--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: In a sense, all actors are character…" description: "\"In a sense, all actors are character actors, because we're all playing different characters. But a lot of the time - and I don't know, because I'm not ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ed5/dennis-farina-7396_actor_in-a-sense-all-actors-are-character-acto_2887289.jpg" --- # In a sense, all actors are character actors, because we're… ![“In a sense, all actors are character actors, because we're all playing different characters. But a lot of the time - and I don't know, because I'm not a writer - but writers a lot of times write second- and third-tier characters better than they write primary characters. I guess they're more fun.” quote by Dennis Farina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ed5/dennis-farina-7396_actor_in-a-sense-all-actors-are-character-acto_2887289.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ed5/dennis-farina-7396_actor_in-a-sense-all-actors-are-character-acto_2887289.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ed5/dennis-farina-7396_actor_in-a-sense-all-actors-are-character-acto_2887289.jpg) > “In a sense, all actors are character actors, because we're all playing different characters. But a lot of the time - and I don't know, because I'm not a writer - but writers a lot of times write second- and third-tier characters better than they write primary characters. I guess they're more fun.” [Dennis Farina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-farina/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Supporting actors often receive richer, more nuanced roles than leads, making them more enjoyable. **In simple terms:** Supporting roles can be more fun. Key Takeaway Value all contributions. Themes acting character depth industry dynamics Mood analytical curious Type critical observational When to use this quote - theatre - film casting - career planning Key Concepts typecasting narrative structure Questions to Reflect On - Why are you characters compelling? - How can you appreciate lead performances? A Different Perspective Leads may offer greater visibility and reward. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Actor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actor/) [Actors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actors/) [Character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character/) [Character actors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character-actors/) [Fun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fun/) [Theatre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/theatre/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [There's two types of character actors. There's character actors who play all different characters. Or there's actors who always play the same part; they're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-spall/there-s-two-types-of-character-actors-there-s-character-actors-who/) [Timothy Spall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-spall/) > [My favourite actors have always been the character actors.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-gray-gubler/my-favourite-actors-have-always-been-the-character-actors/) [Matthew Gray Gubler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-gray-gubler/) > [I feel I have been playing all primary characters. And if your character forms a connect with the audience, it doesn't matter if you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angad-bedi/i-feel-i-have-been-playing-all-primary-characters-and-if-your/) [Angad Bedi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angad-bedi/) > [I guess I'm the perfect young lead actress. I'm not Chloe Sevigny - I'm not really a character actress. Some actors have "character" faces.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/berenice-bejo/i-guess-i-m-the-perfect-young-lead-actress-i-m-not-chloe-sevigny-i-m/) [Berenice Bejo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/berenice-bejo/) > [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/) > [The people I've respected most in the industry over the years - Paul Newman, for instance. I just loved the way he handled growing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-clooney/the-people-i-ve-respected-most-in-the-industry-over-the-years-paul/) [George Clooney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-clooney/) > [I think all actors are supposed to be character actors.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-farina/i-think-all-actors-are-supposed-to-be-character-actors/) [Dennis Farina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-farina/) > [The actor has to have some degree of craft, along with the talent. No one tries to laugh except bad actors. No one tries…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-landau/the-actor-has-to-have-some-degree-of-craft-along-with-the-talent-no/) [Martin Landau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-landau/) > [I'm an actor. I'll take a lead if it's offered. The really good actors can fill a character, no matter what the role is.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-herrmann/i-m-an-actor-i-ll-take-a-lead-if-it-s-offered-the-really-good-actors/) [Edward Herrmann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-herrmann/) > [While it's great that some actors can do any character with conviction, I'd probably look odd doing anything unreal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/waheeda-rehman/while-it-s-great-that-some-actors-can-do-any-character-with/) [Waheeda Rehman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/waheeda-rehman/) > [I try not to write for actors because A, they're not the character, and B, it's really depressing when you don't get them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-melfi/i-try-not-to-write-for-actors-because-a-they-re-not-the-character-and/) [Theodore Melfi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-melfi/) > [If there is something magic about the collaborations I have with actors it's because I put the character first.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/quentin-tarantino/if-there-is-something-magic-about-the-collaborations-i-have-with/) [Quentin Tarantino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/quentin-tarantino/) > [Taking on an iconic character is difficult, sure, people associate different actors with a character that you're playing, but there's something in rehearsing and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathryn-hahn/taking-on-an-iconic-character-is-difficult-sure-people-associate/) [Kathryn Hahn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathryn-hahn/) > [I don't like making a film and having the actors in character too much in magazines and on the net and everything else. Because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/graham-king/i-don-t-like-making-a-film-and-having-the-actors-in-character-too/) [Graham King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/graham-king/) > [Well, Ive always been a character actor, you know, and you always get your share of character actors who are bad guys.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colm-meaney/well-ive-always-been-a-character-actor-you-know-and-you-always-get/) [Colm Meaney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colm-meaney/) ## More by Dennis Farina > [Writer-directors are a little bit more liberal, rather than having just the writer on the set, because I think sometimes the writer becomes too…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-farina/writer-directors-are-a-little-bit-more-liberal-rather-than-having/) [Dennis Farina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-farina/) > [I live my life. And the best place to do that is Chicago.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-farina/i-live-my-life-and-the-best-place-to-do-that-is-chicago/) [Dennis Farina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-farina/) > [I never jumped into anything, and I never liked being cajoled into anything. I've pretty much always done things because I wanted to do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-farina/i-never-jumped-into-anything-and-i-never-liked-being-cajoled-into/) [Dennis Farina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-farina/) > [There's not too many offers that come my way about being in a musical.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-farina/there-s-not-too-many-offers-that-come-my-way-about-being-in-a-musical/) [Dennis Farina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-farina/) > [Car chases usually don't involve major criminals - they're usually guys afraid of getting another traffic ticket.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-farina/car-chases-usually-don-t-involve-major-criminals-they-re-usually-guys/) [Dennis Farina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-farina/) > [People are always telling me to shut up about Chicago.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-farina/people-are-always-telling-me-to-shut-up-about-chicago/) [Dennis Farina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-farina/) > [I like working. I like getting up every morning and going somewhere. Where I do it or what form doesn't matter.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-farina/i-like-working-i-like-getting-up-every-morning-and-going-somewhere/) [Dennis Farina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-farina/) > [My best year was probably 1948, and after that, it's been downhill for me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-farina/my-best-year-was-probably-1948-and-after-that-it-s-been-downhill-for/) [Dennis Farina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-farina/) > [When I first got into acting, I never had any long-term goals, never had any plan. I just thought it would be a good…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-farina/when-i-first-got-into-acting-i-never-had-any-long-term-goals-never/) [Dennis Farina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-farina/) > [I don't like to be talked into anything. I don't want to be cajoled.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-farina/i-don-t-like-to-be-talked-into-anything-i-don-t-want-to-be-cajoled/) [Dennis Farina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-farina/) > [What you do as a policeman might be the right thing to do, but it's not entertaining. I left that behind me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-farina/what-you-do-as-a-policeman-might-be-the-right-thing-to-do-but-it-s/) [Dennis Farina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-farina/) > [I realize that no one is going to come to me and ask me to be Julius Caesar or a romantic lead, but I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-farina/i-realize-that-no-one-is-going-to-come-to-me-and-ask-me-to-be-julius/) [Dennis Farina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-farina/) > [You can't act for the editing. You just go in and do the scene the way you think is right.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-farina/you-can-t-act-for-the-editing-you-just-go-in-and-do-the-scene-the-way/) [Dennis Farina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-farina/) > [I like being in the '60s.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-farina/i-like-being-in-the-60s/) [Dennis Farina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-farina/) > [As far as carrying the American banner, you just do what's right for the kids.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-farina/as-far-as-carrying-the-american-banner-you-just-do-what-s-right-for/) [Dennis Farina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-farina/) [Explore all 91 Dennis Farina quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-farina/) ## 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": "In a sense, all actors are character actors, because we're all playing different characters. But a lot of the time - and I don't know, because I'm not a writer - but writers a lot of times write second- and third-tier characters better than they write primary characters. 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