement-of-experiencing-it/) [Nick Blaemire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-blaemire/) > [One of the things that touches me most when I play for an audience is that although we may be unable to communicate in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-hough/one-of-the-things-that-touches-me-most-when-i-play-for-an-audience-is/) [Stephen Hough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-hough/) > [I have to feel the audience. I enjoy that feeling of community.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-gahan/i-have-to-feel-the-audience-i-enjoy-that-feeling-of-community/) [Dave Gahan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-gahan/) > [When you lived it for years and years and years and seen different characters just get pummeled and squashed because 'I said so,' it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arn-anderson/when-you-lived-it-for-years-and-years-and-years-and-seen-different/) [Arn Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arn-anderson/) > [“During the first few minutes of your presentation, your job is to assure the audience members that you are not going to waste their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dale-ludwig-and-greg-owen-boger/during-the-first-few-minutes-of-your-presentation-your-job-is-to/) [Dale Ludwig and Greg Owen-Boger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dale-ludwig-and-greg-owen-boger/) > [Donald Trump is a different ball of wax. 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