--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Playing an icon [superman], you don't try…" description: "\"Playing an icon [superman], you don't try to be an icon because that defeats the purpose. The responsibility attached is enormous, and the realization ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3e8/henry-cavill-4603_amount_playing-an-icon-superman-you-don-t-try-t_1366168.jpg" --- # Playing an icon \[superman\], you don't try to be an icon… ![“Playing an icon [superman], you don't try to be an icon because that defeats the purpose. The responsibility attached is enormous, and the realization that it actually really, really matters meant that I wanted to put the most amount of work into representing the character properly.” quote by Henry Cavill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3e8/henry-cavill-4603_amount_playing-an-icon-superman-you-don-t-try-t_1366168.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3e8/henry-cavill-4603_amount_playing-an-icon-superman-you-don-t-try-t_1366168.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3e8/henry-cavill-4603_amount_playing-an-icon-superman-you-don-t-try-t_1366168.jpg) > “Playing an icon \[superman\], you don't try to be an icon because that defeats the purpose. The responsibility attached is enormous, and the realization that it actually really, really matters meant that I wanted to put the most amount of work into representing the character properly.” [Henry Cavill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-cavill/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Attempting to embody an iconic character requires humility and dedication, not self‑aggrandizement. **In simple terms:** Play the role, don’t become the role. Key Takeaway Focus on authentic representation over personal fame. Themes humility responsibility craftsmanship Mood determined serious Type inspirational practical When to use this quote - film sets - stage rehearsals - character study - fan conventions Key Concepts acting heroism identity Questions to Reflect On - What does it mean to serve a character responsibly? - How can you stay grounded while portraying an icon? A Different Perspective Risk of losing personal identity in the role. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character/) [Comic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/comic/) [Defeat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/defeat/) [Icons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/icons/) [Purpose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/purpose/) [Realization](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/realization/) [Responsibility](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/responsibility/) [Superman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/superman/) ## Related quotes > [I object to the hypersexualization of all the superheroines. Most of them have been hypersexualized, but especially to Wonder Woman, because she is an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trina-robbins/i-object-to-the-hypersexualization-of-all-the-superheroines-most-of/) [Trina Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trina-robbins/) > [I feel character description from a book can mislead you and actually make you fall off course when you're representing a character using a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-poulter/i-feel-character-description-from-a-book-can-mislead-you-and-actually/) [Will Poulter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-poulter/) > [If there’s any other message in this to readers, it’s in these two characters as icons of hope, that it doesn’t make any difference…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-michael-straczynski/if-there-s-any-other-message-in-this-to-readers-it-s-in-these-two/) [J. Michael Straczynski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-michael-straczynski/) > [For me, growing up in a ridiculously poor family living in dead-end neighborhoods, Superman was a deeply personal icon, one that said you can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-michael-straczynski/for-me-growing-up-in-a-ridiculously-poor-family-living-in-dead-end/) [J. Michael Straczynski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-michael-straczynski/) > [As much as everyone says that Superman is good, a lot of other people might say that that's why they find him boring A…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-cavill/as-much-as-everyone-says-that-superman-is-good-a-lot-of-other-people/) [Henry Cavill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-cavill/) > [With Superman, there are certain limitations for an actor. You can't go past certain boundaries because then you cease to be what the character…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-cavill/with-superman-there-are-certain-limitations-for-an-actor-you-can-t-go/) [Henry Cavill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-cavill/) > [If we were really true to the story, I would be an invulnerable alien. But I'm not, I'm an actor. Superman is an American…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-cavill/if-we-were-really-true-to-the-story-i-would-be-an-invulnerable-alien/) [Henry Cavill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-cavill/) > [It's the opportunity of a lifetime. Everyone has at some point pretended to be Superman and I get the opportunity to play this enormous…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-cavill/it-s-the-opportunity-of-a-lifetime-everyone-has-at-some-point/) [Henry Cavill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-cavill/) > [“It’s going to happen, people are going to talk and that’s great. If people are talking, they’re being entertained in one way or another,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-cavill/it-s-going-to-happen-people-are-going-to-talk-and-that-s-great-if/) [Henry Cavill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-cavill/) > [There's an honesty to Clark, Kal-El - Kal-El's the better way of saying it because he is both Superman and Clark - there's an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-cavill/there-s-an-honesty-to-clark-kal-el-kal-el-s-the-better-way-of-saying/) [Henry Cavill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-cavill/) > [I liked "Superman/Batman: The Search for Kryptonite" because I really enjoyed the interaction between those two characters.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-cavill/i-liked-superman-batman-the-search-for-kryptonite-because-i-really/) [Henry Cavill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-cavill/) > [Getting the role like this is such awonderful opportunity... I remember looking in the mirror and going 'I'm superman'.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-cavill/getting-the-role-like-this-is-such-awonderful-opportunity-i-remember/) [Henry Cavill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-cavill/) > [Whether someone else would have played Superman better or worse would be up for a lot of debate on the internet forums, I'm sure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-cavill/whether-someone-else-would-have-played-superman-better-or-worse-would/) [Henry Cavill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-cavill/) > [This character matters so much to so many people. I want to get that right. I want to do it justice. I want people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-cavill/this-character-matters-so-much-to-so-many-people-i-want-to-get-that/) [Henry Cavill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-cavill/) > [There are so many great artists, I think, who kind of suffer from being icons, legends, acknowledged masters.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-linklater/there-are-so-many-great-artists-i-think-who-kind-of-suffer-from-being/) [Richard Linklater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-linklater/) ## More by Henry Cavill > [I'm a serious geek. I mean I seriously want to own a unicorn when I'm older . . . or a Pegasus . . . yeah Pegasus sounds better.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-cavill/i-m-a-serious-geek-i-mean-i-seriously-want-to-own-a-unicorn-when-i-m/) [Henry Cavill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-cavill/) > [I'm not really into fancying people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-cavill/i-m-not-really-into-fancying-people/) [Henry Cavill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-cavill/) > [I know there are a lot of people who like to get very involved in their characters, but I, personally, find it too involved.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-cavill/i-know-there-are-a-lot-of-people-who-like-to-get-very-involved-in/) [Henry Cavill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-cavill/) > [I like to go full bore into something. If you have a backup plan, then you've already admitted defeat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-cavill/i-like-to-go-full-bore-into-something-if-you-have-a-backup-plan-then/) [Henry Cavill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-cavill/) > [This acting job - it pays very well and you get to live a wonderful lifestyle, but it's something that I love doing, so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-cavill/this-acting-job-it-pays-very-well-and-you-get-to-live-a-wonderful/) [Henry Cavill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-cavill/) > [I know I can't make everyone happy, but I know I can do the most justice I can possibly do to a character, or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-cavill/i-know-i-can-t-make-everyone-happy-but-i-know-i-can-do-the-most/) [Henry Cavill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-cavill/) > [I love Dublin. I lived here for awhile when we were shooting, so I know it fairly well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-cavill/i-love-dublin-i-lived-here-for-awhile-when-we-were-shooting-so-i-know/) [Henry Cavill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-cavill/) > [I think in this day and age it's all part and parcel. There are people taking photographs of us working all the time. It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-cavill/i-think-in-this-day-and-age-it-s-all-part-and-parcel-there-are-people/) [Henry Cavill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-cavill/) > [I go to work, I do a job, I play a role, and then I go home. I don't wear a cape at home.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-cavill/i-go-to-work-i-do-a-job-i-play-a-role-and-then-i-go-home-i-don-t-wear/) [Henry Cavill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-cavill/) > [I was running to get to an audition when I first starting acting and when crossing the road with traffic stopped everywhere I slipped…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-cavill/i-was-running-to-get-to-an-audition-when-i-first-starting-acting-and/) [Henry Cavill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-cavill/) > [I've traveled enough on planes to realize it's not about how you look it's about how you feel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-cavill/i-ve-traveled-enough-on-planes-to-realize-it-s-not-about-how-you-look/) [Henry Cavill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-cavill/) > ['Immortals' was very much a martial arts based training program - a lot of body weight stuff, very little in the way of actually…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-cavill/immortals-was-very-much-a-martial-arts-based-training-program-a-lot/) [Henry Cavill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-cavill/) > [Finding the physical aspect is important to me because that is often how we read people in everyday life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-cavill/finding-the-physical-aspect-is-important-to-me-because-that-is-often/) [Henry Cavill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-cavill/) > [In prep school, I really learned to love the stage. When you step out from the wings and into the lights, there's this incredible…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-cavill/in-prep-school-i-really-learned-to-love-the-stage-when-you-step-out/) [Henry Cavill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-cavill/) > [The hardest part of acting is not being guaranteed work. Every job could be your last.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-cavill/the-hardest-part-of-acting-is-not-being-guaranteed-work-every-job/) [Henry Cavill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-cavill/) [Explore all 108 Henry Cavill quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-cavill/) ## More Amount quotes > [Dating someone on the opposite end of the happy spectrum teaches you an incredible amount of patience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-pine/dating-someone-on-the-opposite-end-of-the-happy-spectrum-teaches-you/) [Chris Pine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-pine/) > [When the amount of change externally exceeds the amount of change internally, the end is in sight.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-welch/when-the-amount-of-change-externally-exceeds-the-amount-of-change/) [Jack Welch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-welch/) > [A human being can only absorb a small amount of the mystical kundalini, you can be exposed again and again to it, but it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/a-human-being-can-only-absorb-a-small-amount-of-the-mystical/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [It's a great story for us whenever an entrepreneur makes a crazy amount of money and we get to tell the world about it.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-lacy/it-s-a-great-story-for-us-whenever-an-entrepreneur-makes-a-crazy/) [Sarah Lacy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-lacy/) > [It's a challenge to work a character's arc into a format in which you only have a very limited amount of time to grow…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ginnifer-goodwin/it-s-a-challenge-to-work-a-character-s-arc-into-a-format-in-which-you/) [Ginnifer Goodwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ginnifer-goodwin/) > [The amount of things you can do with a kettlebell is unsurpassed by any other training equipment - dumbbells, resistance machines, free weights.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laird-hamilton/the-amount-of-things-you-can-do-with-a-kettlebell-is-unsurpassed-by/) [Laird Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laird-hamilton/) > [The amount you give isn't important. What matters is what that amount represents in terms of your life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-rohn/the-amount-you-give-isn-t-important-what-matters-is-what-that-amount/) [Jim Rohn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-rohn/) > [There's a place in Botswana where there are 100,000 elephants living in a single population. Think of the amount of space they need. Remember,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-bergin/there-s-a-place-in-botswana-where-there-are-100-000-elephants-living/) [Patrick Bergin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-bergin/) > [How could you justify giving Holland twice the amount of money that you gave Belgium? Well, finally, I put it up to them. They…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-averell-harriman/how-could-you-justify-giving-holland-twice-the-amount-of-money-that/) [W. Averell Harriman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-averell-harriman/) > [I am not a great believer in dialectical struggle. I am much more of a fusion person. 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