--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It's obvious that if you're going to play…" description: "\"It's obvious that if you're going to play a character you need to amass information about that person and about their environment or their era that the..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ca7/cillian-murphy-4370_character_it-s-obvious-that-if-you-re-going-to-pla_1015412.jpg" --- # It's obvious that if you're going to play a character you… ![“It's obvious that if you're going to play a character you need to amass information about that person and about their environment or their era that they're in and use as little or as much as necessary” quote by Cillian Murphy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ca7/cillian-murphy-4370_character_it-s-obvious-that-if-you-re-going-to-pla_1015412.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ca7/cillian-murphy-4370_character_it-s-obvious-that-if-you-re-going-to-pla_1015412.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ca7/cillian-murphy-4370_character_it-s-obvious-that-if-you-re-going-to-pla_1015412.jpg) > “It's obvious that if you're going to play a character you need to amass information about that person and about their environment or their era that they're in and use as little or as much as necessary” [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. The quote stresses thorough research for authentic character portrayal, balancing necessary detail with artistic focus. **In simple terms:** Research is essential for believable roles. Key Takeaway Gather key facts, avoid overload. Themes acting research authenticity Mood analytical practical Type instructional reflective When to use this quote - theatre - film - role preparation Key Concepts method acting historical context Questions to Reflect On - How much research is enough? - What details truly shape a character? A Different Perspective Too much detail can stifle creativity. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character/) [Environment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/environment/) [Play](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/play/) ## Related quotes > [When you're interviewing someone, even your mother - you have to sort of deal with you have to get some objective space from yourself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-mcbride/when-you-re-interviewing-someone-even-your-mother-you-have-to-sort-of/) [James McBride](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-mcbride/) > [“Why do we accept this one-size-fits-all situation as a given when we know perfectly well that adults don’t organize themselves this way? We often…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-cain/why-do-we-accept-this-one-size-fits-all-situation-as-a-given-when-we/) [Susan Cain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-cain/) > [Do as little as necessary to appear to be doing something without actually committing to a cause or course of action.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garry-kasparov/do-as-little-as-necessary-to-appear-to-be-doing-something-without/) [Garry Kasparov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garry-kasparov/) > [Whenever I think I'm going to get certain information out of a person, it's never as effective or comfortable as just having an open…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angie-martinez/whenever-i-think-i-m-going-to-get-certain-information-out-of-a-person/) [Angie Martinez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angie-martinez/) > [Always bear this in mind, that very little indeed is necessary for living a happy life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-aurelius/always-bear-this-in-mind-that-very-little-indeed-is-necessary-for/) [Marcus Aurelius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-aurelius/) > [All you can do for another person is be an environment in which if they wanted to come up for air, they could.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ram-dass/all-you-can-do-for-another-person-is-be-an-environment-in-which-if/) [Ram Dass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ram-dass/) > [It probably says something really clinically terrible about my character that I need to get up on a stage and go 'Ra ra ra'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dylan-moran/it-probably-says-something-really-clinically-terrible-about-my/) [Dylan Moran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dylan-moran/) > [If anything, in the podcast world, I'm relieved that I don't have to dress like the character. I don't necessarily have to do all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-daly/if-anything-in-the-podcast-world-i-m-relieved-that-i-don-t-have-to/) [Andy Daly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-daly/) > [If I have to change for a character, I need really logical reasons to look a certain way. Otherwise, I have finally cracked the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/parvathy/if-i-have-to-change-for-a-character-i-need-really-logical-reasons-to/) [Parvathy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/parvathy/) > [“Have you decided upon my character, or do you need more time?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michele-sinclair/have-you-decided-upon-my-character-or-do-you-need-more-time/) [Michele Sinclair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michele-sinclair/) > [It's important to know the kind of character that you need to be building up to, throughout the series.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/holliday-grainger/it-s-important-to-know-the-kind-of-character-that-you-need-to-be/) [Holliday Grainger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/holliday-grainger/) > [You need to be able to build a character, you need to have time, you need to have a microphone and be able to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maryse-mizanin/you-need-to-be-able-to-build-a-character-you-need-to-have-time-you/) [Maryse Mizanin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maryse-mizanin/) > [We are a people in more need of a little character than we are in need of an abundance of knowledge.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abdullah-ibn-mubarak/we-are-a-people-in-more-need-of-a-little-character-than-we-are-in/) [Abdullah ibn Mubarak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abdullah-ibn-mubarak/) > [Every so often you read a play and a character just speaks to you - almost seems to speak through you, in fact.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-rickman/every-so-often-you-read-a-play-and-a-character-just-speaks-to-you/) [Alan Rickman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-rickman/) > [I agree to play a character if I feel that as an audience member, it will entertain me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/babu-antony/i-agree-to-play-a-character-if-i-feel-that-as-an-audience-member-it/) [Babu Antony](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/babu-antony/) ## 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 Character quotes > [This may sound strange, but although I feel like I know everything about my characters, the brand of shampoo they use, how many cavities…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gail-honeyman/this-may-sound-strange-but-although-i-feel-like-i-know-everything/) [Gail Honeyman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gail-honeyman/) > [I always like a character who makes me laugh.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachael-stirling/i-always-like-a-character-who-makes-me-laugh/) [Rachael Stirling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachael-stirling/) > [Social responsibility above the level of family, or at most of tribe, requires imagination-- devotion, loyalty, all the higher virtues -- which a man…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-heinlein/social-responsibility-above-the-level-of-family-or-at-most-of-tribe/) [Robert A. Heinlein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-heinlein/) > [Reader, if you are gifted with nerves like mine, aspire to any character but that of a wit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-lamb/reader-if-you-are-gifted-with-nerves-like-mine-aspire-to-any/) [Charles Lamb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-lamb/) > [I'm often moved by the circumstances around some of my characters, but I don't think I've actually cried watching myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-winslet/i-m-often-moved-by-the-circumstances-around-some-of-my-characters-but/) [Kate Winslet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-winslet/) > [When you're on a daytime drama you get one page, you better damn well know your character. You better know what she would do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hudgins/when-you-re-on-a-daytime-drama-you-get-one-page-you-better-damn-well/) David Hudgins > [It can sometimes make people fold into themselves and kind of run away, but I think in this case these characters are being forced…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-deschanel/it-can-sometimes-make-people-fold-into-themselves-and-kind-of-run/) [Emily Deschanel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-deschanel/) > [If you are well-mannered towards those whose views are similar to yours, you may be said to exhibit a fairly good character. But, if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-you-are-well-mannered-towards-those-whose-views-are-similar-to/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Democracy is based on the conviction that man has the moral and intellectual capacity, as well as the inalienable right, to govern himself with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-s-truman/democracy-is-based-on-the-conviction-that-man-has-the-moral-and/) [Harry S. Truman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-s-truman/) > [In the fight between biology and morality, biology has commonly won in the end.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/semir-zeki/in-the-fight-between-biology-and-morality-biology-has-commonly-won-in/) [Semir Zeki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/semir-zeki/) > [Your looks don't make you pretty, it's the person inside who makes you pretty!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-chan/your-looks-don-t-make-you-pretty-it-s-the-person-inside-who-makes-you/) [Aaron Chan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-chan/) > [I'm not a huge social media kind of guy, so I don't really know, I don't really ever get... at least in real life,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/freddie-stroma/i-m-not-a-huge-social-media-kind-of-guy-so-i-don-t-really-know-i-don/) [Freddie Stroma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/freddie-stroma/) > [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/) > [Courage: the most important of all the virtues because without courage, you can't practice any other virtue consistently](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-angelou/courage-the-most-important-of-all-the-virtues-because-without-courage/) [Maya Angelou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-angelou/) > [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/) [Browse all 32,707 Character quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "It's obvious that if you're going to play a character you need to amass information about that person and about their environment or their era that they're in and use as little or as much as necessary", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Cillian Murphy" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cillian-murphy/it-s-obvious-that-if-you-re-going-to-play-a-character-you-need-to/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Character" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cillian-murphy/it-s-obvious-that-if-you-re-going-to-play-a-character-you-need-to/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ca7/cillian-murphy-4370_character_it-s-obvious-that-if-you-re-going-to-pla_1015412.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ca7/cillian-murphy-4370_character_it-s-obvious-that-if-you-re-going-to-pla_1015412.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ca7/cillian-murphy-4370_character_it-s-obvious-that-if-you-re-going-to-pla_1015412.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“It's obvious that if you're going to play a character you need to amass information about that person and…” — Cillian Murphy", "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": "Cillian Murphy", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cillian-murphy/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "It's obvious that if you're going...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cillian-murphy/it-s-obvious-that-if-you-re-going-to-play-a-character-you-need-to/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cillian-murphy/it-s-obvious-that-if-you-re-going-to-play-a-character-you-need-to/#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 } } ] } ```