--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Obviously there are times with acting…" description: "\"Obviously there are times with acting when exactly what is required is just going through the motions, and when doing nothing is the best thing. But at..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/caa/christian-bale-2174_acting_obviously-there-are-times-with-acting-wh_1789975.jpg" --- # Obviously there are times with acting when exactly what is… ![“Obviously there are times with acting when exactly what is required is just going through the motions, and when doing nothing is the best thing. But at other times, you have to make that leap beyond the immediate environment of people putting up lights on the set.” quote by Christian Bale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/caa/christian-bale-2174_acting_obviously-there-are-times-with-acting-wh_1789975.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/caa/christian-bale-2174_acting_obviously-there-are-times-with-acting-wh_1789975.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/caa/christian-bale-2174_acting_obviously-there-are-times-with-acting-wh_1789975.jpg) > “Obviously there are times with acting when exactly what is required is just going through the motions, and when doing nothing is the best thing. But at other times, you have to make that leap beyond the immediate environment of people putting up lights on the set.” [Christian Bale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christian-bale/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Acting sometimes means simply existing on set, while other moments demand bold, decisive action beyond routine. **In simple terms:** Acting can be passive or bold. Key Takeaway Know when to act and when to observe. Themes acting decision-making routine Mood reflective motivational Type practical philosophical When to use this quote - film sets - theatre rehearsals - career turning points Key Concepts method acting career dynamics creative risk Questions to Reflect On - When is it better to stay still? - What signals indicate a needed leap? A Different Perspective Overthinking can stall progress. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Acting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/acting/) [Acting Exactly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/acting-exactly-791834/) [Environment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/environment/) [Going Motions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/going-motions-1693182/) [Leap](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/leap/) [Motions Doing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/motions-doing-1936547/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Putting Lights](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/putting-lights-1936548/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [And I thought to myself, What am I doing? Am I reaching them at all? They are acting exactly as the old men did…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/and-i-thought-to-myself-what-am-i-doing-am-i-reaching-them-at-all/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [When I went to Bollywood and used to give actors instructions, many of them would tell me that I am acting out exactly like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/priyadarshan/when-i-went-to-bollywood-and-used-to-give-actors-instructions-many-of/) [Priyadarshan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/priyadarshan/) > [If you've ever been around a group of actors, you've noticed, no doubt, that they can talk of nothing else under the sun but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christy-mathewson/if-you-ve-ever-been-around-a-group-of-actors-you-ve-noticed-no-doubt/) [Christy Mathewson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christy-mathewson/) > [I've been acting since I was 9, so not exactly a baby.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/millie-bobby-brown/i-ve-been-acting-since-i-was-9-so-not-exactly-a-baby/) [Millie Bobby Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/millie-bobby-brown/) > [I was going through the motions of life, instead of really living, and there's no excuse for that. It's not something I'll let happen…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-de-lint/i-was-going-through-the-motions-of-life-instead-of-really-living-and/) [Charles de Lint](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-de-lint/) > [I don't want people to remember me going through the motions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bobby-rahal/i-don-t-want-people-to-remember-me-going-through-the-motions/) [Bobby Rahal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bobby-rahal/) > [“I'm like a robot most of the time. Going through motions, getting through life one day at a time.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christine-zolendz/i-m-like-a-robot-most-of-the-time-going-through-motions-getting/) [Christine Zolendz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christine-zolendz/) > [“Going through the motions gives you plenty of time to examine the motions. I used to find this interesting. Now it has taken on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-levithan/going-through-the-motions-gives-you-plenty-of-time-to-examine-the/) [David Levithan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-levithan/) > [Even going through the motions is a way of establishing a new relationship with our inner life that is caring and tender, versus one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tara-brach/even-going-through-the-motions-is-a-way-of-establishing-a-new/) [Tara Brach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tara-brach/) > [I tried synchronized swimming, but felt, over time, I was just going through the motions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dana-gould/i-tried-synchronized-swimming-but-felt-over-time-i-was-just-going/) [Dana Gould](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dana-gould/) > [“Going through the motions, like a person who was already dead and just didn’t know it yet.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christa-faust/going-through-the-motions-like-a-person-who-was-already-dead-and-just/) [Christa Faust](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christa-faust/) > [The drunken politician leaps upon the street where mothers weep, and the saviors who are fast asleep, they wait for you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-dylan/the-drunken-politician-leaps-upon-the-street-where-mothers-weep-and/) [Bob Dylan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-dylan/) > [The only thing a person can ever really do is keep moving forward. Take that big leap forward without hesitation, without once looking back.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alyson-noel/the-only-thing-a-person-can-ever-really-do-is-keep-moving-forward/) [Alyson Noel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alyson-noel/) > [Without calculation, economic activity is impossible. Since under Socialism economic calculation is impossible, under Socialism there can be no economic activity in our sense…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ludwig-von-mises/without-calculation-economic-activity-is-impossible-since-under/) [Ludwig von Mises](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ludwig-von-mises/) > [Children are not a zoo of entertainingly exotic creatures, but an array of mirrors in which the human predicament leaps out at us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-updike/children-are-not-a-zoo-of-entertainingly-exotic-creatures-but-an/) [John Updike](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-updike/) ## More by Christian Bale > [I started my career without fans.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christian-bale/i-started-my-career-without-fans/) [Christian Bale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christian-bale/) > [It's about pursuing it rather than waiting to see what comes along. That's partly because I found myself getting typecast, as everyone does unless…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christian-bale/it-s-about-pursuing-it-rather-than-waiting-to-see-what-comes-along/) [Christian Bale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christian-bale/) > [Nuclear apocalypse-who do you need? Actors are probably not top of the list. What can I do for you? I can pretend to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christian-bale/nuclear-apocalypse-who-do-you-need-actors-are-probably-not-top-of-the/) [Christian Bale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christian-bale/) > [I have a fear of being boring.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christian-bale/i-have-a-fear-of-being-boring/) [Christian Bale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christian-bale/) > [An actor should never be larger than the film he's in.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christian-bale/an-actor-should-never-be-larger-than-the-film-he-s-in/) [Christian Bale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christian-bale/) > [There's a level of confidence in the actor you're working with that really helps a lot. It makes all the difference.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christian-bale/there-s-a-level-of-confidence-in-the-actor-you-re-working-with-that/) [Christian Bale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christian-bale/) > [And I not only inherited an aversion to the nine-to-five routine, but the sense from my parents that being bored and boring is the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christian-bale/and-i-not-only-inherited-an-aversion-to-the-nine-to-five-routine-but/) [Christian Bale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christian-bale/) > [And being as I'm somebody who loves movies like The Machinist, I also love going along to big mass entertainment movies. I get in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christian-bale/and-being-as-i-m-somebody-who-loves-movies-like-the-machinist-i-also/) [Christian Bale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christian-bale/) > [You'll hunt me. You'll condemn me. Set the dogs on me. Because that's what needs to happen. Because sometimes truth isn't good enough. Sometimes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christian-bale/you-ll-hunt-me-you-ll-condemn-me-set-the-dogs-on-me-because-that-s/) [Christian Bale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christian-bale/) > [When it comes to films, people often don't differentiate between the message of a bad central character and the message of the film itself.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christian-bale/when-it-comes-to-films-people-often-don-t-differentiate-between-the/) [Christian Bale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christian-bale/) > [It's tough to make a good movie. I think the bigger the movies are, the worse they are. A lot of big movies make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christian-bale/it-s-tough-to-make-a-good-movie-i-think-the-bigger-the-movies-are-the/) [Christian Bale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christian-bale/) > [Sometimes the truth isn't good enough. Sometimes people have got to have their faith rewarded.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christian-bale/sometimes-the-truth-isn-t-good-enough-sometimes-people-have-got-to/) [Christian Bale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christian-bale/) > [There's such ups and downs. You may think that you've kind of found a spot and a groove and it seems to be working.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christian-bale/there-s-such-ups-and-downs-you-may-think-that-you-ve-kind-of-found-a/) [Christian Bale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christian-bale/) > [It's about pursuing it rather than waiting to see what comes along.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christian-bale/it-s-about-pursuing-it-rather-than-waiting-to-see-what-comes-along-2/) [Christian Bale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christian-bale/) > [People need dramatic examples to shake them out of apathy and I can't do that as Bruce Wayne. As a man I'm flesh and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christian-bale/people-need-dramatic-examples-to-shake-them-out-of-apathy-and-i-can-t/) [Christian Bale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christian-bale/) [Explore all 181 Christian Bale quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christian-bale/) ## More Acting 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/) > [Many Republicans have always reminded me of professional WWF wrestlers. They come into the ring all pumped up and acting like they're invincible and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-feig/many-republicans-have-always-reminded-me-of-professional-wwf/) [Paul Feig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-feig/) > [I'm a big fan of all the Boston guys that are acting - Matt Damon , Ben Affleck, Mark Wahlberg - they made a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenny-wormald/i-m-a-big-fan-of-all-the-boston-guys-that-are-acting-matt-damon-ben/) [Kenny Wormald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenny-wormald/) > [Acting is a grind, just like music is a grind. Sometimes it takes longer than what you can give.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/big-sean/acting-is-a-grind-just-like-music-is-a-grind-sometimes-it-takes/) [Big Sean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/big-sean/) > [It was only when I started making short films in college and I was looking for girls to play the me-ish parts that I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lena-dunham/it-was-only-when-i-started-making-short-films-in-college-and-i-was/) [Lena Dunham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lena-dunham/) > [Writing is something I took up rather than anything I had an inclination toward. I like acting -delivering someone else's message - but writing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-martin/writing-is-something-i-took-up-rather-than-anything-i-had-an/) [Steve Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-martin/) > [I can still function when I don't have that balance I crave. I had a tendency to be precious about acting, thinking of it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-regan/i-can-still-function-when-i-don-t-have-that-balance-i-crave-i-had-a/) [Laura Regan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-regan/) > [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/) > [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/) > [It definitely helps to have the acting experience going into singing, because when you're singing, you have to portray the emotion you were feeling…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-newman/it-definitely-helps-to-have-the-acting-experience-going-into-singing/) [Ryan Newman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-newman/) > [The show was number one in the ratings, Gordon Russell was our head writer, the story lines were magnificent and the acting most exciting.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-storm/the-show-was-number-one-in-the-ratings-gordon-russell-was-our-head/) [Michael Storm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-storm/) > [I've done so many other projects where you're in a room with a reader and you're acting your lines out: 'We have to get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-cummings/i-ve-done-so-many-other-projects-where-you-re-in-a-room-with-a-reader/) [Jim Cummings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-cummings/) > [I do not believe in public shaming. I do believe that young adults go to college to learn things, and that this process will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-weingarten/i-do-not-believe-in-public-shaming-i-do-believe-that-young-adults-go/) [Gene Weingarten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-weingarten/) > [Poetry has, in a way, been my bridge to my acting career.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/omari-hardwick/poetry-has-in-a-way-been-my-bridge-to-my-acting-career/) [Omari Hardwick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/omari-hardwick/) [Browse all 12,062 Acting quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/acting/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Obviously there are times with acting when exactly what is required is just going through the motions, and when doing nothing is the best thing. 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