--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I think you have to be schizoid three…" description: "\"I think you have to be schizoid three different ways to be an actor ... You have to be a human being. Then you have to be the character you're playing...." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9c8/george-c-scott-32267_actor_i-think-you-have-to-be-schizoid-three-di_2696284.jpg" --- # I think you have to be schizoid three different ways to be… ![“I think you have to be schizoid three different ways to be an actor ... You have to be a human being. Then you have to be the character you're playing. And on top of that you've got to be the guy sitting out there in Row 10, watching yourself and judging yourself. That's why most of us are crazy…” quote by George C. Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9c8/george-c-scott-32267_actor_i-think-you-have-to-be-schizoid-three-di_2696284.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9c8/george-c-scott-32267_actor_i-think-you-have-to-be-schizoid-three-di_2696284.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9c8/george-c-scott-32267_actor_i-think-you-have-to-be-schizoid-three-di_2696284.jpg) > “I think you have to be schizoid three different ways to be an actor ... You have to be a human being. Then you have to be the character you're playing. And on top of that you've got to be the guy sitting out there in Row 10, watching yourself and judging yourself. That's why most of us are crazy to start with, or go nuts once we get into it.” [George C. Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-c-scott/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. An actor must juggle three personas: their true self, the character, and the observer within. **In simple terms:** Balancing self, role, and self‑analysis is essential for acting. Key Takeaway Cultivate self‑awareness while performing. Themes identity artistry self‑reflection Mood introspective creative Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - theatre rehearsals - film sets - creative workshops Key Concepts method acting psychology role immersion Questions to Reflect On - How does self‑observation affect performance? - Can separating the three selves improve authenticity? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Actor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actor/) [Actor Human](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actor-human-1359873/) [Actors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actors/) [Character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character/) [Crazy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/crazy/) [Different](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/different/) [Different ways](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/different-ways/) [Guy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/guy/) [Human beings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/human-beings/) [Human Character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/human-character/) [Humans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humans/) [Judging](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/judging/) [Judging yourself](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/judging-yourself/) [Nuts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nuts/) [Schizoid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/schizoid/) [Schizoid Different](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/schizoid-different-2698265/) [Sitting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sitting/) [Theatre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/theatre/) [Think Schizoid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/think-schizoid-2698263/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Three](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/three/) [Way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/way/) [Ways Actor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ways-actor-2698264/) ## Related quotes > [In a lot of ways being actor is like with any job, at first it's sort of like alien to you a little bit...…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-furlong/in-a-lot-of-ways-being-actor-is-like-with-any-job-at-first-it-s-sort/) [Edward Furlong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-furlong/) > [When you work with actors, what you're hoping to absorb is good ways to be an actor as opposed to how to handle being…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/domhnall-gleeson/when-you-work-with-actors-what-you-re-hoping-to-absorb-is-good-ways/) [Domhnall Gleeson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/domhnall-gleeson/) > [I have to prove myself in a lot of ways - as an actor, as a person, as someone who can handle pressure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-claflin/i-have-to-prove-myself-in-a-lot-of-ways-as-an-actor-as-a-person-as/) [Sam Claflin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-claflin/) > [I don't consider myself specifically political, you know? I think of working as an actor as being a human thing. The concerns I have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-penn/i-don-t-consider-myself-specifically-political-you-know-i-think-of/) [Sean Penn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-penn/) > [Good films not only help me grow as an actor but as a human being.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vicky-kaushal/good-films-not-only-help-me-grow-as-an-actor-but-as-a-human-being/) [Vicky Kaushal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vicky-kaushal/) > [Look at poor Nirupa Roy. She got substantial roles, but at 30 they made her put grey in her hair. And Achala Sachdev was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shabana-azmi/look-at-poor-nirupa-roy-she-got-substantial-roles-but-at-30-they-made/) [Shabana Azmi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shabana-azmi/) > [Growth as an actor and as a human being are synonymous.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stella-adler/growth-as-an-actor-and-as-a-human-being-are-synonymous/) [Stella Adler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stella-adler/) > [I'm an actor and I love to find new collaborations and new characters where I can grow as an actor and human being.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-skarsgard/i-m-an-actor-and-i-love-to-find-new-collaborations-and-new-characters/) [Alexander Skarsgard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-skarsgard/) > [A conservative frame of mind is very limiting for an actor, and a human being, too.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vanessa-redgrave/a-conservative-frame-of-mind-is-very-limiting-for-an-actor-and-a/) [Vanessa Redgrave](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vanessa-redgrave/) > [One of the things you learn as an actor is that human beings are capable of almost anything. I'm sort of in the business…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lithgow/one-of-the-things-you-learn-as-an-actor-is-that-human-beings-are/) [John Lithgow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lithgow/) > [The 10 years of theatre prepared me not only as an actor but also as a human being. It gave me the habit of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/manoj-bajpayee/the-10-years-of-theatre-prepared-me-not-only-as-an-actor-but-also-as/) [Manoj Bajpayee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/manoj-bajpayee/) > [Every actor - every human being - looks for security.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lorne-greene/every-actor-every-human-being-looks-for-security/) [Lorne Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lorne-greene/) > [Be in the moment as an actor and as a human being, and you're going to be happy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-webber/be-in-the-moment-as-an-actor-and-as-a-human-being-and-you-re-going-to/) [Mark Webber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-webber/) > [I think the only productive way to approach characters, and frankly people in life, is through empathy. The minute we call someone a villain,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryce-pinkham/i-think-the-only-productive-way-to-approach-characters-and-frankly/) [Bryce Pinkham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryce-pinkham/) > [Don't be an actor. Be a human being who works off what exists under imaginary circumstances.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sanford-meisner/don-t-be-an-actor-be-a-human-being-who-works-off-what-exists-under/) [Sanford Meisner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sanford-meisner/) ## More by George C. Scott > [ We \[he and his wife Trish Van Devere\] don't talk politics. I'm an independent conservative; she's a radical Democrat. We never vote together. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-c-scott/we-he-and-his-wife-trish-van-devere-don-t-talk-politics-i-m-an/) [George C. Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-c-scott/) > [But when it became an international hoopla where careers lived and died on whether or not you did or didn't get an Oscar, then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-c-scott/but-when-it-became-an-international-hoopla-where-careers-lived-and/) [George C. Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-c-scott/) > [The (Academy Award) ceremonies are a two-hour meat parade, a public display with contrived suspense for economic reasons.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-c-scott/the-academy-award-ceremonies-are-a-two-hour-meat-parade-a-public/) [George C. Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-c-scott/) > [There were times when I got frightened. Things weren't going right, so I just went out and got smashed. That's me. Something goes wrong,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-c-scott/there-were-times-when-i-got-frightened-things-weren-t-going-right-so/) [George C. Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-c-scott/) > [Acting is characterization, the process of two entities merging-the actor and the role.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-c-scott/acting-is-characterization-the-process-of-two-entities-merging-the/) [George C. Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-c-scott/) > [ I'm really a pussycat and this \[bad-boy\] image has been totally overblown for 30 years. Sure, I used to rumble a little but I… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-c-scott/i-m-really-a-pussycat-and-this-bad-boy-image-has-been-totally/) [George C. Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-c-scott/) > [All this stuff you heard about America not wanting to fight, wanting to stay out of the war, is a lot of horse dung.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-c-scott/all-this-stuff-you-heard-about-america-not-wanting-to-fight-wanting/) [George C. Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-c-scott/) > [If I were ever stranded on a desert island, there would be 3 things I’d need: food, shelter, and a grip.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-c-scott/if-i-were-ever-stranded-on-a-desert-island-there-would-be-3-things-i/) [George C. Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-c-scott/) > [There is no question you get pumped up by the recognition. Then a self-loathing sets in when you realise you're enjoying it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-c-scott/there-is-no-question-you-get-pumped-up-by-the-recognition-then-a-self/) [George C. Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-c-scott/) > [Truth is not always a pleasant thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-c-scott/truth-is-not-always-a-pleasant-thing/) [George C. Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-c-scott/) > [I became an actor to escape my own personality. Acting is the most therapeutic thing in the world. You see, through acting you come…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-c-scott/i-became-an-actor-to-escape-my-own-personality-acting-is-the-most/) [George C. Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-c-scott/) > [He had a winning smile, but everything else was a loser.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-c-scott/he-had-a-winning-smile-but-everything-else-was-a-loser/) [George C. Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-c-scott/) > [I think of myself as a fairly decent human being and it gives me great pain to be considered for all the mean S.O.B.s…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-c-scott/i-think-of-myself-as-a-fairly-decent-human-being-and-it-gives-me/) [George C. Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-c-scott/) > [Acting on the stage is a luxury for me. I lose money. I make movies for financial reasons and this allows me the luxury…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-c-scott/acting-on-the-stage-is-a-luxury-for-me-i-lose-money-i-make-movies-for/) [George C. Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-c-scott/) [Explore all 15 George C. Scott quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-c-scott/) ## 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": "I think you have to be schizoid three different ways to be an actor ... You have to be a human being. Then you have to be the character you're playing. And on top of that you've got to be the guy sitting out there in Row 10, watching yourself and judging yourself. That's why most of us are crazy to start with, or go nuts once we get into it.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "George C. 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