--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: You have a lot more leeway to be…" description: "\"You have a lot more leeway to be contradictory playing a character than most of the scripts have in them. That's how all actors are. We have so many di..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7f5/joel-kinnaman-4273_actor_you-have-a-lot-more-leeway-to-be-contrad_2571235.jpg" --- # You have a lot more leeway to be contradictory playing a… ![“You have a lot more leeway to be contradictory playing a character than most of the scripts have in them. That's how all actors are. We have so many different sides of ourselves and we're so different, in meeting with different people. The audiences relate more to that and find that more believable.” quote by Joel Kinnaman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7f5/joel-kinnaman-4273_actor_you-have-a-lot-more-leeway-to-be-contrad_2571235.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7f5/joel-kinnaman-4273_actor_you-have-a-lot-more-leeway-to-be-contrad_2571235.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7f5/joel-kinnaman-4273_actor_you-have-a-lot-more-leeway-to-be-contrad_2571235.jpg) > “You have a lot more leeway to be contradictory playing a character than most of the scripts have in them. That's how all actors are. We have so many different sides of ourselves and we're so different, in meeting with different people. The audiences relate more to that and find that more believable.” [Joel Kinnaman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-kinnaman/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Actors can embody contradictions, making characters relatable and believable. **In simple terms:** Actors play contradictory roles. Key Takeaway Embrace complexity in performance. Themes acting contradiction authenticity Mood insightful practical Type advice philosophical When to use this quote - theatre - film - character study Key Concepts character depth human complexity Questions to Reflect On - How does contradiction enhance realism? - When might it hinder clarity? A Different Perspective Overemphasis on contradictions may confuse audiences. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Actor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actor/) [Actors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actors/) [Audience](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/audience/) [Character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character/) [Meetings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/meetings/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Theatre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/theatre/) ## Related quotes > [There are so many talented people in film today. There seem to be poor scripts, but the actors and actresses are very talented.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/there-are-so-many-talented-people-in-film-today-there-seem-to-be-poor/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [Whether it is the cavemen in the caves thousands of years ago, Shakespeare plays, television, movies and books, stories and characters take us on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-burnett/whether-it-is-the-cavemen-in-the-caves-thousands-of-years-ago/) [Mark Burnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-burnett/) > [Because it's me playing the character, trying to find a way to make it believable and entertaining and interesting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/owen-wilson/because-it-s-me-playing-the-character-trying-to-find-a-way-to-make-it/) [Owen Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/owen-wilson/) > [I'm not a method actor per se, but if I'm playing a character that, at its core of its persona, has experiences I don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-kinnaman/i-m-not-a-method-actor-per-se-but-if-i-m-playing-a-character-that-at/) [Joel Kinnaman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-kinnaman/) > [I don't reflect on sort of the age of the roles that I get. It's usually just what plays into what's believable - 'Am…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-kinnaman/i-don-t-reflect-on-sort-of-the-age-of-the-roles-that-i-get-it-s/) [Joel Kinnaman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-kinnaman/) > [I rarely make good friends on film sets. I'll meet the same actors on different projects every few years, but in the interim we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tara-fitzgerald/i-rarely-make-good-friends-on-film-sets-i-ll-meet-the-same-actors-on/) [Tara Fitzgerald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tara-fitzgerald/) > [The actors are different, although I didn't set out to be different. My inspiration came from people like Eddie Murphy, Martin Lawrence and Will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tracy-morgan/the-actors-are-different-although-i-didn-t-set-out-to-be-different-my/) [Tracy Morgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tracy-morgan/) > [Normally, I love to go to the movies and when I see a character portrayed by different actors at different ages, it kind of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-bridges/normally-i-love-to-go-to-the-movies-and-when-i-see-a-character/) [Jeff Bridges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-bridges/) > [I like different actors for different reasons. There are people like Tom Cruise, who have continued to stay on top of their game, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dacre-montgomery/i-like-different-actors-for-different-reasons-there-are-people-like/) [Dacre Montgomery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dacre-montgomery/) > [It is true that as he film market in China has grown, actors' and actresses' compensation has grown quite a bit. Different actors have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gong-li/it-is-true-that-as-he-film-market-in-china-has-grown-actors-and/) [Gong Li](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gong-li/) > [Different actors have different rhythms. My goal as a director is to let these guys get their best work out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-krisel/different-actors-have-different-rhythms-my-goal-as-a-director-is-to/) [Jonathan Krisel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-krisel/) > [Actors have a different kind of existence because they blow up over night into superstars in their early 20s. Let's say you were a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehcad-brooks/actors-have-a-different-kind-of-existence-because-they-blow-up-over/) [Mehcad Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehcad-brooks/) > [The crossover wasn't happening. TV actors were TV actors, and film and stage actors were a whole different thing. And now there's just a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christine-lahti/the-crossover-wasn-t-happening-tv-actors-were-tv-actors-and-film-and/) [Christine Lahti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christine-lahti/) > [Both my parents are actors, in very different ways.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linus-roache/both-my-parents-are-actors-in-very-different-ways/) [Linus Roache](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linus-roache/) > [Actors are different. Some actors play themselves very successfully, but I come from the theater. Having done Shakespeare, we sometimes did three or four…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stellan-skarsgard/actors-are-different-some-actors-play-themselves-very-successfully/) [Stellan Skarsgard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stellan-skarsgard/) ## More by Joel Kinnaman > [I read a couple of books about neuroscience and the relationship between the mind and the body.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-kinnaman/i-read-a-couple-of-books-about-neuroscience-and-the-relationship/) [Joel Kinnaman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-kinnaman/) > [I've followed Gary Oldman his whole career... I've watched the movies he's directed, like 'Nil by Mouth' - I've seen that five times!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-kinnaman/i-ve-followed-gary-oldman-his-whole-career-i-ve-watched-the-movies-he/) [Joel Kinnaman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-kinnaman/) > [We are all a unique person with everyone we meet.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-kinnaman/we-are-all-a-unique-person-with-everyone-we-meet/) [Joel Kinnaman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-kinnaman/) > [I've hurt people unnecessarily when it was about my own insecurities. But you have to make those mistakes to become a better person.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-kinnaman/i-ve-hurt-people-unnecessarily-when-it-was-about-my-own-insecurities/) [Joel Kinnaman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-kinnaman/) > [I was a Swedish guy who listened to Too Short.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-kinnaman/i-was-a-swedish-guy-who-listened-to-too-short/) [Joel Kinnaman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-kinnaman/) > [We don't know why we are here and . . . our role in the universe, and the thought of an infinite universe. It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-kinnaman/we-don-t-know-why-we-are-here-and-our-role-in-the-universe-and-the/) [Joel Kinnaman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-kinnaman/) > [I miss Swedish meatballs, but you can get them pretty much anywhere.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-kinnaman/i-miss-swedish-meatballs-but-you-can-get-them-pretty-much-anywhere/) [Joel Kinnaman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-kinnaman/) > [The north of Sweden is very socialist and poor. They feel left out and despise Stockholm in many ways because Stockholm has become new…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-kinnaman/the-north-of-sweden-is-very-socialist-and-poor-they-feel-left-out-and/) [Joel Kinnaman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-kinnaman/) > [I feel like I've got the best job in the world. I just feel so fortunate to get paid to be a kid and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-kinnaman/i-feel-like-i-ve-got-the-best-job-in-the-world-i-just-feel-so/) [Joel Kinnaman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-kinnaman/) > [Moving in is almost a bigger step than getting married.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-kinnaman/moving-in-is-almost-a-bigger-step-than-getting-married/) [Joel Kinnaman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-kinnaman/) > [An amateur can be great in front of the camera, but you need an education to get on stage where you have full control…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-kinnaman/an-amateur-can-be-great-in-front-of-the-camera-but-you-need-an/) [Joel Kinnaman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-kinnaman/) > [You're not able to do a lot of projects because you don't have a name. I wanted to get my movies to come over…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-kinnaman/you-re-not-able-to-do-a-lot-of-projects-because-you-don-t-have-a-name/) [Joel Kinnaman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-kinnaman/) > [I'm a physical actor in that I start with a physical sketch of the character. I find it easier to find inspiration from the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-kinnaman/i-m-a-physical-actor-in-that-i-start-with-a-physical-sketch-of-the/) [Joel Kinnaman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-kinnaman/) > [I love watching Samuel L. Jackson do anything, but for me, Gary Oldman is the grandmaster of the game.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-kinnaman/i-love-watching-samuel-l-jackson-do-anything-but-for-me-gary-oldman/) [Joel Kinnaman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-kinnaman/) > [When I first came to the States, I thought I had a perfect American accent, and then I was abruptly becoming aware that it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-kinnaman/when-i-first-came-to-the-states-i-thought-i-had-a-perfect-american/) [Joel Kinnaman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-kinnaman/) [Explore all 113 Joel Kinnaman quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-kinnaman/) ## 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. But when those transitions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelli-o-hara/when-you-step-out-and-do-a-song-in-a-musical-the-easier-thing-to-do/) [Kelli O'Hara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelli-o-hara/) > [I once told someone I could act. They totally bought it. I've been getting away with it ever since.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/akshay-kumar/i-once-told-someone-i-could-act-they-totally-bought-it-i-ve-been/) [Akshay Kumar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/akshay-kumar/) > [There has got to be a way for me to have a role on TV or in film that is just as normal as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adeel-akhtar/there-has-got-to-be-a-way-for-me-to-have-a-role-on-tv-or-in-film-that/) [Adeel Akhtar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adeel-akhtar/) > [I love casting against type and doing things you wouldn't expect, because I think you get more interesting performances that way. Hollywood loves to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-s-goyer/i-love-casting-against-type-and-doing-things-you-wouldn-t-expect/) [David S. Goyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-s-goyer/) > [I'm an actor, so I'm never going to feel like I've done enough.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/italia-ricci/i-m-an-actor-so-i-m-never-going-to-feel-like-i-ve-done-enough/) [Italia Ricci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/italia-ricci/) > [I am tired of our characters being so incomplete. When do we ever save the day in a film? When does a Latino actor…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/esai-morales/i-am-tired-of-our-characters-being-so-incomplete-when-do-we-ever-save/) [Esai Morales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/esai-morales/) > [When I was 13, I auditioned for the theater school, and I was there for four years. 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! 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/) > [I never planned to do female roles. It just happened. 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": "You have a lot more leeway to be contradictory playing a character than most of the scripts have in them. That's how all actors are. We have so many different sides of ourselves and we're so different, in meeting with different people. The audiences relate more to that and find that more believable.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Joel Kinnaman" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-kinnaman/you-have-a-lot-more-leeway-to-be-contradictory-playing-a-character/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Actor" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-kinnaman/you-have-a-lot-more-leeway-to-be-contradictory-playing-a-character/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7f5/joel-kinnaman-4273_actor_you-have-a-lot-more-leeway-to-be-contrad_2571235.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7f5/joel-kinnaman-4273_actor_you-have-a-lot-more-leeway-to-be-contrad_2571235.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7f5/joel-kinnaman-4273_actor_you-have-a-lot-more-leeway-to-be-contrad_2571235.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“You have a lot more leeway to be contradictory playing a character than most of the scripts have in them…” — Joel Kinnaman", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Joel Kinnaman", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-kinnaman/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "You have a lot more leeway...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-kinnaman/you-have-a-lot-more-leeway-to-be-contradictory-playing-a-character/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-kinnaman/you-have-a-lot-more-leeway-to-be-contradictory-playing-a-character/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```