--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I can play a man who's despicable. But…" description: "\"I can play a man who's despicable. But I'll still look inside him to find a point of connection. If I can find that kernel, audiences will relate to me..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/406/forest-whitaker-3022_audience_i-can-play-a-man-who-s-despicable-but-i_153019.jpg" --- # I can play a man who's despicable. But I'll still look… ![“I can play a man who's despicable. But I'll still look inside him to find a point of connection. If I can find that kernel, audiences will relate to me.” quote by Forest Whitaker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/406/forest-whitaker-3022_audience_i-can-play-a-man-who-s-despicable-but-i_153019.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/406/forest-whitaker-3022_audience_i-can-play-a-man-who-s-despicable-but-i_153019.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/406/forest-whitaker-3022_audience_i-can-play-a-man-who-s-despicable-but-i_153019.jpg) > “I can play a man who's despicable. But I'll still look inside him to find a point of connection. If I can find that kernel, audiences will relate to me.” [Forest Whitaker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/forest-whitaker/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Finding humanity in antagonists creates audience empathy, deepening connection. **In simple terms:** Even villains have relatable parts. Key Takeaway Seek common ground with opposing characters. Themes empathy character connection Mood thoughtful compassionate Type analytical creative When to use this quote - acting - writing - film analysis Key Concepts humanity psychology storytelling Questions to Reflect On - What makes a villain relatable? - How does empathy affect moral judgment? A Different Perspective Over‑identifying may blur moral lines. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Audience](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/audience/) [Audiences Relate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/audiences-relate-410160/) [Connections](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/connections/) [Despicable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/despicable/) [Despicable Ll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/despicable-ll-1698252/) [I can](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/i-can/) [Kernel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kernel/) [Kernel Audiences](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kernel-audiences-1698253/) [Looks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/looks/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Play](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/play/) [Play Man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/play-man-559328/) [Relate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/relate/) [Stills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stills/) ## Related quotes > [Audiences could never relate to me as anything other than Tori Spelling.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tori-spelling/audiences-could-never-relate-to-me-as-anything-other-than-tori/) [Tori Spelling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tori-spelling/) > [I tell people, "It's the hardest thing to explain, but it's the easiest thing to understand." And all anybody really needs to know is,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milo-ventimiglia/i-tell-people-it-s-the-hardest-thing-to-explain-but-it-s-the-easiest/) [Milo Ventimiglia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milo-ventimiglia/) > [I think audiences can relate to the guys I'm playing, those large-and-in-charge idiots. Or maybe I just make them feel better about who they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-riggle/i-think-audiences-can-relate-to-the-guys-i-m-playing-those-large-and/) [Rob Riggle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-riggle/) > [I think one of the most wonderful things we can do as performers is to remind audiences that they can still relate to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-finckel/i-think-one-of-the-most-wonderful-things-we-can-do-as-performers-is/) [David Finckel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-finckel/) > [I look for the essence of a story and a human angle that I think audiences can relate to. I also look at how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hrithik-roshan/i-look-for-the-essence-of-a-story-and-a-human-angle-that-i-think/) [Hrithik Roshan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hrithik-roshan/) > [I would like to one day play a man. That is something I do know. I don't know what kind of man. I don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-winslet/i-would-like-to-one-day-play-a-man-that-is-something-i-do-know-i-don/) [Kate Winslet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-winslet/) > [You can't play man to man against Liverpool and out-pass them. You have to keep your shape and stop them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-noble/you-can-t-play-man-to-man-against-liverpool-and-out-pass-them-you/) [Mark Noble](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-noble/) > [God says, Turn the other cheek. So there's no way I could play in a man's game.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwight-howard/god-says-turn-the-other-cheek-so-there-s-no-way-i-could-play-in-a-man/) [Dwight Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwight-howard/) > [It's always great to play a man who sets himself up to be punctured.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-irons/it-s-always-great-to-play-a-man-who-sets-himself-up-to-be-punctured/) [Jeremy Irons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-irons/) > [If I have to play a man, I would do it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shefali-shah/if-i-have-to-play-a-man-i-would-do-it/) [Shefali Shah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shefali-shah/) > [Guys have been having a lot of questions about whether or not I can play man-to-man, so I've been watching a lot of film…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/calvin-pryor/guys-have-been-having-a-lot-of-questions-about-whether-or-not-i-can/) [Calvin Pryor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/calvin-pryor/) > [I'll play any man from any land any game he can name for any amount he can count…Provided I like it!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/puggy-pearson/i-ll-play-any-man-from-any-land-any-game-he-can-name-for-any-amount/) [Puggy Pearson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/puggy-pearson/) > [To be able to write a play a man must be sensitive, imaginative, naive, gullible, passionate; he must be something of an imbecile, something…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-e-sherwood/to-be-able-to-write-a-play-a-man-must-be-sensitive-imaginative-naive/) [Robert E. Sherwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-e-sherwood/) > [“What was romance but a lovely bit of play between man and woman?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eileen-wilks/what-was-romance-but-a-lovely-bit-of-play-between-man-and-woman/) [Eileen Wilks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eileen-wilks/) > [We just play, man. We go out there and we fight no matter the situation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kyle-lowry/we-just-play-man-we-go-out-there-and-we-fight-no-matter-the-situation/) [Kyle Lowry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kyle-lowry/) ## More by Forest Whitaker > [To try and act like we haven't had great progress is not true. Obama didn't fail - he changed the psyche of the nation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/forest-whitaker/to-try-and-act-like-we-haven-t-had-great-progress-is-not-true-obama/) [Forest Whitaker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/forest-whitaker/) > [In high school, I did some musicals, but I never took acting until college. I was studying opera, classical voice, and a speech teacher…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/forest-whitaker/in-high-school-i-did-some-musicals-but-i-never-took-acting-until/) [Forest Whitaker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/forest-whitaker/) > [I'm really excited that people are receiving my performance like this. It makes me feel good, because I've been working really hard. And this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/forest-whitaker/i-m-really-excited-that-people-are-receiving-my-performance-like-this/) [Forest Whitaker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/forest-whitaker/) > [If I go to a reunion in east Texas, my mother's side or my father's, one out of ten is a preacher or a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/forest-whitaker/if-i-go-to-a-reunion-in-east-texas-my-mother-s-side-or-my-father-s/) [Forest Whitaker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/forest-whitaker/) > [ As an artist, it's a great opportunity to play a character like this \[Ugandan dictator Idi Amin in The Last King of Scotland\]. And… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/forest-whitaker/as-an-artist-it-s-a-great-opportunity-to-play-a-character-like-this/) [Forest Whitaker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/forest-whitaker/) > [It's all about destiny. That's why people look at the zodiac or the I Ching - because there's a certain order to life, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/forest-whitaker/it-s-all-about-destiny-that-s-why-people-look-at-the-zodiac-or-the-i/) [Forest Whitaker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/forest-whitaker/) > [My wife is completely different from me: she's good with everyone, whereas I'm good at directed conversation when I have a purpose for it,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/forest-whitaker/my-wife-is-completely-different-from-me-she-s-good-with-everyone/) [Forest Whitaker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/forest-whitaker/) > [I was a curious child. I'd debate with anyone who came to the door - people from the Islamic community... Jehovah's Witnesses... anyone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/forest-whitaker/i-was-a-curious-child-i-d-debate-with-anyone-who-came-to-the-door/) [Forest Whitaker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/forest-whitaker/) > [There was a time in my acting career, where I was trying to figure out if acting was the thing to do. You know?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/forest-whitaker/there-was-a-time-in-my-acting-career-where-i-was-trying-to-figure-out/) [Forest Whitaker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/forest-whitaker/) > [The first time I ever went out of the country, it was to London. I was with the choir from my college, and we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/forest-whitaker/the-first-time-i-ever-went-out-of-the-country-it-was-to-london-i-was/) [Forest Whitaker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/forest-whitaker/) > [If I were to mark three, I'd mark Bird, because I grew immensely as an artist, I learned a lot, and also, I think,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/forest-whitaker/if-i-were-to-mark-three-i-d-mark-bird-because-i-grew-immensely-as-an/) [Forest Whitaker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/forest-whitaker/) > [I try to be like a forest: revitalizing and constantly growing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/forest-whitaker/i-try-to-be-like-a-forest-revitalizing-and-constantly-growing/) [Forest Whitaker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/forest-whitaker/) > [I stay true, because whatever the project is, I'm still looking for inside of that character.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/forest-whitaker/i-stay-true-because-whatever-the-project-is-i-m-still-looking-for/) [Forest Whitaker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/forest-whitaker/) > [It's a contract of connection to be in the same space and watch and listen to stories and be caught in them. When you're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/forest-whitaker/it-s-a-contract-of-connection-to-be-in-the-same-space-and-watch-and/) [Forest Whitaker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/forest-whitaker/) > [I try to be like a forest, revitalizing and constantly growing... Kids would tease me, calling me 'Little Bush.' But... I thought being called…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/forest-whitaker/i-try-to-be-like-a-forest-revitalizing-and-constantly-growing-kids/) [Forest Whitaker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/forest-whitaker/) [Explore all 142 Forest Whitaker quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/forest-whitaker/) ## More Audience quotes > [If the audience likes your work, if they like you, they don't think whether you are married or have children or not. I made…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dimple-kapadia/if-the-audience-likes-your-work-if-they-like-you-they-don-t-think/) [Dimple Kapadia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dimple-kapadia/) > [It's those moments, those odd moments that you look for and sometimes by creating this kind of loose atmosphere you find those little moments…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-levinson/it-s-those-moments-those-odd-moments-that-you-look-for-and-sometimes/) [Barry Levinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-levinson/) > [I can skate beautifully. While performing on ice I always try to please the audience and to win as well. Being artistic is very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evgeni-plushenko/i-can-skate-beautifully-while-performing-on-ice-i-always-try-to/) [Evgeni Plushenko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evgeni-plushenko/) > [One of the best moments of any Liars show is hearing the crowd squawk 'We're doomed! We're doomed!' on cue during 'We Fenced Other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-sheffield/one-of-the-best-moments-of-any-liars-show-is-hearing-the-crowd-squawk/) [Rob Sheffield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-sheffield/) > [It's the adrenaline rush you only get from being in front of an audience. It's addictive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raphael-saadiq/it-s-the-adrenaline-rush-you-only-get-from-being-in-front-of-an/) [Raphael Saadiq](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raphael-saadiq/) > [If I had to speak in front of a Korean audience, I would be hard pressed to sound other than a little girl.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/an-na/if-i-had-to-speak-in-front-of-a-korean-audience-i-would-be-hard/) [An Na](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/an-na/) > [The liveness of theater, and the excitement of experiencing it alongside an audience, is something you can't get at home. That makes the theater…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-blaemire/the-liveness-of-theater-and-the-excitement-of-experiencing-it/) [Nick Blaemire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-blaemire/) > [One of the things that touches me most when I play for an audience is that although we may be unable to communicate in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-hough/one-of-the-things-that-touches-me-most-when-i-play-for-an-audience-is/) [Stephen Hough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-hough/) > [I have to feel the audience. I enjoy that feeling of community.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-gahan/i-have-to-feel-the-audience-i-enjoy-that-feeling-of-community/) [Dave Gahan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-gahan/) > [When you lived it for years and years and years and seen different characters just get pummeled and squashed because 'I said so,' it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arn-anderson/when-you-lived-it-for-years-and-years-and-years-and-seen-different/) [Arn Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arn-anderson/) > [“During the first few minutes of your presentation, your job is to assure the audience members that you are not going to waste their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dale-ludwig-and-greg-owen-boger/during-the-first-few-minutes-of-your-presentation-your-job-is-to/) [Dale Ludwig and Greg Owen-Boger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dale-ludwig-and-greg-owen-boger/) > [Donald Trump is a different ball of wax. I've been trying to say for I don't know how many months now that the traditional…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/donald-trump-is-a-different-ball-of-wax-i-ve-been-trying-to-say-for-i/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [I don't think about who the audience is for my books.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-k-rowling-2/i-don-t-think-about-who-the-audience-is-for-my-books/) [J. K. Rowling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-k-rowling-2/) > [I feel I have been playing all primary characters. And if your character forms a connect with the audience, it doesn't matter if you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angad-bedi/i-feel-i-have-been-playing-all-primary-characters-and-if-your/) [Angad Bedi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angad-bedi/) > [When I was playing piano, it was like, 'I'm going to write a song using all the white keys.' My music director, who knew…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-tesh/when-i-was-playing-piano-it-was-like-i-m-going-to-write-a-song-using/) [John Tesh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-tesh/) [Browse all 9,118 Audience quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/audience/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I can play a man who's despicable. But I'll still look inside him to find a point of connection. If I can find that kernel, audiences will relate to me.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Forest Whitaker" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/forest-whitaker/i-can-play-a-man-who-s-despicable-but-i-ll-still-look-inside-him-to/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Audience" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/forest-whitaker/i-can-play-a-man-who-s-despicable-but-i-ll-still-look-inside-him-to/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/406/forest-whitaker-3022_audience_i-can-play-a-man-who-s-despicable-but-i_153019.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/406/forest-whitaker-3022_audience_i-can-play-a-man-who-s-despicable-but-i_153019.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/406/forest-whitaker-3022_audience_i-can-play-a-man-who-s-despicable-but-i_153019.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I can play a man who's despicable. But I'll still look inside him to find a point of connection. If I can…” — Forest Whitaker", "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": "Forest Whitaker", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/forest-whitaker/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I can play a man who's...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/forest-whitaker/i-can-play-a-man-who-s-despicable-but-i-ll-still-look-inside-him-to/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/forest-whitaker/i-can-play-a-man-who-s-despicable-but-i-ll-still-look-inside-him-to/#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 } } ] } ```