--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: To be a character actor is to be open, to…" description: "\"To be a character actor is to be open, to be a chameleon.\" — Giancarlo Esposito" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/943/giancarlo-esposito-8658_actor_to-be-a-character-actor-is-to-be-open-to_162652.png" --- # To be a character actor is to be open, to be a chameleon. ![“To be a character actor is to be open, to be a chameleon.” quote by Giancarlo Esposito](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/943/giancarlo-esposito-8658_actor_to-be-a-character-actor-is-to-be-open-to_162652.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/943/giancarlo-esposito-8658_actor_to-be-a-character-actor-is-to-be-open-to_162652.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/943/giancarlo-esposito-8658_actor_to-be-a-character-actor-is-to-be-open-to_162652.png) > “To be a character actor is to be open, to be a chameleon.” [Giancarlo Esposito](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giancarlo-esposito/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A character actor must adapt fully, embodying varied roles like a chameleon changes personas. **In simple terms:** Adaptability is key for actors. Key Takeaway Embrace flexibility in performance. Themes acting adaptability identity creativity Mood reflective inspired Type advice inspirational When to use this quote - theatre auditions - film casting - improv workshops - character studies Key Concepts method acting role immersion emotional range Questions to Reflect On - How do you maintain personal identity while transforming? - When does adaptation become self‑loss? A Different Perspective Risk of losing personal authenticity if over‑adapted. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Actor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actor/) [Actors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actors/) [Chameleon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/chameleon/) [Character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character/) [Character actor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character-actor/) [Theatre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/theatre/) ## Related quotes > [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/) > [The people I've respected most in the industry over the years - Paul Newman, for instance. I just loved the way he handled growing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-clooney/the-people-i-ve-respected-most-in-the-industry-over-the-years-paul/) [George Clooney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-clooney/) > [As an actor, I am open to anything interesting that comes my way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kirti-kulhari/as-an-actor-i-am-open-to-anything-interesting-that-comes-my-way/) [Kirti Kulhari](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kirti-kulhari/) > [As an actor, one should be open to all kinds of roles.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daisy-shah/as-an-actor-one-should-be-open-to-all-kinds-of-roles/) [Daisy Shah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daisy-shah/) > [I never had a boundary as an actor and I am open to interesting scripts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shweta-menon/i-never-had-a-boundary-as-an-actor-and-i-am-open-to-interesting/) [Shweta Menon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shweta-menon/) > [Everything feels so personal when you're an actor because you're so open and vulnerable, and you have to trust your director to guide you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miriam-shor/everything-feels-so-personal-when-you-re-an-actor-because-you-re-so/) [Miriam Shor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miriam-shor/) > [An actor is always open to experimenting with new genres.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/prachi-desai/an-actor-is-always-open-to-experimenting-with-new-genres/) [Prachi Desai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/prachi-desai/) > [As an actor, you have to be open to doing things where you look stupid, to be experimental.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesse-eisenberg/as-an-actor-you-have-to-be-open-to-doing-things-where-you-look-stupid/) [Jesse Eisenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesse-eisenberg/) > [I think as an actor you have to be open to your emotions - that's how you tap into other characters. Besides, by being…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jake-gyllenhaal/i-think-as-an-actor-you-have-to-be-open-to-your-emotions-that-s-how/) [Jake Gyllenhaal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jake-gyllenhaal/) > [As an actor, I am open to all possible characters that I can portray.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rubina-dilaik/as-an-actor-i-am-open-to-all-possible-characters-that-i-can-portray/) [Rubina Dilaik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rubina-dilaik/) > [I consider myself as a director's actor, so I'm open to work with filmmakers from across the country and even abroad.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aditi-rao-hydari/i-consider-myself-as-a-director-s-actor-so-i-m-open-to-work-with/) [Aditi Rao Hydari](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aditi-rao-hydari/) > [New York is a great place to be as an unrepresented actor because there are so many 'open auditions' that you can show up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-mary-stewart/new-york-is-a-great-place-to-be-as-an-unrepresented-actor-because/) [Catherine Mary Stewart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-mary-stewart/) > [I think, as a younger actor, you are more open to the experience. And to an extent, you want to go into things blind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chiwetel-ejiofor/i-think-as-a-younger-actor-you-are-more-open-to-the-experience-and-to/) [Chiwetel Ejiofor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chiwetel-ejiofor/) > [I've always considered myself a character actor. That's the way I was trained, really.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-quaid/i-ve-always-considered-myself-a-character-actor-that-s-the-way-i-was/) [Dennis Quaid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-quaid/) > [Well, Ive always been a character actor, you know, and you always get your share of character actors who are bad guys.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colm-meaney/well-ive-always-been-a-character-actor-you-know-and-you-always-get/) [Colm Meaney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colm-meaney/) ## More by Giancarlo Esposito > [I like to always wash the slate clean, and reinvigorate my spirit to be connected to the characters that I am doing. I am…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giancarlo-esposito/i-like-to-always-wash-the-slate-clean-and-reinvigorate-my-spirit-to/) [Giancarlo Esposito](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giancarlo-esposito/) > [I'm naturally a graceful human being. So meditation helps me stay grounded. When we're silent for a moment, it helps us to hear the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giancarlo-esposito/i-m-naturally-a-graceful-human-being-so-meditation-helps-me-stay/) [Giancarlo Esposito](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giancarlo-esposito/) > [There is a dream that the world could be at peace, but that requires that all the folks with arms disarm, or take over…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giancarlo-esposito/there-is-a-dream-that-the-world-could-be-at-peace-but-that-requires/) [Giancarlo Esposito](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giancarlo-esposito/) > [It's certain that the death of an actor can be on a television screen playing the same thing every week.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giancarlo-esposito/it-s-certain-that-the-death-of-an-actor-can-be-on-a-television-screen/) [Giancarlo Esposito](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giancarlo-esposito/) > [I'm not someone who is a fan of a lot of violence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giancarlo-esposito/i-m-not-someone-who-is-a-fan-of-a-lot-of-violence/) [Giancarlo Esposito](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giancarlo-esposito/) > [I love the smell of fried chicken.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giancarlo-esposito/i-love-the-smell-of-fried-chicken/) [Giancarlo Esposito](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giancarlo-esposito/) > [We all do things at certain points that are contradictory. Some things, it's a smaller contradiction, and other things it's larger.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giancarlo-esposito/we-all-do-things-at-certain-points-that-are-contradictory-some-things/) [Giancarlo Esposito](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giancarlo-esposito/) > [I'm a big fan of period pieces, and I'm a big fan of the old-time westerns.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giancarlo-esposito/i-m-a-big-fan-of-period-pieces-and-i-m-a-big-fan-of-the-old-time/) [Giancarlo Esposito](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giancarlo-esposito/) > [I want a body of work; I want a good story after a good story.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giancarlo-esposito/i-want-a-body-of-work-i-want-a-good-story-after-a-good-story/) [Giancarlo Esposito](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giancarlo-esposito/) > [Many times - especially when I'm playing an historical character - I want to be really on target with how I create that character…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giancarlo-esposito/many-times-especially-when-i-m-playing-an-historical-character-i-want/) [Giancarlo Esposito](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giancarlo-esposito/) > [I've learned to become a progressive man because I have four women in my life. And their mother, who I'm not married to anymore,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giancarlo-esposito/i-ve-learned-to-become-a-progressive-man-because-i-have-four-women-in/) [Giancarlo Esposito](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giancarlo-esposito/) > [I look at 'Breaking Bad' as a show about the American family.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giancarlo-esposito/i-look-at-breaking-bad-as-a-show-about-the-american-family/) [Giancarlo Esposito](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giancarlo-esposito/) > [People aren't able to make decisions anymore because there's too many choices within that decision.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giancarlo-esposito/people-aren-t-able-to-make-decisions-anymore-because-there-s-too-many/) [Giancarlo Esposito](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giancarlo-esposito/) > [I have four daughters, the eldest is 19, the youngest is 12, and I watched all of them journey into motherhood. Motherhood is very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giancarlo-esposito/i-have-four-daughters-the-eldest-is-19-the-youngest-is-12-and-i/) [Giancarlo Esposito](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giancarlo-esposito/) > [For me, I've lived a life as an athlete.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giancarlo-esposito/for-me-i-ve-lived-a-life-as-an-athlete/) [Giancarlo Esposito](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giancarlo-esposito/) [Explore all 79 Giancarlo Esposito quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giancarlo-esposito/) ## 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": "To be a character actor is to be open, to be a chameleon.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Giancarlo Esposito" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giancarlo-esposito/to-be-a-character-actor-is-to-be-open-to-be-a-chameleon/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Actor" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giancarlo-esposito/to-be-a-character-actor-is-to-be-open-to-be-a-chameleon/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/943/giancarlo-esposito-8658_actor_to-be-a-character-actor-is-to-be-open-to_162652.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/943/giancarlo-esposito-8658_actor_to-be-a-character-actor-is-to-be-open-to_162652.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/943/giancarlo-esposito-8658_actor_to-be-a-character-actor-is-to-be-open-to_162652.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“To be a character actor is to be open, to be a chameleon.” — Giancarlo Esposito", "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": "Giancarlo Esposito", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giancarlo-esposito/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "To be a character actor is...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giancarlo-esposito/to-be-a-character-actor-is-to-be-open-to-be-a-chameleon/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giancarlo-esposito/to-be-a-character-actor-is-to-be-open-to-be-a-chameleon/#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 } } ] } ```