--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: That's all you can do as an actor - take…" description: "\"That's all you can do as an actor - take the best thing available.\" — Damian Lewis" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/210/damian-lewis-3773_actor_that-s-all-you-can-do-as-an-actor-take-t_62004.png" --- # That's all you can do as an actor - take the best thing… ![“That's all you can do as an actor - take the best thing available.” quote by Damian Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/210/damian-lewis-3773_actor_that-s-all-you-can-do-as-an-actor-take-t_62004.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/210/damian-lewis-3773_actor_that-s-all-you-can-do-as-an-actor-take-t_62004.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/210/damian-lewis-3773_actor_that-s-all-you-can-do-as-an-actor-take-t_62004.png) > “That's all you can do as an actor - take the best thing available.” [Damian Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/damian-lewis/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. An actor must work with the material they have, extracting the strongest possible performance from limited resources. **In simple terms:** Make the most of what you have. Key Takeaway Maximize available assets. Themes resourcefulness adaptability craft creativity resilience Mood determined pragmatic focused Type advice observation inspirational When to use this quote - auditioning with a weak script - improvising in a low-budget production - working with a constrained role - delivering a monologue with limited cues Key Concepts acting performance choice optimization Practical Applications - coaching actors to focus on strengths - writing scenes that highlight character potential Questions to Reflect On - How can constraints spark innovation? - What does 'best thing available' mean in your context? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Actor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actor/) [Best thing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/best-thing/) [Theatre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/theatre/) ## Related quotes > [At the end of the day, the most important thing is to be available, and I do my best to be available all the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deebo-samuel/at-the-end-of-the-day-the-most-important-thing-is-to-be-available-and/) [Deebo Samuel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deebo-samuel/) > [I don't really know who I am as an actor: the best thing would be to experiment with it for the next 30 years…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-barnes/i-don-t-really-know-who-i-am-as-an-actor-the-best-thing-would-be-to/) [Ben Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-barnes/) > [If you are a good actor, then all you have to do is give your best shot every time when you are in front…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rithvik-dhanjani/if-you-are-a-good-actor-then-all-you-have-to-do-is-give-your-best/) [Rithvik Dhanjani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rithvik-dhanjani/) > [I always thought the leading actor should be the best supporting actor, because you're the only person that can help every other actor on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-costner/i-always-thought-the-leading-actor-should-be-the-best-supporting/) [Kevin Costner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-costner/) > [I've learned from every director I've worked with. Everybody's style is very different, and I always say that being an actor is the best…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lake-bell/i-ve-learned-from-every-director-i-ve-worked-with-everybody-s-style/) [Lake Bell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lake-bell/) > [I just want to keep getting roles that challenge me to be the best actor and the best person I can be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bella-ramsey/i-just-want-to-keep-getting-roles-that-challenge-me-to-be-the-best/) [Bella Ramsey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bella-ramsey/) > [Acting is the great love of my life. It gives you permission to use all parts of yourself. Permission to be the hero, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blake-griffin/acting-is-the-great-love-of-my-life-it-gives-you-permission-to-use/) [Blake Griffin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/blake-griffin/) > [My general view is that best actor best suited to role should get the job. Obviously when it comes to colour and issues of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-fry/my-general-view-is-that-best-actor-best-suited-to-role-should-get-the/) [Stephen Fry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-fry/) > [I get to vote in the Best Supporting Actress, Best Supporting Actor, Best Actor, Best Actress and Best Director categories every year. The Academy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brenda-fricker/i-get-to-vote-in-the-best-supporting-actress-best-supporting-actor/) [Brenda Fricker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brenda-fricker/) > [An actor can give his best shot but the script and dialogues have to have punch to make it more effective.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paresh-rawal/an-actor-can-give-his-best-shot-but-the-script-and-dialogues-have-to/) [Paresh Rawal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paresh-rawal/) > [The Internet is an actor's best friend.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/armie-hammer/the-internet-is-an-actor-s-best-friend/) [Armie Hammer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/armie-hammer/) > [But having said that, becoming an actor was the best decision I ever made. With its ups and downs and its craziness, nothing makes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rasika-dugal/but-having-said-that-becoming-an-actor-was-the-best-decision-i-ever/) [Rasika Dugal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rasika-dugal/) > [One of the things I've learned over the years is that you only do what you can do as an actor. You do the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-dillon/one-of-the-things-i-ve-learned-over-the-years-is-that-you-only-do/) [Matt Dillon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-dillon/) > [I was always the best actor and best dancer in my college.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/divya-dutta/i-was-always-the-best-actor-and-best-dancer-in-my-college/) [Divya Dutta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/divya-dutta/) > [Sometimes you choose the wrong actor, he could be the best actor ever, but hes not cast in the right part then it doesnt…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophie-marceau/sometimes-you-choose-the-wrong-actor-he-could-be-the-best-actor-ever/) [Sophie Marceau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophie-marceau/) ## More by Damian Lewis > [The best shows succeed because they tap into a national conversation,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/damian-lewis/the-best-shows-succeed-because-they-tap-into-a-national-conversation/) [Damian Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/damian-lewis/) > [People need revelation, and then they need resolution.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/damian-lewis/people-need-revelation-and-then-they-need-resolution/) [Damian Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/damian-lewis/) > [ I always resented Tom \[Hardy\] for turning up on Band Of Brothers and getting the girl — in fact, the only girl in a… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/damian-lewis/i-always-resented-tom-hardy-for-turning-up-on-band-of-brothers-and/) [Damian Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/damian-lewis/) > [We had a good time mucking about during 'Band of Brothers' when we were young and single.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/damian-lewis/we-had-a-good-time-mucking-about-during-band-of-brothers-when-we-were/) [Damian Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/damian-lewis/) > [None of us, remember, knew that 9/11 was gonna happen. We didn't live in a state of anxiety and fear about Osama Bin Laden.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/damian-lewis/none-of-us-remember-knew-that-9-11-was-gonna-happen-we-didn-t-live-in/) [Damian Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/damian-lewis/) > [Television audiences are ruthless - look what happened to 'The Killing.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/damian-lewis/television-audiences-are-ruthless-look-what-happened-to-the-killing/) [Damian Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/damian-lewis/) > [I've always had a 'Work hard, play hard' attitude to life - I still do - but sometimes you get involved in something that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/damian-lewis/i-ve-always-had-a-work-hard-play-hard-attitude-to-life-i-still-do-but/) [Damian Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/damian-lewis/) > [If you only do issue-based drama, you can become a boring wanker.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/damian-lewis/if-you-only-do-issue-based-drama-you-can-become-a-boring-wanker/) [Damian Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/damian-lewis/) > [A lot of these American actors have this - in my view - misplaced view that they have to look like Action Man. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/damian-lewis/a-lot-of-these-american-actors-have-this-in-my-view-misplaced-view/) [Damian Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/damian-lewis/) > [Would I have traded 'Homeland' for anything else? No. Would I trade 'Billions' for anything else? No.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/damian-lewis/would-i-have-traded-homeland-for-anything-else-no-would-i-trade/) [Damian Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/damian-lewis/) > [There are ways of avoiding becoming tabloid fodder and therefore giving people license to pry into your private life. And there's a distinction between…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/damian-lewis/there-are-ways-of-avoiding-becoming-tabloid-fodder-and-therefore/) [Damian Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/damian-lewis/) > [It was pretty daunting. Normally, I never go to a gym, but before we started shooting, I thought I'd better. I reckoned I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/damian-lewis/it-was-pretty-daunting-normally-i-never-go-to-a-gym-but-before-we/) [Damian Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/damian-lewis/) > [I'm not good enough to flip in and out of my Brit accent to my American accent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/damian-lewis/i-m-not-good-enough-to-flip-in-and-out-of-my-brit-accent-to-my/) [Damian Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/damian-lewis/) > [I'm not averse to telling people off.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/damian-lewis/i-m-not-averse-to-telling-people-off/) [Damian Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/damian-lewis/) > [There is a latent anger in a lot of people that went to boarding school at an early age. I was eight. And I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/damian-lewis/there-is-a-latent-anger-in-a-lot-of-people-that-went-to-boarding/) [Damian Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/damian-lewis/) [Explore all 122 Damian Lewis quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/damian-lewis/) ## 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": "That's all you can do as an actor - take the best thing available.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Damian Lewis" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/damian-lewis/that-s-all-you-can-do-as-an-actor-take-the-best-thing-available/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Actor" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/damian-lewis/that-s-all-you-can-do-as-an-actor-take-the-best-thing-available/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/210/damian-lewis-3773_actor_that-s-all-you-can-do-as-an-actor-take-t_62004.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/210/damian-lewis-3773_actor_that-s-all-you-can-do-as-an-actor-take-t_62004.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/210/damian-lewis-3773_actor_that-s-all-you-can-do-as-an-actor-take-t_62004.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“That's all you can do as an actor - take the best thing available.” — Damian Lewis", "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": "Damian Lewis", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/damian-lewis/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "That's all you can do as...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/damian-lewis/that-s-all-you-can-do-as-an-actor-take-the-best-thing-available/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/damian-lewis/that-s-all-you-can-do-as-an-actor-take-the-best-thing-available/#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 } } ] } ```