--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: No matter how big a name you are, how…" description: "\"No matter how big a name you are, how many big series you've been in or how good looking you are, in the end, all actors are secondary to the writer.\" ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/081/christopher-eccleston-15357_actor_no-matter-how-big-a-name-you-are-how-man_2603085.jpg" --- # No matter how big a name you are, how many big series… ![“No matter how big a name you are, how many big series you've been in or how good looking you are, in the end, all actors are secondary to the writer.” quote by Christopher Eccleston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/081/christopher-eccleston-15357_actor_no-matter-how-big-a-name-you-are-how-man_2603085.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/081/christopher-eccleston-15357_actor_no-matter-how-big-a-name-you-are-how-man_2603085.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/081/christopher-eccleston-15357_actor_no-matter-how-big-a-name-you-are-how-man_2603085.jpg) > “No matter how big a name you are, how many big series you've been in or how good looking you are, in the end, all actors are secondary to the writer.” [Christopher Eccleston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-eccleston/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The writer’s vision ultimately shapes a performance; actors serve the narrative, not the other way around. **In simple terms:** Writers guide the story, actors follow. Key Takeaway Respect the writer’s role. Themes creativity hierarchy collaboration storytelling craft Mood analytical respectful professional Type industry creative When to use this quote - film productions - theatre rehearsals - TV series development - script reading Key Concepts film studies theatre authorship Questions to Reflect On - How do you honor the writer while adding your voice? - When is actor input essential? A Different Perspective Actors can also influence scripts through interpretation. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Actor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actor/) [Actors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actors/) [Theatre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/theatre/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [You build yourself up for the big series, the big tournaments.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-clarke/you-build-yourself-up-for-the-big-series-the-big-tournaments/) [Michael Clarke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-clarke/) > [When I was nine, 'The Borrowers' was such a big series for me!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gugu-mbatha-raw/when-i-was-nine-the-borrowers-was-such-a-big-series-for-me/) [Gugu Mbatha-Raw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gugu-mbatha-raw/) > [When you have an ensemble where characters pair off so easily, it becomes extremely isolating in the story world. You can end up with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-plec/when-you-have-an-ensemble-where-characters-pair-off-so-easily-it/) [Julie Plec](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-plec/) > [And I think, on the other end, there were actors who were not as good as I was, perhaps who could have hung in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-earl-jones/and-i-think-on-the-other-end-there-were-actors-who-were-not-as-good/) [James Earl Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-earl-jones/) > [I consciously decided not to be a 'London' actor. Those gangster movies made a lot of East End actors think they were movie stars.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eddie-marsan/i-consciously-decided-not-to-be-a-london-actor-those-gangster-movies/) [Eddie Marsan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eddie-marsan/) > [People who were more concerned with themselves and looking good to their readers then they were with the characters sacrificed a series for the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/len-wein/people-who-were-more-concerned-with-themselves-and-looking-good-to/) [Len Wein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/len-wein/) > [You may be right that people say: You know what, we had Obama. He was inexperienced. The guy had great rhetoric, sounded good, looked…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-rove/you-may-be-right-that-people-say-you-know-what-we-had-obama-he-was/) [Karl Rove](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-rove/) > [Looking Good with my new car,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/krystal/looking-good-with-my-new-car/) [Krystal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/krystal/) > [Me myself with my new cap looking good](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reynold/me-myself-with-my-new-cap-looking-good/) [Reynold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reynold/) > [Oh, shut up. He is not saying that he's too good-looking to be friends with girls. But then again, yesterday at the beach, there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kiersten-white/oh-shut-up-he-is-not-saying-that-he-s-too-good-looking-to-be-friends/) [Kiersten White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kiersten-white/) > [When I was a kid, nobody told me I was good-looking. I wish they had. I would've had a better time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-redford/when-i-was-a-kid-nobody-told-me-i-was-good-looking-i-wish-they-had-i/) [Robert Redford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-redford/) > [It’s because I’m so good-looking, isn’t it?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kiera-cass/it-s-because-i-m-so-good-looking-isn-t-it/) [Kiera Cass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kiera-cass/) > [You know what getting married is? It's agreeing to taking this person who right now is at the top of his form, full of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-smiley/you-know-what-getting-married-is-it-s-agreeing-to-taking-this-person/) [Jane Smiley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-smiley/) > [I went through a really good-looking phase from birth to 9. And then things went crazy. I don't know what happened, but between 9…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cristin-milioti/i-went-through-a-really-good-looking-phase-from-birth-to-9-and-then/) [Cristin Milioti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cristin-milioti/) > [I had no musical or athletic ability, and I wasn't particularly good looking. Comedy was something I could do for attention.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doug-stanhope/i-had-no-musical-or-athletic-ability-and-i-wasn-t-particularly-good/) [Doug Stanhope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doug-stanhope/) ## More by Christopher Eccleston > [Many times I've sat with a camera and another actor and seen all their fears and insecurities and struggles. You want to support them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-eccleston/many-times-i-ve-sat-with-a-camera-and-another-actor-and-seen-all/) [Christopher Eccleston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-eccleston/) > [Lots of middle class people are running around pretending to be Cockney.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-eccleston/lots-of-middle-class-people-are-running-around-pretending-to-be/) [Christopher Eccleston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-eccleston/) > [I only ever worked on interiors, and an interior is an interior. I don't know what they did about exteriors.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-eccleston/i-only-ever-worked-on-interiors-and-an-interior-is-an-interior-i-don/) [Christopher Eccleston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-eccleston/) > [On The Others, very atmospheric and probably mysterious is how I would say it felt to be on the set. It felt just a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-eccleston/on-the-others-very-atmospheric-and-probably-mysterious-is-how-i-would/) [Christopher Eccleston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-eccleston/) > [When you seek revenge, be sure to dig two graves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-eccleston/when-you-seek-revenge-be-sure-to-dig-two-graves/) [Christopher Eccleston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-eccleston/) > [I think theatre is by far the most rewarding experience for an actor. You get 4 weeks to rehearse your character and then at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-eccleston/i-think-theatre-is-by-far-the-most-rewarding-experience-for-an-actor/) [Christopher Eccleston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-eccleston/) > [What goes down on film is different to what you see with the naked eye.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-eccleston/what-goes-down-on-film-is-different-to-what-you-see-with-the-naked-eye/) [Christopher Eccleston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-eccleston/) > [We all need a firm sense of identity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-eccleston/we-all-need-a-firm-sense-of-identity/) [Christopher Eccleston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-eccleston/) > [What we have is the here and now, and what we have is each other, and let's find a way to deal truthfully with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-eccleston/what-we-have-is-the-here-and-now-and-what-we-have-is-each-other-and/) [Christopher Eccleston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-eccleston/) > [I care more about telly because it made me an actor and there's a much more immediate response to TV. You can address the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-eccleston/i-care-more-about-telly-because-it-made-me-an-actor-and-there-s-a/) [Christopher Eccleston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-eccleston/) > [I had to help to coax the performances and I really enjoyed that extra responsibility.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-eccleston/i-had-to-help-to-coax-the-performances-and-i-really-enjoyed-that/) [Christopher Eccleston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-eccleston/) > [I think film and television are really a director's medium, whereas theatre is the actor's medium.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-eccleston/i-think-film-and-television-are-really-a-director-s-medium-whereas/) [Christopher Eccleston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-eccleston/) > [Any horror element is as much psychological as special effects.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-eccleston/any-horror-element-is-as-much-psychological-as-special-effects/) [Christopher Eccleston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-eccleston/) > [I don't like to watch playback. But being on the set, watching the way the camera is being moved and the way the light…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-eccleston/i-don-t-like-to-watch-playback-but-being-on-the-set-watching-the-way/) [Christopher Eccleston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-eccleston/) > [Theatre is expensive to go to. I certainly felt when I was growing up that theatre wasn't for us. Theatre still has that stigma…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-eccleston/theatre-is-expensive-to-go-to-i-certainly-felt-when-i-was-growing-up/) [Christopher Eccleston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-eccleston/) [Explore all 43 Christopher Eccleston quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-eccleston/) ## 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": "No matter how big a name you are, how many big series you've been in or how good looking you are, in the end, all actors are secondary to the writer.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Christopher Eccleston" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-eccleston/no-matter-how-big-a-name-you-are-how-many-big-series-you-ve-been-in/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Actor" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-eccleston/no-matter-how-big-a-name-you-are-how-many-big-series-you-ve-been-in/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/081/christopher-eccleston-15357_actor_no-matter-how-big-a-name-you-are-how-man_2603085.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/081/christopher-eccleston-15357_actor_no-matter-how-big-a-name-you-are-how-man_2603085.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/081/christopher-eccleston-15357_actor_no-matter-how-big-a-name-you-are-how-man_2603085.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“No matter how big a name you are, how many big series you've been in or how good looking you are, in the…” — Christopher Eccleston", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Christopher Eccleston", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-eccleston/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "No matter how big a name...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-eccleston/no-matter-how-big-a-name-you-are-how-many-big-series-you-ve-been-in/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-eccleston/no-matter-how-big-a-name-you-are-how-many-big-series-you-ve-been-in/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```