--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: More than a non-acting director, I think…" description: "\"More than a non-acting director, I think I notice when an actor is not believing in themselves. Chicago actors in particular, they work very hard and a..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a15/harry-lennix-25690_acting_more-than-a-non-acting-director-i-think_2614154.jpg" --- # More than a non-acting director, I think I notice when an… ![“More than a non-acting director, I think I notice when an actor is not believing in themselves. Chicago actors in particular, they work very hard and are very talented, but sometimes they don't trust how talented they are. I notice when they keep something in reserve.” quote by Harry Lennix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a15/harry-lennix-25690_acting_more-than-a-non-acting-director-i-think_2614154.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a15/harry-lennix-25690_acting_more-than-a-non-acting-director-i-think_2614154.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a15/harry-lennix-25690_acting_more-than-a-non-acting-director-i-think_2614154.jpg) > “More than a non-acting director, I think I notice when an actor is not believing in themselves. Chicago actors in particular, they work very hard and are very talented, but sometimes they don't trust how talented they are. I notice when they keep something in reserve.” [Harry Lennix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-lennix/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Actors may lack self‑belief despite talent, leading them to hold back; confidence is essential for authentic performance. **In simple terms:** Self‑doubt hinders talented actors; confidence unlocks potential. Key Takeaway Encourage actors to trust their abilities. Themes acting confidence self‑esteem talent Mood inspirational empathetic Type motivational reflective When to use this quote - theatre rehearsals - auditions - career coaching - personal development Key Concepts impostor syndrome performance anxiety self‑actualization Questions to Reflect On - What practices build genuine self‑trust? - How to balance confidence with humility? A Different Perspective Overemphasis on confidence can ignore constructive critique. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Acting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/acting/) [Film](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/film/) [Theatre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/theatre/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) ## Related quotes > [We all have aspects of ourselves that we my not be aware of. Actors in particular - they have multiple personality disorder. 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But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toby-jones/there-are-things-that-i-would-avoid-so-i-have-the-choice-to-say-no/) [Toby Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toby-jones/) > [There's people constantly asking you for something on set, so the multi-tasking of motherhood transfers very well to being a director. And I think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angelina-jolie/there-s-people-constantly-asking-you-for-something-on-set-so-the/) [Angelina Jolie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angelina-jolie/) > [I'm better suited to be a director, I think. I see myself as the general author. I hate the word 'auteur,' because it sounds…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cary-fukunaga/i-m-better-suited-to-be-a-director-i-think-i-see-myself-as-the/) [Cary Fukunaga](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cary-fukunaga/) > [I've turned down jobs because I've said, 'Honestly, I can't find my way in. I can't do it. 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I think most Americans themselves believe in a divine power, in a god, and I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-lennix/the-black-church-is-extremely-important-in-black-america-i-think-most/) [Harry Lennix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-lennix/) > [My view is that "A Small Oak Tree Runs Red" is about putting people 'on the record,' who otherwise would have been forgotten, as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-lennix/my-view-is-that-a-small-oak-tree-runs-red-is-about-putting-people-on/) [Harry Lennix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-lennix/) > [I think that one thing that America is guilty of is not ever apologizing for the greatest sin of the country, which is slavery.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-lennix/i-think-that-one-thing-that-america-is-guilty-of-is-not-ever/) [Harry Lennix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-lennix/) > [I hope that people will come and experience our play 'A Small Oak Tree Runs Red' . 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I think persecution by powerful structures,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-lennix/there-was-a-lynching-case-as-late-as-2011-so-it-s-not-as-far-away-as/) [Harry Lennix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-lennix/) > [The most important thing in my life is that trying to ameliorate, redeem, the image in particular of African American men, or Black men…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-lennix/the-most-important-thing-in-my-life-is-that-trying-to-ameliorate/) [Harry Lennix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-lennix/) > [The truth is more important to me than anything - my personal wealth or health or any of these things. I think that it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-lennix/the-truth-is-more-important-to-me-than-anything-my-personal-wealth-or/) [Harry Lennix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-lennix/) > [People learn who they are by the images of themselves, the representations that they seek.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-lennix/people-learn-who-they-are-by-the-images-of-themselves-the/) [Harry Lennix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-lennix/) > [Hollywood loves to pat itself on the back and espouse their rhetorically liberal points of view while they continue to be the 1 percent…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-lennix/hollywood-loves-to-pat-itself-on-the-back-and-espouse-their/) [Harry Lennix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-lennix/) > [There may have been great scripts, and perfect actors to fill the roles, but those pilot projects could be stopped at an earlier point.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-lennix/there-may-have-been-great-scripts-and-perfect-actors-to-fill-the/) [Harry Lennix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-lennix/) > [The images that people see in the media of black people - whether journalistic or narrative - remain horrible. And those images, combined with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-lennix/the-images-that-people-see-in-the-media-of-black-people-whether/) [Harry Lennix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-lennix/) > [I'm one of those persons who think that watching black people suffer is not an idea of entertainment. I know a lot about African…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-lennix/i-m-one-of-those-persons-who-think-that-watching-black-people-suffer/) [Harry Lennix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-lennix/) [Explore all 22 Harry Lennix quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-lennix/) ## 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. 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