--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: There's an infantilization that happens…" description: "\"There's an infantilization that happens to actresses in general - musical theatre, straight theatre, television, film - we're spoken to like children. ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ada/laura-benanti-7592_actors_there-s-an-infantilization-that-happens_2754854.jpg" --- # There's an infantilization that happens to actresses in… ![“There's an infantilization that happens to actresses in general - musical theatre, straight theatre, television, film - we're spoken to like children. Actors are spoken to like children a lot of the time.” quote by Laura Benanti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ada/laura-benanti-7592_actors_there-s-an-infantilization-that-happens_2754854.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ada/laura-benanti-7592_actors_there-s-an-infantilization-that-happens_2754854.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ada/laura-benanti-7592_actors_there-s-an-infantilization-that-happens_2754854.jpg) > “There's an infantilization that happens to actresses in general - musical theatre, straight theatre, television, film - we're spoken to like children. Actors are spoken to like children a lot of the time.” [Laura Benanti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-benanti/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Actresses often face infantilizing treatment, being spoken to as children across performance mediums. **In simple terms:** Actresses are treated like kids. Key Takeaway Demand respectful communication. Themes gender bias professional respect industry culture Mood critical thoughtful Type industry social When to use this quote - theatre rehearsals - film sets - media interviews Key Concepts power dynamics voice representation Questions to Reflect On - How does this affect artistic confidence? - What changes can empower actresses? A Different Perspective Some may argue it’s protective, not demeaning. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Actors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actors/) [Actresses](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actresses/) [Children](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children/) [Film](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/film/) [Musical theatre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/musical-theatre/) [Television](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/television/) [Theatre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/theatre/) ## Related quotes > [But I think the children of actors share a certain pragmatic approach. One is denied some of that 'running away with the circus' element…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toby-jones/but-i-think-the-children-of-actors-share-a-certain-pragmatic-approach/) [Toby Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toby-jones/) > [I never hoped that both my children would become actors. I expected them to do something else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-deneuve/i-never-hoped-that-both-my-children-would-become-actors-i-expected/) [Catherine Deneuve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-deneuve/) > [I feel like people used to leave their homes and go to their local theatre, and they used to watch ballet dancers and musical…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-benanti/i-feel-like-people-used-to-leave-their-homes-and-go-to-their-local/) [Laura Benanti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-benanti/) > [I do think that there is an almost more old fashioned mentality to the way musical theatre people and actresses especially are treated.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-benanti/i-do-think-that-there-is-an-almost-more-old-fashioned-mentality-to/) [Laura Benanti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-benanti/) > [I think there's that weird bastardization where musical theatre actors are treated as almost like vaudevillians or circus performers - that we're somehow not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-benanti/i-think-there-s-that-weird-bastardization-where-musical-theatre/) [Laura Benanti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-benanti/) > [I was a little girl who grew up idolizing musical-theatre stars.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-benanti/i-was-a-little-girl-who-grew-up-idolizing-musical-theatre-stars/) [Laura Benanti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-benanti/) > [Musical theatre is my first love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-benanti/musical-theatre-is-my-first-love/) [Laura Benanti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-benanti/) > [I've never fancied that footballer lifestyle. I suppose I could live that kind of flash life. People stereotype child actors and kind of expect…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rupert-grint/i-ve-never-fancied-that-footballer-lifestyle-i-suppose-i-could-live/) [Rupert Grint](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rupert-grint/) > [I had great parents, and they trained me well and instilled great values in me. They also taught me common sense about money and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-osmond/i-had-great-parents-and-they-trained-me-well-and-instilled-great/) [Ken Osmond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-osmond/) > [I didn't realise my upbringing was unusual until my teens. As the child of two actors, I presumed that visiting film sets and being…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emilia-fox/i-didn-t-realise-my-upbringing-was-unusual-until-my-teens-as-the/) [Emilia Fox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emilia-fox/) > [Most aspiring child actors or child stars have a passion for it. But as easy as it is for me to say that I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-cannon/most-aspiring-child-actors-or-child-stars-have-a-passion-for-it-but/) [Nick Cannon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-cannon/) > [I feel like fame can get into people's head, and you always hear that child actors are doing this, or parents are making their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marsai-martin/i-feel-like-fame-can-get-into-people-s-head-and-you-always-hear-that/) [Marsai Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marsai-martin/) > [I was never really a child actor. I was working sporadically in indie films in Pennsylvania, but I was still living at home.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-mcdermott/i-was-never-really-a-child-actor-i-was-working-sporadically-in-indie/) Charlie McDermott > [Child actors going on to become adult actors never really works, apart from a few. Jodie Foster was the exception.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-lester/child-actors-going-on-to-become-adult-actors-never-really-works-apart/) Mark Lester > [People often say that you should never work with child actors. I think that's all wrong. Children have not had the imagination kicked out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicolas-cage/people-often-say-that-you-should-never-work-with-child-actors-i-think/) [Nicolas Cage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicolas-cage/) ## More by Laura Benanti > [I think that people are most comfortable when they can put you in a box - and that's very easy to do that when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-benanti/i-think-that-people-are-most-comfortable-when-they-can-put-you-in-a/) [Laura Benanti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-benanti/) > [That's all TV acting is. Like, let me find my mark and seem like I'm still acting. Sometimes they'll put sandbags there, but then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-benanti/that-s-all-tv-acting-is-like-let-me-find-my-mark-and-seem-like-i-m/) [Laura Benanti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-benanti/) > [I've met a lot of famous people that I just thought were so unbelievable. For me, meeting Julie Andrews was probably the highlight of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-benanti/i-ve-met-a-lot-of-famous-people-that-i-just-thought-were-so/) [Laura Benanti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-benanti/) > [I think we've become a TV culture, where we forget the live performer in front of us can see us. I think there is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-benanti/i-think-we-ve-become-a-tv-culture-where-we-forget-the-live-performer/) [Laura Benanti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-benanti/) > [I am not so secretly a comedian. I write a lot of my own material if you've seen videos I've done. I write jokes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-benanti/i-am-not-so-secretly-a-comedian-i-write-a-lot-of-my-own-material-if/) [Laura Benanti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-benanti/) > [I learned to stop saying yes because I then have to back out. I've been trying to prioritize my health.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-benanti/i-learned-to-stop-saying-yes-because-i-then-have-to-back-out-i-ve/) [Laura Benanti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-benanti/) > [When I was 5 years old, I was coming up the stairs, and I saw my mom standing there, singing 'A Quiet Thing' a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-benanti/when-i-was-5-years-old-i-was-coming-up-the-stairs-and-i-saw-my-mom/) [Laura Benanti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-benanti/) > [I really do love the Muppets. My sister used to call them the Muffets. She'd be like, "Can we watch the Muffets?" So anything…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-benanti/i-really-do-love-the-muppets-my-sister-used-to-call-them-the-muffets/) [Laura Benanti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-benanti/) > [There were TVs everywhere. When we weren't on stage, we were watching what America was watching and rooting for each other and our leading…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-benanti/there-were-tvs-everywhere-when-we-weren-t-on-stage-we-were-watching/) [Laura Benanti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-benanti/) > [Usually, in musical theater, if you sing operatically or if you sing in a legit style, you're the heart of the show. You maybe…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-benanti/usually-in-musical-theater-if-you-sing-operatically-or-if-you-sing-in/) [Laura Benanti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-benanti/) > [I was always a little adult. Even as a little kid, I just couldn't understand why I was surrounded by all these kids. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-benanti/i-was-always-a-little-adult-even-as-a-little-kid-i-just-couldn-t/) [Laura Benanti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-benanti/) > [I think being young in a grownup world, I think it stunted me a little bit. I had to grow up too fast on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-benanti/i-think-being-young-in-a-grownup-world-i-think-it-stunted-me-a-little/) [Laura Benanti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-benanti/) > [I find human behavior to be fascinating, which is probably why I'm an actor, and I think that there are a lot of dangerous…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-benanti/i-find-human-behavior-to-be-fascinating-which-is-probably-why-i-m-an/) [Laura Benanti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-benanti/) > [I'm 35 but because I've been acting professionally playing women since I was eighteen years old - I never played a teenager - people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-benanti/i-m-35-but-because-i-ve-been-acting-professionally-playing-women/) [Laura Benanti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-benanti/) > [That was my intention, was to have it be from the perspective of my high-school-aged self, and to try and emulate the music that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-benanti/that-was-my-intention-was-to-have-it-be-from-the-perspective-of-my/) [Laura Benanti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-benanti/) [Explore all 89 Laura Benanti quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-benanti/) ## More Actors quotes > [Women still, when they have breast cancer, go to work; they still lead their lives. They have to. I just did what I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/monica-potter/women-still-when-they-have-breast-cancer-go-to-work-they-still-lead/) [Monica Potter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/monica-potter/) > [I'm trying to write a film with my friend. I'd love to get the thrill of speaking actors making my work even funnier.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-howard/i-m-trying-to-write-a-film-with-my-friend-i-d-love-to-get-the-thrill/) [Russell Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-howard/) > [A lesser complaint: hair extensions. There are moments on 'All My Children' when half the women actors, young and old, seem to be afflicted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/camille-paglia/a-lesser-complaint-hair-extensions-there-are-moments-on-all-my/) [Camille Paglia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/camille-paglia/) > [I'm very used to working with first time actors - you can just look back at 'E.T.' with Drew Barrymore, and Christian Bale from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-spielberg/i-m-very-used-to-working-with-first-time-actors-you-can-just-look/) [Steven Spielberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-spielberg/) > [Forget the credit, they (male actors) take all the money as well. We don't get paid even one-third of what male actors get. It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kangana-ranaut/forget-the-credit-they-male-actors-take-all-the-money-as-well-we-don/) [Kangana Ranaut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kangana-ranaut/) > [I love film people and actors and I am in the right world because I am one of those people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ewan-mcgregor/i-love-film-people-and-actors-and-i-am-in-the-right-world-because-i/) [Ewan McGregor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ewan-mcgregor/) > [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/) > [What we're supposed to do as actors is be able to portray real human beings and emotions. And if you grow up in this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-browning/what-we-re-supposed-to-do-as-actors-is-be-able-to-portray-real-human/) [Emily Browning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-browning/) > [When we watch a film as actors, you have to understand that we always see much more than what's on screen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kunal-khemu/when-we-watch-a-film-as-actors-you-have-to-understand-that-we-always/) [Kunal Khemu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kunal-khemu/) > [As actors, you become an expert at starting over.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lupita-nyong-o/as-actors-you-become-an-expert-at-starting-over/) [Lupita Nyong'o](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lupita-nyong-o/) > [The whole concept of stage fright is fascinating. Actors get stage fright, but they wouldn't be on the stage in the first place if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-greene/the-whole-concept-of-stage-fright-is-fascinating-actors-get-stage/) [Robert Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-greene/) > [No actor wants to choose - they just want all of the options available to them all the time; we tend to be pretty…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gillian-jacobs/no-actor-wants-to-choose-they-just-want-all-of-the-options-available/) [Gillian Jacobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gillian-jacobs/) > [A rapper is about being completely true to yourself. Being an actor is about changing who you are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-smith/a-rapper-is-about-being-completely-true-to-yourself-being-an-actor-is/) [Will Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-smith/) > [I've been a professional actor for almost 40 years.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-perlman/i-ve-been-a-professional-actor-for-almost-40-years/) [Ron Perlman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-perlman/) > [American actors are coy. We all have pricks and cunts, or are you different from the rest of us?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-greenaway/american-actors-are-coy-we-all-have-pricks-and-cunts-or-are-you/) [Peter Greenaway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-greenaway/) [Browse all 11,394 Actors quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actors/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "There's an infantilization that happens to actresses in general - musical theatre, straight theatre, television, film - we're spoken to like children. 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