--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I think if you play characters, it's very…" description: "\"I think if you play characters, it's very important not to ever tag them with any sort of disorder, or diagnose them, or whatever. You have to normaliz..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4c2/cillian-murphy-4370_behavior_i-think-if-you-play-characters-it-s-very_2719915.jpg" --- # I think if you play characters, it's very important not to… ![“I think if you play characters, it's very important not to ever tag them with any sort of disorder, or diagnose them, or whatever. You have to normalize the behavior to get inside the character.” quote by Cillian Murphy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4c2/cillian-murphy-4370_behavior_i-think-if-you-play-characters-it-s-very_2719915.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4c2/cillian-murphy-4370_behavior_i-think-if-you-play-characters-it-s-very_2719915.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4c2/cillian-murphy-4370_behavior_i-think-if-you-play-characters-it-s-very_2719915.jpg) > “I think if you play characters, it's very important not to ever tag them with any sort of disorder, or diagnose them, or whatever. You have to normalize the behavior to get inside the character.” [Cillian Murphy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cillian-murphy/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He advises actors to avoid labeling characters with disorders, encouraging them to see behavior as normal to deepen authenticity. **In simple terms:** Avoid diagnosing characters; see them as normal. Key Takeaway Treat characters without mental health labels. Themes acting empathy psychology Mood thoughtful professional Type acting ethical When to use this quote - theatre rehearsals - film casting - character workshops Key Concepts character development stigma authenticity Questions to Reflect On - How can you balance authenticity with realistic representation? - When is it appropriate to reference a disorder? A Different Perspective May miss nuanced portrayals of mental illness. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Behavior](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/behavior/) [Character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character/) [Characters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/characters/) [Habits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/habits/) [Play](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/play/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) ## Related quotes > [Gettting to know your characters is so much more important than plotting. Working out every detail of your story in advance, especially when you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-gordon-smith/gettting-to-know-your-characters-is-so-much-more-important-than/) [Alexander Gordon Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-gordon-smith/) > [Characters are so important to a story that they actually decide where the story is going. When I write, I know my characters. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-l-konigsburg/characters-are-so-important-to-a-story-that-they-actually-decide/) [E. L. Konigsburg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-l-konigsburg/) > [I think flawed characters are important, because no one is perfect.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-todd/i-think-flawed-characters-are-important-because-no-one-is-perfect/) [Anna Todd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-todd/) > [In independent film you tend to have stories that involve more of a community, and the smaller characters are important to the story.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-morse/in-independent-film-you-tend-to-have-stories-that-involve-more-of-a/) [David Morse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-morse/) > [“The cover, title, the name of the author, how the work starts, the name of characters all this is important information which should be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deyth-banger/the-cover-title-the-name-of-the-author-how-the-work-starts-the-name/) Deyth Banger > [I want as much as I can to try and explore different roles and different characters; that's important to me to get involved in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-mackay/i-want-as-much-as-i-can-to-try-and-explore-different-roles-and/) [George MacKay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-mackay/) > [My personal life, my normal life, is so important to me. To be able to go back to my personal life and leave characters…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelly-reilly/my-personal-life-my-normal-life-is-so-important-to-me-to-be-able-to/) [Kelly Reilly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelly-reilly/) > [I always thought of 'Lost' as a psychotic opera. Because there were so many characters, it was important for me to track them with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-giacchino/i-always-thought-of-lost-as-a-psychotic-opera-because-there-were-so/) [Michael Giacchino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-giacchino/) > [ What I love about the filmmakers that I mentioned \[Danny Boyle,Leo Carax\], is that it's visual but it's also, you see that the characters… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fredrik-bond/what-i-love-about-the-filmmakers-that-i-mentioned-danny-boyle-leo/) [Fredrik Bond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fredrik-bond/) > [A character does seem to have a life of its own, but I have what I'd describe as a very fluid relationship with them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phoebe-gloeckner/a-character-does-seem-to-have-a-life-of-its-own-but-i-have-what-i-d/) [Phoebe Gloeckner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phoebe-gloeckner/) > [Journalism can go right up to the door of the room in which the decisions are made. A novel can go inside the room…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-frum/journalism-can-go-right-up-to-the-door-of-the-room-in-which-the/) [David Frum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-frum/) > [It's fashionable for modern actors to talk about getting 'inside' a character. But you can't get to the inside without getting the outside right…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlton-heston/it-s-fashionable-for-modern-actors-to-talk-about-getting-inside-a/) [Charlton Heston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlton-heston/) > [I stay true, because whatever the project is, I'm still looking for inside of that character.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/forest-whitaker/i-stay-true-because-whatever-the-project-is-i-m-still-looking-for/) [Forest Whitaker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/forest-whitaker/) > [When you're the guy inside of a character and you've lived with it for almost two years, you're always a bit defensive about the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-amboyer/when-you-re-the-guy-inside-of-a-character-and-you-ve-lived-with-it/) [Dan Amboyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-amboyer/) > [I was always amazed the way people would come in looking one way and transform completely to the point where I couldn't recognize their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alicia-keys/i-was-always-amazed-the-way-people-would-come-in-looking-one-way-and/) [Alicia Keys](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alicia-keys/) ## More by Cillian Murphy > [For me, it's about being at home and living a life. Taking the dog for a walk, doing the shopping, emptying the dishwasher, going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cillian-murphy/for-me-it-s-about-being-at-home-and-living-a-life-taking-the-dog-for/) [Cillian Murphy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cillian-murphy/) > [But television affords you, what you just described, to - over the course of 18 hours, now that we're doing a third season -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cillian-murphy/but-television-affords-you-what-you-just-described-to-over-the-course/) [Cillian Murphy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cillian-murphy/) > [I try not to think retrospectively. It's important, as an artist, to look forward, always. I do try to take work that involves some…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cillian-murphy/i-try-not-to-think-retrospectively-it-s-important-as-an-artist-to/) [Cillian Murphy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cillian-murphy/) > [I think there's such a thing, as a performance gene. If it's in your DNA it needs to come out. For me it originally…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cillian-murphy/i-think-there-s-such-a-thing-as-a-performance-gene-if-it-s-in-your/) [Cillian Murphy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cillian-murphy/) > [It seemed to work on camera. And there's very few films - because you make a lot of films and you meet people and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cillian-murphy/it-seemed-to-work-on-camera-and-there-s-very-few-films-because-you/) [Cillian Murphy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cillian-murphy/) > [I've said this before: myself and Tommy Shelby, he's the most unlike-me character I have ever played.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cillian-murphy/i-ve-said-this-before-myself-and-tommy-shelby-he-s-the-most-unlike-me/) [Cillian Murphy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cillian-murphy/) > [I like the little bit of distance that London affords me and I like living in a world capital. I like having the culture…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cillian-murphy/i-like-the-little-bit-of-distance-that-london-affords-me-and-i-like/) [Cillian Murphy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cillian-murphy/) > [ \[We were very lucky that Sean \[ Ellis \] researched the film \[Anthropoid \] for many years.\] We sort of piggybacked on his knowledge,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cillian-murphy/we-were-very-lucky-that-sean-ellis-researched-the-film-anthropoid-for/) [Cillian Murphy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cillian-murphy/) > [From a very young age I had an ambition to be a musician, and to do that professionally. That's what I pursued until I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cillian-murphy/from-a-very-young-age-i-had-an-ambition-to-be-a-musician-and-to-do/) [Cillian Murphy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cillian-murphy/) > [I've written my own music, and I play guitar.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cillian-murphy/i-ve-written-my-own-music-and-i-play-guitar/) [Cillian Murphy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cillian-murphy/) > [A director, I forget who, told me that it takes 30 years to make an actor. And I believe that. You have to learn…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cillian-murphy/a-director-i-forget-who-told-me-that-it-takes-30-years-to-make-an/) [Cillian Murphy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cillian-murphy/) > [It's embarrassing sometimes, the way actors or musicians sometimes get made untouchable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cillian-murphy/it-s-embarrassing-sometimes-the-way-actors-or-musicians-sometimes-get/) [Cillian Murphy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cillian-murphy/) > [Actors' careers are random with a capital "R."](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cillian-murphy/actors-careers-are-random-with-a-capital-r/) [Cillian Murphy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cillian-murphy/) > [I think you fall out of love with theater while you're doing your eighth show of your eighteenth week and your body is saying,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cillian-murphy/i-think-you-fall-out-of-love-with-theater-while-you-re-doing-your/) [Cillian Murphy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cillian-murphy/) > [I think for me with theater, I need to take a break and then fall in love with it again. And then go do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cillian-murphy/i-think-for-me-with-theater-i-need-to-take-a-break-and-then-fall-in/) [Cillian Murphy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cillian-murphy/) [Explore all 112 Cillian Murphy quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cillian-murphy/) ## More Behavior quotes > [The vision of the left, full of envy and resentment, takes its worst toll on those at the bottom - whether black or white…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-sowell/the-vision-of-the-left-full-of-envy-and-resentment-takes-its-worst/) [Thomas Sowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-sowell/) > [By making conscious choices in our behavior and where we focus our attention, we can transform our experience of our body, decrease our biological…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deepak-chopra/by-making-conscious-choices-in-our-behavior-and-where-we-focus-our/) [Deepak Chopra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deepak-chopra/) > [As you begin changing your thinking, start immediately to change your behaviour. Begin to act the part of the person you would like to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/as-you-begin-changing-your-thinking-start-immediately-to-change-your/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“I now know that deep within the human concept is something dark, selfish, and completely willing to do whatever is necessary to support the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melissa-west/i-now-know-that-deep-within-the-human-concept-is-something-dark/) [Melissa West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-west/) > [“We are endowed with genes which code out our reaction to beavers and otters, maybe our reaction to each other as well. We are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-thomas/we-are-endowed-with-genes-which-code-out-our-reaction-to-beavers-and/) [Lewis Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-thomas/) > [The number of poor, and poorly prepared, students who succeed in college and beyond undercuts the simplistic notion that economic or educational disadvantage is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roland-merullo/the-number-of-poor-and-poorly-prepared-students-who-succeed-in/) [Roland Merullo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roland-merullo/) > [To behave creatively in art means behavior with skill; and skill comes from discipline, not derangement. The artist who knows the rules -and proportion…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/burne-hogarth/to-behave-creatively-in-art-means-behavior-with-skill-and-skill-comes/) Burne Hogarth > [You don't put milk in chamomile tea - that's disgusting behavior! That's not right.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-fraser/you-don-t-put-milk-in-chamomile-tea-that-s-disgusting-behavior-that-s/) [Laura Fraser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-fraser/) > [The laws of thermodynamics, as empirically determined, express the approximate and probable behavior of systems of a great number of particles, or, more precisely,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-willard-gibbs/the-laws-of-thermodynamics-as-empirically-determined-express-the/) J. Willard Gibbs > [I started with the belief that every person who came to the laboratory was free to accept or to reject the dictates of authority.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stanley-milgram/i-started-with-the-belief-that-every-person-who-came-to-the/) [Stanley Milgram](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stanley-milgram/) > [The tipping point is that magic moment when an idea, trend, or social behavior crosses a threshold, tips, and spreads like wildfire.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-gladwell/the-tipping-point-is-that-magic-moment-when-an-idea-trend-or-social/) [Malcolm Gladwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-gladwell/) > [I think we've told a lot of lies about human behavior through film.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-arquette/i-think-we-ve-told-a-lot-of-lies-about-human-behavior-through-film/) [Patricia Arquette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-arquette/) > [The strongest rebellion may be expressed in quiet, undramatic behavior.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-spock/the-strongest-rebellion-may-be-expressed-in-quiet-undramatic-behavior/) [Benjamin Spock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-spock/) > [The behavior of any bureaucratic organization can best be understood by assuming that it is controlled by a secret cabal of its enemies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-conquest/the-behavior-of-any-bureaucratic-organization-can-best-be-understood/) [Robert Conquest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-conquest/) > [If you want good behavior, don't pay on a commission basis. Our judges aren't paid so much a case. We keep them pretty well…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-munger/if-you-want-good-behavior-don-t-pay-on-a-commission-basis-our-judges/) [Charlie Munger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-munger/) [Browse all 4,218 Behavior quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/behavior/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I think if you play characters, it's very important not to ever tag them with any sort of disorder, or diagnose them, or whatever. 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