--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: For me, what really excites me about my…" description: "\"For me, what really excites me about my characters and what pushes their core is the kind of dark, sad side of life.\" — Lauren Lapkus" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7c5/lauren-lapkus-15283_dark_for-me-what-really-excites-me-about-my-c_1569333.jpg" --- # For me, what really excites me about my characters and… ![“For me, what really excites me about my characters and what pushes their core is the kind of dark, sad side of life.” quote by Lauren Lapkus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7c5/lauren-lapkus-15283_dark_for-me-what-really-excites-me-about-my-c_1569333.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7c5/lauren-lapkus-15283_dark_for-me-what-really-excites-me-about-my-c_1569333.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7c5/lauren-lapkus-15283_dark_for-me-what-really-excites-me-about-my-c_1569333.jpg) > “For me, what really excites me about my characters and what pushes their core is the kind of dark, sad side of life.” [Lauren Lapkus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-lapkus/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A writer is drawn to characters by their deep, painful experiences, which drive their motivations and growth. **In simple terms:** Dark experiences fuel character drive. Key Takeaway Embrace complexity in character creation. Themes character development emotion conflict storytelling psychology Mood introspective melancholic Type creative analytical When to use this quote - writing workshops - novel drafting - screenplay brainstorming - character analysis Key Concepts human nature suffering resilience Questions to Reflect On - How does suffering shape a character's choices? - Can lightness coexist with darkness? A Different Perspective Overemphasis on darkness may alienate audiences. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character/) [Dark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dark/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Sad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sad/) [Sad life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sad-life/) ## Related quotes > [Vienna is cold, and dark, and sad. It is laid out as though for a royal parade; the streets are wide and they're flanked…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/quentin-crisp/vienna-is-cold-and-dark-and-sad-it-is-laid-out-as-though-for-a-royal/) [Quentin Crisp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/quentin-crisp/) > [“Dalhia,” he says, his tone is as dark and sad as the place I have lived for the past two years before meeting him.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-karr/dalhia-he-says-his-tone-is-as-dark-and-sad-as-the-place-i-have-lived/) [Kim Karr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-karr/) > [It's fun to tackle, but it's also very dark and sad at times, especially with the research I did and reading these stories about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-paul/it-s-fun-to-tackle-but-it-s-also-very-dark-and-sad-at-times/) [Aaron Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-paul/) > [Its cold.. dark.. a sad day.. again.. I need joy.. something happy in my life.. someone full of joy!.. enough with the lonelyness.. my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lakeisha-hays/its-cold-dark-a-sad-day-again-i-need-joy-something-happy-in-my-life/) Lakeisha Hays > [We're just kind of dark as humans, generally.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-root/we-re-just-kind-of-dark-as-humans-generally/) [Jim Root](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-root/) > [New Orleans is kind of dark in a very beautiful way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/new-orleans-is-kind-of-dark-in-a-very-beautiful-way/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [To me, 'Ironman' was kind of dark for me. I wasn't looking for it to be that dark like that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ghostface-killah/to-me-ironman-was-kind-of-dark-for-me-i-wasn-t-looking-for-it-to-be/) [Ghostface Killah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ghostface-killah/) > [This group had a kind of dark glamour within the castle. They were a motley collection; a mixture of the weak seeking protection, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/this-group-had-a-kind-of-dark-glamour-within-the-castle-they-were-a/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [It's funny, because I have periods where I just kind of go dark. I don't tweet, I don't talk, I don't interview, and then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lance-armstrong/it-s-funny-because-i-have-periods-where-i-just-kind-of-go-dark-i-don/) [Lance Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lance-armstrong/) > [I'm not one of those actors who wants to live in some kind of dark character and wants to live in the darkness so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-pasquale/i-m-not-one-of-those-actors-who-wants-to-live-in-some-kind-of-dark/) [Steven Pasquale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-pasquale/) > [And then it was the kind of dark your eyes never adjust to.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/and-then-it-was-the-kind-of-dark-your-eyes-never-adjust-to/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [I was kind of a dark kid. I loved Halloween, and I loved vampires and the black and white old monster movies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-manganiello/i-was-kind-of-a-dark-kid-i-loved-halloween-and-i-loved-vampires-and/) [Joe Manganiello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-manganiello/) > [We live in a kind of dark age, craftily lit with synthetic light, so that no one can tell how dark it has really…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-prechtel/we-live-in-a-kind-of-dark-age-craftily-lit-with-synthetic-light-so/) [Martin Prechtel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-prechtel/) > [A penis has a sad life: His hair's a mess, his family is nuts, his neighbor's an asshole, his bestfriend's a pussy, & his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/myself/a-penis-has-a-sad-life-his-hair-s-a-mess-his-family-is-nuts-his/) Myself > [This is my fish Ariel... she died last dec 27... twas so sad but, life must go on...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mharwhyn/this-is-my-fish-ariel-she-died-last-dec-27-twas-so-sad-but-life-must/) Mharwhyn ## More by Lauren Lapkus > [That's what's so great, I get to play any character in the world. And I think that's one of the things that makes doing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-lapkus/that-s-what-s-so-great-i-get-to-play-any-character-in-the-world-and-i/) [Lauren Lapkus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-lapkus/) > [The connective tissue between storytelling, advice, and comedy is passion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-lapkus/the-connective-tissue-between-storytelling-advice-and-comedy-is/) [Lauren Lapkus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-lapkus/) > [The secret to podcast success is sticking with it and making it fun for yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-lapkus/the-secret-to-podcast-success-is-sticking-with-it-and-making-it-fun/) [Lauren Lapkus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-lapkus/) > [Improv changed my life in the best way. I gained so much confidence and really learned how to use my sense of humor to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-lapkus/improv-changed-my-life-in-the-best-way-i-gained-so-much-confidence/) [Lauren Lapkus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-lapkus/) > [I'm really thankful for my improv background.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-lapkus/i-m-really-thankful-for-my-improv-background/) [Lauren Lapkus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-lapkus/) > [Doing 'Comedy Bang! Bang!,' you have to play at the top of your abilities, so it is so fun to get that opportunity. I've…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-lapkus/doing-comedy-bang-bang-you-have-to-play-at-the-top-of-your-abilities/) [Lauren Lapkus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-lapkus/) > [Society is really coming to a point where they're not asking if women can be funny anymore. We all know they obviously are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-lapkus/society-is-really-coming-to-a-point-where-they-re-not-asking-if-women/) [Lauren Lapkus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-lapkus/) > [I had a teacher who recommended I take improv classes in Chicago - I'm from Evanston, Illinois - so I did improv classes at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-lapkus/i-had-a-teacher-who-recommended-i-take-improv-classes-in-chicago-i-m/) [Lauren Lapkus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-lapkus/) > [I love watching people tell stories, because it's very vulnerable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-lapkus/i-love-watching-people-tell-stories-because-it-s-very-vulnerable/) [Lauren Lapkus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-lapkus/) > [So many of my characters have really crazy physicalities, so it's really fun to be able to say, like, 'I'm an elf who's the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-lapkus/so-many-of-my-characters-have-really-crazy-physicalities-so-it-s/) [Lauren Lapkus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-lapkus/) > [I had always done broader characters, but going to UCB and speaking to my own voice was important for auditioning for TV and film.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-lapkus/i-had-always-done-broader-characters-but-going-to-ucb-and-speaking-to/) [Lauren Lapkus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-lapkus/) > [I think that by doing the podcast, I've grown to actually enjoy hosting a little more and realize that my role is a bit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-lapkus/i-think-that-by-doing-the-podcast-i-ve-grown-to-actually-enjoy/) [Lauren Lapkus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-lapkus/) > [Comedy is my first love; that's my main goal in life - to keep doing comedy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-lapkus/comedy-is-my-first-love-that-s-my-main-goal-in-life-to-keep-doing/) [Lauren Lapkus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-lapkus/) > [I believe that each person can make a difference, but it's so slight that there's basically no point.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-lapkus/i-believe-that-each-person-can-make-a-difference-but-it-s-so-slight/) [Lauren Lapkus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-lapkus/) > [I think I was always a class clown growing up and a funny kid. I never really knew how to channel that until I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-lapkus/i-think-i-was-always-a-class-clown-growing-up-and-a-funny-kid-i-never/) [Lauren Lapkus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-lapkus/) [Explore all 43 Lauren Lapkus quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-lapkus/) ## More Character quotes > [This may sound strange, but although I feel like I know everything about my characters, the brand of shampoo they use, how many cavities…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gail-honeyman/this-may-sound-strange-but-although-i-feel-like-i-know-everything/) [Gail Honeyman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gail-honeyman/) > [I always like a character who makes me laugh.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachael-stirling/i-always-like-a-character-who-makes-me-laugh/) [Rachael Stirling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachael-stirling/) > [Social responsibility above the level of family, or at most of tribe, requires imagination-- devotion, loyalty, all the higher virtues -- which a man…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-heinlein/social-responsibility-above-the-level-of-family-or-at-most-of-tribe/) [Robert A. Heinlein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-heinlein/) > [Reader, if you are gifted with nerves like mine, aspire to any character but that of a wit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-lamb/reader-if-you-are-gifted-with-nerves-like-mine-aspire-to-any/) [Charles Lamb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-lamb/) > [I'm often moved by the circumstances around some of my characters, but I don't think I've actually cried watching myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-winslet/i-m-often-moved-by-the-circumstances-around-some-of-my-characters-but/) [Kate Winslet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-winslet/) > [When you're on a daytime drama you get one page, you better damn well know your character. You better know what she would do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hudgins/when-you-re-on-a-daytime-drama-you-get-one-page-you-better-damn-well/) David Hudgins > [It can sometimes make people fold into themselves and kind of run away, but I think in this case these characters are being forced…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-deschanel/it-can-sometimes-make-people-fold-into-themselves-and-kind-of-run/) [Emily Deschanel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-deschanel/) > [If you are well-mannered towards those whose views are similar to yours, you may be said to exhibit a fairly good character. But, if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-you-are-well-mannered-towards-those-whose-views-are-similar-to/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Democracy is based on the conviction that man has the moral and intellectual capacity, as well as the inalienable right, to govern himself with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-s-truman/democracy-is-based-on-the-conviction-that-man-has-the-moral-and/) [Harry S. Truman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-s-truman/) > [In the fight between biology and morality, biology has commonly won in the end.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/semir-zeki/in-the-fight-between-biology-and-morality-biology-has-commonly-won-in/) [Semir Zeki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/semir-zeki/) > [Your looks don't make you pretty, it's the person inside who makes you pretty!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-chan/your-looks-don-t-make-you-pretty-it-s-the-person-inside-who-makes-you/) [Aaron Chan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-chan/) > [I'm not a huge social media kind of guy, so I don't really know, I don't really ever get... at least in real life,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/freddie-stroma/i-m-not-a-huge-social-media-kind-of-guy-so-i-don-t-really-know-i-don/) [Freddie Stroma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/freddie-stroma/) > [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/) > [Courage: the most important of all the virtues because without courage, you can't practice any other virtue consistently](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-angelou/courage-the-most-important-of-all-the-virtues-because-without-courage/) [Maya Angelou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-angelou/) > [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/) [Browse all 32,707 Character quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "For me, what really excites me about my characters and what pushes their core is the kind of dark, sad side of life.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Lauren Lapkus" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-lapkus/for-me-what-really-excites-me-about-my-characters-and-what-pushes/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Character" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-lapkus/for-me-what-really-excites-me-about-my-characters-and-what-pushes/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7c5/lauren-lapkus-15283_dark_for-me-what-really-excites-me-about-my-c_1569333.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7c5/lauren-lapkus-15283_dark_for-me-what-really-excites-me-about-my-c_1569333.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7c5/lauren-lapkus-15283_dark_for-me-what-really-excites-me-about-my-c_1569333.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“For me, what really excites me about my characters and what pushes their core is the kind of dark, sad side…” — Lauren Lapkus", "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 Lapkus", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-lapkus/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "For me, what really excites me...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-lapkus/for-me-what-really-excites-me-about-my-characters-and-what-pushes/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-lapkus/for-me-what-really-excites-me-about-my-characters-and-what-pushes/#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 } } ] } ```