--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: One of the things I've learned in playing…" description: "\"One of the things I've learned in playing a character like Becca from 'You're the Worst' is that there really is such a joy and freedom in behaving bad..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/acd/janet-varney-10868_behaving-badly_one-of-the-things-i-ve-learned-in-playin_662120.jpg" --- # One of the things I've learned in playing a character like… ![“One of the things I've learned in playing a character like Becca from 'You're the Worst' is that there really is such a joy and freedom in behaving badly and in being a character that you do roll your eyes at. She's just so delicious to loathe.” quote by Janet Varney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/acd/janet-varney-10868_behaving-badly_one-of-the-things-i-ve-learned-in-playin_662120.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/acd/janet-varney-10868_behaving-badly_one-of-the-things-i-ve-learned-in-playin_662120.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/acd/janet-varney-10868_behaving-badly_one-of-the-things-i-ve-learned-in-playin_662120.jpg) > “One of the things I've learned in playing a character like Becca from 'You're the Worst' is that there really is such a joy and freedom in behaving badly and in being a character that you do roll your eyes at. She's just so delicious to loathe.” [Janet Varney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-varney/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Playing a morally flawed character can be liberating, allowing actors to explore taboo behaviors and enjoy the performance without self‑judgment. **In simple terms:** Playing bad characters can be fun and freeing. Key Takeaway Embrace complex roles for growth. Themes creativity character exploration moral ambiguity performance art Mood playful insightful Type entertainment artistic When to use this quote - Comedy writing - character development workshops - improvisation sessions Key Concepts acting technique psychology of humor audience engagement Questions to Reflect On - What boundaries should actors set when portraying immoral behavior? - How does audience perception shift with a lovable anti‑hero? A Different Perspective Overindulgence in negative traits may reinforce harmful stereotypes. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Behaving badly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/behaving-badly/) [Character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character/) [Eyes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/eyes/) [Freedom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/freedom/) [Joy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/joy/) [Things i've learned](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/things-i-ve-learned/) ## Related quotes > [“It is important you understand how fear affects you and how it drives human behavior so you can start to see situations and people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kimberly-giles/it-is-important-you-understand-how-fear-affects-you-and-how-it-drives/) [Kimberly Giles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kimberly-giles/) > [And also I was brought up to believe that human beings are good, which is why it shocks me to the core when I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benazir-bhutto/and-also-i-was-brought-up-to-believe-that-human-beings-are-good-which/) [Benazir Bhutto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benazir-bhutto/) > [“Love is a verb, not a noun. It is active. Love is not just feelings of passion and romance. It is behavior. If a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-forward/love-is-a-verb-not-a-noun-it-is-active-love-is-not-just-feelings-of-2/) [Susan Forward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-forward/) > [It's a tragedy what is happening, what Bush is doing. All Bush wants is Iraqi oil. There is no doubt that the U.S. is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/it-s-a-tragedy-what-is-happening-what-bush-is-doing-all-bush-wants-is/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [It's a sort of curious phenomenon that God is somehow not quite as nice as the devil; the devil doesn't punish you for behaving…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacob-bronowski/it-s-a-sort-of-curious-phenomenon-that-god-is-somehow-not-quite-as/) [Jacob Bronowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacob-bronowski/) > [Looking back at that now I shudder at my naivety: while 'Men Behaving Badly' remains a brilliant sitcom, how did I ever aspire to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-widdicombe/looking-back-at-that-now-i-shudder-at-my-naivety-while-men-behaving/) [Josh Widdicombe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-widdicombe/) > [Women behaving badly has always been funny, to me personally, so I knew I wanted to do something like that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nahnatchka-khan/women-behaving-badly-has-always-been-funny-to-me-personally-so-i-knew/) [Nahnatchka Khan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nahnatchka-khan/) > [I like movies about women behaving badly, because women behave badly just like men, and we're not always adorable and cute about it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greta-gerwig/i-like-movies-about-women-behaving-badly-because-women-behave-badly/) [Greta Gerwig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greta-gerwig/) > [“The development of the biologically toxic Mauna Kea Observatories (MKO) is the fruition of professional astronomers behaving badly.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-magee/the-development-of-the-biologically-toxic-mauna-kea-observatories-mko/) [Steven Magee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-magee/) > [You can not have comedy unless people are behaving badly. You can't have it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keegan-michael-key/you-can-not-have-comedy-unless-people-are-behaving-badly-you-can-t/) [Keegan-Michael Key](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keegan-michael-key/) > [Newspapers and magazines didn't want pictures of musicians behaving badly back then. Now, because of the Internet, that's all the media wants.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mick-rock/newspapers-and-magazines-didn-t-want-pictures-of-musicians-behaving/) [Mick Rock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mick-rock/) > [I think what I do is noble. I think my job title is entertainer. I shine the light on celebrities behaving badly, and I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/perez-hilton/i-think-what-i-do-is-noble-i-think-my-job-title-is-entertainer-i/) [Perez Hilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/perez-hilton/) > [I was brought up to believe that human beings are good, which is why it shocks me to the core when I see human…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benazir-bhutto/i-was-brought-up-to-believe-that-human-beings-are-good-which-is-why/) [Benazir Bhutto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benazir-bhutto/) > [“Don Pedro Luis de Borja-Pierluigi Borgia to the Italians—was still in his mid-twenties when he became the first member of his family to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-j-meyer/don-pedro-luis-de-borja-pierluigi-borgia-to-the-italians-was-still-in/) G.J. Meyer > [“You know, if you're going to take me aside when I'm behaving badly, I may start behaving worse. Just to get some attention from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claire-lazebnik/you-know-if-you-re-going-to-take-me-aside-when-i-m-behaving-badly-i/) [Claire LaZebnik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claire-lazebnik/) ## More by Janet Varney > [I just want to be Patty McCormack. I want to spend every year aging the way she has.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-varney/i-just-want-to-be-patty-mccormack-i-want-to-spend-every-year-aging/) [Janet Varney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-varney/) > [Marilyn Monroe appeared to be perfect, but she wasn't perfect.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-varney/marilyn-monroe-appeared-to-be-perfect-but-she-wasn-t-perfect/) [Janet Varney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-varney/) > [Quaintness is creepy. So let's maximize that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-varney/quaintness-is-creepy-so-let-s-maximize-that/) [Janet Varney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-varney/) > [In general, the threshold for a woman becoming worried at how she's coming off in terms of asserting her power, that threshold is continually…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-varney/in-general-the-threshold-for-a-woman-becoming-worried-at-how-she-s/) [Janet Varney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-varney/) > [I love seeing cosplayers, not just of Korra, but anybody.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-varney/i-love-seeing-cosplayers-not-just-of-korra-but-anybody/) [Janet Varney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-varney/) > [When you're a writer, if you're very lucky, you create these characters that you fall in love with, and you feel like they're guiding…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-varney/when-you-re-a-writer-if-you-re-very-lucky-you-create-these-characters/) [Janet Varney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-varney/) > [I love doing voiceover.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-varney/i-love-doing-voiceover/) [Janet Varney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-varney/) > [I believe that truth is one of the most powerful tools we possess against victimization, exploitation, and fear.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-varney/i-believe-that-truth-is-one-of-the-most-powerful-tools-we-possess/) [Janet Varney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-varney/) > [I do feel like, because my podcast is so specific, I've been really fortunate in that the kind of people it attracts tend to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-varney/i-do-feel-like-because-my-podcast-is-so-specific-i-ve-been-really/) [Janet Varney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-varney/) > [To me, the real genius in making television for kids is making something that inadvertently - or perhaps intentionally - becomes something that can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-varney/to-me-the-real-genius-in-making-television-for-kids-is-making/) [Janet Varney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-varney/) > [I'm from Arizona where I feel like our history, as a state, is so young in comparison to some of these wonderful southern cities…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-varney/i-m-from-arizona-where-i-feel-like-our-history-as-a-state-is-so-young/) [Janet Varney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-varney/) > [Typically, I'm put in high heels and a tight top, which is not my personality at all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-varney/typically-i-m-put-in-high-heels-and-a-tight-top-which-is-not-my/) [Janet Varney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-varney/) > [Because Comic Con in San Diego is crazy, and it's very commercialized, and it's corporate, and it's all about money and selling, selling, selling...…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-varney/because-comic-con-in-san-diego-is-crazy-and-it-s-very-commercialized/) [Janet Varney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-varney/) > [As me, I couldn't love my cohorts P.J. Byrne and David Faustino more. I just adore them, and any opportunity to be in a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-varney/as-me-i-couldn-t-love-my-cohorts-p-j-byrne-and-david-faustino-more-i/) [Janet Varney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-varney/) > [Pretty much everything I carry with me, I learned I needed the hard way. I sweated, dry-lipped, dry-mouthed, soaked-to-the-skinned my way through all of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-varney/pretty-much-everything-i-carry-with-me-i-learned-i-needed-the-hard/) [Janet Varney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-varney/) [Explore all 63 Janet Varney quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-varney/) ## More Behaving badly quotes > [“It is important you understand how fear affects you and how it drives human behavior so you can start to see situations and people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kimberly-giles/it-is-important-you-understand-how-fear-affects-you-and-how-it-drives/) [Kimberly Giles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kimberly-giles/) > [“Don Pedro Luis de Borja-Pierluigi Borgia to the Italians—was still in his mid-twenties when he became the first member of his family to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-j-meyer/don-pedro-luis-de-borja-pierluigi-borgia-to-the-italians-was-still-in/) G.J. Meyer > [I was brought up to believe that human beings are good, which is why it shocks me to the core when I see human…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benazir-bhutto/i-was-brought-up-to-believe-that-human-beings-are-good-which-is-why/) [Benazir Bhutto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benazir-bhutto/) > [I think what I do is noble. I think my job title is entertainer. I shine the light on celebrities behaving badly, and I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/perez-hilton/i-think-what-i-do-is-noble-i-think-my-job-title-is-entertainer-i/) [Perez Hilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/perez-hilton/) > [Newspapers and magazines didn't want pictures of musicians behaving badly back then. Now, because of the Internet, that's all the media wants.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mick-rock/newspapers-and-magazines-didn-t-want-pictures-of-musicians-behaving/) [Mick Rock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mick-rock/) > [You can not have comedy unless people are behaving badly. You can't have it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keegan-michael-key/you-can-not-have-comedy-unless-people-are-behaving-badly-you-can-t/) [Keegan-Michael Key](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keegan-michael-key/) > [“The development of the biologically toxic Mauna Kea Observatories (MKO) is the fruition of professional astronomers behaving badly.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-magee/the-development-of-the-biologically-toxic-mauna-kea-observatories-mko/) [Steven Magee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-magee/) > [I like movies about women behaving badly, because women behave badly just like men, and we're not always adorable and cute about it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greta-gerwig/i-like-movies-about-women-behaving-badly-because-women-behave-badly/) [Greta Gerwig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greta-gerwig/) > [Women behaving badly has always been funny, to me personally, so I knew I wanted to do something like that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nahnatchka-khan/women-behaving-badly-has-always-been-funny-to-me-personally-so-i-knew/) [Nahnatchka Khan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nahnatchka-khan/) > [Looking back at that now I shudder at my naivety: while 'Men Behaving Badly' remains a brilliant sitcom, how did I ever aspire to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-widdicombe/looking-back-at-that-now-i-shudder-at-my-naivety-while-men-behaving/) [Josh Widdicombe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-widdicombe/) > [It's a sort of curious phenomenon that God is somehow not quite as nice as the devil; the devil doesn't punish you for behaving…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacob-bronowski/it-s-a-sort-of-curious-phenomenon-that-god-is-somehow-not-quite-as/) [Jacob Bronowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacob-bronowski/) > [It's a tragedy what is happening, what Bush is doing. All Bush wants is Iraqi oil. There is no doubt that the U.S. is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/it-s-a-tragedy-what-is-happening-what-bush-is-doing-all-bush-wants-is/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [“Love is a verb, not a noun. It is active. Love is not just feelings of passion and romance. It is behavior. If a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-forward/love-is-a-verb-not-a-noun-it-is-active-love-is-not-just-feelings-of-2/) [Susan Forward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-forward/) > [And also I was brought up to believe that human beings are good, which is why it shocks me to the core when I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benazir-bhutto/and-also-i-was-brought-up-to-believe-that-human-beings-are-good-which/) [Benazir Bhutto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benazir-bhutto/) > [“You know, if you're going to take me aside when I'm behaving badly, I may start behaving worse. Just to get some attention from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claire-lazebnik/you-know-if-you-re-going-to-take-me-aside-when-i-m-behaving-badly-i/) [Claire LaZebnik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claire-lazebnik/) [Browse all 24 Behaving badly quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/behaving-badly/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "One of the things I've learned in playing a character like Becca from 'You're the Worst' is that there really is such a joy and freedom in behaving badly and in being a character that you do roll your eyes at. 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