--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: What does it mean for an actor to make a…" description: "\"What does it mean for an actor to make a part his own? It means that he takes on what you had intended and starts to put in his own stuff so that it be..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/498/james-l-brooks-9871_actor_what-does-it-mean-for-an-actor-to-make-a_2467896.jpg" --- # What does it mean for an actor to make a part his own? It… ![“What does it mean for an actor to make a part his own? It means that he takes on what you had intended and starts to put in his own stuff so that it becomes something that could only happen if he played it.” quote by James L. Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/498/james-l-brooks-9871_actor_what-does-it-mean-for-an-actor-to-make-a_2467896.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/498/james-l-brooks-9871_actor_what-does-it-mean-for-an-actor-to-make-a_2467896.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/498/james-l-brooks-9871_actor_what-does-it-mean-for-an-actor-to-make-a_2467896.jpg) > “What does it mean for an actor to make a part his own? It means that he takes on what you had intended and starts to put in his own stuff so that it becomes something that could only happen if he played it.” [James L. Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-l-brooks/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. An actor personal ownership by personalizing a role, making it uniquely theirs. **In simple terms:** Actors add their own touch to a role. Key Takeaway Bring personal insight to any role you play. Themes creativity ownership performance interpretation Mood inspirational analytical Type educational reflective When to use this quote - auditions - directed projects - improvisation Key Concepts theatre film studies psychology Questions to Reflect On - How can you honor the writer while adding your voice? - When does personal input become over‑interpretation? A Different Perspective Personal interpretation may clash with original vision. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Actor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actor/) [Actors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actors/) ## Related quotes > [We're here to win football games, so whatever that means, whatever that takes, that's what we're going to do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christian-mccaffrey/we-re-here-to-win-football-games-so-whatever-that-means-whatever-that/) [Christian McCaffrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christian-mccaffrey/) > [Making art now means working in the face of uncertainty; it means living with doubt and contradiction, doing something no one much cares whether…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/making-art-now-means-working-in-the-face-of-uncertainty-it-means/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The key to good art is to make something that means something to you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-morrison/the-key-to-good-art-is-to-make-something-that-means-something-to-you/) [John Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-morrison/) > [I've always been taught 'Don't go on the internet!' because if someone says something mean about you...as an actor, we're so neurotic. 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And then you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-suchet/when-you-re-doing-characters-from-famous-novels-you-have-a/) [David Suchet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-suchet/) > [I was determined to be an actor and make a name in the industry, and hence, I did.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nawazuddin-siddiqui/i-was-determined-to-be-an-actor-and-make-a-name-in-the-industry-and/) [Nawazuddin Siddiqui](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nawazuddin-siddiqui/) ## More by James L. Brooks > [Great things that can happen when you're doing a movie.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-l-brooks/great-things-that-can-happen-when-you-re-doing-a-movie/) [James L. Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-l-brooks/) > [I took some time out for life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-l-brooks/i-took-some-time-out-for-life/) [James L. Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-l-brooks/) > [I have a rule in research: The third time you hear something, it's generally true.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-l-brooks/i-have-a-rule-in-research-the-third-time-you-hear-something-it-s/) [James L. Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-l-brooks/) > [I have a lot of nightmares.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-l-brooks/i-have-a-lot-of-nightmares/) [James L. Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-l-brooks/) > [Nothing is a matter of course when you get to do your own thing. It's always a gift that can stop giving and probably…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-l-brooks/nothing-is-a-matter-of-course-when-you-get-to-do-your-own-thing-it-s/) [James L. Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-l-brooks/) > [Kids in general make things fresh and alive and they have this great appreciation for, Holy mackerel, we're making a movie!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-l-brooks/kids-in-general-make-things-fresh-and-alive-and-they-have-this-great/) [James L. Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-l-brooks/) > [I'm big on research.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-l-brooks/i-m-big-on-research/) [James L. Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-l-brooks/) > [There was a great director who directed a picture that I wrote who barred me from the set quite appropriately and said, "I'm sorry,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-l-brooks/there-was-a-great-director-who-directed-a-picture-that-i-wrote-who/) [James L. Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-l-brooks/) > [Dagwood Bumstead was a great unrecognized hero of American literature. He showed up every day, he got knocked down every day, he never got…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-l-brooks/dagwood-bumstead-was-a-great-unrecognized-hero-of-american-literature/) [James L. Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-l-brooks/) > [Working on any show that works is the best job you can possibly have in any area of the business. You've got so much…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-l-brooks/working-on-any-show-that-works-is-the-best-job-you-can-possibly-have/) [James L. Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-l-brooks/) > [I love it if comedy reflects real life because to me it's more reassuring that we'll get through.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-l-brooks/i-love-it-if-comedy-reflects-real-life-because-to-me-it-s-more/) [James L. Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-l-brooks/) > [I love romantic comedy, but I think you have to have another idea that you're chasing along with romantic comedy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-l-brooks/i-love-romantic-comedy-but-i-think-you-have-to-have-another-idea-that/) [James L. Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-l-brooks/) > [When you work alongside somebody day in and day out, the relationships tend to be wonderful: they're lifelong.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-l-brooks/when-you-work-alongside-somebody-day-in-and-day-out-the-relationships/) [James L. Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-l-brooks/) > [If you write about a process you're about to go through, market research, and you go through it, and it doesn't echo what you've…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-l-brooks/if-you-write-about-a-process-you-re-about-to-go-through-market/) [James L. Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-l-brooks/) > [I laugh every day. There are days when my laughs are pretty hollow. Dust comes out of your mouth, and your bones make a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-l-brooks/i-laugh-every-day-there-are-days-when-my-laughs-are-pretty-hollow/) [James L. Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-l-brooks/) [Explore all 69 James L. Brooks quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-l-brooks/) ## More Actor 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/) > [When you step out and do a song in a musical, the easier thing to do is make it funny. 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In the meantime, I did my first…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ana-de-armas/when-i-was-13-i-auditioned-for-the-theater-school-and-i-was-there-for/) [Ana de Armas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ana-de-armas/) > [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/) > [failure in the theater is more public, more brilliant, more unreal than in any other field.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lillian-hellman/failure-in-the-theater-is-more-public-more-brilliant-more-unreal-than/) [Lillian Hellman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lillian-hellman/) > [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/) > [Actors don't hate acting. Most people don't hate acting! 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I was typecast.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/divine/i-never-planned-to-do-female-roles-it-just-happened-i-was-typecast/) [Divine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/divine/) > [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/) [Browse all 21,590 Actor quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actor/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "What does it mean for an actor to make a part his own? It means that he takes on what you had intended and starts to put in his own stuff so that it becomes something that could only happen if he played it.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "James L. 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