--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Acting in another language is great, and…" description: "\"Acting in another language is great, and I've done that. But you can't do it as well as you can do it in your own language.\" — Emmanuelle Seigner" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9a6/emmanuelle-seigner-26375_acting_acting-in-another-language-is-great-and_819831.jpg" --- # Acting in another language is great, and I've done that… ![“Acting in another language is great, and I've done that. But you can't do it as well as you can do it in your own language.” quote by Emmanuelle Seigner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9a6/emmanuelle-seigner-26375_acting_acting-in-another-language-is-great-and_819831.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9a6/emmanuelle-seigner-26375_acting_acting-in-another-language-is-great-and_819831.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9a6/emmanuelle-seigner-26375_acting_acting-in-another-language-is-great-and_819831.jpg) > “Acting in another language is great, and I've done that. But you can't do it as well as you can do it in your own language.” [Emmanuelle Seigner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emmanuelle-seigner/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Performing in a non‑native language feels less natural than in one's mother tongue, limiting expressive depth. **In simple terms:** Non‑native acting feels less natural. Key Takeaway Practice language mastery for authentic performance. Themes language acting expression culture confidence Mood reflective determined inquisitive Type motivational inspirational When to use this quote - theatre auditions - film dubbing - public speaking - language learning - cross‑cultural workshops Key Concepts linguistic fluency cultural nuance artistic authenticity Questions to Reflect On - How does language shape emotional nuance? - Can technique compensate for linguistic gaps? A Different Perspective Even skilled actors may still convey emotion effectively with strong technique. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Acting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/acting/) [Language](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/language/) ## Related quotes > [Acting is not my language at all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mikhail-baryshnikov/acting-is-not-my-language-at-all/) [Mikhail Baryshnikov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mikhail-baryshnikov/) > [English literature is a glorious inheritance which is open to all - there are no barriers, no coupons, and no restrictions. In the English…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winston-churchill/english-literature-is-a-glorious-inheritance-which-is-open-to-all/) [Winston Churchill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winston-churchill/) > [Growing up in a family of actors, what's great about it is that they're very supportive and they understand what it's like to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-pine/growing-up-in-a-family-of-actors-what-s-great-about-it-is-that-they/) [Chris Pine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-pine/) > [There is a great beauty in every language and there is a great language in every beauty! Be silent and listen to them!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/there-is-a-great-beauty-in-every-language-and-there-is-a-great/) [Mehmet Murat Ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) > [I write. I have read a great deal. I enjoy books. I like the wit of languages. Even French I like. I like to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/twyla-tharp/i-write-i-have-read-a-great-deal-i-enjoy-books-i-like-the-wit-of/) [Twyla Tharp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/twyla-tharp/) > [“Language, a great poem in and of itself, is all around us. We live in the lap of enormous wonder, but how rarely do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-edmundson/language-a-great-poem-in-and-of-itself-is-all-around-us-we-live-in/) [Mark Edmundson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-edmundson/) > [“Great language and great literature do not survive long without each other”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lance-conrad/great-language-and-great-literature-do-not-survive-long-without-each/) [Lance Conrad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lance-conrad/) > [Language is something that I take great interest in.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ishaan-khatter/language-is-something-that-i-take-great-interest-in/) [Ishaan Khatter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ishaan-khatter/) > [I feel that Pride and Prejudice is an incredibly well constructed novel on every level. The dialogue is great. The character development is great.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/curtis-sittenfeld/i-feel-that-pride-and-prejudice-is-an-incredibly-well-constructed/) [Curtis Sittenfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/curtis-sittenfeld/) > [“To speak only one language is to do yourself a great injustice.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-templet/to-speak-only-one-language-is-to-do-yourself-a-great-injustice/) [Michel Templet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-templet/) > [“The Arabic language has had a great history, and in many respects is more remarkable than any other Semitic speech.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-john-courtenay/the-arabic-language-has-had-a-great-history-and-in-many-respects-is/) [James John Courtenay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-john-courtenay/) > [ I mean, we should only be talking about the merits of film \["Moonlight"\] because one of the great things about the visual language is… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cheo-hodari-coker/i-mean-we-should-only-be-talking-about-the-merits-of-film-moonlight/) [Cheo Hodari Coker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cheo-hodari-coker/) > [When I go to different countries, I want to know how to at least say hello and thank you. Language is a great hobby.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cesaro/when-i-go-to-different-countries-i-want-to-know-how-to-at-least-say/) [Cesaro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cesaro/) > [In L.A., a lot of comics live here, but we don't get to spend that much time together because we've got to drive 45…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-bamford/in-l-a-a-lot-of-comics-live-here-but-we-don-t-get-to-spend-that-much/) [Maria Bamford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-bamford/) > [When my sister and I were very young, my father used to tell us fairy stories that he'd made up. My mother was always…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicolas-roeg/when-my-sister-and-i-were-very-young-my-father-used-to-tell-us-fairy/) [Nicolas Roeg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicolas-roeg/) ## More by Emmanuelle Seigner > [I've always been very good at convincing people. For instance, if I arrive in an airport and I'm in economy, I can always convince…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emmanuelle-seigner/i-ve-always-been-very-good-at-convincing-people-for-instance-if-i/) [Emmanuelle Seigner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emmanuelle-seigner/) > [Age is a number on a piece of paper.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emmanuelle-seigner/age-is-a-number-on-a-piece-of-paper/) [Emmanuelle Seigner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emmanuelle-seigner/) > [I started as a model when I was 14 because I wanted to make money.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emmanuelle-seigner/i-started-as-a-model-when-i-was-14-because-i-wanted-to-make-money/) [Emmanuelle Seigner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emmanuelle-seigner/) > [Everything in life, bad or good, makes you change and grow - happily, because if it didn't, we'd be machines.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emmanuelle-seigner/everything-in-life-bad-or-good-makes-you-change-and-grow-happily/) [Emmanuelle Seigner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emmanuelle-seigner/) > [I don't really want to find myself face-to-face with 10,000 paparazzi. I just want to be comfortable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emmanuelle-seigner/i-don-t-really-want-to-find-myself-face-to-face-with-10-000-paparazzi/) [Emmanuelle Seigner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emmanuelle-seigner/) > [I think age is just something written down on a piece of paper. I mean, you come across 20-year-olds who are like old people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emmanuelle-seigner/i-think-age-is-just-something-written-down-on-a-piece-of-paper-i-mean/) [Emmanuelle Seigner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emmanuelle-seigner/) > [In France, I guess there's something like a tyranny in mentalities - we accept success badly, beauty, money. People are certainly envious, and this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emmanuelle-seigner/in-france-i-guess-there-s-something-like-a-tyranny-in-mentalities-we/) [Emmanuelle Seigner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emmanuelle-seigner/) > [When my husband won the Palme d'Or in 2002, I wore the same dress two days in a row. My daughter said, 'Mom! Did…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emmanuelle-seigner/when-my-husband-won-the-palme-d-or-in-2002-i-wore-the-same-dress-two/) [Emmanuelle Seigner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emmanuelle-seigner/) > [I come from a family of actors. My grandfather was like a Laurence Olivier with the Comedie Francaise. Since I was four I went…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emmanuelle-seigner/i-come-from-a-family-of-actors-my-grandfather-was-like-a-laurence/) [Emmanuelle Seigner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emmanuelle-seigner/) > ['Venus in Fur' is very Polanski: you have the knife of 'Rosemary's Baby'; you have Thomas disguised as a woman as in 'The Tenant,'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emmanuelle-seigner/venus-in-fur-is-very-polanski-you-have-the-knife-of-rosemary-s-baby/) [Emmanuelle Seigner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emmanuelle-seigner/) > [I never had the slightest desire to have cosmetic surgery - partly because I don't want to look like an alien and partly because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emmanuelle-seigner/i-never-had-the-slightest-desire-to-have-cosmetic-surgery-partly/) [Emmanuelle Seigner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emmanuelle-seigner/) > [I don't like the idea of fitting into a mould so as to conform. What I like is the danger, the difference - being…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emmanuelle-seigner/i-don-t-like-the-idea-of-fitting-into-a-mould-so-as-to-conform-what-i/) [Emmanuelle Seigner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emmanuelle-seigner/) > [When I did 'Frantic,' I didn't have a lot of experience. My English was so bad, and I did an OK job, I think,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emmanuelle-seigner/when-i-did-frantic-i-didn-t-have-a-lot-of-experience-my-english-was/) [Emmanuelle Seigner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emmanuelle-seigner/) > [There's a lot of good roles for men, always, and for very young girls. But for women, not so many.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emmanuelle-seigner/there-s-a-lot-of-good-roles-for-men-always-and-for-very-young-girls/) [Emmanuelle Seigner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emmanuelle-seigner/) > [I grew up around the Luxembourg Gardens, so I guess that is my best memory.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emmanuelle-seigner/i-grew-up-around-the-luxembourg-gardens-so-i-guess-that-is-my-best/) [Emmanuelle Seigner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emmanuelle-seigner/) [Explore all 22 Emmanuelle Seigner quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emmanuelle-seigner/) ## More Acting quotes > [I actually think acting is a form of self-hypnosis. You have to be hyper, hyper aware of what's going on around you. You have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julianne-moore/i-actually-think-acting-is-a-form-of-self-hypnosis-you-have-to-be/) [Julianne Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julianne-moore/) > [Many Republicans have always reminded me of professional WWF wrestlers. They come into the ring all pumped up and acting like they're invincible and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-feig/many-republicans-have-always-reminded-me-of-professional-wwf/) [Paul Feig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-feig/) > [I'm a big fan of all the Boston guys that are acting - Matt Damon , Ben Affleck, Mark Wahlberg - they made a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenny-wormald/i-m-a-big-fan-of-all-the-boston-guys-that-are-acting-matt-damon-ben/) [Kenny Wormald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenny-wormald/) > [Acting is a grind, just like music is a grind. Sometimes it takes longer than what you can give.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/big-sean/acting-is-a-grind-just-like-music-is-a-grind-sometimes-it-takes/) [Big Sean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/big-sean/) > [It was only when I started making short films in college and I was looking for girls to play the me-ish parts that I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lena-dunham/it-was-only-when-i-started-making-short-films-in-college-and-i-was/) [Lena Dunham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lena-dunham/) > [Writing is something I took up rather than anything I had an inclination toward. I like acting -delivering someone else's message - but writing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-martin/writing-is-something-i-took-up-rather-than-anything-i-had-an/) [Steve Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-martin/) > [I can still function when I don't have that balance I crave. I had a tendency to be precious about acting, thinking of it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-regan/i-can-still-function-when-i-don-t-have-that-balance-i-crave-i-had-a/) [Laura Regan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-regan/) > [Actors don't hate acting. Most people don't hate acting! Whether you're a child mucking around with your friends or a grown up being paid…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liv-hewson/actors-don-t-hate-acting-most-people-don-t-hate-acting-whether-you-re/) [Liv Hewson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liv-hewson/) > [It was only when I went to acting school that I was like, "You are absolutely such a pigheaded freak show that you thought…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giles-matthey/it-was-only-when-i-went-to-acting-school-that-i-was-like-you-are/) [Giles Matthey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giles-matthey/) > [Once I committed to acting, this has been it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernie-hudson/once-i-committed-to-acting-this-has-been-it/) [Ernie Hudson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernie-hudson/) > [It definitely helps to have the acting experience going into singing, because when you're singing, you have to portray the emotion you were feeling…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-newman/it-definitely-helps-to-have-the-acting-experience-going-into-singing/) Ryan Newman > [The show was number one in the ratings, Gordon Russell was our head writer, the story lines were magnificent and the acting most exciting.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-storm/the-show-was-number-one-in-the-ratings-gordon-russell-was-our-head/) [Michael Storm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-storm/) > [I've done so many other projects where you're in a room with a reader and you're acting your lines out: 'We have to get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-cummings/i-ve-done-so-many-other-projects-where-you-re-in-a-room-with-a-reader/) [Jim Cummings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-cummings/) > [I do not believe in public shaming. I do believe that young adults go to college to learn things, and that this process will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-weingarten/i-do-not-believe-in-public-shaming-i-do-believe-that-young-adults-go/) [Gene Weingarten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-weingarten/) > [Poetry has, in a way, been my bridge to my acting career.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/omari-hardwick/poetry-has-in-a-way-been-my-bridge-to-my-acting-career/) [Omari Hardwick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/omari-hardwick/) [Browse all 12,062 Acting quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/acting/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Acting in another language is great, and I've done that. 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