--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It's just an impulse, in some actors. You…" description: "\"It's just an impulse, in some actors. You want to make the audience like you. That's the aim of the exercise.\" — Ethan Coen" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/381/ethan-coen-10430_actor_it-s-just-an-impulse-in-some-actors-you_432630.jpg" --- # It's just an impulse, in some actors. You want to make the… ![“It's just an impulse, in some actors. You want to make the audience like you. That's the aim of the exercise.” quote by Ethan Coen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/381/ethan-coen-10430_actor_it-s-just-an-impulse-in-some-actors-you_432630.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/381/ethan-coen-10430_actor_it-s-just-an-impulse-in-some-actors-you_432630.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/381/ethan-coen-10430_actor_it-s-just-an-impulse-in-some-actors-you_432630.jpg) > “It's just an impulse, in some actors. You want to make the audience like you. That's the aim of the exercise.” [Ethan Coen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ethan-coen/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Actors use deliberate gestures to win audience favor, treating performance as a strategic exercise in likability. **In simple terms:** Actors aim to please the audience. Key Takeaway Use purposeful actions to engage viewers. Themes performance audience engagement acting technique strategy likability Mood analytical creative Type artistic instructional When to use this quote - stage performance - film direction - acting workshops Key Concepts theatre film acting psychology of perception Questions to Reflect On - How can authenticity be balanced with strategy? - What gestures truly resonate? A Different Perspective Audience preferences are unpredictable; over‑engineering may feel insincere. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Actor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actor/) [Actors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actors/) [Audience](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/audience/) [Exercise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/exercise/) [Fitness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fitness/) [Theatre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/theatre/) ## Related quotes > [You can make an audience see nearly anything, if you yourself believe in it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-renault/you-can-make-an-audience-see-nearly-anything-if-you-yourself-believe/) [Mary Renault](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-renault/) > [I have been so busy making people laugh with my acting, so I thought why not direct something and make my audience laugh more.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/satish-kaushik/i-have-been-so-busy-making-people-laugh-with-my-acting-so-i-thought/) [Satish Kaushik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/satish-kaushik/) > [The audience is an absolutely critical part of 'Question Time' and selecting that audience is a big and very important job every week. What…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fiona-bruce/the-audience-is-an-absolutely-critical-part-of-question-time-and/) [Fiona Bruce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fiona-bruce/) > [The best way to make friends with an audience is to make them laugh. You don't get people to laugh unless they surrender -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-capra/the-best-way-to-make-friends-with-an-audience-is-to-make-them-laugh/) [Frank Capra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-capra/) > [ Lucian \[of Samosata; 120-190 CE\] was trying to make his audience laugh, rather than start a revolution ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-michael-hecht/lucian-of-samosata-120-190-ce-was-trying-to-make-his-audience-laugh/) [Jennifer Michael Hecht](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-michael-hecht/) > [So many roles for women demand that you make the audience fall in love with you or sympathise with you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/felicity-kendal/so-many-roles-for-women-demand-that-you-make-the-audience-fall-in/) [Felicity Kendal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/felicity-kendal/) > [And the goal really is to make the audience laugh, to bring them some joy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/todd-barry/and-the-goal-really-is-to-make-the-audience-laugh-to-bring-them-some/) [Todd Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/todd-barry/) > [As an actor, it's very interesting to make the audience love you while you are doing horrendous things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/florence-pugh/as-an-actor-it-s-very-interesting-to-make-the-audience-love-you-while/) [Florence Pugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/florence-pugh/) > [I want to make the audience laugh and cry within ten seconds, to show just how close those emotions are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-neil/i-want-to-make-the-audience-laugh-and-cry-within-ten-seconds-to-show/) Simon Neil > [I've always been just as interested in making people think as I am in making them feel, and one of the things this scientific…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-mcgregor/i-ve-always-been-just-as-interested-in-making-people-think-as-i-am-in/) [Wayne McGregor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wayne-mcgregor/) > [Your purpose is to make your audience see what you saw, hear what you heard, feel what you felt. Relevant detail, couched in concrete,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dale-carnegie/your-purpose-is-to-make-your-audience-see-what-you-saw-hear-what-you/) [Dale Carnegie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dale-carnegie/) > [I really interact with the audiences. I make the audience part of the show. It's just a fun time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-harwell/i-really-interact-with-the-audiences-i-make-the-audience-part-of-the/) [Steve Harwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-harwell/) > ['Nicholas Nickleby' was the best example, where 43 people could make an audience of 1,500 look at a fingernail at any given moment. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-rees/nicholas-nickleby-was-the-best-example-where-43-people-could-make-an/) [Roger Rees](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-rees/) > [You can't make the audience fall in love with a character you don't like.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-mckinnon/you-can-t-make-the-audience-fall-in-love-with-a-character-you-don-t/) [Kate McKinnon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-mckinnon/) > [My desire is to continue to make the audience proud of what's happening in the television world of 'The Walking Dead.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chad-coleman/my-desire-is-to-continue-to-make-the-audience-proud-of-what-s/) [Chad Coleman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chad-coleman/) ## More by Ethan Coen > [That's interesting: people deriving their identities from their music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ethan-coen/that-s-interesting-people-deriving-their-identities-from-their-music/) [Ethan Coen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ethan-coen/) > [People respond to real problems from the heart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ethan-coen/people-respond-to-real-problems-from-the-heart/) [Ethan Coen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ethan-coen/) > [Like any kind of writing, there are good days and frustrating days. But even frustrating days can be rewarding sometimes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ethan-coen/like-any-kind-of-writing-there-are-good-days-and-frustrating-days-but/) [Ethan Coen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ethan-coen/) > [That cowboy look - the hat and the bandana - that's not a fashion statement. That clothing is purely practical.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ethan-coen/that-cowboy-look-the-hat-and-the-bandana-that-s-not-a-fashion/) [Ethan Coen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ethan-coen/) > [What is striking in Minnesota is the invisible horizon line. On a grey day, when there's snow on the ground, the sky and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ethan-coen/what-is-striking-in-minnesota-is-the-invisible-horizon-line-on-a-grey/) [Ethan Coen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ethan-coen/) > [Is this business any worse than any other business? It's not especially bad.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ethan-coen/is-this-business-any-worse-than-any-other-business-it-s-not/) [Ethan Coen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ethan-coen/) > [You don't have to have a true story to make a true story movie.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ethan-coen/you-don-t-have-to-have-a-true-story-to-make-a-true-story-movie/) [Ethan Coen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ethan-coen/) > ['Once Upon a Time in the West' is a great movie.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ethan-coen/once-upon-a-time-in-the-west-is-a-great-movie/) [Ethan Coen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ethan-coen/) > [Mainstream movies used to be more adventurous because people went to them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ethan-coen/mainstream-movies-used-to-be-more-adventurous-because-people-went-to/) [Ethan Coen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ethan-coen/) > [We used to watch the muscle movies on Saturday matinees, such as 'Hercules Unchained.' Then we'd go outside and do a remake of it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ethan-coen/we-used-to-watch-the-muscle-movies-on-saturday-matinees-such-as/) [Ethan Coen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ethan-coen/) > [I mean, Joel talks to the actors more than I do and I probably do production stuff a little more than he does.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ethan-coen/i-mean-joel-talks-to-the-actors-more-than-i-do-and-i-probably-do/) [Ethan Coen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ethan-coen/) > [“Fuck it, Dude.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ethan-coen/fuck-it-dude/) [Ethan Coen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ethan-coen/) > [We tend to do period stuff because it helps make it one step removed from boring everyday reality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ethan-coen/we-tend-to-do-period-stuff-because-it-helps-make-it-one-step-removed/) [Ethan Coen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ethan-coen/) > [You don't cast the animal, per se. You have an animal trainer who looks for several of them. That is a different experience than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ethan-coen/you-don-t-cast-the-animal-per-se-you-have-an-animal-trainer-who-looks/) [Ethan Coen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ethan-coen/) > [It's very weird when people you know are in 'Star Wars.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ethan-coen/it-s-very-weird-when-people-you-know-are-in-star-wars/) [Ethan Coen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ethan-coen/) [Explore all 65 Ethan Coen quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ethan-coen/) ## More Actor 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/) > [When you step out and do a song in a musical, the easier thing to do is make it funny. But when those transitions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelli-o-hara/when-you-step-out-and-do-a-song-in-a-musical-the-easier-thing-to-do/) [Kelli O'Hara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelli-o-hara/) > [I once told someone I could act. They totally bought it. I've been getting away with it ever since.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/akshay-kumar/i-once-told-someone-i-could-act-they-totally-bought-it-i-ve-been/) [Akshay Kumar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/akshay-kumar/) > [There has got to be a way for me to have a role on TV or in film that is just as normal as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adeel-akhtar/there-has-got-to-be-a-way-for-me-to-have-a-role-on-tv-or-in-film-that/) [Adeel Akhtar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adeel-akhtar/) > [I love casting against type and doing things you wouldn't expect, because I think you get more interesting performances that way. Hollywood loves to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-s-goyer/i-love-casting-against-type-and-doing-things-you-wouldn-t-expect/) [David S. Goyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-s-goyer/) > [I'm an actor, so I'm never going to feel like I've done enough.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/italia-ricci/i-m-an-actor-so-i-m-never-going-to-feel-like-i-ve-done-enough/) [Italia Ricci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/italia-ricci/) > [I am tired of our characters being so incomplete. When do we ever save the day in a film? When does a Latino actor…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/esai-morales/i-am-tired-of-our-characters-being-so-incomplete-when-do-we-ever-save/) [Esai Morales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/esai-morales/) > [When I was 13, I auditioned for the theater school, and I was there for four years. In the meantime, I did my first…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ana-de-armas/when-i-was-13-i-auditioned-for-the-theater-school-and-i-was-there-for/) [Ana de Armas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ana-de-armas/) > [If you stood me in a costume next to a computer graphic of the same-looking character, I think there would be a difference. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warwick-davis/if-you-stood-me-in-a-costume-next-to-a-computer-graphic-of-the-same/) [Warwick Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warwick-davis/) > [failure in the theater is more public, more brilliant, more unreal than in any other field.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lillian-hellman/failure-in-the-theater-is-more-public-more-brilliant-more-unreal-than/) [Lillian Hellman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lillian-hellman/) > [I'm a character actor - always have been, always will be - and historically, character actors don't come into their own until later in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annie-potts/i-m-a-character-actor-always-have-been-always-will-be-and/) [Annie Potts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annie-potts/) > [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/) > [I never planned to do female roles. It just happened. I was typecast.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/divine/i-never-planned-to-do-female-roles-it-just-happened-i-was-typecast/) [Divine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/divine/) > [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/) [Browse all 21,590 Actor quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actor/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "It's just an impulse, in some actors. You want to make the audience like you. 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