--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If you can jump up onstage and make…" description: "\"If you can jump up onstage and make people laugh, shouldn't you also be able to inhabit a character?\" — Eric Bana" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bcd/eric-bana-4079_able_if-you-can-jump-up-onstage-and-make-peop_3200293.jpg" --- # If you can jump up onstage and make people laugh… ![“If you can jump up onstage and make people laugh, shouldn't you also be able to inhabit a character?” quote by Eric Bana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bcd/eric-bana-4079_able_if-you-can-jump-up-onstage-and-make-peop_3200293.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bcd/eric-bana-4079_able_if-you-can-jump-up-onstage-and-make-peop_3200293.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bcd/eric-bana-4079_able_if-you-can-jump-up-onstage-and-make-peop_3200293.jpg) > “If you can jump up onstage and make people laugh, shouldn't you also be able to inhabit a character?” [Eric Bana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-bana/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. If you can entertain an audience, you likely have the skill to embody a role, linking humor and acting. **In simple terms:** Stage humor shows acting ability. Key Takeaway Leverage comedic talent for acting. Themes performance humor acting versatility Mood playful analytical Type advice inspirational When to use this quote - theatre - stand‑up comedy - film auditions Key Concepts improvisation character immersion Questions to Reflect On - Can humor mask lack of depth? - How to balance comedy and serious roles? A Different Perspective Comedy may not translate to dramatic depth. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character/) [Making people laugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/making-people-laugh/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) ## Related quotes > [When all else hits the fan, I jump back onstage.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-hector/when-all-else-hits-the-fan-i-jump-back-onstage/) [Jamie Hector](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-hector/) > [I like to make mechanical stuff. Once I make a film I have to do whatever I can make onstage I make it onstage.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marjane-satrapi/i-like-to-make-mechanical-stuff-once-i-make-a-film-i-have-to-do/) [Marjane Satrapi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marjane-satrapi/) > [You get onstage and make other people feel happy. Make them feel good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keith-richards/you-get-onstage-and-make-other-people-feel-happy-make-them-feel-good/) [Keith Richards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keith-richards/) > [The illusion of control has to be there, but mostly I'm following characters and the consequences of their own decisions, because a lot of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-shacochis/the-illusion-of-control-has-to-be-there-but-mostly-i-m-following/) [Bob Shacochis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-shacochis/) > [Your Pain May Give Laugh To Somebody But Your Laugh Shouldn't Give Pain To Anybody](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-chaplin/your-pain-may-give-laugh-to-somebody-but-your-laugh-shouldn-t-give/) [Charlie Chaplin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-chaplin/) > [I like some of my stuff not to be particularly funny. It's supposed to be amusing, entertaining or thought-provoking, like a curiosity. If you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/limmy/i-like-some-of-my-stuff-not-to-be-particularly-funny-it-s-supposed-to/) [Limmy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/limmy/) > [When you've learned to laugh at the things that should be laughed at, and not to laugh at those that shouldn't, you've got wisdom…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucy-maud-montgomery/when-you-ve-learned-to-laugh-at-the-things-that-should-be-laughed-at-2/) [Lucy Maud Montgomery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucy-maud-montgomery/) > [A Fabulous Quote By The Comedy King Charlie Chaplin-- Your Pain May Give Laugh To Somebody But Your Laugh Shouldn't Give Pain To Anybody !!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron/a-fabulous-quote-by-the-comedy-king-charlie-chaplin-your-pain-may/) [AaRon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron/) > [In order to inhabit a character, you've got to embrace and empathise with them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willem-dafoe/in-order-to-inhabit-a-character-you-ve-got-to-embrace-and-empathise/) [Willem Dafoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willem-dafoe/) > [I don't worry so much about the audience. I want them very much to be involved and enjoy the movie, but I try to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willem-dafoe/i-don-t-worry-so-much-about-the-audience-i-want-them-very-much-to-be/) [Willem Dafoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willem-dafoe/) > [I think it is a great gift to make people laugh, and it shouldn't be underestimated.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beeban-kidron/i-think-it-is-a-great-gift-to-make-people-laugh-and-it-shouldn-t-be/) [Beeban Kidron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beeban-kidron/) > [“I learned that you could so fully inhabit a character that you could fool others, move others. With talent and commitment, you could seduce…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryan-cranston/i-learned-that-you-could-so-fully-inhabit-a-character-that-you-could/) [Bryan Cranston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryan-cranston/) > [Each time I see the Upside-Down Man Standing in the water, I look at him and start to laugh, Although I shouldn't oughtter. For…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shel-silverstein/each-time-i-see-the-upside-down-man-standing-in-the-water-i-look-at/) [Shel Silverstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shel-silverstein/) > [I just like to inhabit a character really deeply.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/curtis-sittenfeld/i-just-like-to-inhabit-a-character-really-deeply/) [Curtis Sittenfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/curtis-sittenfeld/) > [It's a bit like laughter in church, something has to be forbidden to make you really laugh, to make you really belly laugh. It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maureen-lipman/it-s-a-bit-like-laughter-in-church-something-has-to-be-forbidden-to/) [Maureen Lipman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maureen-lipman/) ## More by Eric Bana > [I always use the analogy that when you go to a jeans store and put on a new pair of jeans, it's a pair…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-bana/i-always-use-the-analogy-that-when-you-go-to-a-jeans-store-and-put-on/) [Eric Bana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-bana/) > [I've had frustrated storytelling juices that have been lying dormant for a long time, and I guess the documentary was a way of me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-bana/i-ve-had-frustrated-storytelling-juices-that-have-been-lying-dormant/) [Eric Bana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-bana/) > [I love being at home, being with friends and family. I'm of European stock, brought up in Australia. I'm a passionate guy. I just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-bana/i-love-being-at-home-being-with-friends-and-family-i-m-of-european/) [Eric Bana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-bana/) > [Technically speaking, you can build anything out of sand; it doesn't mean you do it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-bana/technically-speaking-you-can-build-anything-out-of-sand-it-doesn-t/) [Eric Bana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-bana/) > [The Israeli accent wasn't one that I was overly familiar with so had to learn from scratch but I was very fortunate I had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-bana/the-israeli-accent-wasn-t-one-that-i-was-overly-familiar-with-so-had/) [Eric Bana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-bana/) > [I would never say never to returning to comedy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-bana/i-would-never-say-never-to-returning-to-comedy/) [Eric Bana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-bana/) > [I think there are times when you walk onto a set you can potentially be either intimidated or distracted by what's going on around…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-bana/i-think-there-are-times-when-you-walk-onto-a-set-you-can-potentially/) [Eric Bana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-bana/) > [The reason my kids come to the set is so I can actually see them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-bana/the-reason-my-kids-come-to-the-set-is-so-i-can-actually-see-them/) [Eric Bana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-bana/) > [I like the unknown. I like mystery.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-bana/i-like-the-unknown-i-like-mystery/) [Eric Bana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-bana/) > [I get inhabited by a character and then you mourn it. There's a period of mourning for me, definitely.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-bana/i-get-inhabited-by-a-character-and-then-you-mourn-it-there-s-a-period/) [Eric Bana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-bana/) > [Abs are for people with no friends.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-bana/abs-are-for-people-with-no-friends/) [Eric Bana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-bana/) > [At the beggining of my career, for me the comedy circuit was a combination of desperation and the fact that it was something I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-bana/at-the-beggining-of-my-career-for-me-the-comedy-circuit-was-a/) [Eric Bana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-bana/) > [I was a fan of the television show as a kid but I wouldn't say that I've followed all the movies or anything like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-bana/i-was-a-fan-of-the-television-show-as-a-kid-but-i-wouldn-t-say-that-i/) [Eric Bana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-bana/) > [The more I love the character, the harder it is to get it wrong. I have to get to a point that I can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-bana/the-more-i-love-the-character-the-harder-it-is-to-get-it-wrong-i-have/) [Eric Bana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-bana/) > [It only seems jarring when you look back on the work I've done. I think if you had to map that out at the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-bana/it-only-seems-jarring-when-you-look-back-on-the-work-i-ve-done-i/) [Eric Bana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-bana/) [Explore all 116 Eric Bana quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-bana/) ## More Able quotes > [I am certain that children always know more than they are able to tell, and that makes the big difference between them and adults,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-lusseyran/i-am-certain-that-children-always-know-more-than-they-are-able-to/) [Jacques Lusseyran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-lusseyran/) > [I have observed this in my experience of slavery, - that whenever my condition was improved, instead of its increasing my contentment, it only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-douglass/i-have-observed-this-in-my-experience-of-slavery-that-whenever-my/) [Frederick Douglass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-douglass/) > [There is something about the South that accepts the supernatural. If you don't accept it and you're having a conversation with someone who does,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-englert/there-is-something-about-the-south-that-accepts-the-supernatural-if/) [Alice Englert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-englert/) > [In the '80s, the way radio was programmed, if you didn't have a hit record you weren't going to be able to make any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/huey-lewis/in-the-80s-the-way-radio-was-programmed-if-you-didn-t-have-a-hit/) [Huey Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/huey-lewis/) > [I think I've had the longest career of strength, focus, and still being able to sell records. I think I'm that guy. I'm still…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nas/i-think-i-ve-had-the-longest-career-of-strength-focus-and-still-being/) [Nas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nas/) > [I have that need in me, I want everyone to love me, but I'm embarrassed by that need, so I wanted to cover it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-jeselnik/i-have-that-need-in-me-i-want-everyone-to-love-me-but-i-m-embarrassed/) [Anthony Jeselnik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-jeselnik/) > [Thinking about the things that happened, I don't know any other ball player would could have done what he (Jackie Robinson) did. To be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pee-wee-reese/thinking-about-the-things-that-happened-i-don-t-know-any-other-ball/) [Pee Wee Reese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pee-wee-reese/) > [I wanted to remember in order to be able to return.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anais-nin/i-wanted-to-remember-in-order-to-be-able-to-return/) [Anais Nin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anais-nin/) > [Government schools, with your tax money, now discourage the teaching of multiplication tables by rote memorization but teach reading by the 'look-and-say' method which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-perry/government-schools-with-your-tax-money-now-discourage-the-teaching-of/) Greg Perry > [I don't know if I would qualify as mainstream. I think I have managed to function pretty successfully on the fringes of the music…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-metheny/i-don-t-know-if-i-would-qualify-as-mainstream-i-think-i-have-managed/) [Pat Metheny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-metheny/) > [What we're supposed to do as actors is be able to portray real human beings and emotions. And if you grow up in this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-browning/what-we-re-supposed-to-do-as-actors-is-be-able-to-portray-real-human/) [Emily Browning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-browning/) > [The reason that Apple is able to create products like iPad is because we always try to be at the intersection of technology and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-jobs/the-reason-that-apple-is-able-to-create-products-like-ipad-is-because/) [Steve Jobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-jobs/) > [It was an important period for us, because even though we weren't a "punk band", and what became a model for a punk band,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-mallinder/it-was-an-important-period-for-us-because-even-though-we-weren-t-a/) [Stephen Mallinder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-mallinder/) > [- You look fine. - Right. I look fine. Except I don't, said Zora, tugging sadly at her man's nightshirt. This was why Kiki…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zadie-smith/you-look-fine-right-i-look-fine-except-i-don-t-said-zora-tugging/) [Zadie Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zadie-smith/) > [There is a way to be a woman, ask for what we deserve and be able to negotiate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tracee-ellis-ross/there-is-a-way-to-be-a-woman-ask-for-what-we-deserve-and-be-able-to/) [Tracee Ellis Ross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tracee-ellis-ross/) Browse all 17,257 Able quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "If you can jump up onstage and make people laugh, shouldn't you also be able to inhabit a character?", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Eric Bana" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-bana/if-you-can-jump-up-onstage-and-make-people-laugh-shouldn-t-you-also/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Able" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-bana/if-you-can-jump-up-onstage-and-make-people-laugh-shouldn-t-you-also/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bcd/eric-bana-4079_able_if-you-can-jump-up-onstage-and-make-peop_3200293.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bcd/eric-bana-4079_able_if-you-can-jump-up-onstage-and-make-peop_3200293.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bcd/eric-bana-4079_able_if-you-can-jump-up-onstage-and-make-peop_3200293.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“If you can jump up onstage and make people laugh, shouldn't you also be able to inhabit a character?” — Eric Bana", "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": "Eric Bana", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-bana/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "If you can jump up onstage...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-bana/if-you-can-jump-up-onstage-and-make-people-laugh-shouldn-t-you-also/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-bana/if-you-can-jump-up-onstage-and-make-people-laugh-shouldn-t-you-also/#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 } } ] } ```