--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Virtue is not photogenic, so I liked…" description: "\"Virtue is not photogenic, so I liked playing bad guys. But, whenever I played a bad guy, I tried to find something good in him, and that kept my contac..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/944/kirk-douglas-4420_audience_virtue-is-not-photogenic-so-i-liked-play_417521.jpg" --- # Virtue is not photogenic, so I liked playing bad guys… ![“Virtue is not photogenic, so I liked playing bad guys. But, whenever I played a bad guy, I tried to find something good in him, and that kept my contact with the audience.” quote by Kirk Douglas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/944/kirk-douglas-4420_audience_virtue-is-not-photogenic-so-i-liked-play_417521.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/944/kirk-douglas-4420_audience_virtue-is-not-photogenic-so-i-liked-play_417521.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/944/kirk-douglas-4420_audience_virtue-is-not-photogenic-so-i-liked-play_417521.jpg) > “Virtue is not photogenic, so I liked playing bad guys. But, whenever I played a bad guy, I tried to find something good in him, and that kept my contact with the audience.” [Kirk Douglas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kirk-douglas/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Playing villains allowed the actor to explore deeper humanity, finding good within bad characters to connect with audiences. **In simple terms:** I played bad guys to find good in them and engage viewers. Key Takeaway Seek depth in every role, even antagonistic ones. Themes acting morality audience connection Mood thoughtful insightful Type dramatic philosophical When to use this quote - theatre productions - film auditions - character workshops - script analysis Key Concepts character complexity ethical ambiguity Questions to Reflect On - How do you balance darkness and humanity? - What does this reveal about audience empathy? A Different Perspective Focusing on good may dilute the villain's menace. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Audience](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/audience/) [Bad guy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bad-guy/) [Bad guys](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bad-guys/) [Character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character/) [Virtue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/virtue/) ## Related quotes > [Virtue is not photogenic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kirk-douglas/virtue-is-not-photogenic/) [Kirk Douglas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kirk-douglas/) > [Virtue is not photogenic. What is it to be a nice guy? To be nothing, that's what. A big fat zero with a smile…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kirk-douglas/virtue-is-not-photogenic-what-is-it-to-be-a-nice-guy-to-be-nothing/) [Kirk Douglas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kirk-douglas/) > [Im a good guy. I love playing bad guys, but good guys that have a good thing going on, I like that, too. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lance-henriksen/im-a-good-guy-i-love-playing-bad-guys-but-good-guys-that-have-a-good/) [Lance Henriksen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lance-henriksen/) > [I'm a good guy. I love playing bad guys, but good guys that have a good thing going on, I like that, too. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lance-henriksen/i-m-a-good-guy-i-love-playing-bad-guys-but-good-guys-that-have-a-good/) [Lance Henriksen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lance-henriksen/) > [There is something, yeah, I mean traditionally it's more fun to play bad guys than it is good guys and when you're playing a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-nighy/there-is-something-yeah-i-mean-traditionally-it-s-more-fun-to-play/) [Bill Nighy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-nighy/) > [You know, the blond guy plays the good guy and I play the bad part, the bad guys. Which is a lot of fun.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-robinson/you-know-the-blond-guy-plays-the-good-guy-and-i-play-the-bad-part-the/) Matt Robinson > [To be honest, Im a little tired of playing bad guys. I long to do a comedy. But it was fun knocking Indiana Jones…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-oldman/to-be-honest-im-a-little-tired-of-playing-bad-guys-i-long-to-do-a/) [Gary Oldman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-oldman/) > [I love playing bad guys; they're always much more fun than the good guy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grant-bowler/i-love-playing-bad-guys-they-re-always-much-more-fun-than-the-good-guy/) [Grant Bowler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grant-bowler/) > [Actors will always tell you it's more fun playing bad guys. A lot of the time, it's criminals who are the people who don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brendan-gleeson/actors-will-always-tell-you-it-s-more-fun-playing-bad-guys-a-lot-of/) [Brendan Gleeson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brendan-gleeson/) > [Let's say you would see me in a lot more big movies had I done movies that I'd been asked to do playing bad…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jake-busey/let-s-say-you-would-see-me-in-a-lot-more-big-movies-had-i-done-movies/) [Jake Busey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jake-busey/) > [For the most part, I've been influenced by black singers and singers I couldn't sound like. Whenever I tried to do a dark note…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-vernon/for-the-most-part-i-ve-been-influenced-by-black-singers-and-singers-i/) [Justin Vernon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-vernon/) > [He had a passion for cricket right from his childhood and liked nothing else but playing with the bat and the ball. I wanted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-vaughan/he-had-a-passion-for-cricket-right-from-his-childhood-and-liked/) [Bill Vaughan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-vaughan/) > [I didn't play or like a lot of board games as a child. I liked playing with my G.I. Joes and making up adventures…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-ames/i-didn-t-play-or-like-a-lot-of-board-games-as-a-child-i-liked-playing/) [Jonathan Ames](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-ames/) > [I liked playing in England, I liked playing for Arsenal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gervinho/i-liked-playing-in-england-i-liked-playing-for-arsenal/) [Gervinho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gervinho/) > [I liked playing Morph in Mash and Peas and doing Phil Daniels in the Blur Rock Profile was a giggle too.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-putner/i-liked-playing-morph-in-mash-and-peas-and-doing-phil-daniels-in-the/) Paul Putner ## More by Kirk Douglas > [If I can get enough signatures, to present an apology to slavery, I will present it to the President. The House of Representatives has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kirk-douglas/if-i-can-get-enough-signatures-to-present-an-apology-to-slavery-i/) [Kirk Douglas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kirk-douglas/) > [When I produced Spartacus, the writer was Dalton Trumbo, who spent a year in jail because he would not answer McCarthy's questions about other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kirk-douglas/when-i-produced-spartacus-the-writer-was-dalton-trumbo-who-spent-a/) [Kirk Douglas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kirk-douglas/) > [When you get old the worst thing is you lose so many friends. Burt Lancaster, Frank Sinatra, John Wayne. People who I loved to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kirk-douglas/when-you-get-old-the-worst-thing-is-you-lose-so-many-friends-burt/) [Kirk Douglas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kirk-douglas/) > [Know what a loner is? He's a born cripple. He's a cripple because the only person he can live with is himself. It's his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kirk-douglas/know-what-a-loner-is-he-s-a-born-cripple-he-s-a-cripple-because-the/) [Kirk Douglas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kirk-douglas/) > [When you have a stroke, you must talk slowly to be understood, and I've discovered that when I talk slowly, people listen. They think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kirk-douglas/when-you-have-a-stroke-you-must-talk-slowly-to-be-understood-and-i-ve/) [Kirk Douglas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kirk-douglas/) > [Love has more depth as you get older.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kirk-douglas/love-has-more-depth-as-you-get-older/) [Kirk Douglas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kirk-douglas/) > [On a crowded bus in Israel, a mother was speaking to her son in Yiddish. An Israeli woman reprimanded her. "You should be speaking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kirk-douglas/on-a-crowded-bus-in-israel-a-mother-was-speaking-to-her-son-in/) [Kirk Douglas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kirk-douglas/) > [You know, you have to have some inner philosophy to deal with adversity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kirk-douglas/you-know-you-have-to-have-some-inner-philosophy-to-deal-with-adversity/) [Kirk Douglas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kirk-douglas/) > [I've played some good guys as well, in Spartacus, Paths of Glory and my favorite picture, Lonely Are the Brave, so I had a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kirk-douglas/i-ve-played-some-good-guys-as-well-in-spartacus-paths-of-glory-and-my/) [Kirk Douglas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kirk-douglas/) > [I never had any desire to be a film actor. I never thought I was the good-looking movie type, which I assumed they wanted.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kirk-douglas/i-never-had-any-desire-to-be-a-film-actor-i-never-thought-i-was-the/) [Kirk Douglas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kirk-douglas/) > [When you get to my age, you find that most of your dear friends are gone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kirk-douglas/when-you-get-to-my-age-you-find-that-most-of-your-dear-friends-are/) [Kirk Douglas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kirk-douglas/) > [I came from abject poverty. There was nowhere to go but up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kirk-douglas/i-came-from-abject-poverty-there-was-nowhere-to-go-but-up/) [Kirk Douglas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kirk-douglas/) > [You'll never see Spartacus in a (expletive) chair!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kirk-douglas/you-ll-never-see-spartacus-in-a-expletive-chair/) [Kirk Douglas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kirk-douglas/) > [I'm a loner clear down deep to my guts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kirk-douglas/i-m-a-loner-clear-down-deep-to-my-guts/) [Kirk Douglas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kirk-douglas/) > [I went to Hollywood to test for Martha Ivers and I thought I was going to play the part that Van Heflin played.But they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kirk-douglas/i-went-to-hollywood-to-test-for-martha-ivers-and-i-thought-i-was/) [Kirk Douglas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kirk-douglas/) [Explore all 111 Kirk Douglas quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kirk-douglas/) ## More Audience quotes > [If the audience likes your work, if they like you, they don't think whether you are married or have children or not. I made…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dimple-kapadia/if-the-audience-likes-your-work-if-they-like-you-they-don-t-think/) [Dimple Kapadia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dimple-kapadia/) > [It's those moments, those odd moments that you look for and sometimes by creating this kind of loose atmosphere you find those little moments…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-levinson/it-s-those-moments-those-odd-moments-that-you-look-for-and-sometimes/) [Barry Levinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-levinson/) > [I can skate beautifully. While performing on ice I always try to please the audience and to win as well. Being artistic is very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evgeni-plushenko/i-can-skate-beautifully-while-performing-on-ice-i-always-try-to/) [Evgeni Plushenko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evgeni-plushenko/) > [One of the best moments of any Liars show is hearing the crowd squawk 'We're doomed! We're doomed!' on cue during 'We Fenced Other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-sheffield/one-of-the-best-moments-of-any-liars-show-is-hearing-the-crowd-squawk/) [Rob Sheffield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-sheffield/) > [It's the adrenaline rush you only get from being in front of an audience. It's addictive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raphael-saadiq/it-s-the-adrenaline-rush-you-only-get-from-being-in-front-of-an/) [Raphael Saadiq](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raphael-saadiq/) > [If I had to speak in front of a Korean audience, I would be hard pressed to sound other than a little girl.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/an-na/if-i-had-to-speak-in-front-of-a-korean-audience-i-would-be-hard/) [An Na](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/an-na/) > [The liveness of theater, and the excitement of experiencing it alongside an audience, is something you can't get at home. That makes the theater…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-blaemire/the-liveness-of-theater-and-the-excitement-of-experiencing-it/) [Nick Blaemire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-blaemire/) > [One of the things that touches me most when I play for an audience is that although we may be unable to communicate in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-hough/one-of-the-things-that-touches-me-most-when-i-play-for-an-audience-is/) [Stephen Hough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-hough/) > [I have to feel the audience. I enjoy that feeling of community.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-gahan/i-have-to-feel-the-audience-i-enjoy-that-feeling-of-community/) [Dave Gahan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-gahan/) > [When you lived it for years and years and years and seen different characters just get pummeled and squashed because 'I said so,' it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arn-anderson/when-you-lived-it-for-years-and-years-and-years-and-seen-different/) [Arn Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arn-anderson/) > [“During the first few minutes of your presentation, your job is to assure the audience members that you are not going to waste their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dale-ludwig-and-greg-owen-boger/during-the-first-few-minutes-of-your-presentation-your-job-is-to/) [Dale Ludwig and Greg Owen-Boger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dale-ludwig-and-greg-owen-boger/) > [Donald Trump is a different ball of wax. I've been trying to say for I don't know how many months now that the traditional…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/donald-trump-is-a-different-ball-of-wax-i-ve-been-trying-to-say-for-i/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [I don't think about who the audience is for my books.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-k-rowling-2/i-don-t-think-about-who-the-audience-is-for-my-books/) [J. K. Rowling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-k-rowling-2/) > [I feel I have been playing all primary characters. And if your character forms a connect with the audience, it doesn't matter if you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angad-bedi/i-feel-i-have-been-playing-all-primary-characters-and-if-your/) [Angad Bedi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angad-bedi/) > [When I was playing piano, it was like, 'I'm going to write a song using all the white keys.' My music director, who knew…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-tesh/when-i-was-playing-piano-it-was-like-i-m-going-to-write-a-song-using/) [John Tesh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-tesh/) [Browse all 9,118 Audience quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/audience/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Virtue is not photogenic, so I liked playing bad guys. 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