--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When you talk about a great actor, you're…" description: "\"When you talk about a great actor, you're not talking about Tom Cruise. His whole behavior is so shocking.\" — Lauren Bacall" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/184/lauren-bacall-2297_acting_when-you-talk-about-a-great-actor-you-re_1055930.png" --- # When you talk about a great actor, you're not talking… ![“When you talk about a great actor, you're not talking about Tom Cruise. His whole behavior is so shocking.” quote by Lauren Bacall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/184/lauren-bacall-2297_acting_when-you-talk-about-a-great-actor-you-re_1055930.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/184/lauren-bacall-2297_acting_when-you-talk-about-a-great-actor-you-re_1055930.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/184/lauren-bacall-2297_acting_when-you-talk-about-a-great-actor-you-re_1055930.png) > “When you talk about a great actor, you're not talking about Tom Cruise. His whole behavior is so shocking.” [Lauren Bacall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-bacall/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Tom Cruise’s behavior is shocking, so he doesn’t exemplify great acting. **In simple terms:** Criticizes Cruise’s conduct. Key Takeaway Judge actors by talent, not scandal. Themes celebrity behavior acting standards Mood critical analytical Type critical observational When to use this quote - film criticism - award ceremonies - public relations - fan discussions Key Concepts media studies ethics Questions to Reflect On - How should personal conduct affect artistic appraisal? - Can talent outweigh controversy? A Different Perspective Public personas can be complex. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Acting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/acting/) [Actor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actor/) [Actors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actors/) [Cruise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cruise/) [Great actors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/great-actors/) [Habits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/habits/) [Movie actors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/movie-actors/) [Not talking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/not-talking/) [Private life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/private-life/) ## Related quotes > [When you talk about a great actor, you're not talking about Tom Cruise. His whole behavior is so shocking. It's inappropriate and vulgar and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-bacall/when-you-talk-about-a-great-actor-you-re-not-talking-about-tom-cruise/) [Lauren Bacall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-bacall/) > [When you talk about a great actor, you're not talking about Tom Cruise.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-bacall/when-you-talk-about-a-great-actor-you-re-not-talking-about-tom-cruise-3/) [Lauren Bacall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-bacall/) > [I feel the need... the need for speed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-cruise/i-feel-the-need-the-need-for-speed/) [Tom Cruise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-cruise/) > [I'm a big fan of James Garner. That was the other thing. When I heard that I'd get to play his younger years, (I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/drew-waters/i-m-a-big-fan-of-james-garner-that-was-the-other-thing-when-i-heard/) [Drew Waters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/drew-waters/) > [I think part of what makes someone a great actor is being able to walk into a situation emotionally available and open, and have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katie-aselton/i-think-part-of-what-makes-someone-a-great-actor-is-being-able-to/) [Katie Aselton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katie-aselton/) > [When they say I'm a great actor, I close my ears because it's not good for you to think that way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-nicholson/when-they-say-i-m-a-great-actor-i-close-my-ears-because-it-s-not-good/) [Jack Nicholson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-nicholson/) > [ Bill \[Condon\] is such a great actor's director. He cares about what you're thinking. And, he's very open. Even though he was pressed for… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kellan-lutz/bill-condon-is-such-a-great-actor-s-director-he-cares-about-what-you/) [Kellan Lutz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kellan-lutz/) > [Robert DeNiro, who may be the greatest living actor, usually acts in a way which is very stone-faced, like Steve McQueen. For example, Steve…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-hazanavicius/robert-deniro-who-may-be-the-greatest-living-actor-usually-acts-in-a/) [Michel Hazanavicius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-hazanavicius/) > [The great thing about Eminem is, he's just hysterical. You forget, people like Eminem because he is riotously funny. And he's a great actor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judd-apatow/the-great-thing-about-eminem-is-he-s-just-hysterical-you-forget/) [Judd Apatow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judd-apatow/) > [I'm happiest when I'm acting, and I've dedicated my life to it. Still, as much as I love acting, at the end of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-ealy/i-m-happiest-when-i-m-acting-and-i-ve-dedicated-my-life-to-it-still/) [Michael Ealy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-ealy/) > [You never know where you're going to find a great actor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lenny-kravitz/you-never-know-where-you-re-going-to-find-a-great-actor/) [Lenny Kravitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lenny-kravitz/) > [What I hope in my ideal world is that with each project, I'll either get to work with a really great script that would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-linney/what-i-hope-in-my-ideal-world-is-that-with-each-project-i-ll-either/) [Laura Linney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-linney/) > [Bob Duvall is a great actor because each time out, he creates a whole, complete character. You have the feeling that you're not seeing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-burstyn/bob-duvall-is-a-great-actor-because-each-time-out-he-creates-a-whole/) [Ellen Burstyn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-burstyn/) > [I watched a film with a very famous, great, great actor, I won't mention his name because everyone loves his memory, but I thought,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-hopkins/i-watched-a-film-with-a-very-famous-great-great-actor-i-won-t-mention/) [Anthony Hopkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-hopkins/) > [ I'm a big fan of \[Frank\] Sinatra, he was the best at what he did. The last thing I do is model my career… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-connick-jr/i-m-a-big-fan-of-frank-sinatra-he-was-the-best-at-what-he-did-the/) [Harry Connick, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-connick-jr/) ## More by Lauren Bacall > [No, I don't like legend. I mean, I don't like the category. And to begin with, to me, a legend is something that is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-bacall/no-i-don-t-like-legend-i-mean-i-don-t-like-the-category-and-to-begin/) [Lauren Bacall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-bacall/) > [Losing Bogey was horrible, obviously. Because he was young. And because he gave me my life. I wouldn't have had a - I don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-bacall/losing-bogey-was-horrible-obviously-because-he-was-young-and-because/) [Lauren Bacall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-bacall/) > [Very few people want to hear the truth. Bogie was like that, my mother was like that, and I'm like that. I believe in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-bacall/very-few-people-want-to-hear-the-truth-bogie-was-like-that-my-mother/) [Lauren Bacall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-bacall/) > [I don't consider myself a great actress. I'm just trying to stay alive, actually. I think I'm good, and I've learned a lot, certainly,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-bacall/i-don-t-consider-myself-a-great-actress-i-m-just-trying-to-stay-alive/) [Lauren Bacall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-bacall/) > [I wasn't brought up as a society girl to go to balls and be a debutante and marry the social set and money and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-bacall/i-wasn-t-brought-up-as-a-society-girl-to-go-to-balls-and-be-a/) [Lauren Bacall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-bacall/) > [He named me. He liked the sound of it. And I said, well, all right. I felt a little odd about it. I don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-bacall/he-named-me-he-liked-the-sound-of-it-and-i-said-well-all-right-i-felt/) [Lauren Bacall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-bacall/) > [I like to work with really good professional people - anyone with real talent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-bacall/i-like-to-work-with-really-good-professional-people-anyone-with-real/) [Lauren Bacall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-bacall/) > [Film is not a woman's medium. If you weren't the hottest kid in town, men stayed away from you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-bacall/film-is-not-a-woman-s-medium-if-you-weren-t-the-hottest-kid-in-town/) [Lauren Bacall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-bacall/) > [Imagination is the highest kite one can fly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-bacall/imagination-is-the-highest-kite-one-can-fly/) [Lauren Bacall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-bacall/) > [I finally felt that I came into my own when I went on the stage.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-bacall/i-finally-felt-that-i-came-into-my-own-when-i-went-on-the-stage/) [Lauren Bacall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-bacall/) > [It's inappropriate and vulgar and absolutely unacceptable to use your private life to sell anything commercially, but I think it's kind of a sickness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-bacall/it-s-inappropriate-and-vulgar-and-absolutely-unacceptable-to-use-your/) [Lauren Bacall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-bacall/) > [I suppose there are times when I can't believe that I've lived the way that I have and done the things that I've done.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-bacall/i-suppose-there-are-times-when-i-can-t-believe-that-i-ve-lived-the/) [Lauren Bacall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-bacall/) > [I have made mistakes in the past and been in movies that really weren't good, and that I needed the money at the time,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-bacall/i-have-made-mistakes-in-the-past-and-been-in-movies-that-really-weren/) [Lauren Bacall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-bacall/) > [ Everything in this country \[the US\] has got to be good looks and unlined faces and thin bodies and people running around in skirts… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-bacall/everything-in-this-country-the-us-has-got-to-be-good-looks-and/) [Lauren Bacall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-bacall/) > [In actual fact, I've never been one, even from childhood, to kind of analyze myself very much.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-bacall/in-actual-fact-i-ve-never-been-one-even-from-childhood-to-kind-of/) [Lauren Bacall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-bacall/) [Explore all 173 Lauren Bacall quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-bacall/) ## 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. 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": "When you talk about a great actor, you're not talking about Tom Cruise. His whole behavior is so shocking.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Lauren Bacall" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-bacall/when-you-talk-about-a-great-actor-you-re-not-talking-about-tom-cruise-2/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Acting" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-bacall/when-you-talk-about-a-great-actor-you-re-not-talking-about-tom-cruise-2/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/184/lauren-bacall-2297_acting_when-you-talk-about-a-great-actor-you-re_1055930.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/184/lauren-bacall-2297_acting_when-you-talk-about-a-great-actor-you-re_1055930.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/184/lauren-bacall-2297_acting_when-you-talk-about-a-great-actor-you-re_1055930.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“When you talk about a great actor, you're not talking about Tom Cruise. His whole behavior is so shocking.” — Lauren Bacall", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Lauren Bacall", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-bacall/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "When you talk about a great...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-bacall/when-you-talk-about-a-great-actor-you-re-not-talking-about-tom-cruise-2/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-bacall/when-you-talk-about-a-great-actor-you-re-not-talking-about-tom-cruise-2/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```