--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Even when I was an actor in training, one…" description: "\"Even when I was an actor in training, one criticism my teachers had was that I should think about directing instead of acting, because the best actors ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b60/jason-alexander-7419_about_even-when-i-was-an-actor-in-training-one_968630.jpg" --- # Even when I was an actor in training, one criticism my… ![“Even when I was an actor in training, one criticism my teachers had was that I should think about directing instead of acting, because the best actors see the material they're working on through blinders. They can't see anything but their role. I could never really do that.” quote by Jason Alexander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b60/jason-alexander-7419_about_even-when-i-was-an-actor-in-training-one_968630.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b60/jason-alexander-7419_about_even-when-i-was-an-actor-in-training-one_968630.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b60/jason-alexander-7419_about_even-when-i-was-an-actor-in-training-one_968630.jpg) > “Even when I was an actor in training, one criticism my teachers had was that I should think about directing instead of acting, because the best actors see the material they're working on through blinders. They can't see anything but their role. I could never really do that.” [Jason Alexander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-alexander/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Actors should broaden perspective beyond their role to understand the whole production. **In simple terms:** Actors need to see the whole picture, not just their part. Key Takeaway Cultivate a holistic view of your work. Themes perspective acting collaboration creativity Mood thoughtful inspirational Type advice philosophical When to use this quote - rehearsals - script analysis - team meetings - creative workshops Key Concepts theatre directing role immersion Questions to Reflect On - Can you balance role focus with overall vision? - How does broader perspective improve performance? A Different Perspective Focusing too broadly may dilute personal performance depth. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [About](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/about/) [Acting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/acting/) [Actor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actor/) [Actors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actors/) [Actors Material](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actors-material-1845534/) [Anything](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/anything/) [Because](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/because/) [Best](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/best/) [Blinders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/blinders/) [Could](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/could/) [Criticism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/criticism/) [Directing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/directing/) [Directing Instead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/directing-instead-1845533/) [Even](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/even/) [Film](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/film/) [Fitness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fitness/) [Had](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/had/) [Instead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/instead/) [Material](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/material/) [Materials](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/materials/) [Never](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/never/) [Really](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/really/) [Role](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/role/) [Roles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/roles/) [See](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/see/) [Should](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/should/) [Teacher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/teacher/) [Teachers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/teachers/) [Theatre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/theatre/) [Think](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/think/) [Think Directing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/think-directing-492520/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Through](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/through/) [Training](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/training/) [Working](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/working/) ## Related quotes > [You have to have wonderful actors for material, particularly difficult material that requires complicated performances.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wells/you-have-to-have-wonderful-actors-for-material-particularly-difficult/) [John Wells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-wells/) > [Still, on 'Friends', we had some guest-stars who were less than spectacular, not the stunt-casting, but just regular guest-stars, and they weren't particularly great…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-leblanc/still-on-friends-we-had-some-guest-stars-who-were-less-than/) [Matt LeBlanc](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-leblanc/) > [Instead of using new technologies to preserve for ready discovery material that might in the past never have been stored, or deleting everything as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-zittrain/instead-of-using-new-technologies-to-preserve-for-ready-discovery/) [Jonathan Zittrain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-zittrain/) > [People ask me about that all the time. 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I wanted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-nicholson/i-thought-of-myself-as-part-of-the-general-filmmaking-effort-and-as/) [Jack Nicholson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-nicholson/) > [I think directing is part play, part work, not just all work, because I think you always have to play. I think that's ultimately…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marc-forster/i-think-directing-is-part-play-part-work-not-just-all-work-because-i/) [Marc Forster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marc-forster/) > [I think the only directing I'd be any good at is theatre directing. It's the only thing I can see myself doing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-freeman/i-think-the-only-directing-i-d-be-any-good-at-is-theatre-directing-it/) [Martin Freeman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-freeman/) > [I think directing and writing are very different jobs. Obviously, directing is a more social and managerial job. 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