---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I wasn't a trained actor, I was trained…"
description: "\"I wasn't a trained actor, I was trained in musical comedy theater, and when you do that, the audience is completely part of the thing. It's like Elizab..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/99c/christopher-walken-1773_actors_i-wasn-t-a-trained-actor-i-was-trained-i_1516078.jpg"
---

#  I wasn't a trained actor, I was trained in musical comedy…

![“I wasn't a trained actor, I was trained in musical comedy theater, and when you do that, the audience is completely part of the thing. It's like Elizabethan theater. You play the scene, and then you turn - the audience is part of it.” quote by Christopher Walken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/99c/christopher-walken-1773_actors_i-wasn-t-a-trained-actor-i-was-trained-i_1516078.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/99c/christopher-walken-1773_actors_i-wasn-t-a-trained-actor-i-was-trained-i_1516078.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/99c/christopher-walken-1773_actors_i-wasn-t-a-trained-actor-i-was-trained-i_1516078.jpg)

> “I wasn't a trained actor, I was trained in musical comedy theater, and when you do that, the audience is completely part of the thing. It's like Elizabethan theater. You play the scene, and then you turn - the audience is part of it.”

[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.

The performer sees the audience as an active participant, blurring line between stage and spectators.

**In simple terms:** Audience becomes part of the performance.

Key Takeaway

Engage viewers as collaborators.

Themes

theatre collaboration audience participation improvisation musical comedy

Mood

enthusiastic creative

Type

observational inspirational

When to use this quote

- Live shows
- improvisational comedy
- musical theater
- interactive installations

Key Concepts

Performance art shared experience interactive storytelling

Questions to Reflect On

- How can performers balance control with audience input?
- What risks arise when the audience shapes the performance?

A Different Perspective

Audience may dominate or disrupt the intended narrative.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Actor Trained](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actor-trained-784098/) [Actors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actors/) [Audience](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/audience/) [Comedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/comedy/) [Elizabethan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/elizabethan/) [Humor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humor/) [Musical](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/musical/) [Play](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/play/) [Scene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/scene/) [Theater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/theater/) [Theater Audience](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/theater-audience-240706/) [Theater Play](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/theater-play-696922/) [Theatre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/theatre/) [Trained Actor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trained-actor/) [Turn Audience](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/turn-audience-719585/) [Turns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/turns/)

## Related quotes

> [The only thing that I know how to do as an actor, as a trained actor, is you can't villainize the character you're playing.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/corey-hawkins/the-only-thing-that-i-know-how-to-do-as-an-actor-as-a-trained-actor/)

[Corey Hawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/corey-hawkins/)

> [I'm the man who sits behind a table and tells true stories from his life. I'm also an actor. I was trained as an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/spalding-gray/i-m-the-man-who-sits-behind-a-table-and-tells-true-stories-from-his/)

[Spalding Gray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/spalding-gray/)

> [On stage, it is a tremendous thing to be able to make people laugh. But one of the things that I have always loved…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-bart/on-stage-it-is-a-tremendous-thing-to-be-able-to-make-people-laugh-but/)

[Roger Bart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-bart/)

> [If you lead with the anger, it will turn off the audience. And what I want is the audience to engage with the material…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lynn-nottage/if-you-lead-with-the-anger-it-will-turn-off-the-audience-and-what-i/)

[Lynn Nottage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lynn-nottage/)

> [I have a lot of friends who were stand-ups, and they just stopped after a while, because they didn't like that battle, or they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patton-oswalt/i-have-a-lot-of-friends-who-were-stand-ups-and-they-just-stopped/)

[Patton Oswalt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patton-oswalt/)

> [My dream was always to have an experience where an audience member would turn to another audience member, a stranger, and be like, 'What…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/branden-jacobs-jenkins/my-dream-was-always-to-have-an-experience-where-an-audience-member/)

[Branden Jacobs-Jenkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/branden-jacobs-jenkins/)

> [I reached the stage where I was afraid to wiggle my leg, but then I thought 'why shouldn't I?' It's what I do and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-marriott/i-reached-the-stage-where-i-was-afraid-to-wiggle-my-leg-but-then-i/)

[Steve Marriott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-marriott/)

> [Few things turn-off an audience more than a performer with an air of self-imporance or a 'message.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-sankey/few-things-turn-off-an-audience-more-than-a-performer-with-an-air-of/)

[Jay Sankey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-sankey/)

> [The way an actor is trained doesn't ultimately have much bearing on my work. I'm interested in the actor as artist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-leigh/the-way-an-actor-is-trained-doesn-t-ultimately-have-much-bearing-on/)

[Mike Leigh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-leigh/)

> [A cat actually thinks visibly. If you watch him jump on a shelf, the wish to jump and the action of jumping are one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-heilpern/a-cat-actually-thinks-visibly-if-you-watch-him-jump-on-a-shelf-the/)

[John Heilpern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-heilpern/)

> [I don't want to take shots at professional actors, because obviously the great ones are great. But I do think that given the kind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-bujalski/i-don-t-want-to-take-shots-at-professional-actors-because-obviously/)

[Andrew Bujalski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-bujalski/)

> [I'm an actor. I was trained by Stella Adler, one of the greatest teachers of the world. I was 19 years old, and she…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-margolis/i-m-an-actor-i-was-trained-by-stella-adler-one-of-the-greatest/)

[Mark Margolis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-margolis/)

> [I am neither a method actor nor a trained one. So, I don't generally prepare for any role. Becoming the character and being in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shruti-haasan/i-am-neither-a-method-actor-nor-a-trained-one-so-i-don-t-generally/)

[Shruti Haasan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shruti-haasan/)

> [As an actor, you're trained to do the right thing, be politically correct, say your lines, say the right thing about the people you're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/idris-elba/as-an-actor-you-re-trained-to-do-the-right-thing-be-politically/)

[Idris Elba](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/idris-elba/)

> [The audience is the most revered member of the theater. Without an audience, there is no theater. Everything done is ultimately for the enjoyment…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/viola-spolin/the-audience-is-the-most-revered-member-of-the-theater-without-an/)

[Viola Spolin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/viola-spolin/)

## 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 Actors quotes

> [Women still, when they have breast cancer, go to work; they still lead their lives. They have to. I just did what I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/monica-potter/women-still-when-they-have-breast-cancer-go-to-work-they-still-lead/)

[Monica Potter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/monica-potter/)

> [I'm trying to write a film with my friend. I'd love to get the thrill of speaking actors making my work even funnier.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-howard/i-m-trying-to-write-a-film-with-my-friend-i-d-love-to-get-the-thrill/)

[Russell Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-howard/)

> [A lesser complaint: hair extensions. There are moments on 'All My Children' when half the women actors, young and old, seem to be afflicted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/camille-paglia/a-lesser-complaint-hair-extensions-there-are-moments-on-all-my/)

[Camille Paglia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/camille-paglia/)

> [I'm very used to working with first time actors - you can just look back at 'E.T.' with Drew Barrymore, and Christian Bale from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-spielberg/i-m-very-used-to-working-with-first-time-actors-you-can-just-look/)

[Steven Spielberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-spielberg/)

> [Forget the credit, they (male actors) take all the money as well. We don't get paid even one-third of what male actors get. It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kangana-ranaut/forget-the-credit-they-male-actors-take-all-the-money-as-well-we-don/)

[Kangana Ranaut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kangana-ranaut/)

> [I love film people and actors and I am in the right world because I am one of those people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ewan-mcgregor/i-love-film-people-and-actors-and-i-am-in-the-right-world-because-i/)

[Ewan McGregor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ewan-mcgregor/)

> [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/)

> [What we're supposed to do as actors is be able to portray real human beings and emotions. And if you grow up in this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-browning/what-we-re-supposed-to-do-as-actors-is-be-able-to-portray-real-human/)

[Emily Browning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-browning/)

> [When we watch a film as actors, you have to understand that we always see much more than what's on screen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kunal-khemu/when-we-watch-a-film-as-actors-you-have-to-understand-that-we-always/)

[Kunal Khemu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kunal-khemu/)

> [As actors, you become an expert at starting over.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lupita-nyong-o/as-actors-you-become-an-expert-at-starting-over/)

[Lupita Nyong'o](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lupita-nyong-o/)

> [The whole concept of stage fright is fascinating. Actors get stage fright, but they wouldn't be on the stage in the first place if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-greene/the-whole-concept-of-stage-fright-is-fascinating-actors-get-stage/)

[Robert Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-greene/)

> [No actor wants to choose - they just want all of the options available to them all the time; we tend to be pretty…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gillian-jacobs/no-actor-wants-to-choose-they-just-want-all-of-the-options-available/)

[Gillian Jacobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gillian-jacobs/)

> [A rapper is about being completely true to yourself. Being an actor is about changing who you are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-smith/a-rapper-is-about-being-completely-true-to-yourself-being-an-actor-is/)

[Will Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-smith/)

> [I've been a professional actor for almost 40 years.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-perlman/i-ve-been-a-professional-actor-for-almost-40-years/)

[Ron Perlman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-perlman/)

> [American actors are coy. We all have pricks and cunts, or are you different from the rest of us?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-greenaway/american-actors-are-coy-we-all-have-pricks-and-cunts-or-are-you/)

[Peter Greenaway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-greenaway/)

[Browse all 11,394 Actors quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actors/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "I wasn't a trained actor, I was trained in musical comedy theater, and when you do that, the audience is completely part of the thing. It's like Elizabethan theater. You play the scene, and then you turn - the audience is part of it.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Christopher Walken"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-walken/i-wasn-t-a-trained-actor-i-was-trained-in-musical-comedy-theater-and/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Actors"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-walken/i-wasn-t-a-trained-actor-i-was-trained-in-musical-comedy-theater-and/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/99c/christopher-walken-1773_actors_i-wasn-t-a-trained-actor-i-was-trained-i_1516078.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/99c/christopher-walken-1773_actors_i-wasn-t-a-trained-actor-i-was-trained-i_1516078.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/99c/christopher-walken-1773_actors_i-wasn-t-a-trained-actor-i-was-trained-i_1516078.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“I wasn't a trained actor, I was trained in musical comedy theater, and when you do that, the audience is…” — Christopher Walken",
                "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 Walken",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-walken/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "I wasn't a trained actor, I...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-walken/i-wasn-t-a-trained-actor-i-was-trained-in-musical-comedy-theater-and/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-walken/i-wasn-t-a-trained-actor-i-was-trained-in-musical-comedy-theater-and/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
