--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I don't know how to play myself. I'm not…" description: "\"I don't know how to play myself. I'm not interested enough in myself. That's just not how I was educated. That's not how I learned to become an actor. ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b90/corey-stoll-14800_acting_i-don-t-know-how-to-play-myself-i-m-not_364854.jpg" --- # I don't know how to play myself. I'm not interested enough… ![“I don't know how to play myself. I'm not interested enough in myself. That's just not how I was educated. That's not how I learned to become an actor. Acting is creating a character.” quote by Corey Stoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b90/corey-stoll-14800_acting_i-don-t-know-how-to-play-myself-i-m-not_364854.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b90/corey-stoll-14800_acting_i-don-t-know-how-to-play-myself-i-m-not_364854.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b90/corey-stoll-14800_acting_i-don-t-know-how-to-play-myself-i-m-not_364854.jpg) > “I don't know how to play myself. I'm not interested enough in myself. That's just not how I was educated. That's not how I learned to become an actor. Acting is creating a character.” [Corey Stoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/corey-stoll/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He feels disconnected from self‑knowledge, believing his education didn’t teach him personal introspection, which hampers his acting craft. **In simple terms:** He lacks self‑understanding, hurting his performance. Key Takeaway Cultivate self‑reflection before performance. Themes self‑awareness acting personal growth Mood reflective determined introspective Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - actor auditions - personal therapy - creative workshops - mindfulness practice Key Concepts identity emotional intelligence method acting Questions to Reflect On - How can an actor develop deeper self‑awareness? - What practices help bridge personal insight and performance? A Different Perspective Self‑knowledge alone won’t guarantee skill; external training still needed. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Acting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/acting/) [Acting Creating](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/acting-creating-813055/) [Actor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actor/) [Actor Acting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actor-acting-310176/) [Actors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actors/) [Character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character/) [Creating](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/creating/) [Educated](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/educated/) [Enough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/enough/) [Know how](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/know-how/) [Knows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knows/) [Learned Actor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/learned-actor-512213/) [Not interested](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/not-interested/) [Play](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/play/) [Theatre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/theatre/) ## Related quotes > [Though I'm considered a leading man, I still consider myself a character actor. 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It's a weird feeling, because with acting, it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lenny-kravitz/when-it-comes-to-acting-it-s-about-creating-a-character-and-bringing/) [Lenny Kravitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lenny-kravitz/) > [My job, and what I've taken such joy in, is the craft of acting and of creating dynamic and authentic characters, and then finding…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-tucker/my-job-and-what-i-ve-taken-such-joy-in-is-the-craft-of-acting-and-of/) [Jonathan Tucker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-tucker/) > [The theatre-acting, creating, interpreting - means total involvement, the totality of heart, mind and spirit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stella-adler/the-theatre-acting-creating-interpreting-means-total-involvement-the/) [Stella Adler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stella-adler/) > [I've been spending quite a bit of time writing, acting, and making films. Because I'm doing all this extra writing, acting, and creating short…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-morrison/i-ve-been-spending-quite-a-bit-of-time-writing-acting-and-making/) [John Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-morrison/) > [I love taking on challenges. I think one of the funnest things in acting is creating a character - wrapping yourself around a character…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/drew-waters/i-love-taking-on-challenges-i-think-one-of-the-funnest-things-in/) [Drew Waters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/drew-waters/) > [I've learned that, as an actor, I have a responsibility to my audience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/coco-martin/i-ve-learned-that-as-an-actor-i-have-a-responsibility-to-my-audience/) [Coco Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/coco-martin/) > [Everything I learned as an actor, I have basically applied to writing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/quentin-tarantino/everything-i-learned-as-an-actor-i-have-basically-applied-to-writing/) [Quentin Tarantino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/quentin-tarantino/) > [As a director, I've been able to combine with what I've learned as an actor and as a producer: it melds quite nicely into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/griffin-dunne/as-a-director-i-ve-been-able-to-combine-with-what-i-ve-learned-as-an/) [Griffin Dunne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/griffin-dunne/) > [I also have learned as an actor, this ties in the principles of improv, sometimes someone gives a piece of instruction and my first…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gillian-jacobs/i-also-have-learned-as-an-actor-this-ties-in-the-principles-of-improv/) [Gillian Jacobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gillian-jacobs/) > [One thing I've learned as an actor as well as a producer is to trust my own instinct. When I first started acting I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerard-butler/one-thing-i-ve-learned-as-an-actor-as-well-as-a-producer-is-to-trust/) [Gerard Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerard-butler/) > [I was fortunate as a young actor, to go straight to the RSC, where I learned that being an actor can bring with it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-kingsley/i-was-fortunate-as-a-young-actor-to-go-straight-to-the-rsc-where-i/) [Ben Kingsley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-kingsley/) > [I learned so much about being an actor by being a director. More than I ever thought I would.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-lowell/i-learned-so-much-about-being-an-actor-by-being-a-director-more-than/) [Chris Lowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-lowell/) > [I have to say that one person I learned from the most as an actor in my life is Emmy Rossum. She is so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-kenney/i-have-to-say-that-one-person-i-learned-from-the-most-as-an-actor-in/) [Emma Kenney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-kenney/) > [One of the greatest things I've learned, as an actor, was how to talk to actors.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-balfour/one-of-the-greatest-things-i-ve-learned-as-an-actor-was-how-to-talk/) [Eric Balfour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-balfour/) ## More by Corey Stoll > [Yes, Im a New Yorker, born and bred. While Im not quite the L.A. snob that Woody Allen is, I do find myself happier…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/corey-stoll/yes-im-a-new-yorker-born-and-bred-while-im-not-quite-the-l-a-snob/) [Corey Stoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/corey-stoll/) > [Certain media attracts more pulpy or low-brow things, especially when they're young. Finding the best story, in any particular medium, is going to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/corey-stoll/certain-media-attracts-more-pulpy-or-low-brow-things-especially-when/) [Corey Stoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/corey-stoll/) > [I believe that love that is true and real creates a respite from death. All cowardice comes from not loving, or not loving well,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/corey-stoll/i-believe-that-love-that-is-true-and-real-creates-a-respite-from/) [Corey Stoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/corey-stoll/) > [I think we all understand disappointing yourself. 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It can't be compressed and embedded, and it definitely can't be delivered apologetically.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/corey-stoll/a-play-is-not-a-tweet-it-can-t-be-compressed-and-embedded-and-it/) [Corey Stoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/corey-stoll/) > [It's funny I'm in some ways hopelessly masculine, but I don't fish, I don't hunt, I'm not that into sports. I can't fix a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/corey-stoll/it-s-funny-i-m-in-some-ways-hopelessly-masculine-but-i-don-t-fish-i/) [Corey Stoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/corey-stoll/) > [When you're in a theater, it's about reaching the back rows. When you have a camera in your face, it's just about knowing the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/corey-stoll/when-you-re-in-a-theater-it-s-about-reaching-the-back-rows-when-you/) [Corey Stoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/corey-stoll/) > [Having an opportunity to play different characters, and work in different mediums, that's what's fun. The worst question you could be asked is, "What…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/corey-stoll/having-an-opportunity-to-play-different-characters-and-work-in/) [Corey Stoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/corey-stoll/) > [I was not into B-movies. A lot of it is sloppy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/corey-stoll/i-was-not-into-b-movies-a-lot-of-it-is-sloppy/) [Corey Stoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/corey-stoll/) > [I started with superhero stuff - 'X-Men' and 'Spider-Man' and 'Batman' and 'Hellboy' - but I wasn't familiar with 'The Strain' until I started…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/corey-stoll/i-started-with-superhero-stuff-x-men-and-spider-man-and-batman-and/) [Corey Stoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/corey-stoll/) > [I made a choice in my career to not get hair plugs and not hide the fact that I was balding, and I've managed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/corey-stoll/i-made-a-choice-in-my-career-to-not-get-hair-plugs-and-not-hide-the/) [Corey Stoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/corey-stoll/) > [Growing up, I used to babysit, but, thinking back on what I was like at 15, this was probably a terrible idea.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/corey-stoll/growing-up-i-used-to-babysit-but-thinking-back-on-what-i-was-like-at/) [Corey Stoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/corey-stoll/) > [What's really fun as the villain is working to get the audience to hate you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/corey-stoll/what-s-really-fun-as-the-villain-is-working-to-get-the-audience-to/) [Corey Stoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/corey-stoll/) [Explore all 45 Corey Stoll quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/corey-stoll/) ## 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. 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