Being Quote by Eddie Marsan
“I'm the guy who plays human beings. I understand why the characters are doing what they're doing. When you play a villain, you don't play a villain: you play a human being doing what he thinks he needs to do to get what he wants.”
About This Quote
Source Interview: Film Magazine, 2015
He treats acting as embodying human motives, even for villains.
In simple terms: Play villains as humans.
Humanize every role.
Themes
Mood
Type
When to use this quote
- theatre
- film
- role preparation
Key Concepts
Questions to Reflect On
- What drives a villain’s actions?
- How does empathy change performance?
Risk of oversimplifying complex antagonists.