---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Most performers take themselves too…"
description: "\"Most performers take themselves too seriously. They forget there is a difference between the characters they play on the screen or stage and themselves..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2e8/grace-jones-3131_forget_most-performers-take-themselves-too-seri_1905790.png"
---

#  Most performers take themselves too seriously. They forget…

![“Most performers take themselves too seriously. They forget there is a difference between the characters they play on the screen or stage and themselves, but the public doesn't forget there is a difference. They see how silly it is if you try to be the same person all the time.” quote by Grace Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2e8/grace-jones-3131_forget_most-performers-take-themselves-too-seri_1905790.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2e8/grace-jones-3131_forget_most-performers-take-themselves-too-seri_1905790.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2e8/grace-jones-3131_forget_most-performers-take-themselves-too-seri_1905790.png)

> “Most performers take themselves too seriously. They forget there is a difference between the characters they play on the screen or stage and themselves, but the public doesn't forget there is a difference. They see how silly it is if you try to be the same person all the time.”

[Grace Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grace-jones/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Artists often blur the line between role and self, but audiences notice when they lose perspective, leading to ridicule.

**In simple terms:** Actors forget to separate role from self, causing public ridicule.

Key Takeaway

Maintain personal boundaries.

Themes

humor self-awareness public perception

Mood

reflective lighthearted

Type

advice observational

When to use this quote

- acting
- public appearances
- media interviews

Key Concepts

identity performance ego

Questions to Reflect On

- How do you keep your true self separate from your roles?
- What boundaries help you stay grounded?

A Different Perspective

Overemphasis on persona can hinder authenticity.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Characters Play](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/characters-play/) [Difference Silly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/difference-silly-2839894/) [Forget](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/forget/) [Performers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/performers/) [Performers Seriously](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/performers-seriously-2839892/) [Person](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/person/) [Play](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/play/) [Silly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/silly/) [Stage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stage/) [Stage Public](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stage-public-2839893/) [Theatre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/theatre/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Try](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/try/)

## Related quotes

> [Usually the characters I play are men of few words, who communicate in non-verbal ways.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/viggo-mortensen/usually-the-characters-i-play-are-men-of-few-words-who-communicate-in/)

[Viggo Mortensen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/viggo-mortensen/)

> [I'm not comfortable being around too many people. I don't like being out in public too much. I don't like going to bars. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-sandler/i-m-not-comfortable-being-around-too-many-people-i-don-t-like-being/)

[Adam Sandler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-sandler/)

> [As an actor, you enjoy the characters that you play in a movie.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sana-khan/as-an-actor-you-enjoy-the-characters-that-you-play-in-a-movie/)

[Sana Khan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sana-khan/)

> [One has to be able to twist and change and distort characters, play with them like clay, so everything fits together. Real people don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-carey/one-has-to-be-able-to-twist-and-change-and-distort-characters-play/)

[Peter Carey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-carey/)

> [I think everybody should act! I would encourage everybody to do one thing, join a theater class or something. It's so good to take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-gosling/i-think-everybody-should-act-i-would-encourage-everybody-to-do-one/)

[Ryan Gosling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-gosling/)

> [We generally pretend to be something to survive in a society. So the characters I play, I want them to be wholesome characters. They…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-massey/we-generally-pretend-to-be-something-to-survive-in-a-society-so-the/)

[Vikrant Massey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-massey/)

> [A lot of times the characters I play tend to be kind of loners or they don't have best friends or best buddies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-shannon/a-lot-of-times-the-characters-i-play-tend-to-be-kind-of-loners-or/)

[Michael Shannon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-shannon/)

> [I am a professional actor, and I am very careful about being sincere to the characters I play.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mammootty/i-am-a-professional-actor-and-i-am-very-careful-about-being-sincere/)

[Mammootty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mammootty/)

> [I have too much respect for the characters I play to make them anything but as real as they can possibly be. I have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kyra-sedgwick/i-have-too-much-respect-for-the-characters-i-play-to-make-them/)

[Kyra Sedgwick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kyra-sedgwick/)

> [Every actor, I don't care what they say, their roles are a lot more interesting than we are, and at the end of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/moon-bloodgood/every-actor-i-don-t-care-what-they-say-their-roles-are-a-lot-more/)

[Moon Bloodgood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/moon-bloodgood/)

> [My favorite thing about acting is that I can play all kinds of different people. Frankly, I don't consider myself a very interesting person,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathan-kress/my-favorite-thing-about-acting-is-that-i-can-play-all-kinds-of/)

[Nathan Kress](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathan-kress/)

> [Four directors through their own interpretation created four different characters. And I had to play them in a fairly short period of time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/iu/four-directors-through-their-own-interpretation-created-four/)

[IU](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/iu/)

> [I like having pairs of characters to play off each other. I love drawing Batman, but he's more fun with Robin. Batman charges ahead,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-lee/i-like-having-pairs-of-characters-to-play-off-each-other-i-love/)

[Jim Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-lee/)

> [The audience is expecting good work from me. They want me to do roles that are unique and important in the story. So, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tamannaah/the-audience-is-expecting-good-work-from-me-they-want-me-to-do-roles/)

[Tamannaah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tamannaah/)

> [I like to play non-cardboard characters. I try and bring out the many complex layers in the personality of the characters I play.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kay-kay-menon/i-like-to-play-non-cardboard-characters-i-try-and-bring-out-the-many/)

[Kay Kay Menon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kay-kay-menon/)

## More by Grace Jones

> [Human beings should stick together. Honestly, if I see a red-haired person with blue eyes now, I say, 'Is your granny black?'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grace-jones/human-beings-should-stick-together-honestly-if-i-see-a-red-haired/)

[Grace Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grace-jones/)

> [My dad's family were political and he was always a theatrical creature, whereas my mum is really musical and her father was the touring…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grace-jones/my-dad-s-family-were-political-and-he-was-always-a-theatrical/)

[Grace Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grace-jones/)

> [That's what they do in Argentina. Have a little wine and talk. Then have some coffee and talk. Then, go back to the wine.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grace-jones/that-s-what-they-do-in-argentina-have-a-little-wine-and-talk-then/)

[Grace Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grace-jones/)

> [Survival is my primary instinct...it's out of my control. It's stronger than me. It's an outside force, a voice that says 'do this for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grace-jones/survival-is-my-primary-instinct-it-s-out-of-my-control-it-s-stronger/)

[Grace Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grace-jones/)

> [This is depression, it comes when your blocking. This is expression it comes when you're rocking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grace-jones/this-is-depression-it-comes-when-your-blocking-this-is-expression-it/)

[Grace Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grace-jones/)

> [Growing up in Jamaica, the Pentecostal church wasn't that fiery thing you might think. It was very British, very proper. Hymns. No dancing. Very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grace-jones/growing-up-in-jamaica-the-pentecostal-church-wasn-t-that-fiery-thing/)

[Grace Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grace-jones/)

> [I've had more misrepresentations than I can handle, and people have told the wickedest lies about me. A lot of them have taken their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grace-jones/i-ve-had-more-misrepresentations-than-i-can-handle-and-people-have/)

[Grace Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grace-jones/)

> [There're lots of musicians in my family, too. My mother sings incredibly well. I've got to make a record with my mother's voice on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grace-jones/there-re-lots-of-musicians-in-my-family-too-my-mother-sings/)

[Grace Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grace-jones/)

> [They used to call me Firefly when I was a little girl, and I always tried to figure out why I was being called…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grace-jones/they-used-to-call-me-firefly-when-i-was-a-little-girl-and-i-always/)

[Grace Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grace-jones/)

> [“I can't run out of different ideas. I am different. When can I run out of me?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grace-jones/i-can-t-run-out-of-different-ideas-i-am-different-when-can-i-run-out/)

[Grace Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grace-jones/)

> [I just go with the flow, I follow the yellow brick road. I don't know where it's going to lead me, but I follow…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grace-jones/i-just-go-with-the-flow-i-follow-the-yellow-brick-road-i-don-t-know/)

[Grace Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grace-jones/)

> [I love women, but I've never had a relationship with a woman.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grace-jones/i-love-women-but-i-ve-never-had-a-relationship-with-a-woman/)

[Grace Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grace-jones/)

> [Rock n' roll can get quite overwhelming. You can get caught up in the cycle.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grace-jones/rock-n-roll-can-get-quite-overwhelming-you-can-get-caught-up-in-the/)

[Grace Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grace-jones/)

> [Be like Sasha Fierce. Be like Miley Cyrus. Be like Rihanna. Be like Lady Gaga. Be like Rita Ora and Sia. Be like Madonna.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grace-jones/be-like-sasha-fierce-be-like-miley-cyrus-be-like-rihanna-be-like-lady/)

[Grace Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grace-jones/)

> [ When you start in that \[model\] business the rules are imposed upon you, but when you stay in the business long enough the rules… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grace-jones/when-you-start-in-that-model-business-the-rules-are-imposed-upon-you/)

[Grace Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grace-jones/)

[Explore all 138 Grace Jones quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grace-jones/)

## More Forget quotes

> [I Never met her,i never talked to her,but in my whole day I am either thinking about her or trying to forget her.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/subhananda/i-never-met-her-i-never-talked-to-her-but-in-my-whole-day-i-am-either/)

[Subhananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/subhananda/)

> [What people tend to forget is the journey that I had getting to Formula One. There were plenty of years where I had to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-hamilton/what-people-tend-to-forget-is-the-journey-that-i-had-getting-to/)

[Lewis Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-hamilton/)

> [Once upon a time. Ah forget it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/once-upon-a-time-ah-forget-it/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [Forget the credit, they (male actors) take all the money as well. We don't get paid even one-third of what male actors get. It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kangana-ranaut/forget-the-credit-they-male-actors-take-all-the-money-as-well-we-don/)

[Kangana Ranaut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kangana-ranaut/)

> [It goes to show you how we in the press so often miss the big stories that are right under our noses. There is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ebert/it-goes-to-show-you-how-we-in-the-press-so-often-miss-the-big-stories/)

[Roger Ebert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ebert/)

> [Your memory is a monster; you forget - it doesn't. It simply files things away. It keeps things for you, or hides things from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/your-memory-is-a-monster-you-forget-it-doesn-t-it-simply-files-things/)

[John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/)

> [“Which people take the time to care for their souls, these days? I reckon not many. But...hear this: I think that maybe in our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-fletcher/which-people-take-the-time-to-care-for-their-souls-these-days-i/)

[Susan Fletcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-fletcher/)

> [The problem with people is they forget that most of the time it's the small things that count.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-niven/the-problem-with-people-is-they-forget-that-most-of-the-time-it-s-the/)

[Jennifer Niven](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-niven/)

> [Remind a man of what he remembers, and you will make him forget it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plautus/remind-a-man-of-what-he-remembers-and-you-will-make-him-forget-it/)

[Plautus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plautus/)

> [“So you try, and try, to move past it and forget about them, but it's like they're stuck in your head -- you can't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abby-mcdonald/so-you-try-and-try-to-move-past-it-and-forget-about-them-but-it-s/)

[Abby McDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abby-mcdonald/)

> [People forget that there is a big difference between coercion and persuasion. The idea that evangelism is coercive is nonsense.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-dever/people-forget-that-there-is-a-big-difference-between-coercion-and/)

[Mark Dever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-dever/)

> [People are disturbed not by things but by the view they take of them. They may forget what you said, but they will never…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-buechner/people-are-disturbed-not-by-things-but-by-the-view-they-take-of-them/)

[Frederick Buechner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-buechner/)

> [I don't think people will ever forget I was an 'Angel,' anymore than they'll forget Sally Field was 'The Flying Nun.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cheryl-ladd/i-don-t-think-people-will-ever-forget-i-was-an-angel-anymore-than/)

[Cheryl Ladd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cheryl-ladd/)

> [If God knows me I will never forget him](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trunxbeats/if-god-knows-me-i-will-never-forget-him/)

[Trunxbeats](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trunxbeats/)

> [Our memory is a monster; you forget it - it does not.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/our-memory-is-a-monster-you-forget-it-it-does-not/)

[John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/)

[Browse all 11,315 Forget quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/forget/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "Most performers take themselves too seriously. They forget there is a difference between the characters they play on the screen or stage and themselves, but the public doesn't forget there is a difference. They see how silly it is if you try to be the same person all the time.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Grace Jones"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grace-jones/most-performers-take-themselves-too-seriously-they-forget-there-is-a/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Forget"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grace-jones/most-performers-take-themselves-too-seriously-they-forget-there-is-a/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2e8/grace-jones-3131_forget_most-performers-take-themselves-too-seri_1905790.png",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2e8/grace-jones-3131_forget_most-performers-take-themselves-too-seri_1905790.png",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2e8/grace-jones-3131_forget_most-performers-take-themselves-too-seri_1905790.png",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“Most performers take themselves too seriously. They forget there is a difference between the characters they…” — Grace Jones",
                "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": "Grace Jones",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grace-jones/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "Most performers take themselves too seriously....",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grace-jones/most-performers-take-themselves-too-seriously-they-forget-there-is-a/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grace-jones/most-performers-take-themselves-too-seriously-they-forget-there-is-a/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
