--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Acting has to do with saying it as if you…" description: "\"Acting has to do with saying it as if you meant it, so for me the words are always very important. It's very important for me to know my lines, know th..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f5b/christopher-walken-1773_acting_acting-has-to-do-with-saying-it-as-if-yo_3217707.jpg" --- # Acting has to do with saying it as if you meant it, so for… ![“Acting has to do with saying it as if you meant it, so for me the words are always very important. It's very important for me to know my lines, know them so well that I don't have to think about them.” quote by Christopher Walken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f5b/christopher-walken-1773_acting_acting-has-to-do-with-saying-it-as-if-yo_3217707.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f5b/christopher-walken-1773_acting_acting-has-to-do-with-saying-it-as-if-yo_3217707.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f5b/christopher-walken-1773_acting_acting-has-to-do-with-saying-it-as-if-yo_3217707.jpg) > “Acting has to do with saying it as if you meant it, so for me the words are always very important. It's very important for me to know my lines, know them so well that I don't have to think about them.” [Christopher Walken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-walken/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Effective acting requires internalizing lines so they feel genuine, eliminating conscious thought during performance. **In simple terms:** Acting is about truly believing your words. Key Takeaway Practice lines until they become instinctive. Themes acting authenticity craft confidence Mood inspirational practical Type advice instructional When to use this quote - theatre - film - public speaking Key Concepts method acting muscle memory presence Questions to Reflect On - Do you ever feel your lines become mechanical? - How can you keep performance fresh? A Different Perspective Risk of over‑rehearsal stifling spontaneity. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Acting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/acting/) [Actor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actor/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) ## Related quotes > [I never meant it," he was saying. "Never meant it to happen. Can't stand it, seeing her suffer. Must do something, do something... What…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-caine/i-never-meant-it-he-was-saying-never-meant-it-to-happen-can-t-stand/) [Rachel Caine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-caine/) > [Psychologically, you learn the values that are inherent in the dialogue, and you learn to apply it to the way you read the lines.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angela-lansbury/psychologically-you-learn-the-values-that-are-inherent-in-the/) [Angela Lansbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angela-lansbury/) > [Acting was not for me. They were saying, you are too beautiful, you are too ugly, you are too plump, too tall, too short.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alessandra-mussolini/acting-was-not-for-me-they-were-saying-you-are-too-beautiful-you-are/) [Alessandra Mussolini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alessandra-mussolini/) > [We had an ancient Russian acting coach at my drama school who said the worst offense you could commit was to let your subtext…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/olivia-williams/we-had-an-ancient-russian-acting-coach-at-my-drama-school-who-said/) [Olivia Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/olivia-williams/) > [I've done a lot of acting. I'm not saying I'm the greatest, but I'd love to act, I'd love to sing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-hahn/i-ve-done-a-lot-of-acting-i-m-not-saying-i-m-the-greatest-but-i-d/) [Jessica Hahn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-hahn/) > [I'm a much better listener when I'm acting than I am as a person in real life because you learn as an actor that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rainn-wilson/i-m-a-much-better-listener-when-i-m-acting-than-i-am-as-a-person-in/) [Rainn Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rainn-wilson/) > [I really love to act; I love everything about it. I've never had this addiction to being known. I mean, sure, if you go…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-meloni/i-really-love-to-act-i-love-everything-about-it-i-ve-never-had-this/) [Christopher Meloni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-meloni/) > [“I felt like I needed something official to show me how all of this should feel, how I should be acting, what I should…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-m-danforth/i-felt-like-i-needed-something-official-to-show-me-how-all-of-this/) [Emily M. Danforth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-m-danforth/) > [I'm interested in the spirits of people. In the theatre, there's the acting part of acting - and I'm not saying that can't be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-fiennes/i-m-interested-in-the-spirits-of-people-in-the-theatre-there-s-the/) [Ralph Fiennes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-fiennes/) > [“Words are most important. I never wanted to write a song about nothing. After all, the impulse towards music is at its heart an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevan-duke/words-are-most-important-i-never-wanted-to-write-a-song-about-nothing/) Kevan Duke > [It took me years to understand that words are often as important as experience, because words make experience last.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/it-took-me-years-to-understand-that-words-are-often-as-important-as/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Look between the lines. Read between the words. The most important things are left unsaid and unheard.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/look-between-the-lines-read-between-the-words-the-most-important/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The important thing is not to know who "I" is or what "I" is. You'll never succeed. There are no words for it. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-de-mello/the-important-thing-is-not-to-know-who-i-is-or-what-i-is-you-ll-never/) [Anthony de Mello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-de-mello/) > [The things which cannot be adequately represented by words are more important than those which can.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-fitzjames-stephen/the-things-which-cannot-be-adequately-represented-by-words-are-more/) [James Fitzjames Stephen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-fitzjames-stephen/) > [I understand why we do that now. It’s a help, not a threat. It’s something to remind you how important words are. Ideas are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-clancy/i-understand-why-we-do-that-now-it-s-a-help-not-a-threat-it-s/) [Tom Clancy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-clancy/) ## More by Christopher Walken > [One thing that's happened to me is I've been around a long time and I've played a lot of villains and so forth. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-walken/one-thing-that-s-happened-to-me-is-i-ve-been-around-a-long-time-and-i/) [Christopher Walken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-walken/) > [In my personal life I'm very conservative. I've been married to the same person for nearly 50 years, I'm scrupulous about paying bills, avoiding…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-walken/in-my-personal-life-i-m-very-conservative-i-ve-been-married-to-the/) [Christopher Walken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-walken/) > [I grew up in the '50s, in New York City, where television was born. There were 90 live shows every week, and they used…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-walken/i-grew-up-in-the-50s-in-new-york-city-where-television-was-born-there/) [Christopher Walken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-walken/) > [I think that a good movie creates its own world, and that world needn't refer to anything that's real. If it's consistent, if it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-walken/i-think-that-a-good-movie-creates-its-own-world-and-that-world-needn/) [Christopher Walken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-walken/) > [An audience is the most dangerous thing in the world, because they paid, and they're looking at you. And they paid! And there's a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-walken/an-audience-is-the-most-dangerous-thing-in-the-world-because-they/) [Christopher Walken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-walken/) > [I make movies that nobody will see. I've made movies that even I have never seen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-walken/i-make-movies-that-nobody-will-see-i-ve-made-movies-that-even-i-have/) [Christopher Walken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-walken/) > [For me, in movies, it's always a mixed bag. I've never made a movie where I thought, "You were really good in that movie;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-walken/for-me-in-movies-it-s-always-a-mixed-bag-i-ve-never-made-a-movie/) [Christopher Walken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-walken/) > [I think the fact that I was raised in show business, in New York City, in the '50s, that's affected my personality to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-walken/i-think-the-fact-that-i-was-raised-in-show-business-in-new-york-city/) [Christopher Walken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-walken/) > [Obviously an actor draws on his own experience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-walken/obviously-an-actor-draws-on-his-own-experience/) [Christopher Walken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-walken/) > [In rehearsal you have a good accident that you can repeat.In the movies if you have a good accident you hope the camera's running.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-walken/in-rehearsal-you-have-a-good-accident-that-you-can-repeat-in-the/) [Christopher Walken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-walken/) > [I was never a child actor. I was a child performer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-walken/i-was-never-a-child-actor-i-was-a-child-performer/) [Christopher Walken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-walken/) > [I have been in movies that I thought I wasn't very good in.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-walken/i-have-been-in-movies-that-i-thought-i-wasn-t-very-good-in/) [Christopher Walken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-walken/) > [I think I'm getting a little bit of Alzheimer's. Just a little.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-walken/i-think-i-m-getting-a-little-bit-of-alzheimer-s-just-a-little/) [Christopher Walken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-walken/) > [It's very bizarre though when you get hired and then the director will say, "I know how this goes." And you're thinking, "Wait a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-walken/it-s-very-bizarre-though-when-you-get-hired-and-then-the-director/) [Christopher Walken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-walken/) > [It's interesting - a lot of good actors are good mimes. But I'm terrible. If I tried to do an impression, nobody would know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-walken/it-s-interesting-a-lot-of-good-actors-are-good-mimes-but-i-m-terrible/) [Christopher Walken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-walken/) [Explore all 209 Christopher Walken quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-walken/) ## 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 > [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": "Acting has to do with saying it as if you meant it, so for me the words are always very important. 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