--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It's sort of cliche, but when you're…" description: "\"It's sort of cliche, but when you're playing drunk, your character is trying to appear sober.\" — Corey Stoll" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0f2/corey-stoll-14800_character_it-s-sort-of-cliche-but-when-you-re-play_1772474.jpg" --- # It's sort of cliche, but when you're playing drunk, your… ![“It's sort of cliche, but when you're playing drunk, your character is trying to appear sober.” quote by Corey Stoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0f2/corey-stoll-14800_character_it-s-sort-of-cliche-but-when-you-re-play_1772474.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0f2/corey-stoll-14800_character_it-s-sort-of-cliche-but-when-you-re-play_1772474.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0f2/corey-stoll-14800_character_it-s-sort-of-cliche-but-when-you-re-play_1772474.jpg) > “It's sort of cliche, but when you're playing drunk, your character is trying to appear sober.” [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. Playing a drunk character requires acting sober, highlighting role‑playing contradictions. **In simple terms:** Acting sober while drunk creates tension. Key Takeaway Leverage contradictions for richer role‑play. Themes gaming role‑play contradiction Mood playful insightful Type analysis guidance When to use this quote - tabletop sessions - character backstory - player improvisation - storytelling workshops Key Concepts character immersion player agency narrative tension Questions to Reflect On - How does this paradox affect player decisions? - What strategies help maintain character consistency? A Different Perspective May confuse players unfamiliar with nuance. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character/) [Cliche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cliche/) [Drunk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/drunk/) [Sober](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sober/) [Wine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wine/) ## Related quotes > [Playing a drunk doesn't mean being a drunk, only bad actors try to be drunk. A real drunk tries to be sober, he wants…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-landau/playing-a-drunk-doesn-t-mean-being-a-drunk-only-bad-actors-try-to-be/) [Martin Landau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-landau/) > [The best research for playing a drunk is being a British actor for 20 years.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-caine/the-best-research-for-playing-a-drunk-is-being-a-british-actor-for-20/) [Michael Caine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-caine/) > [The best research for playing a drunk is being a British Actor for twenty years](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-caine/the-best-research-for-playing-a-drunk-is-being-a-british-actor-for/) [Michael Caine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-caine/) > [What is the character trying to say? Why? Be as specific as you can, using sense images that evoke something about the character. Try…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-pattison/what-is-the-character-trying-to-say-why-be-as-specific-as-you-can/) [Pat Pattison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-pattison/) > [I guess there's a vulnerability in seeing a female character trying to get out of something really drastic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elisha-cuthbert/i-guess-there-s-a-vulnerability-in-seeing-a-female-character-trying/) [Elisha Cuthbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elisha-cuthbert/) > [Improv is such a huge part of my background, and a huge part of character discovery is really being inside the character and trying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natasha-rothwell/improv-is-such-a-huge-part-of-my-background-and-a-huge-part-of/) [Natasha Rothwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natasha-rothwell/) > [When I take on a role, all I tend to do is get to know the script and ask millions of questions, and keep…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophie-okonedo/when-i-take-on-a-role-all-i-tend-to-do-is-get-to-know-the-script-and/) [Sophie Okonedo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophie-okonedo/) > [The actor's job is to put themselves in the shoes of the character they are trying to portray as truthfully as possible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dervla-kirwan/the-actor-s-job-is-to-put-themselves-in-the-shoes-of-the-character/) [Dervla Kirwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dervla-kirwan/) > [When you're playing something, hopefully, if you're doing your best, you're advocating for your character and you're not trying to think too much.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-kroll/when-you-re-playing-something-hopefully-if-you-re-doing-your-best-you/) [Nick Kroll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-kroll/) > [When I do my makeup, it kind of helps me get into the character that I'm trying to portray.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashley-wagner/when-i-do-my-makeup-it-kind-of-helps-me-get-into-the-character-that-i/) [Ashley Wagner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashley-wagner/) > [That's what character is, it's in the trying.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-taylor/that-s-what-character-is-it-s-in-the-trying/) [Eric Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-taylor/) > [You can make a beautiful, airtight world that's fascinating to look at, but it's not interesting unless you have a character that's trying to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mackenzie-davis/you-can-make-a-beautiful-airtight-world-that-s-fascinating-to-look-at/) [Mackenzie Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mackenzie-davis/) > [Spend more time building your character than trying to build your platform.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christine-caine/spend-more-time-building-your-character-than-trying-to-build-your/) [Christine Caine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christine-caine/) > [When you have a clear idea of what your character is trying to accomplish, it makes it a lot easier to riff on things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-howerton/when-you-have-a-clear-idea-of-what-your-character-is-trying-to/) [Glenn Howerton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-howerton/) > [I used to get stuck trying to find the first sentence of a story, then I realised that it was often because I didn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/morris-gleitzman/i-used-to-get-stuck-trying-to-find-the-first-sentence-of-a-story-then/) [Morris Gleitzman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/morris-gleitzman/) ## 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. Especially in the acting profession, which is probably similar to a political career, even the most stable,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/corey-stoll/i-think-we-all-understand-disappointing-yourself-especially-in-the/) [Corey Stoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/corey-stoll/) > [My parents met when they were 16 and bonded over the antiwar movement.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/corey-stoll/my-parents-met-when-they-were-16-and-bonded-over-the-antiwar-movement/) [Corey Stoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/corey-stoll/) > [My wife was pregnant while we were promoting 'Ant-Man,' and that was very exciting, to see, like, action figures of myself, as we're getting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/corey-stoll/my-wife-was-pregnant-while-we-were-promoting-ant-man-and-that-was/) [Corey Stoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/corey-stoll/) > [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…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/corey-stoll/i-don-t-know-how-to-play-myself-i-m-not-interested-enough-in-myself/) [Corey Stoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/corey-stoll/) > [A play is not a tweet. 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/) [Explore all 45 Corey Stoll quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/corey-stoll/) ## 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 sort of cliche, but when you're playing drunk, your character is trying to appear sober.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Corey Stoll" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/corey-stoll/it-s-sort-of-cliche-but-when-you-re-playing-drunk-your-character-is/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Character" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/corey-stoll/it-s-sort-of-cliche-but-when-you-re-playing-drunk-your-character-is/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0f2/corey-stoll-14800_character_it-s-sort-of-cliche-but-when-you-re-play_1772474.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0f2/corey-stoll-14800_character_it-s-sort-of-cliche-but-when-you-re-play_1772474.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0f2/corey-stoll-14800_character_it-s-sort-of-cliche-but-when-you-re-play_1772474.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“It's sort of cliche, but when you're playing drunk, your character is trying to appear sober.” — Corey Stoll", "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": "Corey Stoll", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/corey-stoll/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "It's sort of cliche, but when...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/corey-stoll/it-s-sort-of-cliche-but-when-you-re-playing-drunk-your-character-is/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/corey-stoll/it-s-sort-of-cliche-but-when-you-re-playing-drunk-your-character-is/#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 } } ] } ```