--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The strange thing about being an actor is…" description: "\"The strange thing about being an actor is it's almost a little dangerous to invest in an idea. I think once you invest in the idea of where someone is ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a97/keiko-agena-24912_actor_the-strange-thing-about-being-an-actor-i_2533214.jpg" --- # The strange thing about being an actor is it's almost a… ![“The strange thing about being an actor is it's almost a little dangerous to invest in an idea. I think once you invest in the idea of where someone is going, then you're not fully open to being able to play the opposite of that if that's what the character is going to do.” quote by Keiko Agena](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a97/keiko-agena-24912_actor_the-strange-thing-about-being-an-actor-i_2533214.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a97/keiko-agena-24912_actor_the-strange-thing-about-being-an-actor-i_2533214.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a97/keiko-agena-24912_actor_the-strange-thing-about-being-an-actor-i_2533214.jpg) > “The strange thing about being an actor is it's almost a little dangerous to invest in an idea. I think once you invest in the idea of where someone is going, then you're not fully open to being able to play the opposite of that if that's what the character is going to do.” [Keiko Agena](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keiko-agena/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Actors risk losing flexibility when they commit to a character’s projected path, limiting their ability to explore opposite choices. **In simple terms:** Investing in a character’s direction can restrict playing contrary roles. Key Takeaway Stay open to unexpected character directions. Themes acting creativity flexibility Mood thoughtful reflective Type advice insightful When to use this quote - theatre auditions - film rehearsals - improv workshops - character analysis Key Concepts character development risk assessment Questions to Reflect On - How can you balance commitment with openness? - What techniques keep you adaptable? A Different Perspective Over‑commitment may stifle spontaneity and growth. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Actor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actor/) [Character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character/) [Character Going](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character-going/) [Dangerous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dangerous/) [Idea Going](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/idea-going/) [Opposite Character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/opposite-character-800504/) [Play](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/play/) [Strange](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/strange/) [Theatre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/theatre/) [Thing Actor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thing-actor/) ## Related quotes > [I think it's fun when you've been working on a show for a while to play something that is opposite to the character you've…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristin-kreuk/i-think-it-s-fun-when-you-ve-been-working-on-a-show-for-a-while-to/) [Kristin Kreuk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristin-kreuk/) > [“The principles of Twelve Step recovery are the opposite of our character defects.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-principles-of-twelve-step-recovery-are-the-opposite-of-our/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [There are times when I am so unlike myself that I might be taken for someone else of an entirely opposite character.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-jacques-rousseau/there-are-times-when-i-am-so-unlike-myself-that-i-might-be-taken-for/) [Jean-Jacques Rousseau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-jacques-rousseau/) > [Sometimes I am kind of the opposite of my character. 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You're not playing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jordan-gavaris/as-an-actor-you-don-t-want-to-know-the-beginning-and-end-to-your/) [Jordan Gavaris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jordan-gavaris/) > [You can't dictate if a character's going to come off as sympathetic to an audience. I just tried to play it as honest as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donnie-wahlberg/you-can-t-dictate-if-a-character-s-going-to-come-off-as-sympathetic/) [Donnie Wahlberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donnie-wahlberg/) > [I often draw from people in my own experience to base a character on, going back to my days with Mike Leigh.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-thewlis/i-often-draw-from-people-in-my-own-experience-to-base-a-character-on/) [David Thewlis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-thewlis/) ## More by Keiko Agena > [I am really fortunate to have parents who supported my plan to become an actress when I was a little kid. And then there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keiko-agena/i-am-really-fortunate-to-have-parents-who-supported-my-plan-to-become/) [Keiko Agena](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keiko-agena/) > [In the second season, usually television shows are running with the characters; they really get them. And then, the third season, they can push…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keiko-agena/in-the-second-season-usually-television-shows-are-running-with-the/) [Keiko Agena](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keiko-agena/) > [My actual taste in music is pretty bad, I think.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keiko-agena/my-actual-taste-in-music-is-pretty-bad-i-think/) [Keiko Agena](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keiko-agena/) > [I'm pretty low-maintenance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keiko-agena/i-m-pretty-low-maintenance/) [Keiko Agena](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keiko-agena/) > ['Wow, you look better in person!' - I get that a lot from fans.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keiko-agena/wow-you-look-better-in-person-i-get-that-a-lot-from-fans/) [Keiko Agena](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keiko-agena/) > [I always felt that just being an actor is difficult. Being an Asian-American actor doesn't make it more difficult. 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It seems as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keiko-agena/ever-since-i-found-out-i-got-the-part-on-gilmore-girls-my-life-has/) [Keiko Agena](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keiko-agena/) > [On 'Beverly Hills 90210,' I was very young and very nervous.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keiko-agena/on-beverly-hills-90210-i-was-very-young-and-very-nervous/) [Keiko Agena](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keiko-agena/) > [I do get a little disheartened when you hear about how many girls get discouraged to not pursue a career in the sciences, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keiko-agena/i-do-get-a-little-disheartened-when-you-hear-about-how-many-girls-get/) [Keiko Agena](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keiko-agena/) > [I am obsessed with improv.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keiko-agena/i-am-obsessed-with-improv/) [Keiko Agena](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keiko-agena/) > [We all have challenging family relationships, and trying to balance that between our dreams and what we feel compelled to do is, I think,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keiko-agena/we-all-have-challenging-family-relationships-and-trying-to-balance/) [Keiko Agena](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keiko-agena/) > [That whole experience of filming in Canada was one to remember.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keiko-agena/that-whole-experience-of-filming-in-canada-was-one-to-remember/) [Keiko Agena](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keiko-agena/) [Explore all 23 Keiko Agena quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keiko-agena/) ## More Actor 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/) > [When you step out and do a song in a musical, the easier thing to do is make it funny. But when those transitions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelli-o-hara/when-you-step-out-and-do-a-song-in-a-musical-the-easier-thing-to-do/) [Kelli O'Hara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelli-o-hara/) > [I once told someone I could act. They totally bought it. I've been getting away with it ever since.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/akshay-kumar/i-once-told-someone-i-could-act-they-totally-bought-it-i-ve-been/) [Akshay Kumar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/akshay-kumar/) > [There has got to be a way for me to have a role on TV or in film that is just as normal as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adeel-akhtar/there-has-got-to-be-a-way-for-me-to-have-a-role-on-tv-or-in-film-that/) [Adeel Akhtar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adeel-akhtar/) > [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 an actor, so I'm never going to feel like I've done enough.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/italia-ricci/i-m-an-actor-so-i-m-never-going-to-feel-like-i-ve-done-enough/) [Italia Ricci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/italia-ricci/) > [I am tired of our characters being so incomplete. When do we ever save the day in a film? When does a Latino actor…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/esai-morales/i-am-tired-of-our-characters-being-so-incomplete-when-do-we-ever-save/) [Esai Morales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/esai-morales/) > [When I was 13, I auditioned for the theater school, and I was there for four years. In the meantime, I did my first…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ana-de-armas/when-i-was-13-i-auditioned-for-the-theater-school-and-i-was-there-for/) [Ana de Armas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ana-de-armas/) > [If you stood me in a costume next to a computer graphic of the same-looking character, I think there would be a difference. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warwick-davis/if-you-stood-me-in-a-costume-next-to-a-computer-graphic-of-the-same/) [Warwick Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warwick-davis/) > [failure in the theater is more public, more brilliant, more unreal than in any other field.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lillian-hellman/failure-in-the-theater-is-more-public-more-brilliant-more-unreal-than/) [Lillian Hellman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lillian-hellman/) > [I'm a character actor - always have been, always will be - and historically, character actors don't come into their own until later in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annie-potts/i-m-a-character-actor-always-have-been-always-will-be-and/) [Annie Potts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annie-potts/) > [Actors don't hate acting. Most people don't hate acting! 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I was typecast.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/divine/i-never-planned-to-do-female-roles-it-just-happened-i-was-typecast/) [Divine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/divine/) > [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/) [Browse all 21,590 Actor quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actor/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The strange thing about being an actor is it's almost a little dangerous to invest in an idea. 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