--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Laurence Olivier said in an interview…" description: "\"Laurence Olivier said in an interview once that when he plays a tragedy he always aims for the funny parts, and the other way around. Because in a come..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f7e/christopher-walken-1773_aim_laurence-olivier-said-in-an-interview-on_3176464.jpg" --- # Laurence Olivier said in an interview once that when he… ![“Laurence Olivier said in an interview once that when he plays a tragedy he always aims for the funny parts, and the other way around. Because in a comedy you look for what's serious. I think that's true. Sometimes things are really funny if you're absolutely earnest. If you're really serious, it's…” quote by Christopher Walken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f7e/christopher-walken-1773_aim_laurence-olivier-said-in-an-interview-on_3176464.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f7e/christopher-walken-1773_aim_laurence-olivier-said-in-an-interview-on_3176464.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f7e/christopher-walken-1773_aim_laurence-olivier-said-in-an-interview-on_3176464.jpg) > “Laurence Olivier said in an interview once that when he plays a tragedy he always aims for the funny parts, and the other way around. Because in a comedy you look for what's serious. I think that's true. Sometimes things are really funny if you're absolutely earnest. If you're really serious, it's hilarious.” [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. Olivier suggests blending seriousness with humor in both tragedy and comedy, revealing that earnestness can amplify both comedic and tragic effects. **In simple terms:** Mixing seriousness and humor deepens performance impact. Key Takeaway Embrace contrast to enrich acting. Themes theatre acting technique humor seriousness dualities Mood thoughtful inquisitive Type reflective instructional When to use this quote - acting workshops - script analysis - rehearsal exercises - directorial guidance Key Concepts contrast theory emotional truth performance dynamics Questions to Reflect On - How can actors balance contrast without confusing the audience? - When is humor appropriate in tragic contexts? A Different Perspective Overemphasis on contrast may dilute narrative clarity. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Aim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/aim/) [Aims Funny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/aims-funny-5803427/) [Comedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/comedy/) [Comedy Look](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/comedy-look-436222/) [Earnest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/earnest/) [Earnest Really](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/earnest-really-5803426/) [Funny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/funny/) [Humor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humor/) [Interviews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/interviews/) [Looks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/looks/) [Play](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/play/) [Plays Tragedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/plays-tragedy-5803425/) [Said](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/said/) [Serious](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/serious/) [Sometimes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sometimes/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Tragedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tragedy/) [Way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/way/) ## Related quotes > [It's funny how comedy is, you look at people like French and Saunders, when they started out they were very alternative. A lot of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-kay/it-s-funny-how-comedy-is-you-look-at-people-like-french-and-saunders/) [Peter Kay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-kay/) > [We participate in a tragedy; at a comedy we only look.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aldous-huxley/we-participate-in-a-tragedy-at-a-comedy-we-only-look/) [Aldous Huxley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aldous-huxley/) > [I've tried to create a comedy that doesn't look like any other comedy. Maybe traditionally in TV there has been a kind of formula…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melina-matsoukas/i-ve-tried-to-create-a-comedy-that-doesn-t-look-like-any-other-comedy/) [Melina Matsoukas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melina-matsoukas/) > [Ellen DeGeneres is great. She has this natural style, and she makes comedy look so easy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anjelah-johnson/ellen-degeneres-is-great-she-has-this-natural-style-and-she-makes/) [Anjelah Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anjelah-johnson/) > [I think if you turn down the volume on the good comedy, you should not even know if it's a comedy or not. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-billingsley/i-think-if-you-turn-down-the-volume-on-the-good-comedy-you-should-not/) [Peter Billingsley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-billingsley/) > [In comedy you sometimes have to look at the funny bone a little bit. So, that was the hardest part - was not offending.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/corbin-bernsen/in-comedy-you-sometimes-have-to-look-at-the-funny-bone-a-little-bit/) [Corbin Bernsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/corbin-bernsen/) > [A lot of stand-up specials for cable are meant to glorify the comedian. They put you in a really beautiful theater, and sometimes they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-c-k/a-lot-of-stand-up-specials-for-cable-are-meant-to-glorify-the/) [Louis C. K](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-c-k/) > [I would say most people assume that I'm not very smart or educated or earnest, because I have this image that I'm sort of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/megan-fox/i-would-say-most-people-assume-that-i-m-not-very-smart-or-educated-or/) [Megan Fox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/megan-fox/) > [As if goaded by a kind of frantic despair, I sketched these dirty, ragged little victims of the war with their bruised, lacerated minds…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-keane/as-if-goaded-by-a-kind-of-frantic-despair-i-sketched-these-dirty/) [Walter Keane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-keane/) > [Earnest men never think in vain, though their thoughts may be errors.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-bulwer-lytton-1st-baron-lytton/earnest-men-never-think-in-vain-though-their-thoughts-may-be-errors/) [Edward Bulwer-Lytton, 1st Baron Lytton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-bulwer-lytton-1st-baron-lytton/) > [The family circle has widened. The worldpool of information fathered by the electric media--movies, Telstar, flight--far surpassesany possible influence mom and dad can now…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marshall-mcluhan/the-family-circle-has-widened-the-worldpool-of-information-fathered/) [Marshall McLuhan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marshall-mcluhan/) > [Those who love their dream of a Christian community more than the Christian community itself become destroyers of that Christian community even though their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dietrich-bonhoeffer/those-who-love-their-dream-of-a-christian-community-more-than-the/) [Dietrich Bonhoeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dietrich-bonhoeffer/) > [In the formation of such a government, it is not only the right, but the indispensable duty of every citizen to examine the principles…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noah-webster/in-the-formation-of-such-a-government-it-is-not-only-the-right-but/) [Noah Webster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noah-webster/) > [Lord, send Your life throughout the entire church. Visit Your church; restore sound doctrine and holy, earnest living. Take away from professing Christians their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-spurgeon/lord-send-your-life-throughout-the-entire-church-visit-your-church/) [Charles Spurgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-spurgeon/) > [ He \[an earnest young reporter\] seemed to share the view of many intelligent, well-educated, well-meaning people that, while adult literature may aim to be… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-paterson/he-an-earnest-young-reporter-seemed-to-share-the-view-of-many/) [Katherine Paterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katherine-paterson/) ## 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 Aim quotes > [If you aim at nothing, you will hit it every time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zig-ziglar/if-you-aim-at-nothing-you-will-hit-it-every-time/) [Zig Ziglar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zig-ziglar/) > [A good aim surveys the present state of experience of pupils, and forming a tentative plan of treatment, keeps the plan constantly in view…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dewey/a-good-aim-surveys-the-present-state-of-experience-of-pupils-and/) [John Dewey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dewey/) > [The Christian man must aim at that complete obedience to God in which life finds its highest happiness, its greatest good, its perfect consummation,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-barclay/the-christian-man-must-aim-at-that-complete-obedience-to-god-in-which/) [William Barclay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-barclay/) > [ He \[an earnest young reporter\] seemed to share the view of many intelligent, well-educated, well-meaning people that, while adult literature may aim to be… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-paterson/he-an-earnest-young-reporter-seemed-to-share-the-view-of-many/) [Katherine Paterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katherine-paterson/) > [In Bosnia, little children shot in the head by a guy who thinks it's okay to aim his gun at a child.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christiane-amanpour/in-bosnia-little-children-shot-in-the-head-by-a-guy-who-thinks-it-s/) [Christiane Amanpour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christiane-amanpour/) > [Design certainly has a cosmetic, aesthetic aim. It always aims at making things beautiful. But relevance is just as important. I often say, 'If…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yves-behar/design-certainly-has-a-cosmetic-aesthetic-aim-it-always-aims-at/) [Yves Behar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yves-behar/) > [My aim was to make money for the bank. You lose track of the amounts involved when you are engaged in this kind of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerome-kerviel/my-aim-was-to-make-money-for-the-bank-you-lose-track-of-the-amounts/) [Jerome Kerviel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerome-kerviel/) > [My only aim is to clock a time that everyone remembers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hima-das/my-only-aim-is-to-clock-a-time-that-everyone-remembers/) [Hima Das](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hima-das/) > [My main aim has always been to do good quality films with roles that have some substance. With Power and Beauty there were loads…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natasha-henstridge/my-main-aim-has-always-been-to-do-good-quality-films-with-roles-that/) [Natasha Henstridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natasha-henstridge/) > [ I really enjoyed it - being involved in watching rushes and playback \[in "The Invisible Woman"\]. Ralph \[Fiennes\] was very open to my input,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/felicity-jones/i-really-enjoyed-it-being-involved-in-watching-rushes-and-playback-in/) [Felicity Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/felicity-jones/) > [My aim is to be counted among the top players.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/babar-azam/my-aim-is-to-be-counted-among-the-top-players/) [Babar Azam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/babar-azam/) > [The single aim of my life is that every child is: free to be a child, free to grow and develop, free to eat,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kailash-satyarthi/the-single-aim-of-my-life-is-that-every-child-is-free-to-be-a-child/) [Kailash Satyarthi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kailash-satyarthi/) > [The aim of good prose words is to mean what they say. The aim of good poetical words is to mean what they do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gilbert-k-chesterton/the-aim-of-good-prose-words-is-to-mean-what-they-say-the-aim-of-good/) [Gilbert K. Chesterton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gilbert-k-chesterton/) > [Prescribing hard work for the soft, or easy work for the hardy, is generally nonsense. What is always needed in any aim is right…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/idries-shah/prescribing-hard-work-for-the-soft-or-easy-work-for-the-hardy-is/) [Idries Shah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/idries-shah/) > [To be normal is the ultimate aim of the unsuccessful.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-jung/to-be-normal-is-the-ultimate-aim-of-the-unsuccessful/) [Carl Jung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-jung/) [Browse all 3,047 Aim quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/aim/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Laurence Olivier said in an interview once that when he plays a tragedy he always aims for the funny parts, and the other way around. Because in a comedy you look for what's serious. I think that's true. Sometimes things are really funny if you're absolutely earnest. If you're really serious, it's hilarious.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Christopher Walken" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-walken/laurence-olivier-said-in-an-interview-once-that-when-he-plays-a/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Aim" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-walken/laurence-olivier-said-in-an-interview-once-that-when-he-plays-a/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f7e/christopher-walken-1773_aim_laurence-olivier-said-in-an-interview-on_3176464.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f7e/christopher-walken-1773_aim_laurence-olivier-said-in-an-interview-on_3176464.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f7e/christopher-walken-1773_aim_laurence-olivier-said-in-an-interview-on_3176464.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Laurence Olivier said in an interview once that when he plays a tragedy he always aims for the funny parts…” — 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": "Laurence Olivier said in an interview...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-walken/laurence-olivier-said-in-an-interview-once-that-when-he-plays-a/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-walken/laurence-olivier-said-in-an-interview-once-that-when-he-plays-a/#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 } } ] } ```