--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Well, I've always been a character actor…" description: "\"Well, I've always been a character actor, you know, and you always get your share of character actors who are bad guys.\" — Colm Meaney" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/25a/colm-meaney-21354_actor_well-i-ve-always-been-a-character-actor_1834432.png" --- # Well, I've always been a character actor, you know, and… ![“Well, I've always been a character actor, you know, and you always get your share of character actors who are bad guys.” quote by Colm Meaney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/25a/colm-meaney-21354_actor_well-i-ve-always-been-a-character-actor_1834432.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/25a/colm-meaney-21354_actor_well-i-ve-always-been-a-character-actor_1834432.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/25a/colm-meaney-21354_actor_well-i-ve-always-been-a-character-actor_1834432.png) > “Well, I've always been a character actor, you know, and you always get your share of character actors who are bad guys.” [Colm Meaney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colm-meaney/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A character actor often plays villains, reflecting typecasting in acting. **In simple terms:** Actors get cast as villains. Key Takeaway Embrace diverse roles. Themes acting typecasting character villains Mood reflective determined Type advice career When to use this quote - auditions - casting decisions - career planning Key Concepts typecasting stereotype career Questions to Reflect On - How do you break out of typecasting? - Can playing villains improve skills? A Different Perspective typecasting can limit an actor's range. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Actor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actor/) [Actors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actors/) [Bad guy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bad-guy/) [Bad guys](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bad-guys/) [Character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character/) [Character actor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character-actor/) [Character actors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character-actors/) [Theatre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/theatre/) ## Related quotes > [Well, Ive always been a character actor, you know, and you always get your share of character actors who are bad guys.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colm-meaney/well-ive-always-been-a-character-actor-you-know-and-you-always-get/) [Colm Meaney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colm-meaney/) > [Well, I've always been a character actor, you know, and you always get your share of character actors who are bad guys. So it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colm-meaney/well-i-ve-always-been-a-character-actor-you-know-and-you-always-get/) [Colm Meaney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colm-meaney/) > [The first role I ever played I had the lead and it's pretty much stayed that way, though people take great relish in calling…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-nicholson/the-first-role-i-ever-played-i-had-the-lead-and-it-s-pretty-much/) [Jack Nicholson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-nicholson/) > [I like Edward G. Robinson - he started as a character actor and became a lead, which is probably why I like him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-sanderson/i-like-edward-g-robinson-he-started-as-a-character-actor-and-became-a/) [William Sanderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-sanderson/) > [I'm a character actor and that's what I do. All the roles that I've had have been mainly support roles, because character actors don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-l-jackson/i-m-a-character-actor-and-that-s-what-i-do-all-the-roles-that-i-ve/) [Samuel L. Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-l-jackson/) > [Yeah, I am a character actor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-gaffigan/yeah-i-am-a-character-actor/) [Jim Gaffigan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-gaffigan/) > [I was always a character actress and never a sex symbol. Even when I was the leading lady, I was a character actor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shirley-maclaine/i-was-always-a-character-actress-and-never-a-sex-symbol-even-when-i/) [Shirley MacLaine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shirley-maclaine/) > [I really am a character actor, in my heart of hearts, because I really do like developing characters and painting a past for them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dylan-mcdermott/i-really-am-a-character-actor-in-my-heart-of-hearts-because-i-really/) [Dylan McDermott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dylan-mcdermott/) > [I really love being a character actor. I have to say I wish it were a little easier. There are still a lot of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/missi-pyle/i-really-love-being-a-character-actor-i-have-to-say-i-wish-it-were-a/) [Missi Pyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/missi-pyle/) > [As a character actor, I've learned that you have to watch yourself because nobody else is watching. Nobody is concerned with you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-cromwell/as-a-character-actor-i-ve-learned-that-you-have-to-watch-yourself/) [James Cromwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-cromwell/) > [Well, I'm a character actor, and actually throughout my life I've... I have relatively speaking played few heroic leads, but I've done it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rene-auberjonois/well-i-m-a-character-actor-and-actually-throughout-my-life-i-ve-i/) [Rene Auberjonois](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rene-auberjonois/) > [My sense of myself is that I'm a character actor, and character actors are ready, willing, and able to do anything, to be totally…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lithgow/my-sense-of-myself-is-that-i-m-a-character-actor-and-character-actors/) [John Lithgow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lithgow/) > [I haven't aged into a character actor. I'm an old leading man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stewart-granger/i-haven-t-aged-into-a-character-actor-i-m-an-old-leading-man/) Stewart Granger > [The people I've respected most in the industry over the years - Paul Newman, for instance. I just loved the way he handled growing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-clooney/the-people-i-ve-respected-most-in-the-industry-over-the-years-paul/) [George Clooney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-clooney/) > [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/) ## More by Colm Meaney > [Well, Ive always been a character actor, you know, and you always get your share of character actors who are bad guys.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colm-meaney/well-ive-always-been-a-character-actor-you-know-and-you-always-get/) [Colm Meaney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colm-meaney/) > [You never know when the publicity people will feel it is a good time to release the film.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colm-meaney/you-never-know-when-the-publicity-people-will-feel-it-is-a-good-time/) [Colm Meaney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colm-meaney/) > [If you're playing a historical character that's in the public consciousness, then obviously you've got to make an effort to look like that person…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colm-meaney/if-you-re-playing-a-historical-character-that-s-in-the-public/) [Colm Meaney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colm-meaney/) > [I usually read a script from an audience perspective first, and then look more closely at the character only.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colm-meaney/i-usually-read-a-script-from-an-audience-perspective-first-and-then/) [Colm Meaney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colm-meaney/) > [I suppose I look for humor in most situations because it humanizes things; it makes a character much more three-dimensional if there's some kind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colm-meaney/i-suppose-i-look-for-humor-in-most-situations-because-it-humanizes/) [Colm Meaney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colm-meaney/) > [I do probably 80 or 90 per cent of the cooking at home.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colm-meaney/i-do-probably-80-or-90-per-cent-of-the-cooking-at-home/) [Colm Meaney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colm-meaney/) > [A good comedy's very hard to make, so good comic writing I really enjoy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colm-meaney/a-good-comedy-s-very-hard-to-make-so-good-comic-writing-i-really-enjoy/) [Colm Meaney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colm-meaney/) > [There are so many burning issues to be dealt with that it's completely understandable and natural that a character is struggling with these issues…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colm-meaney/there-are-so-many-burning-issues-to-be-dealt-with-that-it-s/) [Colm Meaney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colm-meaney/) > [Colin Morgan gives a stunning performance in Parked; he plays Merlin in the BBC TV show and he says the two characters are like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colm-meaney/colin-morgan-gives-a-stunning-performance-in-parked-he-plays-merlin/) [Colm Meaney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colm-meaney/) > [Even in the depths of dreadful situations, there's usually something rather comic, or something you can laugh about afterwards, at least. So, I do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colm-meaney/even-in-the-depths-of-dreadful-situations-there-s-usually-something/) [Colm Meaney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colm-meaney/) > [I do go back to Ireland, and I'll probably be doing a film in Ireland in January, and I guess that kind of keeps…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colm-meaney/i-do-go-back-to-ireland-and-i-ll-probably-be-doing-a-film-in-ireland/) [Colm Meaney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colm-meaney/) > [The digital revolution has changed the way we do things because you're not under that pressure that film is precious and film is expensive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colm-meaney/the-digital-revolution-has-changed-the-way-we-do-things-because-you/) [Colm Meaney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colm-meaney/) > [As an actor, I like to get a bit of momentum going with a character and kind of work a bit quicker. I mean,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colm-meaney/as-an-actor-i-like-to-get-a-bit-of-momentum-going-with-a-character/) [Colm Meaney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colm-meaney/) > [Well, I've always been a character actor, you know, and you always get your share of character actors who are bad guys. So it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colm-meaney/well-i-ve-always-been-a-character-actor-you-know-and-you-always-get/) [Colm Meaney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colm-meaney/) > [In the past I've worked with directors who saw very much their scene in their head and knew exactly how they were going to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colm-meaney/in-the-past-i-ve-worked-with-directors-who-saw-very-much-their-scene/) [Colm Meaney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colm-meaney/) [Explore all 29 Colm Meaney quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colm-meaney/) ## More Actor quotes > [I actually think acting is a form of self-hypnosis. 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