--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Mike Leigh taught me about making choices…" description: "\"Mike Leigh taught me about making choices - as an actor, you choose between being honest and clever, and with Mike, it's always about being honest. I l..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ee0/eddie-marsan-19630_about_mike-leigh-taught-me-about-making-choice_196483.jpg" --- # Mike Leigh taught me about making choices - as an actor… ![“Mike Leigh taught me about making choices - as an actor, you choose between being honest and clever, and with Mike, it's always about being honest. I learned how to behave on a film set from Jim Broadbent. He was a great example of someone with a fantastic career who kept his feet on the ground.” quote by Eddie Marsan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ee0/eddie-marsan-19630_about_mike-leigh-taught-me-about-making-choice_196483.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ee0/eddie-marsan-19630_about_mike-leigh-taught-me-about-making-choice_196483.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ee0/eddie-marsan-19630_about_mike-leigh-taught-me-about-making-choice_196483.jpg) > “Mike Leigh taught me about making choices - as an actor, you choose between being honest and clever, and with Mike, it's always about being honest. I learned how to behave on a film set from Jim Broadbent. He was a great example of someone with a fantastic career who kept his feet on the ground.” [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. Choosing honesty over cleverness in acting leads to authentic performance and grounded career choices. **In simple terms:** Honesty beats cleverness for real acting. Key Takeaway Prioritize authenticity in your work. Themes authenticity career groundedness Mood reflective inspirational Type advice personal development When to use this quote - film set behavior - career development - personal integrity Key Concepts acting philosophy mentor influence Questions to Reflect On - How does honesty affect long‑term success? - When is cleverness necessary? A Different Perspective Honesty may limit strategic manipulation in competitive environments. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Actor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actor/) [Actors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actors/) [Being](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/being/) [Being honest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/being-honest/) [Career](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/career/) [Choices](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/choices/) [Clever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/clever/) [Fantastic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fantastic/) [Film](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/film/) [Film set](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/film-set/) [Honest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/honest/) [Making choices](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/making-choices/) [You choose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/you-choose/) ## Related quotes > [“I should like the woman I choose to be very honest, generous, and to have a sincere faith in God, rather than mindlessly following…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melanie-dickerson/i-should-like-the-woman-i-choose-to-be-very-honest-generous-and-to/) [Melanie Dickerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melanie-dickerson/) > [Early in my career...I had to choose between an honest arrogance and a hypercritical humility... I deliberately choose an honest arrogance, and I've never…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-lloyd-wright/early-in-my-career-i-had-to-choose-between-an-honest-arrogance-and-a/) [Frank Lloyd Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-lloyd-wright/) > [Once cannot know if the film is going to be a hit or not so as an actor I choose films that excite me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayesha-takia/once-cannot-know-if-the-film-is-going-to-be-a-hit-or-not-so-as-an/) [Ayesha Takia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayesha-takia/) > [I want to do something that is meaningful. After working for all these years, I want to do better as an actor now and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/payal-rohatgi/i-want-to-do-something-that-is-meaningful-after-working-for-all-these/) [Payal Rohatgi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/payal-rohatgi/) > [The main key for me is to always find the truth of the character, and to find where that is and stay with that.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-morrissey/the-main-key-for-me-is-to-always-find-the-truth-of-the-character-and/) [David Morrissey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-morrissey/) > [Certainly as actors, and maybe as directors, you've got to hang on to something childlike. You've got to know what play is. I haven't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-rickman/certainly-as-actors-and-maybe-as-directors-you-ve-got-to-hang-on-to/) [Alan Rickman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-rickman/) > [I wanted to work with Mike Leigh. I had my list of British people I wanted to work with, and I wanted to work…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carmen-ejogo/i-wanted-to-work-with-mike-leigh-i-had-my-list-of-british-people-i/) [Carmen Ejogo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carmen-ejogo/) > [Mike Leigh is my all-time favourite writer/director/creator.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greta-gerwig/mike-leigh-is-my-all-time-favourite-writer-director-creator/) [Greta Gerwig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greta-gerwig/) > [I'm very influenced by Mike Leigh and the way that he always has these climactic confrontations, like in 'Secrets and Lies' and 'High Hopes,'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-baker/i-m-very-influenced-by-mike-leigh-and-the-way-that-he-always-has/) [Sean Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-baker/) > [I had left school at 16, gone to stage school - and, until I was 22, I hadn't really played anyone but myself. Then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lesley-manville/i-had-left-school-at-16-gone-to-stage-school-and-until-i-was-22-i/) [Lesley Manville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lesley-manville/) > [I had two starts, really. The first was going to the Italia Conti stage school, aged 15. I'd gone to sing, but one day…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lesley-manville/i-had-two-starts-really-the-first-was-going-to-the-italia-conti-stage/) [Lesley Manville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lesley-manville/) > [I acknowledge Mike Leigh and Ken Loach. They are prostlytizers of English socialism preaching to the converted and telling us what we already know.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-greenaway/i-acknowledge-mike-leigh-and-ken-loach-they-are-prostlytizers-of/) [Peter Greenaway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-greenaway/) > [When I make films, I work with Mike Leigh, who's the most prolific director in England.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lesley-manville/when-i-make-films-i-work-with-mike-leigh-who-s-the-most-prolific/) [Lesley Manville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lesley-manville/) > [Different directors have different things, so when I left Mike Leigh, as it were, and I went into other projects after 'All or Nothing,'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sally-hawkins/different-directors-have-different-things-so-when-i-left-mike-leigh/) [Sally Hawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sally-hawkins/) > [I often draw from people in my own experience to base a character on, going back to my days with Mike Leigh.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-thewlis/i-often-draw-from-people-in-my-own-experience-to-base-a-character-on/) [David Thewlis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-thewlis/) ## 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/) > [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/) > [My business is not to show anybody anything; my job is just to do it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eddie-marsan/my-business-is-not-to-show-anybody-anything-my-job-is-just-to-do-it/) [Eddie Marsan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eddie-marsan/) [Explore all 32 Eddie Marsan quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eddie-marsan/) ## More About quotes > [If you ask an introvert a question, wait until she thinks about it. Introverts think before speaking, not through speaking. If you want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-helgoe/if-you-ask-an-introvert-a-question-wait-until-she-thinks-about-it/) [Laurie Helgoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-helgoe/) > [Joking about violence is not funny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/perez-hilton/joking-about-violence-is-not-funny/) [Perez Hilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/perez-hilton/) > [I talk to my mates about our kids, being too tired and being worn out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/holly-willoughby/i-talk-to-my-mates-about-our-kids-being-too-tired-and-being-worn-out/) [Holly Willoughby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/holly-willoughby/) > [With 'Pretty Girls,' I saw the opportunity to talk not just about crime but what crime leaves behind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karin-slaughter/with-pretty-girls-i-saw-the-opportunity-to-talk-not-just-about-crime/) [Karin Slaughter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karin-slaughter/) > [I write about presidents. That means I write about guys - so far. I'm interested in the people closest to them, the people they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doris-kearns-goodwin/i-write-about-presidents-that-means-i-write-about-guys-so-far-i-m/) [Doris Kearns Goodwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doris-kearns-goodwin/) > [That's something a lot of folks don't know about me - I'm pretty darn funny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-jai-white/that-s-something-a-lot-of-folks-don-t-know-about-me-i-m-pretty-darn/) [Michael Jai White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-jai-white/) > [I learned a lot about myself at Oakmont.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shane-lowry/i-learned-a-lot-about-myself-at-oakmont/) [Shane Lowry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shane-lowry/) > [I don't think about the press or the crowds or the other leaders of the race. The focus is only on myself. As soon…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/magdalena-neuner/i-don-t-think-about-the-press-or-the-crowds-or-the-other-leaders-of/) [Magdalena Neuner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/magdalena-neuner/) > [Sport is not just about entertainment. It is equally about winning and losing, pooling and galvanising the energy of the youth, upgrading people's physical…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nita-ambani/sport-is-not-just-about-entertainment-it-is-equally-about-winning-and/) [Nita Ambani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nita-ambani/) > [One of the ways that I discovered my confidence and my ability to overpower is becoming a mother. Suddenly, my world wasn't about myself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lights/one-of-the-ways-that-i-discovered-my-confidence-and-my-ability-to/) [Lights](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lights/) > [I didn't want to do 'Fashion Police' because I thought, 'This is stupid, this is beneath me, who wants to talk about fashion?' It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-rivers/i-didn-t-want-to-do-fashion-police-because-i-thought-this-is-stupid/) [Joan Rivers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-rivers/) > [I just worried about my weight. Worried about my appearance and thought I wan't pretty enough to be a pop star. It was very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-durham/i-just-worried-about-my-weight-worried-about-my-appearance-and/) [Judith Durham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-durham/) > [I read a couple of books about neuroscience and the relationship between the mind and the body.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-kinnaman/i-read-a-couple-of-books-about-neuroscience-and-the-relationship/) [Joel Kinnaman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-kinnaman/) > [There are a lot of kids out there copying and distributing movies - not because they care about seeing the movies or sharing them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-perry-barlow/there-are-a-lot-of-kids-out-there-copying-and-distributing-movies-not/) [John Perry Barlow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-perry-barlow/) > [I have no physical genius about me. I can't dribble a ball and run at the same time, I can't do lay-ups - I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rich-mullins/i-have-no-physical-genius-about-me-i-can-t-dribble-a-ball-and-run-at/) [Rich Mullins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rich-mullins/) Browse all 26,122 About quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Mike Leigh taught me about making choices - as an actor, you choose between being honest and clever, and with Mike, it's always about being honest. I learned how to behave on a film set from Jim Broadbent. He was a great example of someone with a fantastic career who kept his feet on the ground.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Eddie Marsan" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eddie-marsan/mike-leigh-taught-me-about-making-choices-as-an-actor-you-choose/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "About" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eddie-marsan/mike-leigh-taught-me-about-making-choices-as-an-actor-you-choose/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ee0/eddie-marsan-19630_about_mike-leigh-taught-me-about-making-choice_196483.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ee0/eddie-marsan-19630_about_mike-leigh-taught-me-about-making-choice_196483.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ee0/eddie-marsan-19630_about_mike-leigh-taught-me-about-making-choice_196483.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Mike Leigh taught me about making choices - as an actor, you choose between being honest and clever, and…” — Eddie Marsan", "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": "Eddie Marsan", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eddie-marsan/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Mike Leigh taught me about making...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eddie-marsan/mike-leigh-taught-me-about-making-choices-as-an-actor-you-choose/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eddie-marsan/mike-leigh-taught-me-about-making-choices-as-an-actor-you-choose/#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 } } ] } ```