--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Everything I've ever learned about acting…" description: "\"Everything I've ever learned about acting - and I went to theater school - was about playing what the character wants and throwing yourself fully into ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a74/j-august-richards-16600_about_everything-i-ve-ever-learned-about-actin_2097510.jpg" --- # Everything I've ever learned about acting - and I went to… ![“Everything I've ever learned about acting - and I went to theater school - was about playing what the character wants and throwing yourself fully into going after what the character wants.” quote by J. August Richards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a74/j-august-richards-16600_about_everything-i-ve-ever-learned-about-actin_2097510.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a74/j-august-richards-16600_about_everything-i-ve-ever-learned-about-actin_2097510.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a74/j-august-richards-16600_about_everything-i-ve-ever-learned-about-actin_2097510.jpg) > “Everything I've ever learned about acting - and I went to theater school - was about playing what the character wants and throwing yourself fully into going after what the character wants.” [J. August Richards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-august-richards/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Acting is about fully embodying a character’s desires, aligning personal energy with the role’s objectives. **In simple terms:** Acting requires total commitment to a character’s goals. Key Takeaway Align your emotions with the character’s purpose. Themes performance psychology method Mood motivational thoughtful Type practical inspirational When to use this quote - audition preparation - scene study - character analysis Key Concepts character motivation emotional immersion role preparation Questions to Reflect On - How do you balance character desire with story arc? - What techniques help you stay present in a role? A Different Perspective Focusing solely on desire can overlook broader narrative context. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Acting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/acting/) [Character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character/) [School](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/school/) [Theater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/theater/) [Theatre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/theatre/) ## Related quotes > [I had no inclination to perform as a kid. I was a shy child - I always had my nose in a library book.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colman-domingo/i-had-no-inclination-to-perform-as-a-kid-i-was-a-shy-child-i-always/) [Colman Domingo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colman-domingo/) > [I started writing plays in around 1967, and at a certain point, I thought, 'I'm writing plays, I should learn about acting and what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wallace-shawn/i-started-writing-plays-in-around-1967-and-at-a-certain-point-i/) [Wallace Shawn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wallace-shawn/) > [I think I was about 18 before I decided I wanted to pursue acting. I went to drama school in Western Australia when I was 19.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dustin-clare/i-think-i-was-about-18-before-i-decided-i-wanted-to-pursue-acting-i/) [Dustin Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dustin-clare/) > [I was lined up to do this honors degree course in biology, of all things, for no better reason than I got high marks…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-frewer/i-was-lined-up-to-do-this-honors-degree-course-in-biology-of-all/) [Matt Frewer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-frewer/) > [I knew I wanted to engage in the world of the imagination, but it was not economically feasible for me to study acting, so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-mirren/i-knew-i-wanted-to-engage-in-the-world-of-the-imagination-but-it-was/) [Helen Mirren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-mirren/) > [My first love was acting. I went to Sidney Poitier films as a kid. I sat in the theater and dreamed of being an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-weathers/my-first-love-was-acting-i-went-to-sidney-poitier-films-as-a-kid-i/) [Carl Weathers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-weathers/) > [I used to be a chemical-engineering student, but I started studying acting, and I went for a cattle call, up against hundreds of people.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dolph-lundgren/i-used-to-be-a-chemical-engineering-student-but-i-started-studying/) [Dolph Lundgren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dolph-lundgren/) > [My parents were actors. And so I was born in New York City, and when I was 7, they quit acting and went back…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-pally/my-parents-were-actors-and-so-i-was-born-in-new-york-city-and-when-i/) [Adam Pally](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-pally/) > [I learned acting while doing my shows. I never joined any course or anything. I just jumped into acting. I learn from experience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shaheer-sheikh/i-learned-acting-while-doing-my-shows-i-never-joined-any-course-or/) [Shaheer Sheikh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shaheer-sheikh/) > [I'm a young actor and I haven't learned everything there is about acting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucas-neff/i-m-a-young-actor-and-i-haven-t-learned-everything-there-is-about/) [Lucas Neff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucas-neff/) > [I have learned that acting is not about beauty.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vincent-cassel/i-have-learned-that-acting-is-not-about-beauty/) [Vincent Cassel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vincent-cassel/) > [As Michael (Chekhov)'s pupil, I learned more about acting. I learned psychology, history, and the good manners of art - taste.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilyn-monroe/as-michael-chekhov-s-pupil-i-learned-more-about-acting-i-learned/) [Marilyn Monroe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilyn-monroe/) > [It was the moment I learned acting is not acting out. After that light went on, I spent the rest of my life trying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-hurt/it-was-the-moment-i-learned-acting-is-not-acting-out-after-that-light/) [William Hurt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-hurt/) > [To be honest, there are so many things I learned in acting school beyond the method; it was a safe place to practice. So…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-levy/to-be-honest-there-are-so-many-things-i-learned-in-acting-school/) [Jane Levy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-levy/) > [What I've learned about acting is that it needs to be mysterious. If you overthink how a beat needs to be played, it can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-winslet/what-i-ve-learned-about-acting-is-that-it-needs-to-be-mysterious-if/) [Kate Winslet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-winslet/) ## More by J. August Richards > [I was in fittings for the first costume even before I knew I was even going to be 'Deathlok.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-august-richards/i-was-in-fittings-for-the-first-costume-even-before-i-knew-i-was-even/) [J. August Richards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-august-richards/) > [The pilots I did test for, I was the only black actor testing against white actors for parts that were written white.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-august-richards/the-pilots-i-did-test-for-i-was-the-only-black-actor-testing-against/) [J. August Richards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-august-richards/) > [Once I found out that I was playing 'Deathlok,' I unearthed my old comic book collection. I was going home for Christmas, and I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-august-richards/once-i-found-out-that-i-was-playing-deathlok-i-unearthed-my-old-comic/) [J. August Richards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-august-richards/) > [Panama's a really wonderful country. There's obviously the Panama Canal, which brings a lot of tourism, and a huge American influence; it's just a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-august-richards/panama-s-a-really-wonderful-country-there-s-obviously-the-panama/) [J. August Richards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-august-richards/) > [I love roles that don't really have a template or a paradigm and force me to create using my own imagination... that really, really…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-august-richards/i-love-roles-that-don-t-really-have-a-template-or-a-paradigm-and/) [J. August Richards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-august-richards/) > [Everything with Marvel is on a need-to-know basis, so I didn't officially know until the second episode I did, which I think was the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-august-richards/everything-with-marvel-is-on-a-need-to-know-basis-so-i-didn-t/) [J. August Richards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-august-richards/) > [My interest in astronomy grew from the play 'Space' that I did, where I had to learn where my character was from. I had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-august-richards/my-interest-in-astronomy-grew-from-the-play-space-that-i-did-where-i/) [J. August Richards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-august-richards/) > [The cool thing for me is, I go to a lot of conventions - a lot of science fiction conventions like Comic-Con - and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-august-richards/the-cool-thing-for-me-is-i-go-to-a-lot-of-conventions-a-lot-of/) [J. August Richards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-august-richards/) > [I feel like my life experience is that of an outsider. Let me explain: my parents are from Panama, and they moved to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-august-richards/i-feel-like-my-life-experience-is-that-of-an-outsider-let-me-explain/) [J. August Richards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-august-richards/) > [Marvel makes you feel like 'Iron Man' will show up at your front door to kill you if you say the wrong thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-august-richards/marvel-makes-you-feel-like-iron-man-will-show-up-at-your-front-door/) [J. August Richards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-august-richards/) > [Their crew for 'Arrow' is just one of the most wonderful crews that I've worked with. I know that actors say that all the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-august-richards/their-crew-for-arrow-is-just-one-of-the-most-wonderful-crews-that-i/) [J. August Richards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-august-richards/) > [I really enjoy working in genre series, because you really have to create the characters.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-august-richards/i-really-enjoy-working-in-genre-series-because-you-really-have-to/) [J. August Richards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-august-richards/) > [When you're doing superhero stunts, the objective is to look as cool as humanly possible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-august-richards/when-you-re-doing-superhero-stunts-the-objective-is-to-look-as-cool/) [J. August Richards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-august-richards/) > [To steal a term from one of my Twitter followers, 'Deathlok' is the 'anti-villain.' He's on the side of the bad guys, but he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-august-richards/to-steal-a-term-from-one-of-my-twitter-followers-deathlok-is-the-anti/) [J. August Richards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-august-richards/) > [When we wrapped 'Angel,' I definitely had a moment where I thought, 'Wow, that was the best job I'm ever gonna have.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-august-richards/when-we-wrapped-angel-i-definitely-had-a-moment-where-i-thought-wow/) [J. August Richards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-august-richards/) [Explore all 39 J. August Richards quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-august-richards/) ## More About quotes > [If you ask an introvert a question, wait until she thinks about it. Introverts think before speaking, not through speaking. If you want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-helgoe/if-you-ask-an-introvert-a-question-wait-until-she-thinks-about-it/) [Laurie Helgoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-helgoe/) > [Joking about violence is not funny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/perez-hilton/joking-about-violence-is-not-funny/) [Perez Hilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/perez-hilton/) > [I talk to my mates about our kids, being too tired and being worn out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/holly-willoughby/i-talk-to-my-mates-about-our-kids-being-too-tired-and-being-worn-out/) [Holly Willoughby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/holly-willoughby/) > [With 'Pretty Girls,' I saw the opportunity to talk not just about crime but what crime leaves behind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karin-slaughter/with-pretty-girls-i-saw-the-opportunity-to-talk-not-just-about-crime/) [Karin Slaughter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karin-slaughter/) > [I write about presidents. That means I write about guys - so far. I'm interested in the people closest to them, the people they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doris-kearns-goodwin/i-write-about-presidents-that-means-i-write-about-guys-so-far-i-m/) [Doris Kearns Goodwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doris-kearns-goodwin/) > [That's something a lot of folks don't know about me - I'm pretty darn funny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-jai-white/that-s-something-a-lot-of-folks-don-t-know-about-me-i-m-pretty-darn/) [Michael Jai White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-jai-white/) > [I learned a lot about myself at Oakmont.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shane-lowry/i-learned-a-lot-about-myself-at-oakmont/) [Shane Lowry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shane-lowry/) > [I don't think about the press or the crowds or the other leaders of the race. The focus is only on myself. As soon…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/magdalena-neuner/i-don-t-think-about-the-press-or-the-crowds-or-the-other-leaders-of/) [Magdalena Neuner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/magdalena-neuner/) > [Sport is not just about entertainment. It is equally about winning and losing, pooling and galvanising the energy of the youth, upgrading people's physical…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nita-ambani/sport-is-not-just-about-entertainment-it-is-equally-about-winning-and/) [Nita Ambani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nita-ambani/) > [One of the ways that I discovered my confidence and my ability to overpower is becoming a mother. Suddenly, my world wasn't about myself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lights/one-of-the-ways-that-i-discovered-my-confidence-and-my-ability-to/) [Lights](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lights/) > [I didn't want to do 'Fashion Police' because I thought, 'This is stupid, this is beneath me, who wants to talk about fashion?' It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-rivers/i-didn-t-want-to-do-fashion-police-because-i-thought-this-is-stupid/) [Joan Rivers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-rivers/) > [I just worried about my weight. Worried about my appearance and thought I wan't pretty enough to be a pop star. It was very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-durham/i-just-worried-about-my-weight-worried-about-my-appearance-and/) [Judith Durham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-durham/) > [I read a couple of books about neuroscience and the relationship between the mind and the body.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-kinnaman/i-read-a-couple-of-books-about-neuroscience-and-the-relationship/) [Joel Kinnaman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-kinnaman/) > [There are a lot of kids out there copying and distributing movies - not because they care about seeing the movies or sharing them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-perry-barlow/there-are-a-lot-of-kids-out-there-copying-and-distributing-movies-not/) [John Perry Barlow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-perry-barlow/) > [I have no physical genius about me. I can't dribble a ball and run at the same time, I can't do lay-ups - I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rich-mullins/i-have-no-physical-genius-about-me-i-can-t-dribble-a-ball-and-run-at/) [Rich Mullins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rich-mullins/) Browse all 26,122 About quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Everything I've ever learned about acting - and I went to theater school - was about playing what the character wants and throwing yourself fully into going after what the character wants.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "J. 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