--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It's my privilege to be able to play…" description: "\"It's my privilege to be able to play somebody not myself. I'm an actor who creates characters based in voice, movement, emotional quality, speech.\" — C..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b71/constance-wu-16043_communication_it-s-my-privilege-to-be-able-to-play-som_2105185.jpg" --- # It's my privilege to be able to play somebody not myself… ![“It's my privilege to be able to play somebody not myself. I'm an actor who creates characters based in voice, movement, emotional quality, speech.” quote by Constance Wu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b71/constance-wu-16043_communication_it-s-my-privilege-to-be-able-to-play-som_2105185.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b71/constance-wu-16043_communication_it-s-my-privilege-to-be-able-to-play-som_2105185.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b71/constance-wu-16043_communication_it-s-my-privilege-to-be-able-to-play-som_2105185.jpg) > “It's my privilege to be able to play somebody not myself. I'm an actor who creates characters based in voice, movement, emotional quality, speech.” [Constance Wu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/constance-wu/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Acting allows one to inhabit lives different from one's own, using voice, movement, and emotion to create authentic characters. **In simple terms:** Actors play other people's lives. Key Takeaway Use empathy and technique to bring diverse characters to life. Themes empathy craft identity performance Mood inspirational reflective Type educational philosophical When to use this quote - theatre productions - film roles - voice‑over work - improvisation Key Concepts method acting character study voice work Questions to Reflect On - How does embodying another person change your self‑perception? - What techniques help maintain emotional health while portraying intense roles? A Different Perspective Balancing personal identity with character immersion can be challenging. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Actor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actor/) [Actor Creates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actor-creates-4224514/) [Characters Based](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/characters-based-608199/) [Communication](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/communication/) [Myself](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/myself/) [Play](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/play/) [Play Somebody](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/play-somebody/) [Privilege](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/privilege/) [Quality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/quality/) [Somebody Actor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/somebody-actor-588337/) [Theatre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/theatre/) [Voice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/voice/) ## Related quotes > [I don't cry. Well, you know, I think coming from an acting background that's really helped me because I more than anyone know that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joanna-kerns/i-don-t-cry-well-you-know-i-think-coming-from-an-acting-background/) [Joanna Kerns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joanna-kerns/) > [The actor creates with his own flesh and blood all those things which all the arts try in some way to describe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-strasberg/the-actor-creates-with-his-own-flesh-and-blood-all-those-things-which/) [Lee Strasberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-strasberg/) > [Mostly people are interested in how somebody becomes an actor. And then, if they've had a couple of drinks, they want to know what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-lowe/mostly-people-are-interested-in-how-somebody-becomes-an-actor-and/) [Rob Lowe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-lowe/) > [The pleasure of working with somebody who's an actor is they don't waste time with stuff that doesn't matter.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-hanks/the-pleasure-of-working-with-somebody-who-s-an-actor-is-they-don-t/) [Tom Hanks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-hanks/) > [Just to brand somebody as actor and trivialize is wrong. I am running around in the heat, doing my work constantly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kirron-kher/just-to-brand-somebody-as-actor-and-trivialize-is-wrong-i-am-running/) [Kirron Kher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kirron-kher/) > [For the first ten years of my career, or up to the point I did 'Local Hero,' I was always trying to be somebody…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denis-lawson/for-the-first-ten-years-of-my-career-or-up-to-the-point-i-did-local/) [Denis Lawson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denis-lawson/) > [When I'm a director, I look at myself the actor as a completely different person. It's somebody else up there, an actor playing a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clint-eastwood/when-i-m-a-director-i-look-at-myself-the-actor-as-a-completely/) [Clint Eastwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clint-eastwood/) > [Dogwalker is a book of fiction, with characters based on the types of people who truly exist in the world. I've seen them and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-bradford/dogwalker-is-a-book-of-fiction-with-characters-based-on-the-types-of/) [Arthur Bradford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-bradford/) > [Sometimes minor characters are based on people I know, on friends of mine. But I'm not writing a thinly veiled version of my own…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/sometimes-minor-characters-are-based-on-people-i-know-on-friends-of/) [Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/) > [We are all actors, playing different characters based on our scenarios](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-fountain/we-are-all-actors-playing-different-characters-based-on-our-scenarios/) [Alex Fountain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-fountain/) > [All characters are based on elements of a writer's personal experience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-holdstock/all-characters-are-based-on-elements-of-a-writer-s-personal-experience/) [Robert Holdstock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-holdstock/) > [“Audiences often ask if characters are based on real people. Indeed the impulse of the amateur is to write about who one knows. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/audiences-often-ask-if-characters-are-based-on-real-people-indeed-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [When you're traveling constantly, every day you become inspired, and it shows in my work, sonically, lyrically, visually. Conversations with women with different accents…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/the-weeknd/when-you-re-traveling-constantly-every-day-you-become-inspired-and-it/) [The Weeknd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/the-weeknd/) > [I write characters that are based on elements of people I know and experiences I've really had.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aziz-ansari/i-write-characters-that-are-based-on-elements-of-people-i-know-and/) [Aziz Ansari](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aziz-ansari/) > [Our 'Top Gear' characters are based on our own characters, if exaggerated and cartoonified. We try not to be completely different to who we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-may/our-top-gear-characters-are-based-on-our-own-characters-if/) [James May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-may/) ## More by Constance Wu > [I am definitely trying not to take films that are mostly about dude problems, not because I don't think they're worthy problems, but there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/constance-wu/i-am-definitely-trying-not-to-take-films-that-are-mostly-about-dude/) [Constance Wu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/constance-wu/) > [I'm constantly paranoid that I'll be unemployed for the rest of my life... and have to go back folding shirts at the Gap, which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/constance-wu/i-m-constantly-paranoid-that-i-ll-be-unemployed-for-the-rest-of-my/) [Constance Wu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/constance-wu/) > [The one dream I have is to do a musical. I love singing, but most people don't know because I don't sell myself as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/constance-wu/the-one-dream-i-have-is-to-do-a-musical-i-love-singing-but-most/) [Constance Wu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/constance-wu/) > [If the expression of and advocating for your values makes you lose a job or a person, then that person/job sorta just... wasn't your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/constance-wu/if-the-expression-of-and-advocating-for-your-values-makes-you-lose-a/) [Constance Wu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/constance-wu/) > [Being an actor, in and of itself, is just hard. You have to just do it for its own sake.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/constance-wu/being-an-actor-in-and-of-itself-is-just-hard-you-have-to-just-do-it/) [Constance Wu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/constance-wu/) > [If somebody judges me, then they're not my people, and that's all right.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/constance-wu/if-somebody-judges-me-then-they-re-not-my-people-and-that-s-all-right/) [Constance Wu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/constance-wu/) > [At one point, I quit acting for a little bit to study psycholinguistics - somewhat a more practical career. It just didn't feel right.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/constance-wu/at-one-point-i-quit-acting-for-a-little-bit-to-study/) [Constance Wu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/constance-wu/) > [Public service is about serving all the people, including the ones who are not like you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/constance-wu/public-service-is-about-serving-all-the-people-including-the-ones-who/) [Constance Wu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/constance-wu/) > [People's passion and desire for authenticity is strong.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/constance-wu/people-s-passion-and-desire-for-authenticity-is-strong/) [Constance Wu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/constance-wu/) > [I feel like I could carry a movie or a show, and I'll mess up here and there, and I'll learn from those things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/constance-wu/i-feel-like-i-could-carry-a-movie-or-a-show-and-i-ll-mess-up-here-and/) [Constance Wu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/constance-wu/) > [If the writing is good, then the writing is already funny. All you have to do is make this funny writing true to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/constance-wu/if-the-writing-is-good-then-the-writing-is-already-funny-all-you-have/) [Constance Wu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/constance-wu/) > [Authentic programming that shows the outside world garners authentic interest.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/constance-wu/authentic-programming-that-shows-the-outside-world-garners-authentic/) [Constance Wu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/constance-wu/) > [I passionately support Hillary Clinton for president because she has devoted her life to public service and has been willing to learn and change…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/constance-wu/i-passionately-support-hillary-clinton-for-president-because-she-has/) [Constance Wu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/constance-wu/) > [I don't have the best family life. I'm not going to have a sob story and be like, my parents abandoned me, because they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/constance-wu/i-don-t-have-the-best-family-life-i-m-not-going-to-have-a-sob-story/) [Constance Wu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/constance-wu/) > [Specificity is what makes good storytelling, and good storytelling is what makes money, and making money is then what encourages new producers to invest…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/constance-wu/specificity-is-what-makes-good-storytelling-and-good-storytelling-is/) [Constance Wu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/constance-wu/) [Explore all 41 Constance Wu quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/constance-wu/) ## More Actor 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/) > [When you step out and do a song in a musical, the easier thing to do is make it funny. But when those transitions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelli-o-hara/when-you-step-out-and-do-a-song-in-a-musical-the-easier-thing-to-do/) [Kelli O'Hara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelli-o-hara/) > [I once told someone I could act. They totally bought it. I've been getting away with it ever since.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/akshay-kumar/i-once-told-someone-i-could-act-they-totally-bought-it-i-ve-been/) [Akshay Kumar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/akshay-kumar/) > [There has got to be a way for me to have a role on TV or in film that is just as normal as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adeel-akhtar/there-has-got-to-be-a-way-for-me-to-have-a-role-on-tv-or-in-film-that/) [Adeel Akhtar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adeel-akhtar/) > [I love casting against type and doing things you wouldn't expect, because I think you get more interesting performances that way. Hollywood loves to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-s-goyer/i-love-casting-against-type-and-doing-things-you-wouldn-t-expect/) [David S. Goyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-s-goyer/) > [I'm an actor, so I'm never going to feel like I've done enough.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/italia-ricci/i-m-an-actor-so-i-m-never-going-to-feel-like-i-ve-done-enough/) [Italia Ricci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/italia-ricci/) > [I am tired of our characters being so incomplete. When do we ever save the day in a film? When does a Latino actor…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/esai-morales/i-am-tired-of-our-characters-being-so-incomplete-when-do-we-ever-save/) [Esai Morales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/esai-morales/) > [When I was 13, I auditioned for the theater school, and I was there for four years. In the meantime, I did my first…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ana-de-armas/when-i-was-13-i-auditioned-for-the-theater-school-and-i-was-there-for/) [Ana de Armas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ana-de-armas/) > [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/) > [failure in the theater is more public, more brilliant, more unreal than in any other field.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lillian-hellman/failure-in-the-theater-is-more-public-more-brilliant-more-unreal-than/) [Lillian Hellman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lillian-hellman/) > [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/) > [Actors don't hate acting. Most people don't hate acting! Whether you're a child mucking around with your friends or a grown up being paid…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liv-hewson/actors-don-t-hate-acting-most-people-don-t-hate-acting-whether-you-re/) [Liv Hewson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liv-hewson/) > [It was only when I went to acting school that I was like, "You are absolutely such a pigheaded freak show that you thought…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giles-matthey/it-was-only-when-i-went-to-acting-school-that-i-was-like-you-are/) [Giles Matthey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giles-matthey/) > [I never planned to do female roles. It just happened. I was typecast.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/divine/i-never-planned-to-do-female-roles-it-just-happened-i-was-typecast/) [Divine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/divine/) > [Once I committed to acting, this has been it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernie-hudson/once-i-committed-to-acting-this-has-been-it/) [Ernie Hudson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernie-hudson/) [Browse all 21,590 Actor quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actor/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "It's my privilege to be able to play somebody not myself. 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