--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I rarely play a real person, because I…" description: "\"I rarely play a real person, because I don't think I'm a good imitator.\" — Harrison Ford" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/80f/harrison-ford-1782_imitator_i-rarely-play-a-real-person-because-i-do_2688795.jpg" --- # I rarely play a real person, because I don't think I'm a… ![“I rarely play a real person, because I don't think I'm a good imitator.” quote by Harrison Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/80f/harrison-ford-1782_imitator_i-rarely-play-a-real-person-because-i-do_2688795.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/80f/harrison-ford-1782_imitator_i-rarely-play-a-real-person-because-i-do_2688795.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/80f/harrison-ford-1782_imitator_i-rarely-play-a-real-person-because-i-do_2688795.jpg) > “I rarely play a real person, because I don't think I'm a good imitator.” [Harrison Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harrison-ford/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He avoids playing real people because he doubts his ability to imitate them convincingly. **In simple terms:** He feels he can't imitate real people well. Key Takeaway Accept your strengths and limits. Themes acting self-doubt authenticity Mood thoughtful pragmatic Type reflective advice When to use this quote - audition preparation - character study Key Concepts performance identity Questions to Reflect On - When is imitation beneficial in acting? - How can you portray authenticity without imitation? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Play](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/play/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) ## Related quotes > [I've always been a good imitator. I love music. But I'm just not that original.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-murphy/i-ve-always-been-a-good-imitator-i-love-music-but-i-m-just-not-that/) [James Murphy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-murphy/) > [I think I'm a good imitator, a good listener.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harris-dickinson/i-think-i-m-a-good-imitator-a-good-listener/) [Harris Dickinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harris-dickinson/) > [I was a pretty good imitator of Roy Acuff, but then I found out they already had a Roy Acuff, so I started singin'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hank-williams/i-was-a-pretty-good-imitator-of-roy-acuff-but-then-i-found-out-they/) [Hank Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hank-williams/) > [I very rarely play the piano at home. Deliberately, so that when I do play it, I love it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryan-ferry/i-very-rarely-play-the-piano-at-home-deliberately-so-that-when-i-do/) [Bryan Ferry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryan-ferry/) > [As a matter of fact, I rarely ever play myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-langella/as-a-matter-of-fact-i-rarely-ever-play-myself/) [Frank Langella](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-langella/) > [Whenever you're going to play a real person, you run the risk of well, everybody in the world kind of has an image of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-mantegna/whenever-you-re-going-to-play-a-real-person-you-run-the-risk-of-well/) [Joe Mantegna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-mantegna/) > [It's interesting to play a real-life person who has already been a character on 'Saturday Night Live.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-dern/it-s-interesting-to-play-a-real-life-person-who-has-already-been-a/) [Laura Dern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-dern/) > [Anybody who works with me knows this: I always repeat wardrobe in my characters. We're trying to play real people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/busy-philipps/anybody-who-works-with-me-knows-this-i-always-repeat-wardrobe-in-my/) [Busy Philipps](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/busy-philipps/) > [I would have loved to play a real baddie.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-moore/i-would-have-loved-to-play-a-real-baddie/) [Roger Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-moore/) > [It's daunting to play a real living person.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/connie-britton/it-s-daunting-to-play-a-real-living-person/) [Connie Britton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/connie-britton/) > [That is the music that I have always wanted to play: real, genuine guitar music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-rea/that-is-the-music-that-i-have-always-wanted-to-play-real-genuine/) [Chris Rea](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-rea/) > [I just want to play real human beings. You know, I don't care if they're male or female.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natalie-dormer/i-just-want-to-play-real-human-beings-you-know-i-don-t-care-if-they/) [Natalie Dormer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natalie-dormer/) > [My objective is still to play for Real Madrid. That's why I signed for them, I want to play there one day.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-odegaard/my-objective-is-still-to-play-for-real-madrid-that-s-why-i-signed-for/) [Martin Odegaard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-odegaard/) > [I was trying to play as real possible - I wanted everything to be real.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-giuntoli/i-was-trying-to-play-as-real-possible-i-wanted-everything-to-be-real/) [David Giuntoli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-giuntoli/) > [I try to play real people who inspire me through something in their journey.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-collette/i-try-to-play-real-people-who-inspire-me-through-something-in-their/) [Toni Collette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-collette/) ## More by Harrison Ford > [Failures are inevitable. Unfortunately, in film they live for ever and they're 40 ft wide and 20 ft high.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harrison-ford/failures-are-inevitable-unfortunately-in-film-they-live-for-ever-and/) [Harrison Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harrison-ford/) > [The kindest word to describe my performance in school was Sloth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harrison-ford/the-kindest-word-to-describe-my-performance-in-school-was-sloth/) [Harrison Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harrison-ford/) > [ When we were making it \[Star Wars\], none of the effects were in. So the first time, I thought it was, you know, that… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harrison-ford/when-we-were-making-it-star-wars-none-of-the-effects-were-in-so-the/) [Harrison Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harrison-ford/) > [A bad guy in a movie has a lot of latitude for acting. He can walk up the wall, crawl across the ceiling, go…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harrison-ford/a-bad-guy-in-a-movie-has-a-lot-of-latitude-for-acting-he-can-walk-up/) [Harrison Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harrison-ford/) > [I wanted to live the life, a different life. I didn't want to go to the same place every day and see the same…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harrison-ford/i-wanted-to-live-the-life-a-different-life-i-didn-t-want-to-go-to-the/) [Harrison Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harrison-ford/) > [There are a lot of different paths through the jungle, but...the simplest thing you can do is make yourself useful. Be easy to work…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harrison-ford/there-are-a-lot-of-different-paths-through-the-jungle-but-the/) [Harrison Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harrison-ford/) > [My older kids are fantastic people. It can't be the result of my influence on them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harrison-ford/my-older-kids-are-fantastic-people-it-can-t-be-the-result-of-my/) [Harrison Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harrison-ford/) > [I think I did have a reputation for being grumpy. I don't think I'm grumpy. I have opinions. I have an independent vision. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harrison-ford/i-think-i-did-have-a-reputation-for-being-grumpy-i-don-t-think-i-m/) [Harrison Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harrison-ford/) > [ That \[film What's My Line\] was very useful to me because it had Branch Rickey in a social situation. Every other bit of film… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harrison-ford/that-film-what-s-my-line-was-very-useful-to-me-because-it-had-branch/) [Harrison Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harrison-ford/) > [Because the character is a fiction, he's a composite of other contributors to the science that brought this enzyme therapy through the process. We…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harrison-ford/because-the-character-is-a-fiction-he-s-a-composite-of-other/) [Harrison Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harrison-ford/) > [Henry: Well I'm sorry about your head though, but I thought you were one of them. Indiana: Dad, they come in through the doors.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harrison-ford/henry-well-i-m-sorry-about-your-head-though-but-i-thought-you-were/) [Harrison Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harrison-ford/) > [ It's the primordial characters \[of the Star Wars\]. It's the beautiful princess and the callow youth and the smartass that I played and the… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harrison-ford/it-s-the-primordial-characters-of-the-star-wars-it-s-the-beautiful/) [Harrison Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harrison-ford/) > [I love the comic opportunities that come up in the context of a father-son relationship.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harrison-ford/i-love-the-comic-opportunities-that-come-up-in-the-context-of-a/) [Harrison Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harrison-ford/) > [I don't think I have something that's pronounceable as a philosophy. ... When it was fashionable to say, "May the Force be with you,"…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harrison-ford/i-don-t-think-i-have-something-that-s-pronounceable-as-a-philosophy/) [Harrison Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harrison-ford/) > [I prefer to be part of a positive statement. I'm not interested in the psyche of a serial killer. What I'm interested in is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harrison-ford/i-prefer-to-be-part-of-a-positive-statement-i-m-not-interested-in-the/) [Harrison Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harrison-ford/) [Explore all 208 Harrison Ford quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harrison-ford/) ## More Imitator quotes > [It is not the imitation that makes sons; it is sonship that makes imitators.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther/it-is-not-the-imitation-that-makes-sons-it-is-sonship-that-makes/) [Martin Luther](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther/) > [Cafe society is as old as the hills. Starbucks and its imitators are the coffee face of the new man in a hurry.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-anderson/cafe-society-is-as-old-as-the-hills-starbucks-and-its-imitators-are/) [Ian Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-anderson/) > [It is not imitation that makes sons. It is sonship that make imitators.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther/it-is-not-imitation-that-makes-sons-it-is-sonship-that-make-imitators/) [Martin Luther](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther/) > [Without good humour, learning and bravery can only confer that superiority which swells the heart of the lion in the desert, where he roars…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/without-good-humour-learning-and-bravery-can-only-confer-that/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [If I created a new depravity I would be a priestess, while my imitators would founder, after my reign, in abominable filth...Don't you think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachilde/if-i-created-a-new-depravity-i-would-be-a-priestess-while-my/) [Rachilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachilde/) > [No country can become a nation by producing a race of imitators.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/no-country-can-become-a-nation-by-producing-a-race-of-imitators/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [We are stereotyped creatures, imitators and copiers of our past selves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-james/we-are-stereotyped-creatures-imitators-and-copiers-of-our-past-selves/) [William James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-james/) > [The difference between a man who faces death for the sake of an idea and an imitator who goes in search of martyrdom is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/soren-kierkegaard/the-difference-between-a-man-who-faces-death-for-the-sake-of-an-idea/) [Soren Kierkegaard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/soren-kierkegaard/) > [an imitator is always a poor example.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marion-davies/an-imitator-is-always-a-poor-example/) Marion Davies > [Don't be an imitator be an innovator, design your life and live it your way, not someone else's way. Stand up, stand out and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ricardo-housham/don-t-be-an-imitator-be-an-innovator-design-your-life-and-live-it/) [Ricardo Housham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ricardo-housham/) > [but writers, Garp knew, were just observers - good and ruthless imitators of human behavior.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/but-writers-garp-knew-were-just-observers-good-and-ruthless-imitators/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [Weaknesses in men of genius are usually an exaggeration of their personal feeling; in the hands of feeble imitators they become the most flagrant…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eugene-delacroix/weaknesses-in-men-of-genius-are-usually-an-exaggeration-of-their/) [Eugene Delacroix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eugene-delacroix/) > [The Christian who desires to follow Jesus carrying his cross must bear in mind that the name "Christian" means "learner or imitator of Christ"…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-mary-claret/the-christian-who-desires-to-follow-jesus-carrying-his-cross-must/) [Anthony Mary Claret](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-mary-claret/) > [Most imitators attempt the inimitable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marie-von-ebner-eschenbach/most-imitators-attempt-the-inimitable/) [Marie von Ebner-Eschenbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marie-von-ebner-eschenbach/) > [“When you are gunning to be like other people, you are foolishly repeating their mistakes, and the worst of it all is that you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-bassey-johnson/when-you-are-gunning-to-be-like-other-people-you-are-foolishly/) [Michael Bassey Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-bassey-johnson/) Browse all 84 Imitator quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I rarely play a real person, because I don't think I'm a good imitator.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Harrison Ford" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harrison-ford/i-rarely-play-a-real-person-because-i-don-t-think-i-m-a-good-imitator/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Imitator" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harrison-ford/i-rarely-play-a-real-person-because-i-don-t-think-i-m-a-good-imitator/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/80f/harrison-ford-1782_imitator_i-rarely-play-a-real-person-because-i-do_2688795.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/80f/harrison-ford-1782_imitator_i-rarely-play-a-real-person-because-i-do_2688795.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/80f/harrison-ford-1782_imitator_i-rarely-play-a-real-person-because-i-do_2688795.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I rarely play a real person, because I don't think I'm a good imitator.” — Harrison Ford", "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": "Harrison Ford", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harrison-ford/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I rarely play a real person,...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harrison-ford/i-rarely-play-a-real-person-because-i-don-t-think-i-m-a-good-imitator/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harrison-ford/i-rarely-play-a-real-person-because-i-don-t-think-i-m-a-good-imitator/#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 } } ] } ```