--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I don't think I'm an actor who takes…" description: "\"I don't think I'm an actor who takes their characters home with him. But I certainly do take the preparation home.\" — Donald Sutherland" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1bf/donald-sutherland-14225_actor_i-don-t-think-i-m-an-actor-who-takes-the_2808094.png" --- # I don't think I'm an actor who takes their characters home… ![“I don't think I'm an actor who takes their characters home with him. But I certainly do take the preparation home.” quote by Donald Sutherland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1bf/donald-sutherland-14225_actor_i-don-t-think-i-m-an-actor-who-takes-the_2808094.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1bf/donald-sutherland-14225_actor_i-don-t-think-i-m-an-actor-who-takes-the_2808094.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1bf/donald-sutherland-14225_actor_i-don-t-think-i-m-an-actor-who-takes-the_2808094.png) > “I don't think I'm an actor who takes their characters home with him. But I certainly do take the preparation home.” [Donald Sutherland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-sutherland/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He separates his personal life from his characters, but keeps the professional preparation with him **In simple terms:** He keeps his work preparation but not the character persona personal Key Takeaway Maintain professional discipline while preserving personal boundaries Themes acting personal boundaries professionalism Mood reflective calm Type careerational personal When to use this quote - film sets - theatre rehearsals - personal downtime - career longevity Key Concepts method acting role immersion work-life separation Questions to Reflect On - How do you unwind after intense roles? - What boundaries keep your personal life intact? A Different Perspective Balancing immersion with personal life can be difficult ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Actor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actor/) [Actor Takes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actor-takes-960752/) [Certainly Preparation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/certainly-preparation-3500607/) [Characters Home](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/characters-home-1989059/) [Home](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/home/) [Home Certainly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/home-certainly-3500605/) [Preparation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/preparation/) [Preparation Home](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/preparation-home-3500606/) [Think](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/think/) [Who](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/who/) ## Related quotes > [I do take my characters back home. In fact, I am the reel person in real life during the entire shoot. This affects me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nana-patekar/i-do-take-my-characters-back-home-in-fact-i-am-the-reel-person-in/) [Nana Patekar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nana-patekar/) > [I don't take characters home with me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sissy-spacek/i-don-t-take-characters-home-with-me/) [Sissy Spacek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sissy-spacek/) > [If I took my characters home with me, half of my life would be a misery, I think. 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Anyone with the physical qualifications can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-dean/when-an-actor-plays-a-scene-exactly-the-way-a-director-orders-it-isn/) [James Dean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-dean/) > [Directing remains very psychological, and it takes a lot of time and reflection. When you're an actor, it takes less time, and you can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guillaume-canet/directing-remains-very-psychological-and-it-takes-a-lot-of-time-and/) [Guillaume Canet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guillaume-canet/) > [There is no such thing as playing someone else's character. Every actor takes a character and makes it his/her own while enacting it on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhimanyu-singh/there-is-no-such-thing-as-playing-someone-else-s-character-every/) [Abhimanyu Singh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhimanyu-singh/) > [I never think of myself as an actor who takes work home with them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-stiles/i-never-think-of-myself-as-an-actor-who-takes-work-home-with-them/) [Julia Stiles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-stiles/) > [To be an actor takes a lot of courage, but the way I did it takes less courage. I was very lucky.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-sisto/to-be-an-actor-takes-a-lot-of-courage-but-the-way-i-did-it-takes-less/) [Jeremy Sisto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-sisto/) > [Marlon Brando said any guy can become an actor. It takes a real man to quit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clifton-davis/marlon-brando-said-any-guy-can-become-an-actor-it-takes-a-real-man-to/) [Clifton Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clifton-davis/) > [I'm all about being self-deprecating because I think it's hilarious. Any actor who takes themselves seriously just needs to stop being such a piece…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-harding/i-m-all-about-being-self-deprecating-because-i-think-it-s-hilarious-2/) [Ian Harding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-harding/) ## More by Donald Sutherland > [You have a little bit of talent, a certain amount of good fortune and a lot of hard work in pursuit of whatever truth…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-sutherland/you-have-a-little-bit-of-talent-a-certain-amount-of-good-fortune-and/) [Donald Sutherland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-sutherland/) > [I come from Nova Scotia, and I'd never seen a theater or been inside of a theater. When I was 17, my dad asked…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-sutherland/i-come-from-nova-scotia-and-i-d-never-seen-a-theater-or-been-inside/) [Donald Sutherland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-sutherland/) > [Everything was my fault. I was so dumb. But if I hadn't made the mistakes I made, I wouldn't have met the wonderful woman…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-sutherland/everything-was-my-fault-i-was-so-dumb-but-if-i-hadn-t-made-the/) [Donald Sutherland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-sutherland/) > [ I think we're \[me and my son\] different. He plans, organizes and intellectualizes more than I do. It wasn't until I worked with Federico… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-sutherland/i-think-we-re-me-and-my-son-different-he-plans-organizes-and/) [Donald Sutherland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-sutherland/) > [One measurement is worth a thousand expert opinions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-sutherland/one-measurement-is-worth-a-thousand-expert-opinions/) [Donald Sutherland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-sutherland/) > [But no, I love acting, it's a wonderful job.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-sutherland/but-no-i-love-acting-it-s-a-wonderful-job/) [Donald Sutherland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-sutherland/) > [When you look in the eyes of someone and that's what you look into, I knew him with my blood. It's not something you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-sutherland/when-you-look-in-the-eyes-of-someone-and-that-s-what-you-look-into-i/) [Donald Sutherland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-sutherland/) > [I have no idea. I get involved because I think there's value in the project and because I love the character that is presented…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-sutherland/i-have-no-idea-i-get-involved-because-i-think-there-s-value-in-the/) [Donald Sutherland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-sutherland/) > [I was obsessed with not knowing what happened after you were dead. And I sat or kneeled for a whole day with my head…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-sutherland/i-was-obsessed-with-not-knowing-what-happened-after-you-were-dead-and/) [Donald Sutherland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-sutherland/) > [ It's a very serious endeavor for me \[to play in the same movie with my son\]. It's not for a lot of people. It… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-sutherland/it-s-a-very-serious-endeavor-for-me-to-play-in-the-same-movie-with-my/) [Donald Sutherland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-sutherland/) > [I have been able to play a lot of guys and they have kept me working.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-sutherland/i-have-been-able-to-play-a-lot-of-guys-and-they-have-kept-me-working/) [Donald Sutherland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-sutherland/) > [No, I'm not rich. I had a tax problem in this country, curiously enough, and my accountant said the British government was patently wrong…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-sutherland/no-i-m-not-rich-i-had-a-tax-problem-in-this-country-curiously-enough/) [Donald Sutherland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-sutherland/) > [But even with no money you could still go to places like the Scotch Club and, you know, John Lennon might be sitting right…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-sutherland/but-even-with-no-money-you-could-still-go-to-places-like-the-scotch/) [Donald Sutherland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-sutherland/) > [To them though, not to us, we were just a catalyst for their imagination.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-sutherland/to-them-though-not-to-us-we-were-just-a-catalyst-for-their-imagination/) [Donald Sutherland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-sutherland/) > [I have never planned anything. I have been doing this job for over 50 years. I have been paid to work with some wonderful…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-sutherland/i-have-never-planned-anything-i-have-been-doing-this-job-for-over-50/) [Donald Sutherland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-sutherland/) [Explore all 47 Donald Sutherland quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-sutherland/) ## 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. 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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 don't think I'm an actor who takes their characters home with him. 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