--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: People assume that displaying your own…" description: "\"People assume that displaying your own personal ego on screen is called acting, which is actually not what acting is about.\" — Kay Kay Menon" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/544/kay-kay-menon-6055_acting_people-assume-that-displaying-your-own-p_36342.jpg" --- # People assume that displaying your own personal ego on… ![“People assume that displaying your own personal ego on screen is called acting, which is actually not what acting is about.” quote by Kay Kay Menon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/544/kay-kay-menon-6055_acting_people-assume-that-displaying-your-own-p_36342.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/544/kay-kay-menon-6055_acting_people-assume-that-displaying-your-own-p_36342.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/544/kay-kay-menon-6055_acting_people-assume-that-displaying-your-own-p_36342.jpg) > “People assume that displaying your own personal ego on screen is called acting, which is actually not what acting is about.” [Kay Kay Menon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kay-kay-menon/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote challenges the misconception that acting is merely self-promotion, emphasizing that true performance involves embodying characters beyond personal ego. **In simple terms:** Acting transcends ego. Key Takeaway Acting is about character, not self-display. Themes self-awareness performance authenticity identity ego craft Mood thoughtful critical inquisitive Type observation philosophical advice When to use this quote - audition preparation - theatrical rehearsal - film set dynamics - improvisation exercises - public speaking Key Concepts role immersion emotional truth professional discipline Practical Applications - acting coaching - character development workshops Questions to Reflect On - How does ego affect your creative choices? - In what ways can you detach personal identity from a role? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Acting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/acting/) [Actor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actor/) [Ego](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ego/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) ## Related quotes > [Although I have no objection to accepting the existence of relatively constant psychic contents that survive personal ego, it must always be born in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wolfgang-pauli/although-i-have-no-objection-to-accepting-the-existence-of-relatively/) [Wolfgang Pauli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wolfgang-pauli/) > [The personal ego must be suppressed and replaced with the 'universal ego.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-russell/the-personal-ego-must-be-suppressed-and-replaced-with-the-universal/) [Walter Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-russell/) > [“The struggle of the artist against the art-ideology, against the creative impulse and even against his own work also shows itself in his attitude…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/otto-rank/the-struggle-of-the-artist-against-the-art-ideology-against-the/) [Otto Rank](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/otto-rank/) > [The personal ego already has a strong element of dysfunction, but the collective ego is, frequently, even more dysfunctional, to the point of absolute…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eckhart-tolle/the-personal-ego-already-has-a-strong-element-of-dysfunction-but-the/) [Eckhart Tolle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eckhart-tolle/) > [“In a human development sense, our understanding of leadership has essentially “grown up” and moved past personal ego and a self-centered view of things.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linda-fisher-thornton/in-a-human-development-sense-our-understanding-of-leadership-has/) [Linda Fisher Thornton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linda-fisher-thornton/) > [The entire life of the personal ego is continually in the grip of wanting, i. e., an attempt to seek fulfilment of desires through…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meher-baba/the-entire-life-of-the-personal-ego-is-continually-in-the-grip-of/) [Meher Baba](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meher-baba/) > [My career is based primarily upon finding a balance with a director and their vision, and that means sublimating my own personal ego toward…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-richardson/my-career-is-based-primarily-upon-finding-a-balance-with-a-director/) [Robert Richardson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-richardson/) > [“The personal ego identifies with a very limited part of the self and prevents you from recognizing the largeness of who you really are.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-anthony-gibbs/the-personal-ego-identifies-with-a-very-limited-part-of-the-self-and/) [Russell Anthony Gibbs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-anthony-gibbs/) > [“The spiritual efficacy of all encounters is determined by the amount of personal ego that is in play. If two people meet and disagree…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christian-wiman/the-spiritual-efficacy-of-all-encounters-is-determined-by-the-amount/) [Christian Wiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christian-wiman/) > [The hallucination of separateness prevents one from seeing that to cherish the ego is to cherish misery. We do not realize that our so-called…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-watts/the-hallucination-of-separateness-prevents-one-from-seeing-that-to/) [Alan Watts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-watts/) > [Apologizing doesn't always mean that you're wrong & the other is right. Sometimes, you just value the person much more than personal ego.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nishan-panwar/apologizing-doesn-t-always-mean-that-you-re-wrong-the-other-is-right/) [Nishan Panwar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nishan-panwar/) > [God has called me to do this thing called acting and the performing arts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caleb-mclaughlin/god-has-called-me-to-do-this-thing-called-acting-and-the-performing/) [Caleb McLaughlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caleb-mclaughlin/) > [Don't think for a moment that I'm really like any of the characters I've played. I'm not. That's why it's called 'acting'.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-dicaprio/don-t-think-for-a-moment-that-i-m-really-like-any-of-the-characters-i/) [Leonardo DiCaprio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-dicaprio/) > ["Maybe I just don't want another rejection," he shrugs. "I've had enough of that in my so-called acting career." Oh, so this is what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexandra-potter/maybe-i-just-don-t-want-another-rejection-he-shrugs-i-ve-had-enough/) [Alexandra Potter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexandra-potter/) > [When I was about 16 or 17, I had a teacher who took a group of us to the National Theater in Washington, D.C.,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-norton/when-i-was-about-16-or-17-i-had-a-teacher-who-took-a-group-of-us-to/) [Edward Norton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-norton/) ## More by Kay Kay Menon > [I don't exactly relate to grey characters.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kay-kay-menon/i-don-t-exactly-relate-to-grey-characters/) [Kay Kay Menon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kay-kay-menon/) > [As an actor, I like my films to be believable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kay-kay-menon/as-an-actor-i-like-my-films-to-be-believable/) [Kay Kay Menon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kay-kay-menon/) > [The very idea of how chess players manipulate their game excites me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kay-kay-menon/the-very-idea-of-how-chess-players-manipulate-their-game-excites-me/) [Kay Kay Menon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kay-kay-menon/) > [I've worked with a lot of people who have a lot of integrity towards cinema.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kay-kay-menon/i-ve-worked-with-a-lot-of-people-who-have-a-lot-of-integrity-towards/) [Kay Kay Menon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kay-kay-menon/) > [I believe in cinema! Unfortunately, 90 per cent of Hindi cinema is non-cinema. Only marketing works here. Even the item songs in these films…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kay-kay-menon/i-believe-in-cinema-unfortunately-90-per-cent-of-hindi-cinema-is-non/) [Kay Kay Menon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kay-kay-menon/) > [We are a jingoistic nation - whether it is politics or films or whatever. We can posthumously shower praises and accolades on people, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kay-kay-menon/we-are-a-jingoistic-nation-whether-it-is-politics-or-films-or/) [Kay Kay Menon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kay-kay-menon/) > [You have got to dig deep into your own spectrum while playing a character. If I am playing evil, believe me, I am bringing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kay-kay-menon/you-have-got-to-dig-deep-into-your-own-spectrum-while-playing-a/) [Kay Kay Menon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kay-kay-menon/) > [Acting is a symbiotic process, it is an amalgamation of many many things put together and when there is a call for action, that's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kay-kay-menon/acting-is-a-symbiotic-process-it-is-an-amalgamation-of-many-many/) [Kay Kay Menon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kay-kay-menon/) > [I am not really attached to my films and work. The film industry is just a small part of my life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kay-kay-menon/i-am-not-really-attached-to-my-films-and-work-the-film-industry-is/) [Kay Kay Menon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kay-kay-menon/) > [Every film is made for a commercial purpose - to earn money at the box-office.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kay-kay-menon/every-film-is-made-for-a-commercial-purpose-to-earn-money-at-the-box/) [Kay Kay Menon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kay-kay-menon/) > [For me, making time for God is like making time to fill my stomach - like the physical space in the stomach needs food,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kay-kay-menon/for-me-making-time-for-god-is-like-making-time-to-fill-my-stomach/) [Kay Kay Menon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kay-kay-menon/) > [I like to play non-cardboard characters. I try and bring out the many complex layers in the personality of the characters I play.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kay-kay-menon/i-like-to-play-non-cardboard-characters-i-try-and-bring-out-the-many/) [Kay Kay Menon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kay-kay-menon/) > [Films are a long process and the script is the first part.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kay-kay-menon/films-are-a-long-process-and-the-script-is-the-first-part/) [Kay Kay Menon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kay-kay-menon/) > [Let's not betray cinema with marketing inside the film. If it's done outside, then it's ok. That is essential to integrity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kay-kay-menon/let-s-not-betray-cinema-with-marketing-inside-the-film-if-it-s-done/) [Kay Kay Menon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kay-kay-menon/) > [I believe the era of Amitabh Bachchan is not going to come back. He is the last star that we have.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kay-kay-menon/i-believe-the-era-of-amitabh-bachchan-is-not-going-to-come-back-he-is/) [Kay Kay Menon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kay-kay-menon/) [Explore all 100 Kay Kay Menon quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kay-kay-menon/) ## 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. 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