--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Coming from theater, and having been to…" description: "\"Coming from theater, and having been to acting school, and done little, small Australian independent movies, a lot of the time, it's always about chara..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/366/jacqueline-mckenzie-34278_acting_coming-from-theater-and-having-been-to-a_2874888.jpg" --- # Coming from theater, and having been to acting school, and… ![“Coming from theater, and having been to acting school, and done little, small Australian independent movies, a lot of the time, it's always about character.” quote by Jacqueline McKenzie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/366/jacqueline-mckenzie-34278_acting_coming-from-theater-and-having-been-to-a_2874888.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/366/jacqueline-mckenzie-34278_acting_coming-from-theater-and-having-been-to-a_2874888.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/366/jacqueline-mckenzie-34278_acting_coming-from-theater-and-having-been-to-a_2874888.jpg) > “Coming from theater, and having been to acting school, and done little, small Australian independent movies, a lot of the time, it's always about character.” [Jacqueline McKenzie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacqueline-mckenzie/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Acting emphasizes character depth over plot, underscoring the importance of personal authenticity in performance. **In simple terms:** Acting focuses on character. Key Takeaway Prioritize authentic character development. Themes acting character authenticity Mood thoughtful analytical Type artistic professional When to use this quote - theatre - film - workshops Key Concepts method empathy storytelling Questions to Reflect On - How to balance character and story? - When is character focus excessive? A Different Perspective May limit narrative variety. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Acting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/acting/) [Acting school](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/acting-school/) [Actor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actor/) [Australian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/australian/) [Character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character/) [Independent movies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/independent-movies/) [School](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/school/) [Theater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/theater/) [Theatre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/theatre/) ## Related quotes > [I'm not going to lie; having acting greats like Kamal Haasan and Sarika as parents has, in a sense, opened doors.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shruti-haasan/i-m-not-going-to-lie-having-acting-greats-like-kamal-haasan-and/) [Shruti Haasan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shruti-haasan/) > [I don't come to work as an actor. There are many directors who can direct without ever having acted and do a great job…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abdellatif-kechiche/i-don-t-come-to-work-as-an-actor-there-are-many-directors-who-can/) [Abdellatif Kechiche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abdellatif-kechiche/) > [Maybe the the luxury of not having acting be my only profession is that I can be more selective about what I choose to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ricky-jay/maybe-the-the-luxury-of-not-having-acting-be-my-only-profession-is/) [Ricky Jay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ricky-jay/) > [Despite having an interest in acting, I never thought of choosing films as a career.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/krithi-shetty/despite-having-an-interest-in-acting-i-never-thought-of-choosing/) [Krithi Shetty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/krithi-shetty/) > [The reason I do small, independent movies is because I want to keep my soul intact and maintain some kind of integrity within this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-bell/the-reason-i-do-small-independent-movies-is-because-i-want-to-keep-my/) [Jamie Bell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-bell/) > [Like all independent movies, the first thing you're looking for is a name actor who will justify your financing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-shainberg/like-all-independent-movies-the-first-thing-you-re-looking-for-is-a/) [Steven Shainberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-shainberg/) > [Sometimes the independent movies can get a little too arty-farty. You watch the IFC Channel and you want to throw up. You don't always…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mickey-rourke/sometimes-the-independent-movies-can-get-a-little-too-arty-farty-you/) [Mickey Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mickey-rourke/) > [Sometimes the characters I find the most compelling are in independent movies. With independent scripts people can take more challenges.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brittany-snow/sometimes-the-characters-i-find-the-most-compelling-are-in/) [Brittany Snow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brittany-snow/) > [I love making independent movies, and that's pretty much what I'm going to be doing for the rest of my years](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milla-jovovich/i-love-making-independent-movies-and-that-s-pretty-much-what-i-m/) [Milla Jovovich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milla-jovovich/) > [I really love the independent movies and I just think that sometimes when they throw a lot of money into it and a lot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-seymour/i-really-love-the-independent-movies-and-i-just-think-that-sometimes/) [Jane Seymour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-seymour/) > [Early on it was much easier to play leads, but now independent movies are being co-opted by the studio system, and they want bigger…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/parker-posey/early-on-it-was-much-easier-to-play-leads-but-now-independent-movies/) [Parker Posey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/parker-posey/) > [I'm from that world where I feel so comfortable making small independent movies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-night-shyamalan/i-m-from-that-world-where-i-feel-so-comfortable-making-small/) [M. Night Shyamalan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-night-shyamalan/) > [Mainstream Hollywood makes a few good movies a year. And in order to be in one of those, you have to be one of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maggie-gyllenhaal/mainstream-hollywood-makes-a-few-good-movies-a-year-and-in-order-to/) [Maggie Gyllenhaal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maggie-gyllenhaal/) > [Amazon may be the only studio that's run by people who come out of making independent movies, real hands-on moviemaking.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doug-liman/amazon-may-be-the-only-studio-that-s-run-by-people-who-come-out-of/) [Doug Liman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doug-liman/) > [I was making a lot of independent movies before the independent movement.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-patric/i-was-making-a-lot-of-independent-movies-before-the-independent/) [Jason Patric](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-patric/) ## More by Jacqueline McKenzie > [I can't do theatre in the US,' she says, 'because I don't have a green card.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacqueline-mckenzie/i-can-t-do-theatre-in-the-us-she-says-because-i-don-t-have-a-green/) [Jacqueline McKenzie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacqueline-mckenzie/) > [You don't choose. I just go where the work is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacqueline-mckenzie/you-don-t-choose-i-just-go-where-the-work-is/) [Jacqueline McKenzie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacqueline-mckenzie/) > [To be honest, I never really had watched much sci-fi.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacqueline-mckenzie/to-be-honest-i-never-really-had-watched-much-sci-fi/) [Jacqueline McKenzie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacqueline-mckenzie/) > [No matter how many helicopters there are, when it comes down to it there is the camera and you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacqueline-mckenzie/no-matter-how-many-helicopters-there-are-when-it-comes-down-to-it/) [Jacqueline McKenzie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacqueline-mckenzie/) > [And the reason for that I think is that in Australia our films don't get the exposure, so the process is foremost. But anyway,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacqueline-mckenzie/and-the-reason-for-that-i-think-is-that-in-australia-our-films-don-t/) [Jacqueline McKenzie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacqueline-mckenzie/) > [We blush very, very easily, and we get terrified of audiences.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacqueline-mckenzie/we-blush-very-very-easily-and-we-get-terrified-of-audiences/) [Jacqueline McKenzie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacqueline-mckenzie/) > [Everybody is just at the start of this huge process of trying to unravel what's going on with the 4,400, where they've been and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacqueline-mckenzie/everybody-is-just-at-the-start-of-this-huge-process-of-trying-to/) [Jacqueline McKenzie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacqueline-mckenzie/) > [It's just so fragile. The growing sense of 'Oh, God, what am I doing Am I any good Will I ever work again' All…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacqueline-mckenzie/it-s-just-so-fragile-the-growing-sense-of-oh-god-what-am-i-doing-am-i/) [Jacqueline McKenzie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacqueline-mckenzie/) > [I was spooked when I first got the role, as I was afraid I wouldn't have the companionship I need on a shoot, because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacqueline-mckenzie/i-was-spooked-when-i-first-got-the-role-as-i-was-afraid-i-wouldn-t/) [Jacqueline McKenzie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacqueline-mckenzie/) > [It was hysterical going to work. I would just walk in and think, 'What in hell? Am I here? What's going on? I'm going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacqueline-mckenzie/it-was-hysterical-going-to-work-i-would-just-walk-in-and-think-what/) [Jacqueline McKenzie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacqueline-mckenzie/) > [I love being part of the team.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacqueline-mckenzie/i-love-being-part-of-the-team/) [Jacqueline McKenzie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacqueline-mckenzie/) > [That's a curious paradox that I don't think a lot of people out there know; that you get really scared before you go on.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacqueline-mckenzie/that-s-a-curious-paradox-that-i-don-t-think-a-lot-of-people-out-there/) [Jacqueline McKenzie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacqueline-mckenzie/) > [You have to have a lifestyle if you live in LA, otherwise it's deadly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacqueline-mckenzie/you-have-to-have-a-lifestyle-if-you-live-in-la-otherwise-it-s-deadly/) [Jacqueline McKenzie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacqueline-mckenzie/) [Explore all 14 Jacqueline McKenzie quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacqueline-mckenzie/) ## 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. 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/) > [Many Republicans have always reminded me of professional WWF wrestlers. They come into the ring all pumped up and acting like they're invincible and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-feig/many-republicans-have-always-reminded-me-of-professional-wwf/) [Paul Feig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-feig/) > [I'm a big fan of all the Boston guys that are acting - Matt Damon , Ben Affleck, Mark Wahlberg - they made a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenny-wormald/i-m-a-big-fan-of-all-the-boston-guys-that-are-acting-matt-damon-ben/) [Kenny Wormald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenny-wormald/) > [Acting is a grind, just like music is a grind. Sometimes it takes longer than what you can give.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/big-sean/acting-is-a-grind-just-like-music-is-a-grind-sometimes-it-takes/) [Big Sean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/big-sean/) > [It was only when I started making short films in college and I was looking for girls to play the me-ish parts that I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lena-dunham/it-was-only-when-i-started-making-short-films-in-college-and-i-was/) [Lena Dunham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lena-dunham/) > [Writing is something I took up rather than anything I had an inclination toward. I like acting -delivering someone else's message - but writing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-martin/writing-is-something-i-took-up-rather-than-anything-i-had-an/) [Steve Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-martin/) > [I can still function when I don't have that balance I crave. I had a tendency to be precious about acting, thinking of it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-regan/i-can-still-function-when-i-don-t-have-that-balance-i-crave-i-had-a/) [Laura Regan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-regan/) > [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/) > [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/) > [It definitely helps to have the acting experience going into singing, because when you're singing, you have to portray the emotion you were feeling…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-newman/it-definitely-helps-to-have-the-acting-experience-going-into-singing/) Ryan Newman > [The show was number one in the ratings, Gordon Russell was our head writer, the story lines were magnificent and the acting most exciting.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-storm/the-show-was-number-one-in-the-ratings-gordon-russell-was-our-head/) [Michael Storm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-storm/) > [I've done so many other projects where you're in a room with a reader and you're acting your lines out: 'We have to get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-cummings/i-ve-done-so-many-other-projects-where-you-re-in-a-room-with-a-reader/) [Jim Cummings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-cummings/) > [I do not believe in public shaming. I do believe that young adults go to college to learn things, and that this process will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-weingarten/i-do-not-believe-in-public-shaming-i-do-believe-that-young-adults-go/) [Gene Weingarten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-weingarten/) > [Poetry has, in a way, been my bridge to my acting career.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/omari-hardwick/poetry-has-in-a-way-been-my-bridge-to-my-acting-career/) [Omari Hardwick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/omari-hardwick/) [Browse all 12,062 Acting quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/acting/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Coming from theater, and having been to acting school, and done little, small Australian independent movies, a lot of the time, it's always about character.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Jacqueline McKenzie" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacqueline-mckenzie/coming-from-theater-and-having-been-to-acting-school-and-done-little/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Acting" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacqueline-mckenzie/coming-from-theater-and-having-been-to-acting-school-and-done-little/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/366/jacqueline-mckenzie-34278_acting_coming-from-theater-and-having-been-to-a_2874888.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/366/jacqueline-mckenzie-34278_acting_coming-from-theater-and-having-been-to-a_2874888.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/366/jacqueline-mckenzie-34278_acting_coming-from-theater-and-having-been-to-a_2874888.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Coming from theater, and having been to acting school, and done little, small Australian independent movies…” — Jacqueline McKenzie", "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": "Jacqueline McKenzie", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacqueline-mckenzie/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Coming from theater, and having been...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacqueline-mckenzie/coming-from-theater-and-having-been-to-acting-school-and-done-little/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacqueline-mckenzie/coming-from-theater-and-having-been-to-acting-school-and-done-little/#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 } } ] } ```