--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When I'm playing a bad guy, a lot of it…" description: "\"When I'm playing a bad guy, a lot of it is imagined: things I thought I wanted to do, but I never would do them.\" — Emory Cohen" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c10/emory-cohen-20985_bad_when-i-m-playing-a-bad-guy-a-lot-of-it-i_1841034.jpg" --- # When I'm playing a bad guy, a lot of it is imagined… ![“When I'm playing a bad guy, a lot of it is imagined: things I thought I wanted to do, but I never would do them.” quote by Emory Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c10/emory-cohen-20985_bad_when-i-m-playing-a-bad-guy-a-lot-of-it-i_1841034.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c10/emory-cohen-20985_bad_when-i-m-playing-a-bad-guy-a-lot-of-it-i_1841034.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c10/emory-cohen-20985_bad_when-i-m-playing-a-bad-guy-a-lot-of-it-i_1841034.jpg) > “When I'm playing a bad guy, a lot of it is imagined: things I thought I wanted to do, but I never would do them.” [Emory Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emory-cohen/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The actor reflects that portraying a villain involves imagining actions he would never actually take, highlighting the separation between role and self. **In simple terms:** Playing a bad guy is imagination, not real intent. Key Takeaway Recognize the difference between role and reality. Themes identity performance morality imagination Mood introspective thoughtful Type reflective philosophical When to use this quote - theatre - film acting - role preparation - ethical self‑reflection Key Concepts method acting psychology Questions to Reflect On - How do you separate fictional actions from personal values? - Can imagination affect real behavior? A Different Perspective The imagined actions may still influence personal perception of morality. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Bad guy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bad-guy/) [Character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character/) [Thought](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thought/) ## Related quotes > [“This wasn’t how I imagined things going. But imagination is so often no match for the absurdity, the randomness, the tragedy of reality.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leila-sales/this-wasn-t-how-i-imagined-things-going-but-imagination-is-so-often/) [Leila Sales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leila-sales/) > [Playing a bad guy is always more fun than playing the good guy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margot-robbie/playing-a-bad-guy-is-always-more-fun-than-playing-the-good-guy/) [Margot Robbie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margot-robbie/) > [Let's say you would see me in a lot more big movies had I done movies that I'd been asked to do playing bad…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jake-busey/let-s-say-you-would-see-me-in-a-lot-more-big-movies-had-i-done-movies/) [Jake Busey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jake-busey/) > [There was part of me that wanted to see the world and travel to distant places, but I could only do it in my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-r-r-martin-2/there-was-part-of-me-that-wanted-to-see-the-world-and-travel-to/) [George R. R. Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-r-r-martin-2/) > [Actors will always tell you it's more fun playing bad guys. A lot of the time, it's criminals who are the people who don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brendan-gleeson/actors-will-always-tell-you-it-s-more-fun-playing-bad-guys-a-lot-of/) [Brendan Gleeson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brendan-gleeson/) > [Playing a bad guy is always a freeing experience, because you don't have the same envelope of restrictions as you have playing a good…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-travolta/playing-a-bad-guy-is-always-a-freeing-experience-because-you-don-t/) [John Travolta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-travolta/) > [It's definitely more fun playing a bad guy. It feels a lot better than playing one of the good guys.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-felton/it-s-definitely-more-fun-playing-a-bad-guy-it-feels-a-lot-better-than/) [Tom Felton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-felton/) > [There is something, yeah, I mean traditionally it's more fun to play bad guys than it is good guys and when you're playing a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-nighy/there-is-something-yeah-i-mean-traditionally-it-s-more-fun-to-play/) [Bill Nighy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-nighy/) > [You know, the blond guy plays the good guy and I play the bad part, the bad guys. Which is a lot of fun.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-robinson/you-know-the-blond-guy-plays-the-good-guy-and-i-play-the-bad-part-the/) Matt Robinson > [To be honest, Im a little tired of playing bad guys. I long to do a comedy. But it was fun knocking Indiana Jones…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-oldman/to-be-honest-im-a-little-tired-of-playing-bad-guys-i-long-to-do-a/) [Gary Oldman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-oldman/) > [I love playing bad guys; they're always much more fun than the good guy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grant-bowler/i-love-playing-bad-guys-they-re-always-much-more-fun-than-the-good-guy/) [Grant Bowler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grant-bowler/) > [I love playing the bad guy getting away with stuff. I was that kid who learned from my older brothers who got away with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kellan-lutz/i-love-playing-the-bad-guy-getting-away-with-stuff-i-was-that-kid-who/) [Kellan Lutz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kellan-lutz/) > [I really like playing the bad guy. There are so many more objectives to play when you're mad or villainesque, or when there's some…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keegan-allen/i-really-like-playing-the-bad-guy-there-are-so-many-more-objectives/) [Keegan Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keegan-allen/) > [When you're acting, playing the bad guy, you get a chance to open up this box inside and look at all the bad things…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-kemp/when-you-re-acting-playing-the-bad-guy-you-get-a-chance-to-open-up/) [Martin Kemp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-kemp/) > [Virtue is not photogenic, so I liked playing bad guys. But, whenever I played a bad guy, I tried to find something good in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kirk-douglas/virtue-is-not-photogenic-so-i-liked-playing-bad-guys-but-whenever-i/) [Kirk Douglas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kirk-douglas/) ## More by Emory Cohen > [After I did 'Brooklyn,' I did about five or six violent films in one way or another, and not always with me being the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emory-cohen/after-i-did-brooklyn-i-did-about-five-or-six-violent-films-in-one-way/) [Emory Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emory-cohen/) > [I'm zero to a hundred in almost every facet of my life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emory-cohen/i-m-zero-to-a-hundred-in-almost-every-facet-of-my-life/) [Emory Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emory-cohen/) > [My first two or three films, all I was trying to do was look cool. That's all I knew acting was.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emory-cohen/my-first-two-or-three-films-all-i-was-trying-to-do-was-look-cool-that/) [Emory Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emory-cohen/) > [When it comes to a love story, you're like, 'I've been in love before.' So it's closer to you than the other stuff, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emory-cohen/when-it-comes-to-a-love-story-you-re-like-i-ve-been-in-love-before-so/) [Emory Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emory-cohen/) > [I'm just trying to be Emory Cohen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emory-cohen/i-m-just-trying-to-be-emory-cohen/) [Emory Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emory-cohen/) > [I come from an intense family - like, we're just intense people. Not bad people or anything, we are just very intense, and I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emory-cohen/i-come-from-an-intense-family-like-we-re-just-intense-people-not-bad/) [Emory Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emory-cohen/) > [I told my father I wanted to act, and he stared renting all these classic films for me to watch.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emory-cohen/i-told-my-father-i-wanted-to-act-and-he-stared-renting-all-these/) [Emory Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emory-cohen/) > [I'm glad I chose more vulnerable work about what is love and what is freedom and those kinds of things. But there's something innate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emory-cohen/i-m-glad-i-chose-more-vulnerable-work-about-what-is-love-and-what-is/) [Emory Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emory-cohen/) > [I'm a fourth-generation New Yorker. My family has been in New York for many, many years.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emory-cohen/i-m-a-fourth-generation-new-yorker-my-family-has-been-in-new-york-for/) [Emory Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emory-cohen/) > [I was 16 when I linked up with my manager - first person I ever auditioned for - and I've been in this ever since.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emory-cohen/i-was-16-when-i-linked-up-with-my-manager-first-person-i-ever/) [Emory Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emory-cohen/) > [That's what separates actors - I'll take any risk for a performance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emory-cohen/that-s-what-separates-actors-i-ll-take-any-risk-for-a-performance/) [Emory Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emory-cohen/) > [I love a good loser.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emory-cohen/i-love-a-good-loser/) [Emory Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emory-cohen/) > [I did 'Pines,' and everybody wanted me to be the bad boy. Then I did Tony in 'Brooklyn,' and everybody wanted me to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emory-cohen/i-did-pines-and-everybody-wanted-me-to-be-the-bad-boy-then-i-did-tony/) [Emory Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emory-cohen/) > [My family has artists, but they are all working artists. They are not movie stars. They don't get paid. I really respect that blue-collared…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emory-cohen/my-family-has-artists-but-they-are-all-working-artists-they-are-not/) [Emory Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emory-cohen/) > [I want to do a rom-com. For me, where I come from, it would be such a stretch.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emory-cohen/i-want-to-do-a-rom-com-for-me-where-i-come-from-it-would-be-such-a/) [Emory Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emory-cohen/) [Explore all 30 Emory Cohen quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emory-cohen/) ## More Bad quotes > [If I am going to be phased out by whatever powers, then I want people to know that it is not because I am…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/parvathy/if-i-am-going-to-be-phased-out-by-whatever-powers-then-i-want-people/) [Parvathy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/parvathy/) > [Sometimes I'm in a bad mood, sometimes I'm in a good mood. It's like everyone else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tricky/sometimes-i-m-in-a-bad-mood-sometimes-i-m-in-a-good-mood-it-s-like/) [Tricky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tricky/) > [Unfortunately, we all go through bad phases.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sushmita-sen/unfortunately-we-all-go-through-bad-phases/) [Sushmita Sen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sushmita-sen/) > [The Derby experience had not been good for me and the way it finished left a very bad taste in my mouth so I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nigel-pearson/the-derby-experience-had-not-been-good-for-me-and-the-way-it-finished/) [Nigel Pearson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nigel-pearson/) > [What people tend to forget is the journey that I had getting to Formula One. There were plenty of years where I had to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-hamilton/what-people-tend-to-forget-is-the-journey-that-i-had-getting-to/) [Lewis Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-hamilton/) > [Television, radio, social media. The 24/7 news cycle plows forward mercilessly on our desks, in our cars and in our pockets. Thousands and thousands…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-prince/television-radio-social-media-the-24-7-news-cycle-plows-forward/) [Joseph Prince](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-prince/) > [I listen to heavy metal thanks to my son. When I argue with him on the kind of music he is listening to, he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zeenat-aman/i-listen-to-heavy-metal-thanks-to-my-son-when-i-argue-with-him-on-the/) [Zeenat Aman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zeenat-aman/) > [I've said it before, good people are forced to do bad things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angus-cloud/i-ve-said-it-before-good-people-are-forced-to-do-bad-things/) [Angus Cloud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angus-cloud/) > [“If any woman opens her legs for you, don't feel so lucky to be fed with nonsense, she has been a bitch for a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-bassey-johnson/if-any-woman-opens-her-legs-for-you-don-t-feel-so-lucky-to-be-fed/) [Michael Bassey Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-bassey-johnson/) > [One thing I always tell players is that there are three bad things: Nothing good happens after midnight, nothing good happens when you're around…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-saban/one-thing-i-always-tell-players-is-that-there-are-three-bad-things/) [Nick Saban](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-saban/) > [Everybody has bad days, but how you respond to it is a testament to whether you are a winner or a loser.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-gordon/everybody-has-bad-days-but-how-you-respond-to-it-is-a-testament-to/) [Aaron Gordon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-gordon/) > [Obviously I'm very grateful 'Bad Guy' is doing so well - it's shocking and surprising and gratifying - but I do think it's important…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/finneas/obviously-i-m-very-grateful-bad-guy-is-doing-so-well-it-s-shocking/) [Finneas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/finneas/) > [I felt pretty good growing up. I didnt feel a lot of prejudice or racism. But I do remember, if there was going to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-henry-hwang/i-felt-pretty-good-growing-up-i-didnt-feel-a-lot-of-prejudice-or/) [David Henry Hwang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-henry-hwang/) > [If you read 'Lord of the Rings' and dismiss it as a lie because it has orcs and elves, you're missing the whole point…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doug-tennapel/if-you-read-lord-of-the-rings-and-dismiss-it-as-a-lie-because-it-has/) [Doug TenNapel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doug-tennapel/) > [My conscience is really active. So I feel bad about spending excess amount of money on things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/syd/my-conscience-is-really-active-so-i-feel-bad-about-spending-excess/) [Syd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/syd/) Browse all 7,973 Bad quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "When I'm playing a bad guy, a lot of it is imagined: things I thought I wanted to do, but I never would do them.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Emory Cohen" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emory-cohen/when-i-m-playing-a-bad-guy-a-lot-of-it-is-imagined-things-i-thought-i/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Bad" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emory-cohen/when-i-m-playing-a-bad-guy-a-lot-of-it-is-imagined-things-i-thought-i/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c10/emory-cohen-20985_bad_when-i-m-playing-a-bad-guy-a-lot-of-it-i_1841034.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c10/emory-cohen-20985_bad_when-i-m-playing-a-bad-guy-a-lot-of-it-i_1841034.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c10/emory-cohen-20985_bad_when-i-m-playing-a-bad-guy-a-lot-of-it-i_1841034.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“When I'm playing a bad guy, a lot of it is imagined: things I thought I wanted to do, but I never would do…” — Emory Cohen", "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": "Emory Cohen", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emory-cohen/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "When I'm playing a bad guy,...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emory-cohen/when-i-m-playing-a-bad-guy-a-lot-of-it-is-imagined-things-i-thought-i/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emory-cohen/when-i-m-playing-a-bad-guy-a-lot-of-it-is-imagined-things-i-thought-i/#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 } } ] } ```