---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I like to think of myself as a physical…"
description: "\"I like to think of myself as a physical actor.\" — David Oyelowo"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/76d/david-oyelowo-7952_actors_i-like-to-think-of-myself-as-a-physical_1736975.jpg"
---

#  I like to think of myself as a physical actor.

![“I like to think of myself as a physical actor.” quote by David Oyelowo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/76d/david-oyelowo-7952_actors_i-like-to-think-of-myself-as-a-physical_1736975.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/76d/david-oyelowo-7952_actors_i-like-to-think-of-myself-as-a-physical_1736975.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/76d/david-oyelowo-7952_actors_i-like-to-think-of-myself-as-a-physical_1736975.jpg)

> “I like to think of myself as a physical actor.”

[David Oyelowo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-oyelowo/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

He sees himself as a physical performer, emphasizing the body’s role in expressing character and story.

**In simple terms:** He views himself as a physical performer.

Key Takeaway

Cultivate body awareness for acting.

Themes

performance physicality craft identity

Mood

inspirational practical

Type

acting self-development

When to use this quote

- theatre rehearsals
- film sets
- dance classes

Key Concepts

embodiment method acting kinesthetic intelligence

Questions to Reflect On

- How does physical movement affect emotional expression?
- What training enhances bodily storytelling?

A Different Perspective

May neglect emotional nuance.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Actor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actor/) [Actors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actors/) [Fitness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fitness/) [Like Think](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/like-think/) [Physical](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/physical/) [Physical Actor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/physical-actor-474954/) [Theatre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/theatre/) [Think Physical](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/think-physical-991119/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/)

## Related quotes

> [I'm a physical actor in that I start with a physical sketch of the character. I find it easier to find inspiration from the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-kinnaman/i-m-a-physical-actor-in-that-i-start-with-a-physical-sketch-of-the/)

[Joel Kinnaman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-kinnaman/)

> [What's interesting for me is that I generally consider myself to be more of a physical actor, and I'm somebody that doesn't really want…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-cluzet/what-s-interesting-for-me-is-that-i-generally-consider-myself-to-be/)

[Francois Cluzet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-cluzet/)

> [I think you have to be physical no matter who you're playing against, so that's just something that I have to do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tristan-thompson/i-think-you-have-to-be-physical-no-matter-who-you-re-playing-against/)

[Tristan Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tristan-thompson/)

> [I don't think about my physical age.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-crown-princess-of-denmark/i-don-t-think-about-my-physical-age/)

[Mary, Crown Princess of Denmark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-crown-princess-of-denmark/)

> [I'm happy in a silent world - well, not a silent world but one that relies on - I'm in a pretty physical actor…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guy-pearce/i-m-happy-in-a-silent-world-well-not-a-silent-world-but-one-that/)

[Guy Pearce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guy-pearce/)

> [I'm a very physical actor. I use everything - toes, teeth, ears, everything. I don't simply mean physical in the sense of movement and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-o-toole/i-m-a-very-physical-actor-i-use-everything-toes-teeth-ears-everything/)

[Peter O'Toole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-o-toole/)

> [I'm a very physical actor; everything I do is pretty much body-oriented. I sometimes am able to deliver information just with a look; my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-crews/i-m-a-very-physical-actor-everything-i-do-is-pretty-much-body/)

[Terry Crews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-crews/)

> [I'm pretty much of a physical actor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-nolte/i-m-pretty-much-of-a-physical-actor/)

[Nick Nolte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-nolte/)

> [I'm a very physical actor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-fogler/i-m-a-very-physical-actor/)

[Dan Fogler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-fogler/)

> [I feel like I'm more of a physical actor than a voice actor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-logan/i-feel-like-i-m-more-of-a-physical-actor-than-a-voice-actor/)

[Daniel Logan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-logan/)

> [I am a very physical actor. I generally use my hands a lot.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/akkineni-nagarjuna/i-am-a-very-physical-actor-i-generally-use-my-hands-a-lot/)

[Akkineni Nagarjuna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/akkineni-nagarjuna/)

> [I had never really done voice-over. If you've ever seen me, I'm more the communicator through body language and movement... I'm a physical actor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-logan/i-had-never-really-done-voice-over-if-you-ve-ever-seen-me-i-m-more/)

[Daniel Logan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-logan/)

> [I think every physical program has to come from good nutrition.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rosamund-pike/i-think-every-physical-program-has-to-come-from-good-nutrition/)

[Rosamund Pike](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rosamund-pike/)

> [The computer is the way I'm making books, but I still think about the physical properties. I visualize the length of a book, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-lethem/the-computer-is-the-way-i-m-making-books-but-i-still-think-about-the/)

[Jonathan Lethem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-lethem/)

> [I think that whenever we're physical, not just in yoga, I think that physical exercise brings up a lot of emotional things. If someone's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mandy-ingber/i-think-that-whenever-we-re-physical-not-just-in-yoga-i-think-that/)

[Mandy Ingber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mandy-ingber/)

## More by David Oyelowo

> [At the end of the day, everyone knows what it is to be loved and to aspire to love someone, to want to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-oyelowo/at-the-end-of-the-day-everyone-knows-what-it-is-to-be-loved-and-to/)

[David Oyelowo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-oyelowo/)

> [I truly believe that one of the things that has been lacking in America is a spirit of repentance about the injustices of slavery…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-oyelowo/i-truly-believe-that-one-of-the-things-that-has-been-lacking-in/)

[David Oyelowo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-oyelowo/)

> [As you know, Sunday at 11 o'clock is the most segregated hour in America. You have black churches; you have white churches; you have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-oyelowo/as-you-know-sunday-at-11-o-clock-is-the-most-segregated-hour-in/)

[David Oyelowo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-oyelowo/)

> [If you merely focus on what we already know, then it's not revelatory. You may as well just go and watch a documentary or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-oyelowo/if-you-merely-focus-on-what-we-already-know-then-it-s-not-revelatory/)

[David Oyelowo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-oyelowo/)

> [I basically enjoy doing films that are about something, that have complex roles that I can sink my teeth into. Basically, I gravitate to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-oyelowo/i-basically-enjoy-doing-films-that-are-about-something-that-have/)

[David Oyelowo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-oyelowo/)

> [In my time since moving to the United States, I've found that there is a dearth of great writing for black people. There are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-oyelowo/in-my-time-since-moving-to-the-united-states-i-ve-found-that-there-is/)

[David Oyelowo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-oyelowo/)

> [We can't afford to deny our past in a bid to be empowered. But what we can do is contextualize the past.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-oyelowo/we-can-t-afford-to-deny-our-past-in-a-bid-to-be-empowered-but-what-we/)

[David Oyelowo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-oyelowo/)

> [I don't have a tailor, but I do love clothes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-oyelowo/i-don-t-have-a-tailor-but-i-do-love-clothes/)

[David Oyelowo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-oyelowo/)

> [I am a father, I am very aware of the things that I'm putting out in the world knowing that one day my children…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-oyelowo/i-am-a-father-i-am-very-aware-of-the-things-that-i-m-putting-out-in/)

[David Oyelowo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-oyelowo/)

> [I feel television is in a fantastically rich vein of what it's presenting both by opportunity to actors and to audiences.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-oyelowo/i-feel-television-is-in-a-fantastically-rich-vein-of-what-it-s/)

[David Oyelowo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-oyelowo/)

> [I do think how two people dance with each other is indicative of how they feel about each other. It can tell a lot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-oyelowo/i-do-think-how-two-people-dance-with-each-other-is-indicative-of-how/)

[David Oyelowo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-oyelowo/)

> [Excellence is the best weapon against prejudice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-oyelowo/excellence-is-the-best-weapon-against-prejudice/)

[David Oyelowo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-oyelowo/)

> [People have compact to go beyond our own culture and upbringing to a degree that I think we don't acknowledge enough really.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-oyelowo/people-have-compact-to-go-beyond-our-own-culture-and-upbringing-to-a/)

[David Oyelowo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-oyelowo/)

> [I truly believe that we cannot come to a place of reconciliation until there is individual repentance and corporate repentance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-oyelowo/i-truly-believe-that-we-cannot-come-to-a-place-of-reconciliation/)

[David Oyelowo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-oyelowo/)

> [Africa is trying to find its way back to a sense of itself, when much of that was lost through colonization.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-oyelowo/africa-is-trying-to-find-its-way-back-to-a-sense-of-itself-when-much/)

[David Oyelowo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-oyelowo/)

[Explore all 85 David Oyelowo quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-oyelowo/)

## 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": "I like to think of myself as a physical actor.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "David Oyelowo"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-oyelowo/i-like-to-think-of-myself-as-a-physical-actor/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Actor"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-oyelowo/i-like-to-think-of-myself-as-a-physical-actor/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/76d/david-oyelowo-7952_actors_i-like-to-think-of-myself-as-a-physical_1736975.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/76d/david-oyelowo-7952_actors_i-like-to-think-of-myself-as-a-physical_1736975.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/76d/david-oyelowo-7952_actors_i-like-to-think-of-myself-as-a-physical_1736975.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“I like to think of myself as a physical actor.” — David Oyelowo",
                "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": "David Oyelowo",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-oyelowo/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "I like to think of myself...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-oyelowo/i-like-to-think-of-myself-as-a-physical-actor/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-oyelowo/i-like-to-think-of-myself-as-a-physical-actor/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
