--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: With a face like mine, I'm never going to…" description: "\"With a face like mine, I'm never going to play a character who conquers the universe, I'm going to play characters who are subject to forces bearing do..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/117/eddie-marsan-19630_based_with-a-face-like-mine-i-m-never-going-to_2742230.jpg" --- # With a face like mine, I'm never going to play a character… ![“With a face like mine, I'm never going to play a character who conquers the universe, I'm going to play characters who are subject to forces bearing down on them. My career's based on how we are rather than how we wish we were - they get the good-looking boys in for that kind of role.” quote by Eddie Marsan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/117/eddie-marsan-19630_based_with-a-face-like-mine-i-m-never-going-to_2742230.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/117/eddie-marsan-19630_based_with-a-face-like-mine-i-m-never-going-to_2742230.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/117/eddie-marsan-19630_based_with-a-face-like-mine-i-m-never-going-to_2742230.jpg) > “With a face like mine, I'm never going to play a character who conquers the universe, I'm going to play characters who are subject to forces bearing down on them. My career's based on how we are rather than how we wish we were - they get the good-looking boys in for that kind of role.” [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. Physical appearance limits role types; actors should embrace characters shaped by external forces rather than idealized heroes. **In simple terms:** Accept roles defined by circumstance. Key Takeaway Find depth in constrained characters. Themes typecasting character depth career authenticity industry Mood reflective realistic Type advice philosophical When to use this quote - casting decisions - role preparation - career strategy Key Concepts acting craft narrative realism personal identity Questions to Reflect On - How do you find agency in limited roles? - What value do “forced” characters bring? A Different Perspective May reinforce typecasting stereotypes. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Based](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/based/) [Bearing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bearing/) [Boy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/boy/) [Boys](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/boys/) [Career](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/career/) [Careers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/careers/) [Character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character/) [Character Conquers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character-conquers-3036134/) [Characters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/characters/) [Characters Subject](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/characters-subject-3036133/) [Conquer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conquer/) [Conquers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conquers/) [Down](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/down/) [Face](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/face/) [Faces](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/faces/) [Force](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/force/) [Forces](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/forces/) [Get](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/get/) [Going](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/going/) [Good looking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-looking/) [How](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/how/) [Kind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kind/) [Like](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/like/) [Looking good](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/looking-good/) [Mine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mine/) [Mines](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mines/) [Never](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/never/) [Play](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/play/) [Play Character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/play-character-336271/) [Play Characters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/play-characters-232419/) [Rather](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rather/) [Role](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/role/) [Roles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/roles/) [Subject](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/subject/) [Subjects](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/subjects/) [Than](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/than/) [Them](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/them/) [Universe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/universe/) [Were](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/were/) [Who](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/who/) [Wish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wish/) ## Related quotes > [Remember, if you don't feel passionate about the characters and subject of your story, your readers won't either.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meg-cabot/remember-if-you-don-t-feel-passionate-about-the-characters-and/) [Meg Cabot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meg-cabot/) > [Whatever it be, every fortune is to be overcome by bearing it](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virgil/whatever-it-be-every-fortune-is-to-be-overcome-by-bearing-it/) [Virgil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virgil/) > [“Most often, what I don’t know will have a vastly greater bearing on my life that what I do know.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-d-lounsbrough/most-often-what-i-don-t-know-will-have-a-vastly-greater-bearing-on-my/) [Craig D. Lounsbrough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-d-lounsbrough/) > [People say, 'What if your name was Niki Smith?' Well, if Niki Smith lived the life I've lived, it would have great bearing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niki-tsongas/people-say-what-if-your-name-was-niki-smith-well-if-niki-smith-lived/) [Niki Tsongas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niki-tsongas/) > [Every frame of every film is from a particular time. So, if you make a film in 2017, the times can't not have a bearing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ali-fazal/every-frame-of-every-film-is-from-a-particular-time-so-if-you-make-a/) [Ali Fazal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ali-fazal/) > [Bearing an eternal longing for Jewishness, I threw myself in all directions and left to work for another people. I am not one of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-ansky/bearing-an-eternal-longing-for-jewishness-i-threw-myself-in-all/) [S. Ansky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/s-ansky/) > [“Bearing one another’s burdens is not easy, but it is also not optional.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-chan/bearing-one-another-s-burdens-is-not-easy-but-it-is-also-not-optional/) [Francis Chan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-chan/) > [“Focus on bearing, and beauty will follow. Your looks will not remain with you for life. But your bearing will go with you to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laila-ibrahim/focus-on-bearing-and-beauty-will-follow-your-looks-will-not-remain/) [Laila Ibrahim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laila-ibrahim/) > [“No one knows till they have tried, what power of bearing lies in them.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-gaskell/no-one-knows-till-they-have-tried-what-power-of-bearing-lies-in-them/) [Elizabeth Gaskell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-gaskell/) > [“We again bear the cost of those who enjoyed their whole life while we were struggling.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-f-moonzajer/we-again-bear-the-cost-of-those-who-enjoyed-their-whole-life-while-we/) [M.F. Moonzajer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-f-moonzajer/) > [Inviting children as gospel learners to act and not merely be acted upon builds on reading and talking about the Book of Mormon and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-a-bednar/inviting-children-as-gospel-learners-to-act-and-not-merely-be-acted/) [David A. Bednar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-a-bednar/) > [“Even if you're a burden, you're the only burden I don't mind bearing”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orizuka/even-if-you-re-a-burden-you-re-the-only-burden-i-don-t-mind-bearing/) [Orizuka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orizuka/) > [I'm in favor of destruction, aggression, hating things. Not bearing things anymore. We think the breakdown comes because our life is in bad shape.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-hillman/i-m-in-favor-of-destruction-aggression-hating-things-not-bearing/) [James Hillman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-hillman/) > [Motherhood is more than bearing children, though it is certainly that. It is the essence of who we are as women. It defines our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheri-l-dew/motherhood-is-more-than-bearing-children-though-it-is-certainly-that/) [Sheri L. Dew](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheri-l-dew/) > [We may be masters of our every lot By bearing it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virgil/we-may-be-masters-of-our-every-lot-by-bearing-it/) [Virgil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virgil/) ## 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 Based quotes > [Like in nature, I like things which are based on a few simple principles, even though their manifestation can be very rich.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fabiola-gianotti/like-in-nature-i-like-things-which-are-based-on-a-few-simple/) [Fabiola Gianotti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fabiola-gianotti/) > [The shelves of many evangelicals are full of books that point out the flaws in evolution, discuss it only as a theory, and almost…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-collins/the-shelves-of-many-evangelicals-are-full-of-books-that-point-out-the/) [Francis Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-collins/) > [Because there is actually something very interesting in Goodfellas, how the style of the film changes as time goes by and based on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-cox/because-there-is-actually-something-very-interesting-in-goodfellas/) [Alex Cox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-cox/) > [An art which isn't based on feeling isn't an art at all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-cezanne/an-art-which-isn-t-based-on-feeling-isn-t-an-art-at-all/) [Paul Cezanne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-cezanne/) > [I'd always wanted the show to be more reality based science fiction, something along the lines of The Day the Earth Stood Still, which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gil-gerard/i-d-always-wanted-the-show-to-be-more-reality-based-science-fiction/) [Gil Gerard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gil-gerard/) > [I'm a fact-based leader.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/london-breed/i-m-a-fact-based-leader/) [London Breed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/london-breed/) > [At Inter, I earned my wages based on the results on the field.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roberto-mancini/at-inter-i-earned-my-wages-based-on-the-results-on-the-field/) [Roberto Mancini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roberto-mancini/) > [I used to be a columnist for 'Golf Monthly' and have contributed articles for national newspapers based on the humour that is in abundance…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jasper-carrott/i-used-to-be-a-columnist-for-golf-monthly-and-have-contributed/) [Jasper Carrott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jasper-carrott/) > [I've always made my decisions based on two factors: intellectual analysis and my gut. 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Why don't nobody teach us about none of that man?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-mccartney/teach-me-about-some-taxes-why-didn-t-nobody-teach-me-about-taxes-on/) [Brandon McCartney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-mccartney/) > [Conservatism is about the basic rights of individuals. God created us. As far as the government goes, the Founding Fathers based the Constitution off…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-wurzelbacher/conservatism-is-about-the-basic-rights-of-individuals-god-created-us/) [Joe Wurzelbacher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-wurzelbacher/) > [Style is based on limitations.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hartford/style-is-based-on-limitations/) [John Hartford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hartford/) > [Pacifism as a mass movement aims to avoid suffering; pacifists often say that no cause is worth suffering or dying for. 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