--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When you're playing a real person…" description: "\"When you're playing a real person, there's a balance between playing the person in the script and playing the person as he was in life. You have to be ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a24/david-tennant-12376_balance_when-you-re-playing-a-real-person-there_2738682.png" --- # When you're playing a real person, there's a balance… ![“When you're playing a real person, there's a balance between playing the person in the script and playing the person as he was in life. You have to be respectful and true to who that person was, but at the same time tell the story in the film.” quote by David Tennant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a24/david-tennant-12376_balance_when-you-re-playing-a-real-person-there_2738682.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a24/david-tennant-12376_balance_when-you-re-playing-a-real-person-there_2738682.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a24/david-tennant-12376_balance_when-you-re-playing-a-real-person-there_2738682.png) > “When you're playing a real person, there's a balance between playing the person in the script and playing the person as he was in life. You have to be respectful and true to who that person was, but at the same time tell the story in the film.” [David Tennant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-tennant/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Balancing historical accuracy with storytelling requires respecting the real person while crafting a compelling narrative. **In simple terms:** Respect truth but tell a good story. Key Takeaway Honor truth, engage audience. Themes acting history storytelling respect authenticity Mood thoughtful analytical Type reflective inspirational When to use this quote - biographical films - historical dramas - theatrical portrayals Key Concepts character study narrative balance ethical representation Questions to Reflect On - How do you decide when to prioritize truth over drama? - What responsibilities do actors have to real figures? A Different Perspective Audience may prioritize drama over factual fidelity. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Balance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/balance/) [Film](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/film/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Respectful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/respectful/) [Story](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/story/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [The person is a mystery. What I'm playing is the person so I really get to tell you and show you and communicate to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-cromwell/the-person-is-a-mystery-what-i-m-playing-is-the-person-so-i-really/) [James Cromwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-cromwell/) > [Trying to get somebody to read your script and you're a musician? That's the last person whose script you're gonna read!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/boots-riley/trying-to-get-somebody-to-read-your-script-and-you-re-a-musician-that/) [Boots Riley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/boots-riley/) > [I tend to get comfortable with the dialogue and find out who the person is in the script and try to hit that. People…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-campbell/i-tend-to-get-comfortable-with-the-dialogue-and-find-out-who-the/) [Billy Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-campbell/) > [There's always mixed feelings about the work that I do. When you're playing a real person, that's another kind of responsibility. I have to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caleb-landry-jones/there-s-always-mixed-feelings-about-the-work-that-i-do-when-you-re/) [Caleb Landry Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caleb-landry-jones/) > [And I think when you're playing someone who is a real person, it's extremely important to take the time and put in the effort…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lydia-hearst/and-i-think-when-you-re-playing-someone-who-is-a-real-person-it-s/) [Lydia Hearst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lydia-hearst/) > [It's a daunting thing to be playing a real person and to have contact with her and meet her and be in her circle…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tatiana-maslany/it-s-a-daunting-thing-to-be-playing-a-real-person-and-to-have-contact/) [Tatiana Maslany](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tatiana-maslany/) > [If you're playing a fictional character, you can create a character, you can sort of take certain liberties. And when you're playing a real…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donnie-wahlberg/if-you-re-playing-a-fictional-character-you-can-create-a-character/) [Donnie Wahlberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donnie-wahlberg/) > [You feel a huge sense of responsibility when you're playing a real person.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-strong/you-feel-a-huge-sense-of-responsibility-when-you-re-playing-a-real/) [Jeremy Strong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-strong/) > [I don't know if it's harder but when you're playing a real person you want to honor their memory - even if they're a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toby-jones/i-don-t-know-if-it-s-harder-but-when-you-re-playing-a-real-person-you/) [Toby Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toby-jones/) > [If you're playing a real person, then you want to do a certain amount of research, but that's only going to be so useful…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurence-fishburne/if-you-re-playing-a-real-person-then-you-want-to-do-a-certain-amount/) [Laurence Fishburne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurence-fishburne/) > [I'm almost tempted, when I'm playing a real person, not to meet them. Afterwards, maybe. But, the job is the same. You still have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-danson/i-m-almost-tempted-when-i-m-playing-a-real-person-not-to-meet-them/) [Ted Danson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-danson/) > [Playing a real person, it does add an extra level of thoughtfulness. You're portraying someone who actually existed, so instead of saying, like, 'OK,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ross-lynch/playing-a-real-person-it-does-add-an-extra-level-of-thoughtfulness/) [Ross Lynch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ross-lynch/) > [If you want to do your version, go off and write it. You bring your knowledge to it, and you can use that to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jared-harris/if-you-want-to-do-your-version-go-off-and-write-it-you-bring-your/) [Jared Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jared-harris/) > [There's a way of doing comedy that feels true to the person doing it, that doesn't feel like clown-work or silly faces and antics,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-daly/there-s-a-way-of-doing-comedy-that-feels-true-to-the-person-doing-it/) [Andy Daly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-daly/) > [At some point, you have to disconnect, if the obsession with playing a real person gets in the way of the movie at large.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-edgerton/at-some-point-you-have-to-disconnect-if-the-obsession-with-playing-a/) [Joel Edgerton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-edgerton/) ## More by David Tennant > [Getting the call to be in The Goblet of Fire was like being welcomed into the most exclusive upper circle of some elite actors'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-tennant/getting-the-call-to-be-in-the-goblet-of-fire-was-like-being-welcomed/) [David Tennant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-tennant/) > [I always like seeing people transforming themselves, in whatever way that might be, and a different accent is part of that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-tennant/i-always-like-seeing-people-transforming-themselves-in-whatever-way/) [David Tennant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-tennant/) > [“I dont know who I am but one thing I do know is that when I see a BIG THREATENING BUTTON I just want…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-tennant/i-dont-know-who-i-am-but-one-thing-i-do-know-is-that-when-i-see-a-big/) [David Tennant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-tennant/) > [I have such fond memories of watching 'Doctor Who' when I was a kid and growing up, that if I've left anybody anywhere with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-tennant/i-have-such-fond-memories-of-watching-doctor-who-when-i-was-a-kid-and/) [David Tennant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-tennant/) > [Some people live more in 20 years than others do in 80. 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It's like being stalked by committee!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-tennant/twitter-it-s-like-being-stalked-by-committee/) [David Tennant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-tennant/) > [“On his early decision to become an actor: "I was very small, about 3 or 4 I think, and just wanted to be the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-tennant/on-his-early-decision-to-become-an-actor-i-was-very-small-about-3-or/) [David Tennant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-tennant/) > [Back in 2005, when I was Christopher Eccleston, we saw one of the largest increases on record, of CO2 in the atmosphere. Unless we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-tennant/back-in-2005-when-i-was-christopher-eccleston-we-saw-one-of-the/) [David Tennant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-tennant/) > [I think doing different accents is part of the job of acting, really. It's something else that I quite enjoy the challenge of, to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-tennant/i-think-doing-different-accents-is-part-of-the-job-of-acting-really/) [David Tennant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-tennant/) > [You know, I've just about got used to the fact that people in Britain know who I am on some level, but the notion…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-tennant/you-know-i-ve-just-about-got-used-to-the-fact-that-people-in-britain/) [David Tennant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-tennant/) > [I remember a conversation with my parents about who the people on the TV were, and learning they were actors and they acted out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-tennant/i-remember-a-conversation-with-my-parents-about-who-the-people-on-the/) [David Tennant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-tennant/) > [All roads seem to have come back to Doctor Who in our life. But, no, it was a huge part of my growing up.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-tennant/all-roads-seem-to-have-come-back-to-doctor-who-in-our-life-but-no-it/) [David Tennant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-tennant/) [Explore all 55 David Tennant quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-tennant/) ## More Balance quotes > [Balance suggests a perfect equilibrium. There is no such thing. That is a false expectation… There are going to be priorities and dimensions of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denise-morrison/balance-suggests-a-perfect-equilibrium-there-is-no-such-thing-that-is/) [Denise Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denise-morrison/) > [The bones of my architecture are very much related to the structure, to the physical fact of how a building can stand up; it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/santiago-calatrava/the-bones-of-my-architecture-are-very-much-related-to-the-structure/) [Santiago Calatrava](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/santiago-calatrava/) > [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/) > [she got a reputation for an easy smile and a sharp tongue, and using one to balance the other, she seemed friendly but distant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-allison/she-got-a-reputation-for-an-easy-smile-and-a-sharp-tongue-and-using/) [Dorothy Allison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-allison/) > [Life's unfairness is not irrevocable; we can help balance the scales for others, if not always for ourselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hubert-h-humphrey/life-s-unfairness-is-not-irrevocable-we-can-help-balance-the-scales/) [Hubert H. Humphrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hubert-h-humphrey/) > [“We don't need to strive towards balance, we rather need to work on the obstacles that are preventing the natural flow of balance.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-a-alebraheem/we-don-t-need-to-strive-towards-balance-we-rather-need-to-work-on-the/) [A.A. Alebraheem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-a-alebraheem/) > [I think that kind of balance comes with the process of growing together as a band, the Little Dragon. We love to write, we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yukimi-nagano/i-think-that-kind-of-balance-comes-with-the-process-of-growing/) [Yukimi Nagano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yukimi-nagano/) > [Balance is the ability to be happy in the midst of the most chaotic or even boring or transient circumstance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/balance-is-the-ability-to-be-happy-in-the-midst-of-the-most-chaotic/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [At times of recession, running a budget deficit is highly desirable. Once the economy begins to recover, you have to balance the budget. But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-soros/at-times-of-recession-running-a-budget-deficit-is-highly-desirable/) [George Soros](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-soros/) > [It's my intention to make something stand outside the realm of album art, but it also feels comfortable to me to be in it.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dyer-baizley/it-s-my-intention-to-make-something-stand-outside-the-realm-of-album/) [John Dyer Baizley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dyer-baizley/) > [Once you've gotten your money in balance, you know how much you have to spend on things that are just fun.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-warren/once-you-ve-gotten-your-money-in-balance-you-know-how-much-you-have/) [Elizabeth Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-warren/) > [I never understood how much running changes your life. I'm now obsessed. 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Five hundred miles an hour.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yanni/when-it-comes-down-to-music-i-have-no-balance-i-am-100-percent-it-is/) [Yanni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yanni/) [Browse all 5,166 Balance quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/balance/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "When you're playing a real person, there's a balance between playing the person in the script and playing the person as he was in life. 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