--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The thing about good acting is asking…" description: "\"The thing about good acting is asking, how much are you going to reveal and when should you let the viewers' imagination take over?\" — John de Lancie" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7cc/john-de-lancie-12021_acting_the-thing-about-good-acting-is-asking-ho_3100961.jpg" --- # The thing about good acting is asking, how much are you… ![“The thing about good acting is asking, how much are you going to reveal and when should you let the viewers' imagination take over?” quote by John de Lancie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7cc/john-de-lancie-12021_acting_the-thing-about-good-acting-is-asking-ho_3100961.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7cc/john-de-lancie-12021_acting_the-thing-about-good-acting-is-asking-ho_3100961.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7cc/john-de-lancie-12021_acting_the-thing-about-good-acting-is-asking-ho_3100961.jpg) > “The thing about good acting is asking, how much are you going to reveal and when should you let the viewers' imagination take over?” [John de Lancie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-de-lancie/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Effective acting balances revelation and mystery, letting audiences fill gaps with imagination. **In simple terms:** Good acting shows enough but leaves room for viewer imagination. Key Takeaway Control pacing of information in performance. Themes acting storytelling imagination audience craft Mood inspirational reflective Type theatrical educational When to use this quote - theater - film - improv - directed scenes Key Concepts dramatic tension narrative control character development Questions to Reflect On - When should a performer hold back? - How does mystery enhance emotional impact? A Different Perspective Over‑exposure can spoil intrigue, reducing engagement. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Acting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/acting/) [Acting Asking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/acting-asking-1148564/) [Actor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actor/) [Going Reveal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/going-reveal-1481546/) [Good](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good/) [Good acting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-acting/) [How](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/how/) [Imagination](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/imagination/) [Reveal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reveal/) [Viewers Imagination](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/viewers-imagination-5374284/) ## Related quotes > [Im going to reveal the two secrets of my success: One; Dont reveal everything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/im-going-to-reveal-the-two-secrets-of-my-success-one-dont-reveal/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I like going into a scene knowing that the script isn't quite finished, that there's something that isn't really going to reveal itself until…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bennett-miller/i-like-going-into-a-scene-knowing-that-the-script-isn-t-quite/) [Bennett Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bennett-miller/) > [When I was acting, I was always asking abut the mechanics of filmmaking. 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And you have to keep yourself from becoming panicky.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-de-lancie/i-sail-to-hawaii-and-back-a-lot-and-it-sometimes-involves-very/) [John de Lancie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-de-lancie/) > [I really didn't follow Star Trek.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-de-lancie/i-really-didn-t-follow-star-trek/) [John de Lancie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-de-lancie/) > [Being idly hanging around, and that's not good for an actor to do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-de-lancie/being-idly-hanging-around-and-that-s-not-good-for-an-actor-to-do/) [John de Lancie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-de-lancie/) > [It's great fun to have the license to say damn near anything you want, short of being offensive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-de-lancie/it-s-great-fun-to-have-the-license-to-say-damn-near-anything-you-want/) [John de Lancie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-de-lancie/) > [I'm really not a television watcher.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-de-lancie/i-m-really-not-a-television-watcher/) [John de Lancie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-de-lancie/) > [I don't think that 'Legend' was the absolute greatest show on television.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-de-lancie/i-don-t-think-that-legend-was-the-absolute-greatest-show-on-television/) [John de Lancie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-de-lancie/) [Explore all 56 John de Lancie quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-de-lancie/) ## More Acting quotes > [I actually think acting is a form of self-hypnosis. 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