---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Vulnerability is huge. I love to see that…"
description: "\"Vulnerability is huge. I love to see that in characters. It's something I feel like a lot of my comedic heroes have always done.\" — Ed Helms"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2ce/ed-helms-4996_characters_vulnerability-is-huge-i-love-to-see-that_1697954.png"
---

#  Vulnerability is huge. I love to see that in characters…

![“Vulnerability is huge. I love to see that in characters. It's something I feel like a lot of my comedic heroes have always done.” quote by Ed Helms](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2ce/ed-helms-4996_characters_vulnerability-is-huge-i-love-to-see-that_1697954.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2ce/ed-helms-4996_characters_vulnerability-is-huge-i-love-to-see-that_1697954.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2ce/ed-helms-4996_characters_vulnerability-is-huge-i-love-to-see-that_1697954.png)

> “Vulnerability is huge. I love to see that in characters. It's something I feel like a lot of my comedic heroes have always done.”

[Ed Helms](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-helms/)

## About This Quote

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

Characters who show vulnerability create deeper connections and realism.

**In simple terms:** Vulnerability adds depth.

Key Takeaway

Embrace openness in storytelling.

Themes

vulnerability character development humor empathy

Mood

thoughtful inquisitive

Type

analytical inspirational

When to use this quote

- screenwriting
- stand‑up comedy
- personal relationships
- team dynamics

Key Concepts

psychology narrative technique authenticity

Questions to Reflect On

- When does vulnerability become weakness?
- How to balance humor with sincerity?

A Different Perspective

Excessive vulnerability can alienate audiences.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Characters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/characters/) [Characters Feel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/characters-feel/) [Comedic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/comedic/) [Comedic Heroes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/comedic-heroes-1121064/) [Done](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/done/) [Huge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/huge/) [Vulnerability](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vulnerability/) [Vulnerability Huge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vulnerability-huge-1121063/)

## Related quotes

> [You make adjustments according to the specifics of the character.It's something I feel like a lot of my comedic heroes have always done. It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-helms/you-make-adjustments-according-to-the-specifics-of-the-character-it-s/)

[Ed Helms](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-helms/)

> [Martin Lawrence is one of my comedic heroes, and he's a genius.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tracy-morgan/martin-lawrence-is-one-of-my-comedic-heroes-and-he-s-a-genius/)

[Tracy Morgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tracy-morgan/)

> [With a lot of my comedic heroes, I'm trying to make sure that, wherever they might have gotten off-track a bit, I've learned that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keegan-michael-key/with-a-lot-of-my-comedic-heroes-i-m-trying-to-make-sure-that-wherever/)

[Keegan-Michael Key](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keegan-michael-key/)

> [ It's a fascinating culture \[the South in the Civil War period\] and so rife with comedic possibilities. And not in a way that...I have… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-helms/it-s-a-fascinating-culture-the-south-in-the-civil-war-period-and-so/)

[Ed Helms](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-helms/)

> [I like characters who have blind spots and are full of themselves, but there also needs to be vulnerability.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephan-pastis/i-like-characters-who-have-blind-spots-and-are-full-of-themselves-but/)

[Stephan Pastis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephan-pastis/)

> [Yes, I certainly look for strong characters - whether that means they're strong in their vulnerability or strong in the way they might be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vicky-mcclure/yes-i-certainly-look-for-strong-characters-whether-that-means-they-re/)

[Vicky McClure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vicky-mcclure/)

> [I choose material instinctually - at the heart of it are characters that I feel are fresh and original, and allow for an opportunity…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathryn-bigelow/i-choose-material-instinctually-at-the-heart-of-it-are-characters/)

[Kathryn Bigelow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathryn-bigelow/)

> [It's easier to write about heartbreak after you've had your heart broken. You have more material to draw from, you can extrapolate from your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-rothfuss/it-s-easier-to-write-about-heartbreak-after-you-ve-had-your-heart/)

[Patrick Rothfuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-rothfuss/)

> [As a woman, I don't feel like I have a responsibility to create better female characters. I feel like I have a responsibility to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/courtney-a-kemp/as-a-woman-i-don-t-feel-like-i-have-a-responsibility-to-create-better/)

[Courtney A. Kemp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/courtney-a-kemp/)

> [As actors, we have to take characters, and we have to feel for them and ultimately become them, and share that on screen so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ross-butler/as-actors-we-have-to-take-characters-and-we-have-to-feel-for-them-and/)

[Ross Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ross-butler/)

> [“Some writers need to sink in order to feel what their characters feel; in order to write their characters with the truest feeling possible.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lori-lifsey/some-writers-need-to-sink-in-order-to-feel-what-their-characters-feel/)

[Lori Lifsey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lori-lifsey/)

> [You can start imagining all kinds of things characters would feel, but you have to have a sense of whether those imaginings might be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-egan/you-can-start-imagining-all-kinds-of-things-characters-would-feel-but/)

[Jennifer Egan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-egan/)

> [I'm grateful that so many viewers have related to characters I've played. I think many in the audience see themselves in my characters or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hwang-jung-eum/i-m-grateful-that-so-many-viewers-have-related-to-characters-i-ve/)

[Hwang Jung-eum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hwang-jung-eum/)

> [My attitudes aren't directed toward characters at all. I don't feel sympathetic toward some characters, unsympathetic toward others. I don't love some characters, feel…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-delillo/my-attitudes-aren-t-directed-toward-characters-at-all-i-don-t-feel/)

[Don DeLillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-delillo/)

> [The easiest way for readers to connect with characters and feel sympathy is to make the character entertaining, sympathetic and likeable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randa-abdel-fattah/the-easiest-way-for-readers-to-connect-with-characters-and-feel/)

[Randa Abdel-Fattah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randa-abdel-fattah/)

## More by Ed Helms

> [First there was the New Hampshire primary, and we had nearly a year leading up to it. And now, look! Three primaries in one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-helms/first-there-was-the-new-hampshire-primary-and-we-had-nearly-a-year/)

[Ed Helms](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-helms/)

> [The biggest thing that comes out of improv that gets built on is just character traits. You know, for me the singing was born…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-helms/the-biggest-thing-that-comes-out-of-improv-that-gets-built-on-is-just/)

[Ed Helms](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-helms/)

> [When you're playing a fictional character reacting to the real world, it's incredibly difficult and confusing and kind of messes with your values a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-helms/when-you-re-playing-a-fictional-character-reacting-to-the-real-world/)

[Ed Helms](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-helms/)

> [ It was never tough \[ being the new guy\]. It's just the warmest group of people \[The Office stuff\] you could ever hope to… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-helms/it-was-never-tough-being-the-new-guy-it-s-just-the-warmest-group-of/)

[Ed Helms](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-helms/)

> [ What's cool is that in the story of the movie \[The Hangover\] our characters are also really kind of getting to know each other… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-helms/what-s-cool-is-that-in-the-story-of-the-movie-the-hangover-our/)

[Ed Helms](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-helms/)

> [Sometimes you just create a joke out of thin air in the editing room. I'm really glad I've had that experience. It gives me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-helms/sometimes-you-just-create-a-joke-out-of-thin-air-in-the-editing-room/)

[Ed Helms](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-helms/)

> [I love travel. I love to go spend time in new places. And even though I got horribly sick in Thailand, and it was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-helms/i-love-travel-i-love-to-go-spend-time-in-new-places-and-even-though-i/)

[Ed Helms](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-helms/)

> [ One of the biggest breaks we had actually, one of the biggest, the hardest I laughed on the movie \[The Hangover\] was the baby… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-helms/one-of-the-biggest-breaks-we-had-actually-one-of-the-biggest-the/)

[Ed Helms](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-helms/)

> [ Todd \[Phillips\] doesn't care. That's part of his genius as a director, he will say anything to anybody. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-helms/todd-phillips-doesn-t-care-that-s-part-of-his-genius-as-a-director-he/)

[Ed Helms](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-helms/)

> [So long as your desire to explore is greater than your desire to not screw up, you're on the right track.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-helms/so-long-as-your-desire-to-explore-is-greater-than-your-desire-to-not/)

[Ed Helms](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-helms/)

> [People now genuinely respond to it and associate me with music. It's really fun.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-helms/people-now-genuinely-respond-to-it-and-associate-me-with-music-it-s/)

[Ed Helms](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-helms/)

> [I'm a very jaded and cynical person.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-helms/i-m-a-very-jaded-and-cynical-person/)

[Ed Helms](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-helms/)

> [When you're in New York City or Los Angeles, even if you're not dealing with show business, there's still this sense that it's the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-helms/when-you-re-in-new-york-city-or-los-angeles-even-if-you-re-not/)

[Ed Helms](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-helms/)

> [That's actually a rare thing to be on a set full of people that you admire and make you laugh all the time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-helms/that-s-actually-a-rare-thing-to-be-on-a-set-full-of-people-that-you/)

[Ed Helms](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-helms/)

> [People who grew up in New York City or Los Angeles tend not to even understand what goes on in the rest of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-helms/people-who-grew-up-in-new-york-city-or-los-angeles-tend-not-to-even/)

[Ed Helms](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-helms/)

[Explore all 104 Ed Helms quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-helms/)

## More Characters quotes

> [This may sound strange, but although I feel like I know everything about my characters, the brand of shampoo they use, how many cavities…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gail-honeyman/this-may-sound-strange-but-although-i-feel-like-i-know-everything/)

[Gail Honeyman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gail-honeyman/)

> [I'm not a huge social media kind of guy, so I don't really know, I don't really ever get... at least in real life,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/freddie-stroma/i-m-not-a-huge-social-media-kind-of-guy-so-i-don-t-really-know-i-don/)

[Freddie Stroma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/freddie-stroma/)

> [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/)

> [I'm writing about real things. Real people. Real characters. You have to believe what I write about is true or you wouldn't pay any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lou-reed/i-m-writing-about-real-things-real-people-real-characters-you-have-to/)

[Lou Reed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lou-reed/)

> [Since I don't outline my books very much, I feel like sometimes I don't have a choice in what the characters do; they just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-todd/since-i-don-t-outline-my-books-very-much-i-feel-like-sometimes-i-don/)

[Anna Todd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-todd/)

> [I'm truly, 100% guided by the characters and my Muse. If one of the characters suddenly decided to do something very different, I'd just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lori-foster/i-m-truly-100-guided-by-the-characters-and-my-muse-if-one-of-the/)

[Lori Foster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lori-foster/)

> [I have played several characters that are crabby and cranky. I don't know if I'm just not a very well-developed human being or if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judy-greer/i-have-played-several-characters-that-are-crabby-and-cranky-i-don-t/)

[Judy Greer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judy-greer/)

> [You do get fond of your characters. Handing them on is like giving a child to a nanny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-fellowes/you-do-get-fond-of-your-characters-handing-them-on-is-like-giving-a/)

[Julian Fellowes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-fellowes/)

> [Your job as a writer is to find storylines, narrative structures, and characters to show the things that you believe rather than saying them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philipp-meyer/your-job-as-a-writer-is-to-find-storylines-narrative-structures-and/)

[Philipp Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philipp-meyer/)

> [Being of Indian heritage is a challenge - and it's a blessing as well sometimes - because being good isn't good enough. You have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sacha-dhawan/being-of-indian-heritage-is-a-challenge-and-it-s-a-blessing-as-well/)

[Sacha Dhawan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sacha-dhawan/)

> [On the stage, the characters express themselves more through words than images. So the arguments of the characters and the tension between characters -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-alda/on-the-stage-the-characters-express-themselves-more-through-words/)

[Alan Alda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-alda/)

> [I really like all of the characters in 'The Secret History' by Donna Tartt, especially Camilla, the one girl. I find her fascinating.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hannah-murray/i-really-like-all-of-the-characters-in-the-secret-history-by-donna/)

[Hannah Murray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hannah-murray/)

> [I've just always loved really good projects. The things that draw me into a new project have very little to do with genre and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jewel-staite/i-ve-just-always-loved-really-good-projects-the-things-that-draw-me/)

[Jewel Staite](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jewel-staite/)

> [“Take care of your costume and your confidence will take care of itself.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amit-kalantri/take-care-of-your-costume-and-your-confidence-will-take-care-of-itself/)

[Amit Kalantri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amit-kalantri/)

> [I always wanted to be a fireman, a cop, an Indian chief, a doctor, a lawyer. I always wanted to be all these things,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/morgan-freeman/i-always-wanted-to-be-a-fireman-a-cop-an-indian-chief-a-doctor-a/)

[Morgan Freeman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/morgan-freeman/)

[Browse all 3,066 Characters quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/characters/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "Vulnerability is huge. I love to see that in characters. It's something I feel like a lot of my comedic heroes have always done.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Ed Helms"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-helms/vulnerability-is-huge-i-love-to-see-that-in-characters-it-s-something/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Characters"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-helms/vulnerability-is-huge-i-love-to-see-that-in-characters-it-s-something/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2ce/ed-helms-4996_characters_vulnerability-is-huge-i-love-to-see-that_1697954.png",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2ce/ed-helms-4996_characters_vulnerability-is-huge-i-love-to-see-that_1697954.png",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2ce/ed-helms-4996_characters_vulnerability-is-huge-i-love-to-see-that_1697954.png",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“Vulnerability is huge. I love to see that in characters. It's something I feel like a lot of my comedic…” — Ed Helms",
                "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": "Ed Helms",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-helms/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "Vulnerability is huge. I love to...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-helms/vulnerability-is-huge-i-love-to-see-that-in-characters-it-s-something/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-helms/vulnerability-is-huge-i-love-to-see-that-in-characters-it-s-something/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
