--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: As actors, it's kind of hard to distill…" description: "\"As actors, it's kind of hard to distill exactly the difference in our approach in terms of different genres and tones. It's always just whatever's nece..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c5a/greta-lee-6817_actor_as-actors-it-s-kind-of-hard-to-distill-e_611953.jpg" --- # As actors, it's kind of hard to distill exactly the… ![“As actors, it's kind of hard to distill exactly the difference in our approach in terms of different genres and tones. It's always just whatever's necessary in service of the story.” quote by Greta Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c5a/greta-lee-6817_actor_as-actors-it-s-kind-of-hard-to-distill-e_611953.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c5a/greta-lee-6817_actor_as-actors-it-s-kind-of-hard-to-distill-e_611953.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c5a/greta-lee-6817_actor_as-actors-it-s-kind-of-hard-to-distill-e_611953.jpg) > “As actors, it's kind of hard to distill exactly the difference in our approach in terms of different genres and tones. It's always just whatever's necessary in service of the story.” [Greta Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greta-lee/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Actors adapt their method to suit genre and tone, focusing on what best serves the story. **In simple terms:** Actors change style to fit the story. Key Takeaway Prioritize story needs over personal style. Themes acting genre tone storytelling adaptability Mood thoughtful professional Type educational inspirational When to use this quote - film set - theatre rehearsal - voice‑over work - improvisation - directing Key Concepts method acting genre theory narrative structure creative collaboration Questions to Reflect On - How do you balance personal style with story demands? - When does adaptation become compromise? A Different Perspective Flexibility may dilute personal artistic voice. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Actor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actor/) [Actors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actors/) [Service](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/service/) [Story](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/story/) [Theatre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/theatre/) ## Related quotes > [I want to bring something different to every film. I get a bit tired of actors who kind of are the same character in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guy-pearce/i-want-to-bring-something-different-to-every-film-i-get-a-bit-tired/) [Guy Pearce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guy-pearce/) > [There's a constant flow of child actors. It's kind of funny to watch the new crew come through. I think, You poor little things.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tina-yothers/there-s-a-constant-flow-of-child-actors-it-s-kind-of-funny-to-watch/) [Tina Yothers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tina-yothers/) > [In a very short period of time, actors can become kind of relevant and hot.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-cassidy/in-a-very-short-period-of-time-actors-can-become-kind-of-relevant-and/) [David Cassidy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-cassidy/) > [I had quite a bit of experience doing things that had been adapted from a book and playing real-life characters and playing the younger…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ella-purnell/i-had-quite-a-bit-of-experience-doing-things-that-had-been-adapted/) [Ella Purnell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ella-purnell/) > [A lot of actors kind of jump from one project to another. They take two-three weeks and condense everything in that time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harshvardhan-kapoor/a-lot-of-actors-kind-of-jump-from-one-project-to-another-they-take/) [Harshvardhan Kapoor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harshvardhan-kapoor/) > [I don't see that many plays, and for me, musicals are rarely pleasing. I feel the actors are being put through a kind of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wallace-shawn/i-don-t-see-that-many-plays-and-for-me-musicals-are-rarely-pleasing-i/) [Wallace Shawn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wallace-shawn/) > [Some deeply untrusting actors - the kind that need to know exactly what's what and are completely insecure - might be quite good within…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-leigh/some-deeply-untrusting-actors-the-kind-that-need-to-know-exactly-what/) [Mike Leigh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-leigh/) > [I always say that comedians and actors were all kind of shy when they were young. I was very, believe it or not, kind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-rickles/i-always-say-that-comedians-and-actors-were-all-kind-of-shy-when-they/) [Don Rickles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-rickles/) > [I think there are certain actors that have that kind of energy about them, that taking over a room energy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-close/i-think-there-are-certain-actors-that-have-that-kind-of-energy-about/) [Glenn Close](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-close/) > [There's a tacit belief that actors shouldn't write books, they're sort of allowed to direct movies but there will be a lot of skepticism,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-franco/there-s-a-tacit-belief-that-actors-shouldn-t-write-books-they-re-sort/) [James Franco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-franco/) > [Im hoping that for film actors there is this kind of emotional trigger on any subject. It need not be only slums. It can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shabana-azmi/im-hoping-that-for-film-actors-there-is-this-kind-of-emotional/) [Shabana Azmi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shabana-azmi/) > [My parents are in the business - they're actors - so I kind of grew up on a film set, which was a funny…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-mcdowell/my-parents-are-in-the-business-they-re-actors-so-i-kind-of-grew-up-on/) [Charlie McDowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-mcdowell/) > [As much as most of the actors were kind of curious to know what their character meant in relation to the script and to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/radha-mitchell/as-much-as-most-of-the-actors-were-kind-of-curious-to-know-what-their/) [Radha Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/radha-mitchell/) > [We really enjoy that, having a relationship with writers, developing material and getting a director, actors, that we have kind of that family kind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-seymour-hoffman/we-really-enjoy-that-having-a-relationship-with-writers-developing/) [Philip Seymour Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-seymour-hoffman/) > [Back 20 years ago, there was a division between movie actors and TV actors. That's kind of gone away. People who have had a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-imperioli/back-20-years-ago-there-was-a-division-between-movie-actors-and-tv/) [Michael Imperioli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-imperioli/) ## More by Greta Lee > [Don't do anything drastic like getting your eyebrows tattooed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greta-lee/don-t-do-anything-drastic-like-getting-your-eyebrows-tattooed/) [Greta Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greta-lee/) > [A lot of silence takes so much specificity and detail. To not fill the space with words takes restraint and an extraordinary amount of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greta-lee/a-lot-of-silence-takes-so-much-specificity-and-detail-to-not-fill-the/) [Greta Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greta-lee/) > [Genuinely, a lot of my heroes have become more Asian. There's a lack of seeing people who look like us, so I get so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greta-lee/genuinely-a-lot-of-my-heroes-have-become-more-asian-there-s-a-lack-of/) [Greta Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greta-lee/) > [I'm beyond honored to step into this new role as a Dior ambassador - a brand that's pure magic and legendary in every way.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greta-lee/i-m-beyond-honored-to-step-into-this-new-role-as-a-dior-ambassador-a/) [Greta Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greta-lee/) > [I don't mean to male-bash, but there's a certain amount of handholding that sometimes can happen when there aren't a lot of women around.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greta-lee/i-don-t-mean-to-male-bash-but-there-s-a-certain-amount-of-handholding/) [Greta Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greta-lee/) > [Acting is hard enough in English.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greta-lee/acting-is-hard-enough-in-english/) [Greta Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greta-lee/) > [When I lived in New York, I was still ascribing to this idea of being a somewhat tortured artist. I thought that would make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greta-lee/when-i-lived-in-new-york-i-was-still-ascribing-to-this-idea-of-being/) [Greta Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greta-lee/) > [I was that family member who would show up for family dinners wearing something insane. It was always a form of peaceful protest, not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greta-lee/i-was-that-family-member-who-would-show-up-for-family-dinners-wearing/) [Greta Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greta-lee/) > [If I could give advice to seven-year-old Greta, it would be: Be kind to yourself. Spend less time trying to be pretty and cool.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greta-lee/if-i-could-give-advice-to-seven-year-old-greta-it-would-be-be-kind-to/) [Greta Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greta-lee/) > [My all-time favorite fail-proof look is anything with a trench. Can't go wrong.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greta-lee/my-all-time-favorite-fail-proof-look-is-anything-with-a-trench-can-t/) [Greta Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greta-lee/) > [I've always loved Rachel Comey. When I first moved to New York, her mule boots were... I remember standing in line at a sample…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greta-lee/i-ve-always-loved-rachel-comey-when-i-first-moved-to-new-york-her/) [Greta Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greta-lee/) > [The truth is, as an Asian American actor, there really are only certain opportunities.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greta-lee/the-truth-is-as-an-asian-american-actor-there-really-are-only-certain/) [Greta Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greta-lee/) > [We never set out to make one of the first Asian-American shows on cable. That's like, not a real fun creative place to live…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greta-lee/we-never-set-out-to-make-one-of-the-first-asian-american-shows-on/) [Greta Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greta-lee/) > [It's an active fight against this messaging that we've been hit over the head with since we were really young, that you were supposed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greta-lee/it-s-an-active-fight-against-this-messaging-that-we-ve-been-hit-over/) [Greta Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greta-lee/) > [I'm all about the child-rearing propaganda. Do the kids thing, do the family thing. If anything, it just makes you a better artist. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greta-lee/i-m-all-about-the-child-rearing-propaganda-do-the-kids-thing-do-the/) [Greta Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greta-lee/) [Explore all 97 Greta Lee quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greta-lee/) ## 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": "As actors, it's kind of hard to distill exactly the difference in our approach in terms of different genres and tones. It's always just whatever's necessary in service of the story.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Greta Lee" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greta-lee/as-actors-it-s-kind-of-hard-to-distill-exactly-the-difference-in-our/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Actor" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greta-lee/as-actors-it-s-kind-of-hard-to-distill-exactly-the-difference-in-our/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c5a/greta-lee-6817_actor_as-actors-it-s-kind-of-hard-to-distill-e_611953.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c5a/greta-lee-6817_actor_as-actors-it-s-kind-of-hard-to-distill-e_611953.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c5a/greta-lee-6817_actor_as-actors-it-s-kind-of-hard-to-distill-e_611953.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“As actors, it's kind of hard to distill exactly the difference in our approach in terms of different genres…” — Greta Lee", "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": "Greta Lee", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greta-lee/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "As actors, it's kind of hard...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greta-lee/as-actors-it-s-kind-of-hard-to-distill-exactly-the-difference-in-our/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greta-lee/as-actors-it-s-kind-of-hard-to-distill-exactly-the-difference-in-our/#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 } } ] } ```