--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Movie acting is harder than doing a play…" description: "\"Movie acting is harder than doing a play. You have to be entertaining but completely natural, like Jimmy Stewart and Cary Grant. They weren't doing any..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c67/jon-lovitz-16902_acting_movie-acting-is-harder-than-doing-a-play_1943832.jpg" --- # Movie acting is harder than doing a play. You have to be… ![“Movie acting is harder than doing a play. You have to be entertaining but completely natural, like Jimmy Stewart and Cary Grant. They weren't doing anything. Do you have any idea how hard that is? That's how good they were. It's crazy hard to be convincing and real. It's the most subtle, hardest…” quote by Jon Lovitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c67/jon-lovitz-16902_acting_movie-acting-is-harder-than-doing-a-play_1943832.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c67/jon-lovitz-16902_acting_movie-acting-is-harder-than-doing-a-play_1943832.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c67/jon-lovitz-16902_acting_movie-acting-is-harder-than-doing-a-play_1943832.jpg) > “Movie acting is harder than doing a play. You have to be entertaining but completely natural, like Jimmy Stewart and Cary Grant. They weren't doing anything. Do you have any idea how hard that is? That's how good they were. It's crazy hard to be convincing and real. It's the most subtle, hardest thing there is.” [Jon Lovitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-lovitz/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Acting on screen demands effortless authenticity, blending entertainment with naturalness, a rare skill exemplified by classic stars. **In simple terms:** Screen acting needs natural, entertaining performance. Key Takeaway Practice subtle, genuine expression. Themes acting authenticity performance craft challenge Mood reflective inspired Type advice inspirational When to use this quote - auditions - film sets - live TV - improvisation Key Concepts method acting presence subtlety Questions to Reflect On - How can you train to appear natural? - What makes subtlety difficult? A Different Perspective Even great actors train intensely to appear effortless. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Acting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/acting/) [Actor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actor/) [Ideas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ideas/) [Jimmy stewart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/jimmy-stewart/) [Movie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/movie/) [Play](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/play/) ## Related quotes > [People think they know all these things about other people, and if you ask them why they think they know that, it'd be hard…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elliott-smith/people-think-they-know-all-these-things-about-other-people-and-if-you/) [Elliott Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elliott-smith/) > [Seeing you with her kills me, but you will never know because my fake smiles are just as convincing as my real ones.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/seeing-you-with-her-kills-me-but-you-will-never-know-because-my-fake/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“He was a convinced but hardworked rationalist, always hard at it re-convincing himself of his convictions.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-goudge/he-was-a-convinced-but-hardworked-rationalist-always-hard-at-it-re/) [Elizabeth Goudge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-goudge/) > [The better the acting is, the harder it is to see what the process is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-dano/the-better-the-acting-is-the-harder-it-is-to-see-what-the-process-is/) [Paul Dano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-dano/) > [I was so intimidated being on 'Nashville,' and acting is so much harder than it seems. But I'm always open to any opportunity that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-evans/i-was-so-intimidated-being-on-nashville-and-acting-is-so-much-harder/) [Sara Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-evans/) > [So much of movie acting is in the lighting. And in loving your characters. I try to know them, and with that intimacy comes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-fiennes/so-much-of-movie-acting-is-in-the-lighting-and-in-loving-your/) [Ralph Fiennes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-fiennes/) > [Of course, you can never watch something like somebody else watches something like you, but nonetheless, you have to try. So I think on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annette-bening/of-course-you-can-never-watch-something-like-somebody-else-watches/) [Annette Bening](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annette-bening/) > [I've got to see my movie to see how I'm acting, see what little things I can learn about my craft.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ll-cool-j/i-ve-got-to-see-my-movie-to-see-how-i-m-acting-see-what-little-things/) [LL Cool J](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ll-cool-j/) > [Movie acting is about covering the machinery. Stage acting is about exposing the machinery. In cinema, you should think the actor is playing himself,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-caine/movie-acting-is-about-covering-the-machinery-stage-acting-is-about/) [Michael Caine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-caine/) > [Movie acting may not have a certain kind of glory as true art, but it is damn hard work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-holden/movie-acting-may-not-have-a-certain-kind-of-glory-as-true-art-but-it/) [William Holden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-holden/) > [I don't think I really have a talent for movie acting. I'm not bad at it, but I don't think I really have a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alec-baldwin/i-don-t-think-i-really-have-a-talent-for-movie-acting-i-m-not-bad-at/) [Alec Baldwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alec-baldwin/) > [I have people tell me all the time, 'I was expecting you to be mean.' Why is that? Because you saw me in a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-murphy/i-have-people-tell-me-all-the-time-i-was-expecting-you-to-be-mean-why/) [Charlie Murphy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-murphy/) > [I remember hearing someone say that good acting is more about taking off a mask than putting one on, and in movie acting, certainly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annette-bening/i-remember-hearing-someone-say-that-good-acting-is-more-about-taking/) [Annette Bening](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annette-bening/) > [Movie acting is a great job for your twenties: You travel all over, you have affairs with people, and you throw yourself into one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-hunt/movie-acting-is-a-great-job-for-your-twenties-you-travel-all-over-you/) [Helen Hunt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-hunt/) > [Theater acting is an operation with a scalpel, movie acting is an operation with a laser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-caine/theater-acting-is-an-operation-with-a-scalpel-movie-acting-is-an/) [Michael Caine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-caine/) ## More by Jon Lovitz > [The director makes the movie. The director has to have the story in their head, has to know the style of the piece, has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-lovitz/the-director-makes-the-movie-the-director-has-to-have-the-story-in/) [Jon Lovitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-lovitz/) > [It's fun to do something funny and have the director laughing. It makes you feel good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-lovitz/it-s-fun-to-do-something-funny-and-have-the-director-laughing-it/) [Jon Lovitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-lovitz/) > [I really didn't want to leave the show, but I got a chance to do a movie, which meant I would have had to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-lovitz/i-really-didn-t-want-to-leave-the-show-but-i-got-a-chance-to-do-a/) [Jon Lovitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-lovitz/) > [I feel lucky that I'm working at all. I don't take any job for granted. I enjoy this. It's all enjoyable for me. It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-lovitz/i-feel-lucky-that-i-m-working-at-all-i-don-t-take-any-job-for-granted/) [Jon Lovitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-lovitz/) > [First of all, this whole idea of this one percent versus the 99 percent, it's a false statistic. There's nobody that is wealthy saying,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-lovitz/first-of-all-this-whole-idea-of-this-one-percent-versus-the-99/) [Jon Lovitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-lovitz/) > [How much blow can Charlie Sheen do? Enough to kill two and a half men.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-lovitz/how-much-blow-can-charlie-sheen-do-enough-to-kill-two-and-a-half-men/) [Jon Lovitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-lovitz/) > [But Opera Man, I go, 'Oh, crap! Why didn't I think of that?' Because I could sing fake opera pretty good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-lovitz/but-opera-man-i-go-oh-crap-why-didn-t-i-think-of-that-because-i-could/) [Jon Lovitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-lovitz/) > [In comedy, you have to do all of the same stuff you do in drama and then put the comedy on top of it.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-lovitz/in-comedy-you-have-to-do-all-of-the-same-stuff-you-do-in-drama-and/) [Jon Lovitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-lovitz/) > [Woody is the guy who made me want to be a comic. I was in heaven and couldn't stop smiling because he was my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-lovitz/woody-is-the-guy-who-made-me-want-to-be-a-comic-i-was-in-heaven-and/) [Jon Lovitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-lovitz/) > [I don't want to talk about myself, that's for other people to say, so I'm not saying I was so talented.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-lovitz/i-don-t-want-to-talk-about-myself-that-s-for-other-people-to-say-so-i/) [Jon Lovitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-lovitz/) > [If I make a dollar and out of every dollar I'm taxed at 50, half, at 50 cents, I have to give, isn't that like enough?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-lovitz/if-i-make-a-dollar-and-out-of-every-dollar-i-m-taxed-at-50-half-at-50/) [Jon Lovitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-lovitz/) > [Nobody with a victim mentality will get anywhere. Ever. They will never succeed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-lovitz/nobody-with-a-victim-mentality-will-get-anywhere-ever-they-will-never/) [Jon Lovitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-lovitz/) > [You want everyone to be great and funny. I'm not saying I'm great, but I'm funny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-lovitz/you-want-everyone-to-be-great-and-funny-i-m-not-saying-i-m-great-but/) [Jon Lovitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-lovitz/) > [Sometimes the best way to make 'em laugh is to show 'em how you honestly feel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-lovitz/sometimes-the-best-way-to-make-em-laugh-is-to-show-em-how-you/) [Jon Lovitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-lovitz/) > [The problem with the economy isn't that people aren't paying their fair share of taxes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-lovitz/the-problem-with-the-economy-isn-t-that-people-aren-t-paying-their/) [Jon Lovitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-lovitz/) [Explore all 38 Jon Lovitz quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-lovitz/) ## 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 > [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. I do believe that young adults go to college to learn things, and that this process will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-weingarten/i-do-not-believe-in-public-shaming-i-do-believe-that-young-adults-go/) [Gene Weingarten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-weingarten/) > [Poetry has, in a way, been my bridge to my acting career.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/omari-hardwick/poetry-has-in-a-way-been-my-bridge-to-my-acting-career/) [Omari Hardwick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/omari-hardwick/) [Browse all 12,062 Acting quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/acting/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Movie acting is harder than doing a play. You have to be entertaining but completely natural, like Jimmy Stewart and Cary Grant. They weren't doing anything. Do you have any idea how hard that is? That's how good they were. It's crazy hard to be convincing and real. It's the most subtle, hardest thing there is.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Jon Lovitz" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-lovitz/movie-acting-is-harder-than-doing-a-play-you-have-to-be-entertaining/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Acting" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-lovitz/movie-acting-is-harder-than-doing-a-play-you-have-to-be-entertaining/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c67/jon-lovitz-16902_acting_movie-acting-is-harder-than-doing-a-play_1943832.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c67/jon-lovitz-16902_acting_movie-acting-is-harder-than-doing-a-play_1943832.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c67/jon-lovitz-16902_acting_movie-acting-is-harder-than-doing-a-play_1943832.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Movie acting is harder than doing a play. You have to be entertaining but completely natural, like Jimmy…” — Jon Lovitz", "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": "Jon Lovitz", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-lovitz/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Movie acting is harder than doing...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-lovitz/movie-acting-is-harder-than-doing-a-play-you-have-to-be-entertaining/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-lovitz/movie-acting-is-harder-than-doing-a-play-you-have-to-be-entertaining/#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 } } ] } ```