--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I've never played a gay character on…" description: "\"I've never played a gay character on screen, so that would be interesting. I've never played a gay character, and that would fascinate me because I'm n..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ee8/eddie-marsan-19630_actors_i-ve-never-played-a-gay-character-on-scr_2803359.jpg" --- # I've never played a gay character on screen, so that would… ![“I've never played a gay character on screen, so that would be interesting. I've never played a gay character, and that would fascinate me because I'm not gay, so that would interest me.” quote by Eddie Marsan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ee8/eddie-marsan-19630_actors_i-ve-never-played-a-gay-character-on-scr_2803359.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ee8/eddie-marsan-19630_actors_i-ve-never-played-a-gay-character-on-scr_2803359.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ee8/eddie-marsan-19630_actors_i-ve-never-played-a-gay-character-on-scr_2803359.jpg) > “I've never played a gay character on screen, so that would be interesting. I've never played a gay character, and that would fascinate me because I'm not gay, so that would interest me.” [Eddie Marsan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eddie-marsan/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He is curious about portraying a gay role despite not being gay himself. **In simple terms:** He wants to act gay out of curiosity. Key Takeaway Explore roles beyond personal identity. Themes acting identity curiosity Mood thoughtful inquisitive Type artistic ethical When to use this quote - theatre - film - casting decisions Key Concepts representation artistic challenge Questions to Reflect On - How does an actor prepare for such roles? - What responsibilities accompany representation? A Different Perspective Authenticity concerns may arise. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Actors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actors/) [Because](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/because/) [Character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character/) [Character Fascinate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character-fascinate-3466115/) [Character Screen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character-screen-1054177/) [Fascinate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fascinate/) [Fascinate Gay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fascinate-gay-3466114/) [Gay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gay/) [Gay Character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gay-character-250119/) [Interest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/interest/) [Interesting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/interesting/) [Me](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/me/) [Never](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/never/) [Played](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/played/) [Played Gay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/played-gay-360048/) [Screen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/screen/) [Screens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/screens/) [Would](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/would/) [Would be](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/would-be/) ## Related quotes > [The less you know about me the easier it is to convince you that I'm the character on screen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-spacey/the-less-you-know-about-me-the-easier-it-is-to-convince-you-that-i-m/) [Kevin Spacey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-spacey/) > [What I do as a character on screen is different from who I am in real life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mallika-sherawat/what-i-do-as-a-character-on-screen-is-different-from-who-i-am-in-real/) [Mallika Sherawat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mallika-sherawat/) > [When I'm inside the character, I feel like I'm a different person, and then when you see that character on screen and I see…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gillian-anderson/when-i-m-inside-the-character-i-feel-like-i-m-a-different-person-and/) [Gillian Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gillian-anderson/) > [I prefer to be a good human being rather than a good character on screen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sudeep/i-prefer-to-be-a-good-human-being-rather-than-a-good-character-on/) [Sudeep](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sudeep/) > [You are working on bringing life to a character whether it's on screen or on stage; only the technicalities are different.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kunal-kapoor/you-are-working-on-bringing-life-to-a-character-whether-it-s-on/) [Kunal Kapoor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kunal-kapoor/) > [I feel lucky that Viceland wanted to make it, and I'm producing more than one film with LGBT characters and stories and it's because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-page/i-feel-lucky-that-viceland-wanted-to-make-it-and-i-m-producing-more/) [Ellen Page](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-page/) > [It's upsetting that it is such a big deal. I wish it weren't an issue all the time. It's funny that people say it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randy-harrison/it-s-upsetting-that-it-is-such-a-big-deal-i-wish-it-weren-t-an-issue/) [Randy Harrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randy-harrison/) > [I had a friend write me that our music was being played at Gay Pride in New York, which is a big compliment. In…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-nettles/i-had-a-friend-write-me-that-our-music-was-being-played-at-gay-pride/) [Jennifer Nettles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-nettles/) > [I'm certainly not going to tell other people what they should do with their own personal lives. I think it's certainly easier for a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-waters/i-m-certainly-not-going-to-tell-other-people-what-they-should-do-with/) [John Waters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-waters/) > [People think they know who I am, because I've played so many very, very out gay men on stage, and they think that's me](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathan-lane/people-think-they-know-who-i-am-because-i-ve-played-so-many-very-very/) [Nathan Lane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathan-lane/) > [I like the fact that it's like The Ramones. You just have to change your name, and you're a Ramone. You just have to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cameron-mitchell/i-like-the-fact-that-it-s-like-the-ramones-you-just-have-to-change/) [John Cameron Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cameron-mitchell/) > [I've played gay, and I've played straight... I'm proud to be a gay man myself, and I'm thrilled to get the opportunity to play…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-arden/i-ve-played-gay-and-i-ve-played-straight-i-m-proud-to-be-a-gay-man/) [Michael Arden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-arden/) > [I don't think there is a guy that played more gay characters than I have done in my life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antonio-banderas/i-don-t-think-there-is-a-guy-that-played-more-gay-characters-than-i/) [Antonio Banderas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antonio-banderas/) > [I had played many gay characters before, but they were finite - guest characters in TV shows or characters in plays.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-mccormack/i-had-played-many-gay-characters-before-but-they-were-finite-guest/) [Eric McCormack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-mccormack/) > [Being a young actor in the industry, I had a lot of people who strongly advised me to stay quiet. That was hard to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-amboyer/being-a-young-actor-in-the-industry-i-had-a-lot-of-people-who/) [Dan Amboyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-amboyer/) ## More by Eddie Marsan > [What I love about the East End is that there's a great perseverance, determination and courage. What I dislike about it is that there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eddie-marsan/what-i-love-about-the-east-end-is-that-there-s-a-great-perseverance/) [Eddie Marsan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eddie-marsan/) > [It's a very fascinating thing for an actor to play somebody who is suffering, and you have to express the suffering, but in an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eddie-marsan/it-s-a-very-fascinating-thing-for-an-actor-to-play-somebody-who-is/) [Eddie Marsan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eddie-marsan/) > [I want to be respected as an actor. There's my ego. But I don't have a great need to be liked by an audience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eddie-marsan/i-want-to-be-respected-as-an-actor-there-s-my-ego-but-i-don-t-have-a/) [Eddie Marsan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eddie-marsan/) > [The trick to acting is not to show off, it's to think the thoughts of the character.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eddie-marsan/the-trick-to-acting-is-not-to-show-off-it-s-to-think-the-thoughts-of/) [Eddie Marsan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eddie-marsan/) > [Mike Leigh taught me about making choices - as an actor, you choose between being honest and clever, and with Mike, it's always about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eddie-marsan/mike-leigh-taught-me-about-making-choices-as-an-actor-you-choose/) [Eddie Marsan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eddie-marsan/) > [I used to do a lot of comedy. I don't know what happened. I think it's my face.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eddie-marsan/i-used-to-do-a-lot-of-comedy-i-don-t-know-what-happened-i-think-it-s/) [Eddie Marsan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eddie-marsan/) > [As a working-class actor, leaving school with no qualifications, being a printer and then becoming an actor and then working with people who to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eddie-marsan/as-a-working-class-actor-leaving-school-with-no-qualifications-being/) [Eddie Marsan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eddie-marsan/) > [I went swimming the other day and my wife was watching and she said: "You know, it's funny, it's when you've got no clothes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eddie-marsan/i-went-swimming-the-other-day-and-my-wife-was-watching-and-she-said/) [Eddie Marsan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eddie-marsan/) > [I'm not one of these actors who can make a bad script good. Some actors, a script can be terrible, and they can bring…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eddie-marsan/i-m-not-one-of-these-actors-who-can-make-a-bad-script-good-some/) [Eddie Marsan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eddie-marsan/) > [I'm used to being in front of camera and knowing what to think. But if you're asking me to be me, I get very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eddie-marsan/i-m-used-to-being-in-front-of-camera-and-knowing-what-to-think-but-if/) [Eddie Marsan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eddie-marsan/) > [I was brought up in a house full of women; the first time I realised no one was interrupting me was when I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eddie-marsan/i-was-brought-up-in-a-house-full-of-women-the-first-time-i-realised/) [Eddie Marsan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eddie-marsan/) > [When you're the youngest and the only boy, you get spoilt but you get told you're spoilt so you don't get to enjoy it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eddie-marsan/when-you-re-the-youngest-and-the-only-boy-you-get-spoilt-but-you-get/) [Eddie Marsan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eddie-marsan/) > [Different races never fazed me because coming from Bethnal Green, I'd been around people of different races forever. Different class? That was much harder.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eddie-marsan/different-races-never-fazed-me-because-coming-from-bethnal-green-i-d/) [Eddie Marsan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eddie-marsan/) > [I was approached to do something for seven years, and it was a quality project. I did seriously think about it, but I didn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eddie-marsan/i-was-approached-to-do-something-for-seven-years-and-it-was-a-quality/) [Eddie Marsan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eddie-marsan/) > [The trick to acting is not to show off; it's to think the thoughts of the character. I was lucky because when I started…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eddie-marsan/the-trick-to-acting-is-not-to-show-off-it-s-to-think-the-thoughts-of-2/) [Eddie Marsan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eddie-marsan/) [Explore all 32 Eddie Marsan quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eddie-marsan/) ## More Actors quotes > [Women still, when they have breast cancer, go to work; they still lead their lives. They have to. I just did what I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/monica-potter/women-still-when-they-have-breast-cancer-go-to-work-they-still-lead/) [Monica Potter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/monica-potter/) > [I'm trying to write a film with my friend. I'd love to get the thrill of speaking actors making my work even funnier.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-howard/i-m-trying-to-write-a-film-with-my-friend-i-d-love-to-get-the-thrill/) [Russell Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-howard/) > [A lesser complaint: hair extensions. There are moments on 'All My Children' when half the women actors, young and old, seem to be afflicted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/camille-paglia/a-lesser-complaint-hair-extensions-there-are-moments-on-all-my/) [Camille Paglia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/camille-paglia/) > [I'm very used to working with first time actors - you can just look back at 'E.T.' with Drew Barrymore, and Christian Bale from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-spielberg/i-m-very-used-to-working-with-first-time-actors-you-can-just-look/) [Steven Spielberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-spielberg/) > [Forget the credit, they (male actors) take all the money as well. We don't get paid even one-third of what male actors get. It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kangana-ranaut/forget-the-credit-they-male-actors-take-all-the-money-as-well-we-don/) [Kangana Ranaut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kangana-ranaut/) > [I love film people and actors and I am in the right world because I am one of those people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ewan-mcgregor/i-love-film-people-and-actors-and-i-am-in-the-right-world-because-i/) [Ewan McGregor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ewan-mcgregor/) > [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/) > [What we're supposed to do as actors is be able to portray real human beings and emotions. 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