--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: On some level in acting, what you're…" description: "\"On some level in acting, what you're trying to find is truth, because when it's true is when it's also funny.\" — David Hyde Pierce" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/33a/david-hyde-pierce-20470_acting_on-some-level-in-acting-what-you-re-tryi_754409.png" --- # On some level in acting, what you're trying to find is… ![“On some level in acting, what you're trying to find is truth, because when it's true is when it's also funny.” quote by David Hyde Pierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/33a/david-hyde-pierce-20470_acting_on-some-level-in-acting-what-you-re-tryi_754409.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/33a/david-hyde-pierce-20470_acting_on-some-level-in-acting-what-you-re-tryi_754409.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/33a/david-hyde-pierce-20470_acting_on-some-level-in-acting-what-you-re-tryi_754409.png) > “On some level in acting, what you're trying to find is truth, because when it's true is when it's also funny.” [David Hyde Pierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hyde-pierce/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. In acting, discovering truth leads to humor because authenticity resonates. **In simple terms:** Truth makes comedy work. Key Takeaway Seek authenticity to enhance humor. Themes acting humor authenticity Mood analytical playful Type educational inspirational When to use this quote - theatre rehearsals - improv classes - script analysis Key Concepts dramatic truth comedic timing Questions to Reflect On - When does truth hinder comedy? - How to balance truth with comedic exaggeration? A Different Perspective Not all truth yields humor; context matters. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Acting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/acting/) [Acting Trying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/acting-trying-915256/) [Comedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/comedy/) [Level Acting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/level-acting-3615018/) [Levels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/levels/) [True Funny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/true-funny-495757/) [Truth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/truth/) [Truth is](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/truth-is/) [Trying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trying/) [Trying Truth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trying-truth-1659236/) ## Related quotes > [I'm not shy about trying to find what truth there is in any genre, whether that be an action piece, a sci-fi piece, a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahershala-ali/i-m-not-shy-about-trying-to-find-what-truth-there-is-in-any-genre/) [Mahershala Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahershala-ali/) > [When you are absorbed in a biographical subject, you get so close you don't realise the potential effect of what you say. You are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-bradford/when-you-are-absorbed-in-a-biographical-subject-you-get-so-close-you/) [Sarah Bradford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-bradford/) > [I just think that I'm a person who's trying to find the truth and express it as I, you know, get the opportunity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-voight/i-just-think-that-i-m-a-person-who-s-trying-to-find-the-truth-and/) [Jon Voight](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-voight/) > [Writing is much more satisfying on a certain level than acting ever was. Because you're not interpreting someone else's original idea, you can come…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-beck/writing-is-much-more-satisfying-on-a-certain-level-than-acting-ever/) [Michael Beck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-beck/) > [Careers don't interest me. The only thing that interests me is continuing to be a poet on one level or another, whether acting or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-shepard/careers-don-t-interest-me-the-only-thing-that-interests-me-is/) [Sam Shepard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-shepard/) > [I think, by and large, the level of acting is mediocre. When I go to the theatre, I get so angry. I don't go.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/uta-hagen/i-think-by-and-large-the-level-of-acting-is-mediocre-when-i-go-to-the/) [Uta Hagen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/uta-hagen/) > [On some level, acting is the art of pretend, and you have to have a highly cultivated sense of imagination. You have to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-lang/on-some-level-acting-is-the-art-of-pretend-and-you-have-to-have-a/) [Stephen Lang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-lang/) > [The level of acting that I bring to films in three dimensions. I hope they make people sign some kind of waiver because if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-lennon/the-level-of-acting-that-i-bring-to-films-in-three-dimensions-i-hope/) [Thomas Lennon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-lennon/) > [The whole point of real comedy is that you can say something that is true, and by being funny, you can make it tolerable…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-rubin/the-whole-point-of-real-comedy-is-that-you-can-say-something-that-is/) [Dave Rubin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-rubin/) > [Very true and funny!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/very-true-and-funny/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [In every show that you see, there's some stuff that's funny and some stuff that is not, or there might be stuff that you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mandira-bedi/in-every-show-that-you-see-there-s-some-stuff-that-s-funny-and-some/) [Mandira Bedi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mandira-bedi/) > [So true and funny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/slowly-fading/so-true-and-funny/) [Slowly\_fading](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/slowly-fading/) > [My way of looking at the world is that if it is true, it is funny and it is dark. No matter how dark…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-semple/my-way-of-looking-at-the-world-is-that-if-it-is-true-it-is-funny-and/) [Maria Semple](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-semple/) > [“People never think things that are true are funny.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melissa-kantor/people-never-think-things-that-are-true-are-funny/) [Melissa Kantor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-kantor/) > [When I got out of college, I booked a movie called 'Go for It!' with Lionsgate, came out here, and I've been acting ever…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gina-rodriguez/when-i-got-out-of-college-i-booked-a-movie-called-go-for-it-with/) [Gina Rodriguez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gina-rodriguez/) ## More by David Hyde Pierce > [I was going to be a concert pianist, and when I was in high school, my parents were scared to death that I would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hyde-pierce/i-was-going-to-be-a-concert-pianist-and-when-i-was-in-high-school-my/) [David Hyde Pierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hyde-pierce/) > [People can be a hoot on the set, but if they're not good to work with, that tires very quickly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hyde-pierce/people-can-be-a-hoot-on-the-set-but-if-they-re-not-good-to-work-with/) [David Hyde Pierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hyde-pierce/) > [Nothing ever guarantees you anything-that's my rule. 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What we seem to be experiencing is polar extremism that keeps people from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hyde-pierce/i-always-think-extremism-is-basically-a-reaction-out-of-fear-what-we/) [David Hyde Pierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hyde-pierce/) > [From Kelsey, I have learned among many other things the value of turning on a dime and how you can have an extremely funny…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hyde-pierce/from-kelsey-i-have-learned-among-many-other-things-the-value-of/) [David Hyde Pierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hyde-pierce/) > [I don't have the time to tell you all the things I've learned from this cast. It's an extraordinary ensemble because we all support…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hyde-pierce/i-don-t-have-the-time-to-tell-you-all-the-things-i-ve-learned-from/) [David Hyde Pierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hyde-pierce/) > [I think being an actor in general is acknowledging that we are constantly playing different roles, that we have all these different parts of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hyde-pierce/i-think-being-an-actor-in-general-is-acknowledging-that-we-are/) [David Hyde Pierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hyde-pierce/) > [Sometimes in the most tragic situation, something just profoundly funny happens.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hyde-pierce/sometimes-in-the-most-tragic-situation-something-just-profoundly/) [David Hyde Pierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hyde-pierce/) > [We all went to Kelsey's wedding, and yeah, we go to parties. We also go to each other's house. 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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](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/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. 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