--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When I was in college, the first thing we…" description: "\"When I was in college, the first thing we did in acting class was to observe an animal at the zoo and become that animal. So I picked a wallaby.\" — Cla..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/793/claire-coffee-39301_acting_when-i-was-in-college-the-first-thing-we_1001003.jpg" --- # When I was in college, the first thing we did in acting… ![“When I was in college, the first thing we did in acting class was to observe an animal at the zoo and become that animal. So I picked a wallaby.” quote by Claire Coffee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/793/claire-coffee-39301_acting_when-i-was-in-college-the-first-thing-we_1001003.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/793/claire-coffee-39301_acting_when-i-was-in-college-the-first-thing-we_1001003.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/793/claire-coffee-39301_acting_when-i-was-in-college-the-first-thing-we_1001003.jpg) > “When I was in college, the first thing we did in acting class was to observe an animal at the zoo and become that animal. So I picked a wallaby.” [Claire Coffee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claire-coffee/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Actors adopt animal traits to deepen performance, e.g., becoming a wallaby. **In simple terms:** Actors use animal observation to enhance roles. Key Takeaway Use animal study for creative depth. Themes theatre creativity method acting Mood experimental inspired Type educational creative When to use this quote - acting classes - improvisation - character development Key Concepts embodiment performance studies Questions to Reflect On - How does animal observation aid character work? - What are the limits of this method? A Different Perspective Mimicking animals may limit human nuance. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Acting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/acting/) [Acting class](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/acting-class/) [Actor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actor/) [Animal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/animal/) [Animals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/animals/) [Class](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/class/) [College](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/college/) ## Related quotes > [A wallaby pooed on me, so that wasn't very nice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-murray/a-wallaby-pooed-on-me-so-that-wasn-t-very-nice/) [Andy Murray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-murray/) > [I'm pretending to be a vegetarian. Were I not, I believe I probably still wouldn't eat a wallaby.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-moffett/i-m-pretending-to-be-a-vegetarian-were-i-not-i-believe-i-probably/) [Kevin Moffett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-moffett/) > [I'm a Taurus, which sounds like the name of a pickup truck. I'd prefer to be born under the sign of the rock wallaby.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elliot-perlman/i-m-a-taurus-which-sounds-like-the-name-of-a-pickup-truck-i-d-prefer/) [Elliot Perlman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elliot-perlman/) > [It does seem like, in the world today, we've moved further and further away from wildlife. There's that sense of whatever you're scared of,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terri-irwin/it-does-seem-like-in-the-world-today-we-ve-moved-further-and-further/) [Terri Irwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terri-irwin/) > [“For several thousand years man has been in contact with animals whose character and habits have been deformed by domestication. He has ended by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hans-brick/for-several-thousand-years-man-has-been-in-contact-with-animals-whose/) Hans Brick > [Ageing is very rare. We only see it in humans and laboratory animals and in zoo animals and in our pets. Basically, organisms that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-jay-olshansky/ageing-is-very-rare-we-only-see-it-in-humans-and-laboratory-animals/) [S. Jay Olshansky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/s-jay-olshansky/) > [Zoo is an institution for animals to learn about human behavior.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tasneem-hameed/zoo-is-an-institution-for-animals-to-learn-about-human-behavior/) [Tasneem Hameed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tasneem-hameed/) > [I'm pretty restless in bed, so I can lie there for a couple of hours and be like, 'Hey, that happened today. What if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anders-holm/i-m-pretty-restless-in-bed-so-i-can-lie-there-for-a-couple-of-hours/) [Anders Holm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anders-holm/) > [“Some people love their animals more than their kids!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-magee/some-people-love-their-animals-more-than-their-kids/) [Steven Magee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-magee/) > [For actors in Hollywood, it's very straightforward. We're well-paid animals in a zoo.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-wright/for-actors-in-hollywood-it-s-very-straightforward-we-re-well-paid/) [Robin Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-wright/) > [My real personality comes out in the country. More spontaneous, more excited. 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Will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jomon-johny/are-humans-ever-going-to-get-smart-enough-to-realize-how-cruel-it-is/) Jomon Johny > [Are you scumming me? This is flipping bumbus. Koo koo kachu. I'll eat your body and throw you in a flipping zoo. ~Poems by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grant-campbell/are-you-scumming-me-this-is-flipping-bumbus-koo-koo-kachu-i-ll-eat/) Grant Campbell ## More by Claire Coffee > [My husband is a musician, and 'Paste' is one of his favorite places to be interviewed by.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claire-coffee/my-husband-is-a-musician-and-paste-is-one-of-his-favorite-places-to/) [Claire Coffee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claire-coffee/) > [I hated being scared when I was little. Aliens really scared me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claire-coffee/i-hated-being-scared-when-i-was-little-aliens-really-scared-me/) [Claire Coffee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claire-coffee/) > [In real life I do a lot of reconnaissance and then kind of choose the guy I'm going to go after. Not like stalking,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claire-coffee/in-real-life-i-do-a-lot-of-reconnaissance-and-then-kind-of-choose-the/) [Claire Coffee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claire-coffee/) > [I think, reading the Grimm's fairy tales, they all have some sort of moral component to them, teaching you a lesson.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claire-coffee/i-think-reading-the-grimm-s-fairy-tales-they-all-have-some-sort-of/) [Claire Coffee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claire-coffee/) > [Alien abduction movies are always the scariest; no matter how cheesy they are, they still scare me for a week. I live by myself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claire-coffee/alien-abduction-movies-are-always-the-scariest-no-matter-how-cheesy/) [Claire Coffee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claire-coffee/) > [Real-life things, like spiders and snakes, that doesn't scare me, but if it's a monster or a ghost or an alien, that will always…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claire-coffee/real-life-things-like-spiders-and-snakes-that-doesn-t-scare-me-but-if/) [Claire Coffee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claire-coffee/) > [When I was in fifth grade, a boy put a rose on my desk and I threw it away. The attention makes me nervous.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claire-coffee/when-i-was-in-fifth-grade-a-boy-put-a-rose-on-my-desk-and-i-threw-it/) [Claire Coffee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claire-coffee/) > [I actually went to study journalism at Northwestern, thinking that would be my Plan B for a career. But then I realized, if I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claire-coffee/i-actually-went-to-study-journalism-at-northwestern-thinking-that/) [Claire Coffee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claire-coffee/) > [I was five when I did my first show with the Mountain Play Theatre company in Marin County. I started young, and since no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claire-coffee/i-was-five-when-i-did-my-first-show-with-the-mountain-play-theatre/) [Claire Coffee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claire-coffee/) > ['The West Wing' was really important for me for a lot of reasons. It was the first thing I did when I got out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claire-coffee/the-west-wing-was-really-important-for-me-for-a-lot-of-reasons-it-was/) [Claire Coffee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claire-coffee/) [Explore all 11 Claire Coffee quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claire-coffee/) ## 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! 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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": "When I was in college, the first thing we did in acting class was to observe an animal at the zoo and become that animal. 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