--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: You also need love. Your characters need…" description: "\"“You also need love. Your characters need to love something, otherwise they will be unlovable.”\" — James Franco" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cbc/james-franco-2025_character_you-also-need-love-your-characters-need_788338.jpg" --- # You also need love. Your characters need to love… ![“You also need love. Your characters need to love something, otherwise they will be unlovable.” quote by James Franco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cbc/james-franco-2025_character_you-also-need-love-your-characters-need_788338.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cbc/james-franco-2025_character_you-also-need-love-your-characters-need_788338.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cbc/james-franco-2025_character_you-also-need-love-your-characters-need_788338.jpg) > ““You also need love. Your characters need to love something, otherwise they will be unlovable.”” [James Franco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-franco/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He stresses that characters need love to be relatable and engaging. **In simple terms:** Characters need love to be compelling. Key Takeaway Give characters meaningful passions. Themes writing character development emotion storytelling Mood thoughtful creative inspirational Type writing craft When to use this quote - novel writing - screenwriting - creative workshops Key Concepts psychology attachment narrative Questions to Reflect On - What motivates your characters? - How do you show love without cliché? A Different Perspective Overemphasis on love may oversimplify complex characters. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character/) [Characters Need](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/characters-need-361167/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Love Characters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love-characters/) [Love Unlovable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love-unlovable-852293/) [Need love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/need-love/) [Unlovable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/unlovable/) ## Related quotes > [To be able to love the unlovable is the gauge by which we can say that we truly love. Otherwise, our love is conditional…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-randymar/to-be-able-to-love-the-unlovable-is-the-gauge-by-which-we-can-say/) [Joel Randymar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-randymar/) > [God does not love us because we are lovable, have a pleasing personality or a good sense of humor, or at rare times show…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-b-haight/god-does-not-love-us-because-we-are-lovable-have-a-pleasing/) [David B. Haight](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-b-haight/) > [Love means to love that which is unlovable; or it is no virtue at all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gilbert-k-chesterton/love-means-to-love-that-which-is-unlovable-or-it-is-no-virtue-at-all/) [Gilbert K. Chesterton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gilbert-k-chesterton/) > [“The decent, strong person had to do decent, strong things like love unlovable people and keep peace even when it wasn't easy.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-connealy/the-decent-strong-person-had-to-do-decent-strong-things-like-love/) [Mary Connealy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-connealy/) > [“My sister has always compelled to love unlovable creatures... the strays, the misfits. Once she loves someone, no matter how many times they betray…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-kleypas/my-sister-has-always-compelled-to-love-unlovable-creatures-the-strays/) [Lisa Kleypas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-kleypas/) > [“It’s impossible to love the unlovable.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/v-theia/it-s-impossible-to-love-the-unlovable/) [V. Theia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/v-theia/) > [If you don't think God's love for the unlovable is amazing, go try to love someone who hates you for a day. See if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kb/if-you-don-t-think-god-s-love-for-the-unlovable-is-amazing-go-try-to/) [KB](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kb/) > [The ones who preach most about love are often the same ones who refuse to love the unlovable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-cervantes/the-ones-who-preach-most-about-love-are-often-the-same-ones-who/) [Andrew Cervantes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-cervantes/) > [Show me how to love the unlovable Show me how to reach the unreachable Help me now to do the impossible...Fo rgiveness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-west/show-me-how-to-love-the-unlovable-show-me-how-to-reach-the/) [Matthew West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-west/) > [When you love the unlovable and forgive the unforgivable, you’re free.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-siegel/when-you-love-the-unlovable-and-forgive-the-unforgivable-you-re-free/) [Bernie Siegel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-siegel/) > [If the only way you can love me is after I have perfected my imperfections, then you dont love me. God loved us with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/td-jakes/if-the-only-way-you-can-love-me-is-after-i-have-perfected-my/) [TD Jakes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/td-jakes/) > [It is not the most lovable individuals who stand more in need of love, but the most unlovable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashley-montagu/it-is-not-the-most-lovable-individuals-who-stand-more-in-need-of-love/) [Ashley Montagu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashley-montagu/) > [Kids need love the most when they're acting most unlovable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erma-bombeck/kids-need-love-the-most-when-they-re-acting-most-unlovable/) [Erma Bombeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erma-bombeck/) > [We are naturally drawn to beautiful, kind, loving people. Mature love knows how to love those who seem unlovable, those who seem incapable of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/we-are-naturally-drawn-to-beautiful-kind-loving-people-mature-love/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [You pick me up when I fall, hug me when I hurt, and love me when I am unlovable. God, thank you for always…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-pick-me-up-when-i-fall-hug-me-when-i-hurt-and-love-me-when-i-am/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by James Franco > [I love that the idea of examining memory, and the way memory is edited was made more interesting because it was being filtered through…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-franco/i-love-that-the-idea-of-examining-memory-and-the-way-memory-is-edited/) [James Franco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-franco/) > [Reviews about film acting are very... tricky, because movies are such a collaborative thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-franco/reviews-about-film-acting-are-very-tricky-because-movies-are-such-a/) [James Franco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-franco/) > [ I went to NYU graduate film school and met Pam \[Romanowsky\], and after doing a few things with her I thought she had the… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-franco/i-went-to-nyu-graduate-film-school-and-met-pam-romanowsky-and-after/) [James Franco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-franco/) > [I was a black center in the middle of all the nature. I was nothing, but I could do anything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-franco/i-was-a-black-center-in-the-middle-of-all-the-nature-i-was-nothing/) [James Franco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-franco/) > [I hate being an actor, they dress you and put on your makeup and you just feel like a little baby.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-franco/i-hate-being-an-actor-they-dress-you-and-put-on-your-makeup-and-you/) [James Franco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-franco/) > [Always have one artistic thing that is pure, at least one thing, where you don’t compromise. You can do other things to make money,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-franco/always-have-one-artistic-thing-that-is-pure-at-least-one-thing-where/) [James Franco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-franco/) > [I've been acting for many years now, and I find there's nothing I enjoy more than making films with my friends and people I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-franco/i-ve-been-acting-for-many-years-now-and-i-find-there-s-nothing-i/) [James Franco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-franco/) > [The wind came in languid gusts like whispered reminders.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-franco/the-wind-came-in-languid-gusts-like-whispered-reminders/) [James Franco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-franco/) > [In a movie, a book, or a play, a character doesn't live in a vacuum. She is subject to pressures from the world outside…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-franco/in-a-movie-a-book-or-a-play-a-character-doesn-t-live-in-a-vacuum-she/) [James Franco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-franco/) > [Anyone has outside influences. They are the results of the cosmic roll of the dice: this person is born Aragon the Ranger, this person…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-franco/anyone-has-outside-influences-they-are-the-results-of-the-cosmic-roll/) [James Franco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-franco/) > [I have high aspirations. I want to be an architect.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-franco/i-have-high-aspirations-i-want-to-be-an-architect/) [James Franco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-franco/) > [If you have a profession that depends on what you look like, you can't blame somebody for caring about that. It's part of their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-franco/if-you-have-a-profession-that-depends-on-what-you-look-like-you-can-t/) [James Franco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-franco/) > [Everyone pretends to be normal and be your best friend, but underneath, everyone is living some other life you don't know about, and if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-franco/everyone-pretends-to-be-normal-and-be-your-best-friend-but-underneath/) [James Franco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-franco/) > [I don't like sleeping in a bed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-franco/i-don-t-like-sleeping-in-a-bed/) [James Franco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-franco/) > [My favorite role ever was Alien in 'Spring Breakers'.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-franco/my-favorite-role-ever-was-alien-in-spring-breakers/) [James Franco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-franco/) [Explore all 191 James Franco quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-franco/) ## More Character quotes > [This may sound strange, but although I feel like I know everything about my characters, the brand of shampoo they use, how many cavities…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gail-honeyman/this-may-sound-strange-but-although-i-feel-like-i-know-everything/) [Gail Honeyman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gail-honeyman/) > [I always like a character who makes me laugh.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachael-stirling/i-always-like-a-character-who-makes-me-laugh/) [Rachael Stirling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachael-stirling/) > [Social responsibility above the level of family, or at most of tribe, requires imagination-- devotion, loyalty, all the higher virtues -- which a man…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-heinlein/social-responsibility-above-the-level-of-family-or-at-most-of-tribe/) [Robert A. Heinlein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-heinlein/) > [Reader, if you are gifted with nerves like mine, aspire to any character but that of a wit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-lamb/reader-if-you-are-gifted-with-nerves-like-mine-aspire-to-any/) [Charles Lamb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-lamb/) > [I'm often moved by the circumstances around some of my characters, but I don't think I've actually cried watching myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-winslet/i-m-often-moved-by-the-circumstances-around-some-of-my-characters-but/) [Kate Winslet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-winslet/) > [When you're on a daytime drama you get one page, you better damn well know your character. You better know what she would do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hudgins/when-you-re-on-a-daytime-drama-you-get-one-page-you-better-damn-well/) [David Hudgins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hudgins/) > [It can sometimes make people fold into themselves and kind of run away, but I think in this case these characters are being forced…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-deschanel/it-can-sometimes-make-people-fold-into-themselves-and-kind-of-run/) [Emily Deschanel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-deschanel/) > [If you are well-mannered towards those whose views are similar to yours, you may be said to exhibit a fairly good character. But, if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-you-are-well-mannered-towards-those-whose-views-are-similar-to/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Democracy is based on the conviction that man has the moral and intellectual capacity, as well as the inalienable right, to govern himself with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-s-truman/democracy-is-based-on-the-conviction-that-man-has-the-moral-and/) [Harry S. Truman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-s-truman/) > [In the fight between biology and morality, biology has commonly won in the end.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/semir-zeki/in-the-fight-between-biology-and-morality-biology-has-commonly-won-in/) [Semir Zeki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/semir-zeki/) > [Your looks don't make you pretty, it's the person inside who makes you pretty!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-chan/your-looks-don-t-make-you-pretty-it-s-the-person-inside-who-makes-you/) [Aaron Chan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-chan/) > [I'm not a huge social media kind of guy, so I don't really know, I don't really ever get... at least in real life,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/freddie-stroma/i-m-not-a-huge-social-media-kind-of-guy-so-i-don-t-really-know-i-don/) [Freddie Stroma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/freddie-stroma/) > [If you stood me in a costume next to a computer graphic of the same-looking character, I think there would be a difference. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warwick-davis/if-you-stood-me-in-a-costume-next-to-a-computer-graphic-of-the-same/) [Warwick Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warwick-davis/) > [Courage: the most important of all the virtues because without courage, you can't practice any other virtue consistently](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-angelou/courage-the-most-important-of-all-the-virtues-because-without-courage/) [Maya Angelou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-angelou/) > [I'm a character actor - always have been, always will be - and historically, character actors don't come into their own until later in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annie-potts/i-m-a-character-actor-always-have-been-always-will-be-and/) [Annie Potts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annie-potts/) [Browse all 32,707 Character quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“You also need love. 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