--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I think theatre helped, only because it…" description: "\"I think theatre helped, only because it was acting experience. I got to work with a lot of directors.\" — James Denton" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e4c/james-denton-18836_acting_i-think-theatre-helped-only-because-it-w_1822510.jpg" --- # I think theatre helped, only because it was acting… ![“I think theatre helped, only because it was acting experience. I got to work with a lot of directors.” quote by James Denton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e4c/james-denton-18836_acting_i-think-theatre-helped-only-because-it-w_1822510.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e4c/james-denton-18836_acting_i-think-theatre-helped-only-because-it-w_1822510.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e4c/james-denton-18836_acting_i-think-theatre-helped-only-because-it-w_1822510.jpg) > “I think theatre helped, only because it was acting experience. I got to work with a lot of directors.” [James Denton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-denton/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He credits theatre for providing acting experience and exposure to many directors, shaping his career. **In simple terms:** Theatre gave him acting practice and director connections. Key Takeaway Leverage early experiences for growth. Themes career acting networking Mood reflective optimistic Type personal professional When to use this quote - audition prep - directing collaborations - career planning Key Concepts skill development industry exposure Questions to Reflect On - How did theatre specifically shape your acting style? - What director taught you the most? A Different Perspective May overvalue early exposure without continuous learning. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Acting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/acting/) [Acting Experience](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/acting-experience-258591/) [Because](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/because/) [Cinema](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cinema/) [Directors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/directors/) [Experience](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/experience/) [Got](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/got/) [Helped](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/helped/) [Helped Acting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/helped-acting-2205208/) [I think](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/i-think/) [Lot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lot/) [Only](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/only/) [Theatre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/theatre/) [Theatre Helped](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/theatre-helped-1992306/) [Think](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/think/) [Work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/work/) ## Related quotes > [I went through a low phase for two years when I had a string of flops. At that time, I even felt that I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randeep-hooda/i-went-through-a-low-phase-for-two-years-when-i-had-a-string-of-flops/) [Randeep Hooda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randeep-hooda/) > [Ballet has really helped me in every acting role. You have to be very disciplined, you have to be able to control your nerves…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mia-wasikowska/ballet-has-really-helped-me-in-every-acting-role-you-have-to-be-very/) [Mia Wasikowska](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mia-wasikowska/) > [I went to school in the Bronx. I learned to constantly try to cover up the fact that I was gay. 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It was pretty much all I thought about, even if I didn't really…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mena-massoud/ryerson-helped-me-because-i-was-around-acting-all-the-time-it-was/) [Mena Massoud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mena-massoud/) > [I did a play called Throne of Straw when I was 11, at the Odyssey Theatre in Los Angeles. It became really clear to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kiefer-sutherland/i-did-a-play-called-throne-of-straw-when-i-was-11-at-the-odyssey/) [Kiefer Sutherland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kiefer-sutherland/) > [I come from a long line of teachers. Not only did I not go into the family business; I had an aborted law career…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cillian-murphy/i-come-from-a-long-line-of-teachers-not-only-did-i-not-go-into-the/) [Cillian Murphy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cillian-murphy/) > [I come from a background where I have no acting experience and when I did 'Shanti,' I got a lot of support from my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mandira-bedi/i-come-from-a-background-where-i-have-no-acting-experience-and-when-i/) [Mandira Bedi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mandira-bedi/) > [I've been acting since I was six. I actually played a boy when I was six in 'Tommy.' I played Tommy and they put…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jojo/i-ve-been-acting-since-i-was-six-i-actually-played-a-boy-when-i-was/) [JoJo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jojo/) > [So most of my acting experience came in college when I was living away from them. I acted in various independent films, and I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-menounos/so-most-of-my-acting-experience-came-in-college-when-i-was-living/) [Maria Menounos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-menounos/) > [I got into modeling first, then acting came along pretty soon, and I landed my first role in a Korean drama without education, without…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claudia-kim/i-got-into-modeling-first-then-acting-came-along-pretty-soon-and-i/) [Claudia Kim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claudia-kim/) > [The thing I adore about acting is that it's not me: you get to experience all these emotions, but essentially it's not you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-brown-findlay/the-thing-i-adore-about-acting-is-that-it-s-not-me-you-get-to/) [Jessica Brown Findlay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-brown-findlay/) > [Most of all, I really wanted to become a filmmaker, and I've used every acting experience to just turn it into film school.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-davies/most-of-all-i-really-wanted-to-become-a-filmmaker-and-i-ve-used-every/) [Jeremy Davies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-davies/) > [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](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-newman/) ## More by James Denton > [And of course Marc Cherry heightens it and makes it hilarious. But there's so many universal themes in the show, and he made it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-denton/and-of-course-marc-cherry-heightens-it-and-makes-it-hilarious-but/) [James Denton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-denton/) > [I still treat every job as if I might never get hired again as far as the way I save money and live really…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-denton/i-still-treat-every-job-as-if-i-might-never-get-hired-again-as-far-as/) [James Denton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-denton/) > [I'm not a hard-line Republican, because I'm a lot more open-minded than that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-denton/i-m-not-a-hard-line-republican-because-i-m-a-lot-more-open-minded/) [James Denton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-denton/) > [I think it's important that the rest of the world know that we're not all the same and that we don't all have the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-denton/i-think-it-s-important-that-the-rest-of-the-world-know-that-we-re-not/) [James Denton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-denton/) > [It's still about the women. It's not called Desperate Plumber. People are more interested in cat fights.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-denton/it-s-still-about-the-women-it-s-not-called-desperate-plumber-people/) [James Denton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-denton/) > [The promos with all of the beautiful women probably attracted some men, but the mystery story line is pretty cool. It's got that dark…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-denton/the-promos-with-all-of-the-beautiful-women-probably-attracted-some/) [James Denton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-denton/) > [I'm pro-choice and those things, but I typically vote Republican.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-denton/i-m-pro-choice-and-those-things-but-i-typically-vote-republican/) [James Denton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-denton/) > [When I came out here, my manager thought that casting directors might think I'm a girl, and when I did Threat Matrix, they thought…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-denton/when-i-came-out-here-my-manager-thought-that-casting-directors-might/) [James Denton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-denton/) > [I saw a story in the Los Angeles Times that 40 percent of the viewers are men. It didn't really surprise me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-denton/i-saw-a-story-in-the-los-angeles-times-that-40-percent-of-the-viewers/) [James Denton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-denton/) > [When you have kids, it takes the focus off of you. You forget about what clothes you're wearing, or if you went to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-denton/when-you-have-kids-it-takes-the-focus-off-of-you-you-forget-about/) [James Denton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-denton/) > [Last year, I was on Threat Matrix. We were on Thursday against Friends and Survivor; so this year it's fun to know people are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-denton/last-year-i-was-on-threat-matrix-we-were-on-thursday-against-friends/) [James Denton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-denton/) > [James was my given name, but I was a junior; so I was Jamie as a kid.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-denton/james-was-my-given-name-but-i-was-a-junior-so-i-was-jamie-as-a-kid/) [James Denton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-denton/) > [It slows down grocery shopping, because so many women at the store watch the show. I always end up talking to two or three…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-denton/it-slows-down-grocery-shopping-because-so-many-women-at-the-store/) [James Denton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-denton/) > [I was born and raised in the South, which is pretty conservative.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-denton/i-was-born-and-raised-in-the-south-which-is-pretty-conservative/) [James Denton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-denton/) > [It was described as Sex and the Suburbs. It's so not that. Because on Sex and the City, those women told each other everything;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-denton/it-was-described-as-sex-and-the-suburbs-it-s-so-not-that-because-on/) [James Denton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-denton/) [Explore all 34 James Denton quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-denton/) ## 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](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/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": "I think theatre helped, only because it was acting experience. 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