--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Denzel Washington was so great at The…" description: "\"Denzel Washington was so great at The Great Debaters, so focused and talented. That was just an honor to be cast in that, for the most part. I was fat,..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c06/john-heard-29955_denzel_denzel-washington-was-so-great-at-the-gr_316911.jpg" --- # Denzel Washington was so great at The Great Debaters, so… ![“Denzel Washington was so great at The Great Debaters, so focused and talented. That was just an honor to be cast in that, for the most part. I was fat, and I guess the casting director sold him on me. He actually said to me during the scene, "You know, I've always found that less is more," which…” quote by John Heard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c06/john-heard-29955_denzel_denzel-washington-was-so-great-at-the-gr_316911.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c06/john-heard-29955_denzel_denzel-washington-was-so-great-at-the-gr_316911.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c06/john-heard-29955_denzel_denzel-washington-was-so-great-at-the-gr_316911.jpg) > “Denzel Washington was so great at The Great Debaters, so focused and talented. That was just an honor to be cast in that, for the most part. I was fat, and I guess the casting director sold him on me. He actually said to me during the scene, "You know, I've always found that less is more," which is an expression that you've heard a million times, but it was a nice way of telling me I was overdoing it.” [John Heard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-heard/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. An actor was cast despite not fitting the typical image, and was reminded that restraint can improve performance. **In simple terms:** Less is more in acting. Key Takeaway Embrace restraint for impact. Themes acting self-awareness confidence casting decisions Mood reflective thoughtful Type film acting When to use this quote - auditions - film sets - rehearsals - on‑stage performance Key Concepts method acting performance nuance director-actor communication Questions to Reflect On - When does restraint hinder authenticity? - How to balance confidence with humility? A Different Perspective Risk of under‑expressing emotion. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Cast Fat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cast-fat-2995448/) [Casting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/casting/) [Denzel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/denzel/) [Denzel washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/denzel-washington/) [Focused](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/focused/) [Great Debaters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/great-debaters-222296/) [Honor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/honor/) [Nice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nice/) [Said Scene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/said-scene-2995449/) [Scene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/scene/) ## Related quotes > [Shonda kept the bedroom scene a secret from us until the read-through. The script just said: 'Scene to be given at read-through.' It was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-r-knight-2/shonda-kept-the-bedroom-scene-a-secret-from-us-until-the-read-through/) [T R Knight](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-r-knight-2/) > [It was fantastic to be on the set again with Denzel (Washington) and Antoine (Fuqua) and then to have the situation be so different.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ethan-hawke/it-was-fantastic-to-be-on-the-set-again-with-denzel-washington-and/) [Ethan Hawke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ethan-hawke/) > [I wanna chase down Denzel Washington, Jamie Foxx, Will Smith. I would love to start my film career.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shemar-moore/i-wanna-chase-down-denzel-washington-jamie-foxx-will-smith-i-would/) [Shemar Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shemar-moore/) > [ When I hear people comparing Mike's \[Jordan\] work to Denzel \[Washington\] I think it's amazing.. Because Denzel is such an amazing, textured actor. And… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-b-jordan/when-i-hear-people-comparing-mike-s-jordan-work-to-denzel-washington/) [Michael B. Jordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-b-jordan/) > [Talent grips us. We are overtaken by the beauty of Michelangelo's sculpture, riveted by Mariah Carey's angelic voice, doubled over in laughter by the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-c-maxwell/talent-grips-us-we-are-overtaken-by-the-beauty-of-michelangelo-s/) [John C. Maxwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-c-maxwell/) > [When most actors finally get to L.A., I think they expect to be the next Will Smith or Denzel Washington and that's not the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrea-hall/when-most-actors-finally-get-to-l-a-i-think-they-expect-to-be-the/) [Andrea Hall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrea-hall/) > [Every year, Hollywood is looking for that new, white leading man and new white starlet that audiences fall in love with. But they're not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chadwick-boseman/every-year-hollywood-is-looking-for-that-new-white-leading-man-and/) [Chadwick Boseman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chadwick-boseman/) > [ Denzel \[Washington\] just knows the actor. He knows the process, and you don't often get that. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/viola-davis/denzel-washington-just-knows-the-actor-he-knows-the-process-and-you/) [Viola Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/viola-davis/) > [Anyway, I'm doing my rave and this spittle comes out of my mouth and it winds its way very delicately through the wire fence…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-crowe/anyway-i-m-doing-my-rave-and-this-spittle-comes-out-of-my-mouth-and/) [Russell Crowe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-crowe/) > [Meeting Oprah Winfrey, I cried like a baby. Meeting Steven Spielberg, I cried like a baby. Meeting Denzel Washington, I gushed like a crazy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/octavia-spencer/meeting-oprah-winfrey-i-cried-like-a-baby-meeting-steven-spielberg-i/) [Octavia Spencer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/octavia-spencer/) > [Mix one part Denzel Washington and two parts Eva Mendes and you have a nice hot cocktail.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-cain/mix-one-part-denzel-washington-and-two-parts-eva-mendes-and-you-have/) [Dean Cain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-cain/) > [Watch me when people say deaf and dumb, or deaf mute, and I give them a look like you might get if you called…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marlee-matlin/watch-me-when-people-say-deaf-and-dumb-or-deaf-mute-and-i-give-them-a/) [Marlee Matlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marlee-matlin/) > [My mom graduated from the University of Michigan, which is a great school. Then she got her Master's from NYU. She wanted to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/big-sean/my-mom-graduated-from-the-university-of-michigan-which-is-a-great/) [Big Sean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/big-sean/) > [Whether you know who Denzel Washington is or you don't, when he walks into the room, you're going to pay attention, because he's just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mila-kunis/whether-you-know-who-denzel-washington-is-or-you-don-t-when-he-walks/) [Mila Kunis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mila-kunis/) > [I like 'The Usual Suspects'. Great film. I also like 'Scarface', films like that. Lots of gangster films. I really like watching all kinds…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barkhad-abdi/i-like-the-usual-suspects-great-film-i-also-like-scarface-films-like/) [Barkhad Abdi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barkhad-abdi/) ## More by John Heard > [The look of the movie and the music, which was by Jack Nitzsche, is what really stands out to me. I don't know if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-heard/the-look-of-the-movie-and-the-music-which-was-by-jack-nitzsche-is/) [John Heard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-heard/) > [Cutter's Way was a real test of my stupidity. Every day, it was like, who did I think I was? But people put up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-heard/cutter-s-way-was-a-real-test-of-my-stupidity-every-day-it-was-like/) [John Heard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-heard/) > [I remember one afternoon when we were out on a golf course somewhere, and Lauren Bacall, James Garner, and Jack Lemmon were sitting there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-heard/i-remember-one-afternoon-when-we-were-out-on-a-golf-course-somewhere/) [John Heard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-heard/) > [That show, The Sopranos put HBO on the map. So there I was - and then there I wasn't. Too bad. The same thing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-heard/that-show-the-sopranos-put-hbo-on-the-map-so-there-i-was-and-then/) [John Heard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-heard/) > [Paul Schrader, he's a... son of a gun. He's a very feisty, very straightforward guy. He's your auteur director. He sent me to a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-heard/paul-schrader-he-s-a-son-of-a-gun-he-s-a-very-feisty-very/) [John Heard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-heard/) > [Nastassja Kinski is a sweetie. She's very quiet. But smart. I hung out with her mother more than Nastassja. I think Nastassja was more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-heard/nastassja-kinski-is-a-sweetie-she-s-very-quiet-but-smart-i-hung-out/) [John Heard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-heard/) > [Rip Torn had, like, lessons in everything he said, and one of them was, "I know that an actor can undermine anything a director…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-heard/rip-torn-had-like-lessons-in-everything-he-said-and-one-of-them-was-i/) [John Heard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-heard/) > [When my agent called me up and said, "Do you want to be in a movie called Sharknado?" I said, "What is it about?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-heard/when-my-agent-called-me-up-and-said-do-you-want-to-be-in-a-movie/) [John Heard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-heard/) > [There were a lot of things in it that were important at the time to me. Cutter's Way movie was very relevant. And I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-heard/there-were-a-lot-of-things-in-it-that-were-important-at-the-time-to/) [John Heard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-heard/) > [I did a film about child abuse with the great producer-director Richard Donner, Radio Flyer. Again, I was replacing somebody, but Lorraine Bracco was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-heard/i-did-a-film-about-child-abuse-with-the-great-producer-director/) [John Heard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-heard/) > [Martin Scorsese was very much the actor's director. We were all very in awe of Martin Scorsese.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-heard/martin-scorsese-was-very-much-the-actor-s-director-we-were-all-very/) [John Heard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-heard/) > [They killed me in The Sopranos. I went to David Chase, and I said, "Why me? I'm a detective! You can use me forever!"…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-heard/they-killed-me-in-the-sopranos-i-went-to-david-chase-and-i-said-why/) [John Heard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-heard/) > [Television is fast and loose. You have two or three takes to get your part right, and if you have a problem, well, by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-heard/television-is-fast-and-loose-you-have-two-or-three-takes-to-get-your/) [John Heard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-heard/) > [After The Sopranos, my mother said, "Couldn't there be some raft floating under the bridge when you jumped? Or couldn't you have a twin…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-heard/after-the-sopranos-my-mother-said-couldn-t-there-be-some-raft/) [John Heard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-heard/) > [Griffin Dunne and I were both terrified that Martin Scorsese didn't think we were very good - and if he didn't think we were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-heard/griffin-dunne-and-i-were-both-terrified-that-martin-scorsese-didn-t/) [John Heard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-heard/) [Explore all 18 John Heard quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-heard/) ## More Casting quotes > [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 being called in by all the great casting directors. It's no longer based on a headshot. I realize now what they're buying is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-gonzalez/i-m-being-called-in-by-all-the-great-casting-directors-it-s-no-longer/) [Nicholas Gonzalez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-gonzalez/) > [Whether you are buying a car or casting a ballot, choosing a job or planning a family, follow your moral compass. Don't let others…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denis-hayes/whether-you-are-buying-a-car-or-casting-a-ballot-choosing-a-job-or/) [Denis Hayes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denis-hayes/) > [There's a certain feeling of giving, a certain feeling of generosity in love songs. When you sing a song of love, you're actually giving…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-mraz/there-s-a-certain-feeling-of-giving-a-certain-feeling-of-generosity/) [Jason Mraz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-mraz/) > [It would have been an interesting run if we hadn't gotten along! It was good casting, I suppose.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dominic-west/it-would-have-been-an-interesting-run-if-we-hadn-t-gotten-along-it/) [Dominic West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dominic-west/) > [People are always casting me for what they call my 'authority.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linda-hunt/people-are-always-casting-me-for-what-they-call-my-authority/) [Linda Hunt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linda-hunt/) > [So here I sit in the early candle-light of old age-I and my book-casting backward glances over out travel'd road.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walt-whitman/so-here-i-sit-in-the-early-candle-light-of-old-age-i-and-my-book/) [Walt Whitman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walt-whitman/) > [I guess my height has hurt me as much as it's helped me. In comedy people don't mind casting tall women next to shorter…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allison-janney/i-guess-my-height-has-hurt-me-as-much-as-it-s-helped-me-in-comedy/) [Allison Janney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/allison-janney/) > [I don't think anyone went the polls and said, 'I am casting my vote to make sure that Wall Street has better chances to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-warren/i-don-t-think-anyone-went-the-polls-and-said-i-am-casting-my-vote-to/) [Elizabeth Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-warren/) > [I think Michael Crawford realised, I think we all realised, once we'd gone the route of casting a very young girl, you can't really…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-lloyd-webber/i-think-michael-crawford-realised-i-think-we-all-realised-once-we-d/) [Andrew Lloyd Webber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-lloyd-webber/) > [Seen from the point of view of the composer, the most nonsensical practice is that of casting people in musicals who are unable to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-gold/seen-from-the-point-of-view-of-the-composer-the-most-nonsensical/) [Ernest Gold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-gold/) > [I spend a long time casting, but once I've cast a film there's a reason why I selected those people. So I'm hands-on in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-payne/i-spend-a-long-time-casting-but-once-i-ve-cast-a-film-there-s-a/) [Alexander Payne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-payne/) > [That's the fun thing of casting a show. I'm a pretty strong believer that TV makes stars, not the other way around. I love…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-kring/that-s-the-fun-thing-of-casting-a-show-i-m-a-pretty-strong-believer/) [Tim Kring](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-kring/) > [AMC has a track record for finding actors who have been working actors but not names yet and casting them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mireille-enos/amc-has-a-track-record-for-finding-actors-who-have-been-working/) [Mireille Enos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mireille-enos/) > [I have to speak for myself. As far as videos go - casting, the artwork, everything - I'm completely hands-on. You have to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pink/i-have-to-speak-for-myself-as-far-as-videos-go-casting-the-artwork/) [Pink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pink/) [Browse all 858 Casting quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/casting/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Denzel Washington was so great at The Great Debaters, so focused and talented. That was just an honor to be cast in that, for the most part. I was fat, and I guess the casting director sold him on me. 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