--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I mean one of the basic rules when you're…" description: "\"I mean one of the basic rules when you're acting is that you mustn't stand in judgement on a character, you mustn't say Hitler was a bad man because yo..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cbe/janet-suzman-28602_acting_i-mean-one-of-the-basic-rules-when-you-r_1645683.jpg" --- # I mean one of the basic rules when you're acting is that… ![“I mean one of the basic rules when you're acting is that you mustn't stand in judgement on a character, you mustn't say Hitler was a bad man because you can't act in that way.” quote by Janet Suzman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cbe/janet-suzman-28602_acting_i-mean-one-of-the-basic-rules-when-you-r_1645683.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cbe/janet-suzman-28602_acting_i-mean-one-of-the-basic-rules-when-you-r_1645683.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cbe/janet-suzman-28602_acting_i-mean-one-of-the-basic-rules-when-you-r_1645683.jpg) > “I mean one of the basic rules when you're acting is that you mustn't stand in judgement on a character, you mustn't say Hitler was a bad man because you can't act in that way.” [Janet Suzman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-suzman/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote advises actors to avoid moral judgments about characters, even historically negative ones, to maintain artistic integrity. **In simple terms:** Actors should not judge characters while performing. Key Takeaway Separate personal morals from artistic portrayal. Themes theatre ethics performance judgment Mood analytical reflective Type educational practical When to use this quote - acting workshops - historical reenactments - role preparation - critical analysis Key Concepts dramaturgy psychology philosophy Questions to Reflect On - How can actors balance empathy and critique? - When is moral judgment essential in art? A Different Perspective Judgment may be necessary for nuanced storytelling. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Acting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/acting/) [Character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character/) [Judgement](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/judgement/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) ## Related quotes > [“Well, coming out of the courthouse that night Miss Gates was-she goin' down the steps in front of us, you musta not seen her-…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harper-lee/well-coming-out-of-the-courthouse-that-night-miss-gates-was-she-goin/) [Harper Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harper-lee/) > [I do not consider Hitler to be as bad as he is depicted. He is showing an ability which is amazing and he seems…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/i-do-not-consider-hitler-to-be-as-bad-as-he-is-depicted-he-is-showing/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [Although some people felt Adolf Hitler was bad, he was a great man and a real conqueror whose name would never be forgotten.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/idi-amin/although-some-people-felt-adolf-hitler-was-bad-he-was-a-great-man-and/) [Idi Amin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/idi-amin/) > [“Jem, how can you hate Hitler so bad an’ then turn around and be ugly about folks right at home”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harper-lee/jem-how-can-you-hate-hitler-so-bad-an-then-turn-around-and-be-ugly/) [Harper Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harper-lee/) > [If Krishna is good, Christ is good, Allah is good, then Hitler cannot be bad.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kedar-joshi/if-krishna-is-good-christ-is-good-allah-is-good-then-hitler-cannot-be/) [Kedar Joshi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kedar-joshi/) > [“The funniest part of that joke is, 'say what you will about Hitler.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-seinfeld/the-funniest-part-of-that-joke-is-say-what-you-will-about-hitler/) [Jerry Seinfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-seinfeld/) > [“One must know a bad performance to know a good one. 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No judgements, learning space and listening carefully are my goals.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-thompson/indeed-judicious-consistent-parenting-is-a-dream-of-mine-no/) [Emma Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-thompson/) > [Reverence is an attitude of honoring life. Reverence automatically brings forth patience. Reverence permits non-judgemental justice. Reverence is a perception of the soul.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-zukav/reverence-is-an-attitude-of-honoring-life-reverence-automatically/) [Gary Zukav](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-zukav/) > [I would wish that people would accept people for who they are, not be judgemental, allow people to live their lives and enjoy themselves…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-barrowman/i-would-wish-that-people-would-accept-people-for-who-they-are-not-be/) [John Barrowman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-barrowman/) > [Don't judge me because I'm stupid. Don't judge me because I'm, mean. Don't judge me because I'm weird. Don't judge me for mistakes. Because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaiah-harden-me/don-t-judge-me-because-i-m-stupid-don-t-judge-me-because-i-m-mean-don/) Isaiah Harden (Me ## More by Janet Suzman > [I think it's a very central tenet to it yes, it is. I can't bear it, I can't bear inequality, I can't bear bad…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-suzman/i-think-it-s-a-very-central-tenet-to-it-yes-it-is-i-can-t-bear-it-i/) [Janet Suzman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-suzman/) > [I suppose meeting people whether it's in real life and actually shaking their flesh and blood hand or shaking the mystical hand of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-suzman/i-suppose-meeting-people-whether-it-s-in-real-life-and-actually/) [Janet Suzman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-suzman/) > [This is always a pain because it's injustice too and so my response to it, I tell you what I am more surprised or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-suzman/this-is-always-a-pain-because-it-s-injustice-too-and-so-my-response/) [Janet Suzman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-suzman/) > [But I think the possibility of a black and white society feeding each other's expertises, living harmoniously, will probably go along in fits and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-suzman/but-i-think-the-possibility-of-a-black-and-white-society-feeding-each/) [Janet Suzman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-suzman/) > [But I think theatre in a repressive society is an immensely exciting event and theatre in a luxurious old, affluent old society like ours…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-suzman/but-i-think-theatre-in-a-repressive-society-is-an-immensely-exciting/) [Janet Suzman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-suzman/) > [It was but then, when you're, one of the great poisonous events that have infected us all who were in South Africa is that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-suzman/it-was-but-then-when-you-re-one-of-the-great-poisonous-events-that/) [Janet Suzman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-suzman/) > [My mother was very agnostic. She would never set foot in the synagogue, she couldn't be doing with it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-suzman/my-mother-was-very-agnostic-she-would-never-set-foot-in-the-synagogue/) [Janet Suzman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-suzman/) > [I find its attention to living this life rather than the next one exhilarating because I think even independently of Judaism that that's the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-suzman/i-find-its-attention-to-living-this-life-rather-than-the-next-one/) [Janet Suzman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-suzman/) > [Now that we have a democracy and you can go back and the airport air is not laden with evil any more, you can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-suzman/now-that-we-have-a-democracy-and-you-can-go-back-and-the-airport-air/) [Janet Suzman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-suzman/) > [And I think that that emphasis on keeping a family together, alike, I think it's important.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-suzman/and-i-think-that-that-emphasis-on-keeping-a-family-together-alike-i/) [Janet Suzman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-suzman/) > [I still find that a kind of stricture of the heart happens when I see any form of bigoted or racist behaviour. I get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-suzman/i-still-find-that-a-kind-of-stricture-of-the-heart-happens-when-i-see/) [Janet Suzman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-suzman/) > [One tries to be an observer as an actor and indeed as a director because the small things, the give-away things are what are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-suzman/one-tries-to-be-an-observer-as-an-actor-and-indeed-as-a-director/) [Janet Suzman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-suzman/) > [Always you find that the more decisive event wins so my father's sort of annual decisiveness which came upon him on the Day of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-suzman/always-you-find-that-the-more-decisive-event-wins-so-my-father-s-sort/) [Janet Suzman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-suzman/) > [So we do have our exits and our entrances and we are perhaps mere, but I think if one keep a certain joyousness in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-suzman/so-we-do-have-our-exits-and-our-entrances-and-we-are-perhaps-mere-but/) [Janet Suzman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-suzman/) > [Jews have had to carry around their own sense of self in a carpet bag and I think perhaps too much emphasis might be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-suzman/jews-have-had-to-carry-around-their-own-sense-of-self-in-a-carpet-bag/) [Janet Suzman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-suzman/) [Explore all 19 Janet Suzman quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-suzman/) ## 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. 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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. 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