--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When I started acting in earnest at 12…" description: "\"When I started acting in earnest at 12 years old, I really embraced it because, in a safe and contained and controlled environment, it allowed me to em..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2a1/jesse-eisenberg-2642_acting_when-i-started-acting-in-earnest-at-12-y_2814831.jpg" --- # When I started acting in earnest at 12 years old, I really… ![“When I started acting in earnest at 12 years old, I really embraced it because, in a safe and contained and controlled environment, it allowed me to emote. And it allowed me to kind of experience those feelings that were otherwise inappropriate to display, you know, in school or with friends. You…” quote by Jesse Eisenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2a1/jesse-eisenberg-2642_acting_when-i-started-acting-in-earnest-at-12-y_2814831.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2a1/jesse-eisenberg-2642_acting_when-i-started-acting-in-earnest-at-12-y_2814831.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2a1/jesse-eisenberg-2642_acting_when-i-started-acting-in-earnest-at-12-y_2814831.jpg) > “When I started acting in earnest at 12 years old, I really embraced it because, in a safe and contained and controlled environment, it allowed me to emote. And it allowed me to kind of experience those feelings that were otherwise inappropriate to display, you know, in school or with friends. You know, its really impolite to cry at a basketball game. But its OK to cry in Oliver, because, you know, his parents are gone and, you know, hes eating out of the street. So, in a way, it was really comforting.” [Jesse Eisenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesse-eisenberg/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Acting gave him a safe space to express emotions that felt socially inappropriate elsewhere, providing comfort and personal growth. **In simple terms:** Acting let him safely express forbidden feelings. Key Takeaway Use creative outlets to explore hidden emotions. Themes self‑expression emotional health artistic growth Mood reflective comforting Type personal psychological When to use this quote - school - sports events - family gatherings - theatrical rehearsals Key Concepts psychology performance art catharsis Questions to Reflect On - How do you find safe spaces for emotional honesty? - What role does art play in processing taboo feelings? A Different Perspective May not replace genuine emotional support in real life. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Acting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/acting/) [Acting Earnest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/acting-earnest-3546224/) [Ball game](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ball-game/) [Basketball game](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/basketball-game/) [Emote Allowed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/emote-allowed-3546226/) [Feelings Inappropriate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feelings-inappropriate-3546225/) [Started Acting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/started-acting/) ## Related quotes > [You might be a redneck if... your high school basketball game got rained out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-foxworthy/you-might-be-a-redneck-if-your-high-school-basketball-game-got-rained/) [Jeff Foxworthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-foxworthy/) > [I met Snoop through church when we was, like, 13 or 14. You know, they had them little church picnics and basketball games, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nate-dogg/i-met-snoop-through-church-when-we-was-like-13-or-14-you-know-they/) [Nate Dogg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nate-dogg/) > [I started wearing glasses last season but they're only for basketball games and dirty movies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-majerus/i-started-wearing-glasses-last-season-but-they-re-only-for-basketball/) [Rick Majerus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-majerus/) > [People like to have fun, and what better way to have fun than go to a football or baseball or basketball game in Vegas?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-urlacher/people-like-to-have-fun-and-what-better-way-to-have-fun-than-go-to-a/) [Brian Urlacher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-urlacher/) > [After a basketball game, you're gonna be physically tired, but more mentally. Playoff time comes around, you have it all in your head.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-johnson/after-a-basketball-game-you-re-gonna-be-physically-tired-but-more/) [Larry Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-johnson/) > [I went into umpiring at age 16. I got into officiating because of the fact that I could not stand the referees that worked…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doug-harvey/i-went-into-umpiring-at-age-16-i-got-into-officiating-because-of-the/) [Doug Harvey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doug-harvey/) > [I have two definitions of success - one on the basketball court and one in my personal life. In basketball, success means making my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwyane-wade/i-have-two-definitions-of-success-one-on-the-basketball-court-and-one/) [Dwyane Wade](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwyane-wade/) > [That's what I do now: I lead and I teach. 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Just like that,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caris-levert/one-moment-my-dad-and-i-were-swapping-stories-about-the-basketball/) [Caris LeVert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caris-levert/) > [I'm not super social, don't really go to parties, or basketball games, or football games very often, the big social occasions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taylor-phinney/i-m-not-super-social-don-t-really-go-to-parties-or-basketball-games/) [Taylor Phinney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taylor-phinney/) > [Losing a basketball game hurts but when you see what you've been through, you look on it and say well if this is the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lebron-james/losing-a-basketball-game-hurts-but-when-you-see-what-you-ve-been/) [LeBron James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lebron-james/) > [My brother one time after a little league basketball game, I think he messed up or something had happened in the game, ends up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-witten/my-brother-one-time-after-a-little-league-basketball-game-i-think-he/) [Jason Witten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-witten/) > [I can be a friend from a million miles away. I can play basketball in China. The only thing I can't do is be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-beasley/i-can-be-a-friend-from-a-million-miles-away-i-can-play-basketball-in/) [Michael Beasley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-beasley/) > [We'll do anything it takes to win a basketball game.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kyle-lowry/we-ll-do-anything-it-takes-to-win-a-basketball-game/) [Kyle Lowry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kyle-lowry/) > [I haven't been to too many basketball games before and watching an NBA game with some of the sport's biggest stars present was a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dmitry-bivol/i-haven-t-been-to-too-many-basketball-games-before-and-watching-an/) [Dmitry Bivol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dmitry-bivol/) ## More by Jesse Eisenberg > [I don't concern myself with thinking ahead to the finished product. I focus more specifically on what the character is experiencing. Once you relieve…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesse-eisenberg/i-don-t-concern-myself-with-thinking-ahead-to-the-finished-product-i/) [Jesse Eisenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesse-eisenberg/) > [People think, 'You're an actor, you can afford clothes,' but I just try to take the clothes from the movie, which makes the selecting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesse-eisenberg/people-think-you-re-an-actor-you-can-afford-clothes-but-i-just-try-to/) [Jesse Eisenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesse-eisenberg/) > [Nothing is harder than working with an actor who doesn't take it seriously or show up in the same way that you are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesse-eisenberg/nothing-is-harder-than-working-with-an-actor-who-doesn-t-take-it/) [Jesse Eisenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesse-eisenberg/) > [When you take on a role you try to do as much as possible beforehand to get your mind into it. Just to prepare…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesse-eisenberg/when-you-take-on-a-role-you-try-to-do-as-much-as-possible-beforehand/) [Jesse Eisenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesse-eisenberg/) > [I was doing interviews for several months about the movie, and people would always ask me, Do you have a Facebook page? And I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesse-eisenberg/i-was-doing-interviews-for-several-months-about-the-movie-and-people/) [Jesse Eisenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesse-eisenberg/) > [I cried every day of first grade. In class. Which meant I ended up getting comfortable emoting in a place where it wasn't the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesse-eisenberg/i-cried-every-day-of-first-grade-in-class-which-meant-i-ended-up/) [Jesse Eisenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesse-eisenberg/) > [As an actor, you try to bring as much of yourself to a part to try and create a feeling of authenticity and emotional…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesse-eisenberg/as-an-actor-you-try-to-bring-as-much-of-yourself-to-a-part-to-try-and/) [Jesse Eisenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesse-eisenberg/) > [I often think if you have time to sit around the house feeling bad for yourself, you have time to tutor a child. I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesse-eisenberg/i-often-think-if-you-have-time-to-sit-around-the-house-feeling-bad/) [Jesse Eisenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesse-eisenberg/) > [People ask me what my hobbies are in interviews, and I always say biking. But all I bike for is to get to rehearsal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesse-eisenberg/people-ask-me-what-my-hobbies-are-in-interviews-and-i-always-say/) [Jesse Eisenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesse-eisenberg/) > [I think there's nothing more wonderful than using fiction to reflect real-world cultural ideas.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesse-eisenberg/i-think-there-s-nothing-more-wonderful-than-using-fiction-to-reflect/) [Jesse Eisenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesse-eisenberg/) > [I don't watch the movies I've been in. I try to stay as little aware of the final product as possible, because my job…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesse-eisenberg/i-don-t-watch-the-movies-i-ve-been-in-i-try-to-stay-as-little-aware/) [Jesse Eisenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesse-eisenberg/) > [Working in the arts, you see people who come from terrible circumstances and who, for whatever reason, have incredible talent. But of course, with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesse-eisenberg/working-in-the-arts-you-see-people-who-come-from-terrible/) [Jesse Eisenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesse-eisenberg/) > [Acting is a weird, kind of alienating job because you're in an isolated place. Even if you're working with a lot of other people,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesse-eisenberg/acting-is-a-weird-kind-of-alienating-job-because-you-re-in-an/) [Jesse Eisenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesse-eisenberg/) > [I made the mistake of writing something very, very short about Obama for this website that I write fiction for, and my father told…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesse-eisenberg/i-made-the-mistake-of-writing-something-very-very-short-about-obama/) [Jesse Eisenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesse-eisenberg/) > [I give credence to the worst things somebody writes about me, and if somebody writes something nice, I think they're wrong or false or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesse-eisenberg/i-give-credence-to-the-worst-things-somebody-writes-about-me-and-if/) [Jesse Eisenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesse-eisenberg/) [Explore all 156 Jesse Eisenberg quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesse-eisenberg/) ## 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. I had a tendency to be precious about acting, thinking of it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-regan/i-can-still-function-when-i-don-t-have-that-balance-i-crave-i-had-a/) [Laura Regan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-regan/) > [Actors don't hate acting. Most people don't hate acting! 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](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/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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