--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: You really have to be a character to…" description: "\"You really have to be a character to serve it properly. Obviously, you're acting, but you have to have those things in yourself, whether it's the exper..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/839/greg-bryk-28870_acting_you-really-have-to-be-a-character-to-ser_145147.jpg" --- # You really have to be a character to serve it properly… ![“You really have to be a character to serve it properly. Obviously, you're acting, but you have to have those things in yourself, whether it's the experience or the same qualities.” quote by Greg Bryk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/839/greg-bryk-28870_acting_you-really-have-to-be-a-character-to-ser_145147.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/839/greg-bryk-28870_acting_you-really-have-to-be-a-character-to-ser_145147.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/839/greg-bryk-28870_acting_you-really-have-to-be-a-character-to-ser_145147.jpg) > “You really have to be a character to serve it properly. Obviously, you're acting, but you have to have those things in yourself, whether it's the experience or the same qualities.” [Greg Bryk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-bryk/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Authentic performance requires embodying the character's qualities, not just acting them. **In simple terms:** To truly serve a role, you must internalize its traits. Key Takeaway Cultivate the character's mindset. Themes acting identity craftsmanship Mood introspective determined Type inspirational philosophical When to use this quote - theatre - film - personal development - leadership Key Concepts method acting self-integration Questions to Reflect On - Can you separate your self from the role? - How does personal experience enrich performance? A Different Perspective Mimicry without internalization feels hollow. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Acting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/acting/) [Character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Quality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/quality/) ## Related quotes > [“Power will always corrupt those who have not learned to serve it properly" -Lurline”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danielle-paige/power-will-always-corrupt-those-who-have-not-learned-to-serve-it/) [Danielle Paige](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danielle-paige/) > [My job as a character actor is to make me fit the character, to serve the character. To present this human being who turns…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-spall/my-job-as-a-character-actor-is-to-make-me-fit-the-character-to-serve/) [Timothy Spall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-spall/) > [If there's ever a character who can only serve one metaphor, I'll probably tell one story with that character and be done with it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-busiek/if-there-s-ever-a-character-who-can-only-serve-one-metaphor-i-ll/) [Kurt Busiek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-busiek/) > [Before you are five and twenty you must establish a character that will serve you all your life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cuthbert-collingwood-1st-baron-collingwood/before-you-are-five-and-twenty-you-must-establish-a-character-that/) Cuthbert Collingwood, 1st Baron Collingwood > [When you do improv, you're everything. You're a performer, writer, and director, because you're moving the scene in the direction you want it to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-reiner/when-you-do-improv-you-re-everything-you-re-a-performer-writer-and/) [Rob Reiner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-reiner/) > [Music has been more a solitary, creative thing. The acting side of things and working in movies has helped me collaboratively with music in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teddy-geiger/music-has-been-more-a-solitary-creative-thing-the-acting-side-of/) [Teddy Geiger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teddy-geiger/) > [The upsides of acting in things is mostly getting your hair done and having people give you clothes. So as long as you can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tina-fey/the-upsides-of-acting-in-things-is-mostly-getting-your-hair-done-and/) [Tina Fey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tina-fey/) > [I've been really lucky thus far with acting, in that I can do things I believe in and feel good about, and feel good…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rashida-jones/i-ve-been-really-lucky-thus-far-with-acting-in-that-i-can-do-things-i/) [Rashida Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rashida-jones/) > [There's something about being any kind of entertainer that is acting. You have to put on a show. Things you wouldn't do in your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heavy-d/there-s-something-about-being-any-kind-of-entertainer-that-is-acting/) [Heavy D](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heavy-d/) > [Acting is one of the two things that give me the most joy. The other thing is travelling. Nothing else matters to me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anushka-sharma/acting-is-one-of-the-two-things-that-give-me-the-most-joy-the-other/) [Anushka Sharma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anushka-sharma/) > [I guess I was a child actor. Acting was one of the things I did alongside going to school: I'd be playing guitar, I'd…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michiel-huisman/i-guess-i-was-a-child-actor-acting-was-one-of-the-things-i-did/) [Michiel Huisman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michiel-huisman/) > [I like the idea of acting. Of all these things I've done, sometimes I think I've done well, and sometimes I think I didn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/flea/i-like-the-idea-of-acting-of-all-these-things-i-ve-done-sometimes-i/) [Flea](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/flea/) > [I learned the process of this kind of acting, how things run, how chaotic it can be, and what kind of different muscles you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melissa-benoist/i-learned-the-process-of-this-kind-of-acting-how-things-run-how/) [Melissa Benoist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-benoist/) > [If I love the story, and if I really connect with my character, I'm willing to do it. I'm willing to try new characters,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-gonzalez/if-i-love-the-story-and-if-i-really-connect-with-my-character-i-m/) [Anthony Gonzalez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-gonzalez/) > [I got it into my head that I was going to be starring in movies that I wrote, so that's what I did. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-bishop/i-got-it-into-my-head-that-i-was-going-to-be-starring-in-movies-that/) [Larry Bishop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-bishop/) ## More by Greg Bryk > [I'm also the father of three beautiful children and I've been married to my wife for 18 years, and we've been together for 20…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-bryk/i-m-also-the-father-of-three-beautiful-children-and-i-ve-been-married/) [Greg Bryk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-bryk/) > [How do you fight the stagnation of monogamy and the monotony of time together?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-bryk/how-do-you-fight-the-stagnation-of-monogamy-and-the-monotony-of-time/) [Greg Bryk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-bryk/) > [If you trust that the people making the show love the source material and the characters, and it's a different medium and there are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-bryk/if-you-trust-that-the-people-making-the-show-love-the-source-material/) [Greg Bryk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-bryk/) > [I did the David Cronenberg film, A History of Violence, with Viggo Mortensen and I played a real sociopath. For the next seven years,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-bryk/i-did-the-david-cronenberg-film-a-history-of-violence-with-viggo/) [Greg Bryk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-bryk/) > [The violence is the violence. I understand that we're sometimes squeamish about it, but I think that strength needs to be called on once…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-bryk/the-violence-is-the-violence-i-understand-that-we-re-sometimes/) [Greg Bryk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-bryk/) > [I'm at a point in my life where I have three kids. I'm a father, and you start to take stock and measure yourself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-bryk/i-m-at-a-point-in-my-life-where-i-have-three-kids-i-m-a-father-and/) [Greg Bryk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-bryk/) > [Fights take a long time to shoot.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-bryk/fights-take-a-long-time-to-shoot/) [Greg Bryk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-bryk/) > [I bake my daughter cupcakes for her school. I'm very hands-on.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-bryk/i-bake-my-daughter-cupcakes-for-her-school-i-m-very-hands-on/) [Greg Bryk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-bryk/) > [If you give a scene enough room to breathe, actors will hopefully find those magical moments.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-bryk/if-you-give-a-scene-enough-room-to-breathe-actors-will-hopefully-find/) [Greg Bryk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-bryk/) > [You look at your past and things that are unresolved and figure out what you need to do to move forward and fill a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-bryk/you-look-at-your-past-and-things-that-are-unresolved-and-figure-out/) [Greg Bryk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-bryk/) > [I boxed through college and I played college level football. I was a linebacker.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-bryk/i-boxed-through-college-and-i-played-college-level-football-i-was-a/) [Greg Bryk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-bryk/) > [Playing characters that speak a very violent language was my livelihood.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-bryk/playing-characters-that-speak-a-very-violent-language-was-my/) [Greg Bryk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-bryk/) > [The difficult thing about shooting a television series is that you never have enough time. You really don't.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-bryk/the-difficult-thing-about-shooting-a-television-series-is-that-you/) [Greg Bryk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-bryk/) > [The world is a dangerous, unstable place and sometimes there are casualties and struggles for power.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-bryk/the-world-is-a-dangerous-unstable-place-and-sometimes-there-are/) [Greg Bryk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-bryk/) > [I grew up with a very quick temper, and the language of violence is a language that I'm very familiar and comfortable with.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-bryk/i-grew-up-with-a-very-quick-temper-and-the-language-of-violence-is-a/) [Greg Bryk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-bryk/) [Explore all 19 Greg Bryk quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-bryk/) ## More Acting 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/) > [Many Republicans have always reminded me of professional WWF wrestlers. They come into the ring all pumped up and acting like they're invincible and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-feig/many-republicans-have-always-reminded-me-of-professional-wwf/) [Paul Feig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-feig/) > [I'm a big fan of all the Boston guys that are acting - Matt Damon , Ben Affleck, Mark Wahlberg - they made a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenny-wormald/i-m-a-big-fan-of-all-the-boston-guys-that-are-acting-matt-damon-ben/) [Kenny Wormald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenny-wormald/) > [Acting is a grind, just like music is a grind. Sometimes it takes longer than what you can give.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/big-sean/acting-is-a-grind-just-like-music-is-a-grind-sometimes-it-takes/) [Big Sean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/big-sean/) > [It was only when I started making short films in college and I was looking for girls to play the me-ish parts that I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lena-dunham/it-was-only-when-i-started-making-short-films-in-college-and-i-was/) [Lena Dunham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lena-dunham/) > [Writing is something I took up rather than anything I had an inclination toward. I like acting -delivering someone else's message - but writing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-martin/writing-is-something-i-took-up-rather-than-anything-i-had-an/) [Steve Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-martin/) > [I can still function when I don't have that balance I crave. I had a tendency to be precious about acting, thinking of it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-regan/i-can-still-function-when-i-don-t-have-that-balance-i-crave-i-had-a/) [Laura Regan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-regan/) > [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/) > [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/) > [It definitely helps to have the acting experience going into singing, because when you're singing, you have to portray the emotion you were feeling…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-newman/it-definitely-helps-to-have-the-acting-experience-going-into-singing/) Ryan Newman > [The show was number one in the ratings, Gordon Russell was our head writer, the story lines were magnificent and the acting most exciting.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-storm/the-show-was-number-one-in-the-ratings-gordon-russell-was-our-head/) [Michael Storm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-storm/) > [I've done so many other projects where you're in a room with a reader and you're acting your lines out: 'We have to get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-cummings/i-ve-done-so-many-other-projects-where-you-re-in-a-room-with-a-reader/) [Jim Cummings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-cummings/) > [I do not believe in public shaming. I do believe that young adults go to college to learn things, and that this process will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-weingarten/i-do-not-believe-in-public-shaming-i-do-believe-that-young-adults-go/) [Gene Weingarten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-weingarten/) > [Poetry has, in a way, been my bridge to my acting career.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/omari-hardwick/poetry-has-in-a-way-been-my-bridge-to-my-acting-career/) [Omari Hardwick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/omari-hardwick/) [Browse all 12,062 Acting quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/acting/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "You really have to be a character to serve it properly. 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