--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: What's great about acting is that there's…" description: "\"What's great about acting is that there's never a moment when you're like, 'OK, I got this, I understand this.' You're portraying life, and it's a craf..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/414/cress-williams-20184_acting_what-s-great-about-acting-is-that-there_1716444.jpg" --- # What's great about acting is that there's never a moment… ![“What's great about acting is that there's never a moment when you're like, 'OK, I got this, I understand this.' You're portraying life, and it's a craft that only gets better with time - kind of like playing a musical instrument: the more you get to play it, the better you are.” quote by Cress Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/414/cress-williams-20184_acting_what-s-great-about-acting-is-that-there_1716444.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/414/cress-williams-20184_acting_what-s-great-about-acting-is-that-there_1716444.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/414/cress-williams-20184_acting_what-s-great-about-acting-is-that-there_1716444.jpg) > “What's great about acting is that there's never a moment when you're like, 'OK, I got this, I understand this.' You're portraying life, and it's a craft that only gets better with time - kind of like playing a musical instrument: the more you get to play it, the better you are.” [Cress Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cress-williams/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Acting is an evolving craft, never fully mastered; like learning an instrument, skill deepens with practice and time. **In simple terms:** Acting improves with experience. Key Takeaway Practice consistently to hone your craft. Themes art craft growth Mood encouraging optimistic Type inspirational educational When to use this quote - theatre - film - music - sports Key Concepts skill development mastery creativity Questions to Reflect On - What skill are you currently refining? - How does time change your approach? A Different Perspective Even seasoned actors still face self‑doubt. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Acting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/acting/) [Actor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actor/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [Great acting is all about being in the moment, being in the present tense.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-hooper/great-acting-is-all-about-being-in-the-moment-being-in-the-present/) [Tom Hooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-hooper/) > [The movies I make, I never see them as accurately portraying a life, but more like fables.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bobcat-goldthwait/the-movies-i-make-i-never-see-them-as-accurately-portraying-a-life/) [Bobcat Goldthwait](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bobcat-goldthwait/) > [Great acting can be almost a psychotic mix of self-consciousness and unself-consciousness. And thats the terrible conflict. You have to be free to jump…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alec-baldwin/great-acting-can-be-almost-a-psychotic-mix-of-self-consciousness-and/) [Alec Baldwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alec-baldwin/) > [It takes me out of that acting moment to be mis-gendered because it feels embarrassing. And I don't think a lot of other actors…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-r-fightmaster/it-takes-me-out-of-that-acting-moment-to-be-mis-gendered-because-it/) [E. R. Fightmaster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-r-fightmaster/) > [I can disappear into things very easily. But with acting, you have to be in the moment, and it gives me this incredibly fulfilling…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/troy-garity/i-can-disappear-into-things-very-easily-but-with-acting-you-have-to/) [Troy Garity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/troy-garity/) > [Sometimes, when you're acting, you are so in the moment that you don't even remember what just happened.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristin-davis/sometimes-when-you-re-acting-you-are-so-in-the-moment-that-you-don-t/) [Kristin Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristin-davis/) > [There's a Zen to acting, by being in the moment. That's where the power is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christine-ebersole/there-s-a-zen-to-acting-by-being-in-the-moment-that-s-where-the-power/) [Christine Ebersole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christine-ebersole/) > [There is a part of your brain that has to stop when you're acting. You have to be in the moment and dare to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penelope-cruz/there-is-a-part-of-your-brain-that-has-to-stop-when-you-re-acting-you/) [Penelope Cruz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penelope-cruz/) > [I didn't get into acting to have a moment, I got into it because of people who've inspired me, like Judi Dench, Holly Hunter,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-adams/i-didn-t-get-into-acting-to-have-a-moment-i-got-into-it-because-of/) [Amy Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-adams/) > [Acting is about being in the moment and audiences are smart to know what is authentic and what is not.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tahir-raj-bhasin/acting-is-about-being-in-the-moment-and-audiences-are-smart-to-know/) [Tahir Raj Bhasin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tahir-raj-bhasin/) > [I don't want to sound like I'm bragging, but I'm very proud of this: I moved to L.A. in October of 1997, but I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-gunn/i-don-t-want-to-sound-like-i-m-bragging-but-i-m-very-proud-of-this-i/) [Sean Gunn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-gunn/) > [I think great acting is about inhabiting a skin and transforming yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-ayer/i-think-great-acting-is-about-inhabiting-a-skin-and-transforming/) [David Ayer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-ayer/) > [I think that is the secret of great acting. You have to bring your imagination to the party. You've got to have a great…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-spielberg/i-think-that-is-the-secret-of-great-acting-you-have-to-bring-your/) [Steven Spielberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-spielberg/) > [I don't think I'm great at acting. I think I'm great at directing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melissa-joan-hart/i-don-t-think-i-m-great-at-acting-i-think-i-m-great-at-directing/) [Melissa Joan Hart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-joan-hart/) > [What I feel is great acting might be rubbish for another filmmaker. There is no right or wrong way to do it. It all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mani-ratnam/what-i-feel-is-great-acting-might-be-rubbish-for-another-filmmaker/) [Mani Ratnam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mani-ratnam/) ## More by Cress Williams > [I grew up watching television. I'm a television addict. I had all these heroes, but they didn't look like me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cress-williams/i-grew-up-watching-television-i-m-a-television-addict-i-had-all-these/) [Cress Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cress-williams/) > [A lot of times, people believe that until you're a certain-list actor, you say yes to everything; you're not allowed to say no. But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cress-williams/a-lot-of-times-people-believe-that-until-you-re-a-certain-list-actor/) [Cress Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cress-williams/) > [I come from theater, so I'm used to the hierarchy of an actor is just on the ladder, and above that is a director,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cress-williams/i-come-from-theater-so-i-m-used-to-the-hierarchy-of-an-actor-is-just/) [Cress Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cress-williams/) > [Growing up, I didn't really read a lot of comics; we didn't really have the money to get them. But I grew up a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cress-williams/growing-up-i-didn-t-really-read-a-lot-of-comics-we-didn-t-really-have/) [Cress Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cress-williams/) > [From the moment I turned 39, 40, I really turned a corner and became a person who really enjoys working out. When I don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cress-williams/from-the-moment-i-turned-39-40-i-really-turned-a-corner-and-became-a/) [Cress Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cress-williams/) > [As an actor, the flaws are the things that are juicy to play. If the character is perfect, it can be a little boring.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cress-williams/as-an-actor-the-flaws-are-the-things-that-are-juicy-to-play-if-the/) [Cress Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cress-williams/) > [Generally speaking, I would say villains are a little more exciting to play, but if you get a flawed hero, then that can almost…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cress-williams/generally-speaking-i-would-say-villains-are-a-little-more-exciting-to/) [Cress Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cress-williams/) > [I grew up mainly with my mother, and I would see my father from time to time. But I didn't have a constant male…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cress-williams/i-grew-up-mainly-with-my-mother-and-i-would-see-my-father-from-time/) [Cress Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cress-williams/) > [On 'Black Lightning' I have a stunt double who's a lot younger than me. The fighting style on the show is heavily martial arts-based,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cress-williams/on-black-lightning-i-have-a-stunt-double-who-s-a-lot-younger-than-me/) [Cress Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cress-williams/) > [I have a history, even going back to my time in college doing plays, of always hurting myself at some point in whatever I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cress-williams/i-have-a-history-even-going-back-to-my-time-in-college-doing-plays-of/) [Cress Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cress-williams/) > [When you're playing a superhero, you're almost playing two different people. I separate when I'm playing Jefferson Pierce and the days when I'm playing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cress-williams/when-you-re-playing-a-superhero-you-re-almost-playing-two-different/) [Cress Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cress-williams/) > [As a kid, you just like anything fanciful that you're into, but as an adult, I really love that kind of place where the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cress-williams/as-a-kid-you-just-like-anything-fanciful-that-you-re-into-but-as-an/) [Cress Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cress-williams/) > [As an actor, the only pressure I have is to just be truthful and to do my best work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cress-williams/as-an-actor-the-only-pressure-i-have-is-to-just-be-truthful-and-to-do/) [Cress Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cress-williams/) > [As an actor, so much of life is out of your control, and it's really not solid.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cress-williams/as-an-actor-so-much-of-life-is-out-of-your-control-and-it-s-really/) [Cress Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cress-williams/) > [A friend of mine kind of revealed to me that idea that there has been countless Supermen and Batman. But I'm the first person…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cress-williams/a-friend-of-mine-kind-of-revealed-to-me-that-idea-that-there-has-been/) [Cress Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cress-williams/) [Explore all 31 Cress Williams quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cress-williams/) ## 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! 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/) > [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/) > [It definitely helps to have the acting experience going into singing, because when you're singing, you have to portray the emotion you were feeling…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-newman/it-definitely-helps-to-have-the-acting-experience-going-into-singing/) Ryan Newman > [The show was number one in the ratings, Gordon Russell was our head writer, the story lines were magnificent and the acting most exciting.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-storm/the-show-was-number-one-in-the-ratings-gordon-russell-was-our-head/) [Michael Storm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-storm/) > [I've done so many other projects where you're in a room with a reader and you're acting your lines out: 'We have to get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-cummings/i-ve-done-so-many-other-projects-where-you-re-in-a-room-with-a-reader/) [Jim Cummings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-cummings/) > [I do not believe in public shaming. 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": "What's great about acting is that there's never a moment when you're like, 'OK, I got this, I understand this.' 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