--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Very rarely have I worked with a director…" description: "\"Very rarely have I worked with a director where we've been at odds. And by the time you've actually talked to somebody and you have the job, there's so..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/57a/julianne-moore-2166_acting_very-rarely-have-i-worked-with-a-directo_527568.jpg" --- # Very rarely have I worked with a director where we've been… ![“Very rarely have I worked with a director where we've been at odds. And by the time you've actually talked to somebody and you have the job, there's something that they see in you that they want you to bring to the character. And the best director says very little to you, acting-wise. They usually…” quote by Julianne Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/57a/julianne-moore-2166_acting_very-rarely-have-i-worked-with-a-directo_527568.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/57a/julianne-moore-2166_acting_very-rarely-have-i-worked-with-a-directo_527568.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/57a/julianne-moore-2166_acting_very-rarely-have-i-worked-with-a-directo_527568.jpg) > “Very rarely have I worked with a director where we've been at odds. And by the time you've actually talked to somebody and you have the job, there's something that they see in you that they want you to bring to the character. And the best director says very little to you, acting-wise. They usually just say, "Okay, here's the shot." It's their job to do all that stuff, and your job's to do the acting. So it's very rare that somebody will say, "Oh, no. I conceived this very differently".” [Julianne Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julianne-moore/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Actors and directors collaborate best when the director trusts the actor's instincts and gives minimal direction, allowing the actor to shape the character. **In simple terms:** Trust and minimal direction foster better performances. Key Takeaway Let actors own their choices. Themes collaboration trust creative autonomy Mood reflective professional Type insightful advice When to use this quote - film set - theatre rehearsal - indie project - television series Key Concepts method acting directorial style character development Questions to Reflect On - How does trust affect your performance? - When have you felt over‑directed? A Different Perspective Some directors may micromanage, stifling actor creativity. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Acting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/acting/) [Character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character/) [Film](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/film/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [All the actors I've worked with as a director over the years I really love and I thought they were all right for the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-bob-thornton/all-the-actors-i-ve-worked-with-as-a-director-over-the-years-i-really/) [Billy Bob Thornton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-bob-thornton/) > [I know that Madonna is not a first-time filmmaker, but I have worked with a lot of first time filmmakers and I have worked…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-d-arcy/i-know-that-madonna-is-not-a-first-time-filmmaker-but-i-have-worked/) [James D'arcy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-d-arcy/) > [I have hardly ever worked with the same director twice. But when you have worked with a director before, you understand his behavior.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-douglas/i-have-hardly-ever-worked-with-the-same-director-twice-but-when-you/) [Michael Douglas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-douglas/) > [Going to directing wasn't a reaction away from acting as much as it was a move towards something I always wanted to do. Ever…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-savage/going-to-directing-wasn-t-a-reaction-away-from-acting-as-much-as-it/) [Fred Savage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-savage/) > [I haven't worked with a director who is a crazy person at all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dylan-o-brien/i-haven-t-worked-with-a-director-who-is-a-crazy-person-at-all/) [Dylan O'Brien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dylan-o-brien/) > [When I used to be a contract player in 1954 at Universal, I wasn't getting good roles. I was getting one-liners, and then I'd…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clint-eastwood/when-i-used-to-be-a-contract-player-in-1954-at-universal-i-wasn-t/) [Clint Eastwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clint-eastwood/) > [Of all the projects I've worked on, I've never worked with another director like Billy Friedkin. I think he's a genius.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linda-blair/of-all-the-projects-i-ve-worked-on-i-ve-never-worked-with-another/) [Linda Blair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linda-blair/) > [I never had trouble getting an agent. I went out and got my first couple roles, and literally within six months I never had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-norris/i-never-had-trouble-getting-an-agent-i-went-out-and-got-my-first/) [Dean Norris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-norris/) > [You can get a bit world-weary in this job, and 'The Passion' reminded me of what a fantastic job acting is and how lucky…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-nesbitt/you-can-get-a-bit-world-weary-in-this-job-and-the-passion-reminded-me/) [James Nesbitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-nesbitt/) > [I still have the desire to do the job of acting. It's just a matter of whether I'll be allowed to do the job…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-coleman/i-still-have-the-desire-to-do-the-job-of-acting-it-s-just-a-matter-of/) [Gary Coleman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-coleman/) > [As soon as the director says action, an actor has to do the same work no matter if the screen is small or big.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jaideep-ahlawat/as-soon-as-the-director-says-action-an-actor-has-to-do-the-same-work/) [Jaideep Ahlawat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jaideep-ahlawat/) > [I'm always surprised when some director says, 'When I saw this film, that changed my life.' I don't have that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alejandro-gonzalez-inarritu/i-m-always-surprised-when-some-director-says-when-i-saw-this-film/) [Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alejandro-gonzalez-inarritu/) > [If the director says you can do better, particularly in a love scene, then it is rather embarrassing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-andrews/if-the-director-says-you-can-do-better-particularly-in-a-love-scene/) [Julie Andrews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-andrews/) > [I'm shy to call myself a director still. When someone says, 'What do you do for a living?' I don't know if I've earned…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angelina-jolie/i-m-shy-to-call-myself-a-director-still-when-someone-says-what-do-you/) [Angelina Jolie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angelina-jolie/) > [I'm a walk-on guy. When the director says, 'Action,' I'm on.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelsey-grammer/i-m-a-walk-on-guy-when-the-director-says-action-i-m-on/) [Kelsey Grammer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelsey-grammer/) ## More by Julianne Moore > [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/) > [I knew from very early on that I wanted kids. I wasn't one of those women who goes, 'Well, if it happens, it happens.'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julianne-moore/i-knew-from-very-early-on-that-i-wanted-kids-i-wasn-t-one-of-those/) [Julianne Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julianne-moore/) > [I hope this brings someone else the courage they need to face whatever challenge is before them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julianne-moore/i-hope-this-brings-someone-else-the-courage-they-need-to-face/) [Julianne Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julianne-moore/) > [“We redheads are a minority, we tend to notice each other - you know, and notice our identity”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julianne-moore/we-redheads-are-a-minority-we-tend-to-notice-each-other-you-know-and/) [Julianne Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julianne-moore/) > [When I was younger, I thought I had to shut myself off, work really hard to cry. 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I have my kids' books that I do, I have movies that I do, and I model.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julianne-moore/i-do-like-to-work-i-have-my-kids-books-that-i-do-i-have-movies-that-i/) [Julianne Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julianne-moore/) > [It's pretty boring, working by yourself. The scene happens in between the two of you, and then you don't know what it's going to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julianne-moore/it-s-pretty-boring-working-by-yourself-the-scene-happens-in-between/) [Julianne Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julianne-moore/) > [I'm not someone who is driven by big external stories. I like big emotional stories.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julianne-moore/i-m-not-someone-who-is-driven-by-big-external-stories-i-like-big/) [Julianne Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julianne-moore/) > [We didn't have a lot of money growing up, so my mom didn't buy a lot of extras, like sweet things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julianne-moore/we-didn-t-have-a-lot-of-money-growing-up-so-my-mom-didn-t-buy-a-lot/) [Julianne Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julianne-moore/) > [We impose order and narrative on everything in order to understand it. Otherwise, there's nothing but chaos.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julianne-moore/we-impose-order-and-narrative-on-everything-in-order-to-understand-it/) [Julianne Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julianne-moore/) > [Actually I did, because I saw the film like everyone else, ten years ago and I remembered some of it. 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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! 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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": "Very rarely have I worked with a director where we've been at odds. And by the time you've actually talked to somebody and you have the job, there's something that they see in you that they want you to bring to the character. And the best director says very little to you, acting-wise. 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