--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: There are always two sides to every…" description: "\"“There are always two sides to every story, Kelley. Something I learned playing Richard the Third and Macbeth: if you're playing the 'bad guy', you nev..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3d7/lesley-livingston-3307_bad-guy_there-are-always-two-sides-to-every-stor_2403361.jpg" --- # There are always two sides to every story, Kelley… ![“There are always two sides to every story, Kelley. Something I learned playing Richard the Third and Macbeth: if you're playing the 'bad guy', you never really think of yourself as bad. It's just that your motives are often...misunderstood by everyone else.” quote by Lesley Livingston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3d7/lesley-livingston-3307_bad-guy_there-are-always-two-sides-to-every-stor_2403361.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3d7/lesley-livingston-3307_bad-guy_there-are-always-two-sides-to-every-stor_2403361.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3d7/lesley-livingston-3307_bad-guy_there-are-always-two-sides-to-every-stor_2403361.jpg) > ““There are always two sides to every story, Kelley. Something I learned playing Richard the Third and Macbeth: if you're playing the 'bad guy', you never really think of yourself as bad. It's just that your motives are often...misunderstood by everyone else.”” [Lesley Livingston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lesley-livingston/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Playing antagonistic roles reveals that villainy is often a matter of perspective, not inherent evil. **In simple terms:** Bad guys are misunderstood, not necessarily evil. Key Takeaway Consider multiple viewpoints before judging. Themes perspective misunderstanding identity empathy Mood thoughtful empathetic Type literary psychological When to use this quote - reading - acting - conflict resolution - personal relationships Key Concepts narrative theory moral relativism Questions to Reflect On - What defines a 'bad' character? - How can we reconcile intent with impact? A Different Perspective Some actions are objectively harmful despite intent. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Bad guy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bad-guy/) [Macbeth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/macbeth/) [Two sides](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/two-sides/) [Two Sides To Every Story](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/two-sides-to-every-story/) ## Related quotes > [In drama we are taught to view both sides equally. With empathy. That's how you play 'Richard the Third.' 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It's going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alyxandra-harvey/r-elizabeth-breathed-for-what-rheumatism-retinue-richard-the-third/) [Alyxandra Harvey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alyxandra-harvey/) > [My husband, who's the greatest actor in the world, can do anything. Look at what he did in The Critic and Oedipus. In every…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vivien-leigh/my-husband-who-s-the-greatest-actor-in-the-world-can-do-anything-look/) [Vivien Leigh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vivien-leigh/) > [I think from a personal standpoint, maybe I appreciate a little more that there are two sides to every story, and the way that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dara-khosrowshahi/i-think-from-a-personal-standpoint-maybe-i-appreciate-a-little-more/) [Dara Khosrowshahi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dara-khosrowshahi/) > [Don't judge. There are two sides to every story. If you're not going to take the time to hear both, then you don't even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-moores/don-t-judge-there-are-two-sides-to-every-story-if-you-re-not-going-to/) [Sarah Moores](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-moores/) > [There are two sides to every story, but unfortunately one story can ruin too many!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-d/there-are-two-sides-to-every-story-but-unfortunately-one-story-can/) Michelle D > [“There are two sides to every story — especially if you’re a hypocrite.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-sonnenberg/there-are-two-sides-to-every-story-especially-if-you-re-a-hypocrite/) [Frank Sonnenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-sonnenberg/) > [“Remember, everyone has weaknesses, and there are at least two sides to every story. If you err in judgment, be sure you err on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/the-church-of-jesus-christ-of-latter-day-saints/remember-everyone-has-weaknesses-and-there-are-at-least-two-sides-to/) [The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/the-church-of-jesus-christ-of-latter-day-saints/) > [There are two sides to every story, and sometimes three, four, and five.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-cosby/there-are-two-sides-to-every-story-and-sometimes-three-four-and-five/) [Bill Cosby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-cosby/) > [“There are always two sides to every story, and it is generally wise, and safe, and charitable, to take the best; and yet there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-edwards/there-are-always-two-sides-to-every-story-and-it-is-generally-wise/) [Jonathan Edwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-edwards/) > [“There are two sides to every story, as if that explains and justifies everything! You know what I say when someone tells me that?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikki-sex/there-are-two-sides-to-every-story-as-if-that-explains-and-justifies/) [Nikki Sex](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikki-sex/) > [There are always two sides to every story :)](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/there-are-always-two-sides-to-every-story/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Just as there are two sides to every story, there are two sides to every person. One that we reveal to the world and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-thorne/just-as-there-are-two-sides-to-every-story-there-are-two-sides-to/) [Emily Thorne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-thorne/) ## More by Lesley Livingston > [“That doesn’'t happeneverytime you kiss someone, does it? ”" Maddox said to Chloe, gasping through the pain of his double injuries.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lesley-livingston/that-doesn-t-happeneverytime-you-kiss-someone-does-it-maddox-said-to/) [Lesley Livingston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lesley-livingston/) > [“But as I looked up at him, I saw genuine worry in his eyes. I realized he really had thought I was hurt. “Mael,”…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lesley-livingston/but-as-i-looked-up-at-him-i-saw-genuine-worry-in-his-eyes-i-realized/) [Lesley Livingston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lesley-livingston/) > [“Then she began to mutter to herself and gesture to the empty air. oh. Sonny sighed. Just another central park crazy.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lesley-livingston/then-she-began-to-mutter-to-herself-and-gesture-to-the-empty-air-oh/) [Lesley Livingston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lesley-livingston/) > [“I thought you said you dislocated Selene’'s shoulder!”" Sonny called to Cait, who’'d tumbled for safety into the black water behind the stern of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lesley-livingston/i-thought-you-said-you-dislocated-selene-s-shoulder-sonny-called-to/) [Lesley Livingston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lesley-livingston/) > [“She drew herself up and took in a breath, concentrating on her inflection so that she could indulge him in his game. Then she…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lesley-livingston/she-drew-herself-up-and-took-in-a-breath-concentrating-on-her/) [Lesley Livingston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lesley-livingston/) > [“Evil really needs to step up its game.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lesley-livingston/evil-really-needs-to-step-up-its-game/) [Lesley Livingston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lesley-livingston/) > [“What about the whiskey?" Jack said as they ran. "Won't it keep them out?" The Green Maidens don't drink anything but blood." Bob's disembodied…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lesley-livingston/what-about-the-whiskey-jack-said-as-they-ran-won-t-it-keep-them-out/) [Lesley Livingston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lesley-livingston/) > [“Sonny pulled Lucky up short and swung around to face Fennrys. "I'm not afraid to die. I just don't want to die surprised. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lesley-livingston/sonny-pulled-lucky-up-short-and-swung-around-to-face-fennrys-i-m-not/) [Lesley Livingston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lesley-livingston/) > [“You are what you are, no matter what you once were.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lesley-livingston/you-are-what-you-are-no-matter-what-you-once-were/) [Lesley Livingston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lesley-livingston/) > [“I would be the master of my own fate. Me and the goddess Morrigan. No one else—and certainly no man.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lesley-livingston/i-would-be-the-master-of-my-own-fate-me-and-the-goddess-morrigan-no/) [Lesley Livingston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lesley-livingston/) > [“Some things you just have to take on faith and believe in at the risk of getting hurt. It's one of the things that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lesley-livingston/some-things-you-just-have-to-take-on-faith-and-believe-in-at-the-risk/) [Lesley Livingston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lesley-livingston/) > [“But then my attention was ripped away from him as, with another blast of the war horn, she appeared: the Lady Achillea, lit by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lesley-livingston/but-then-my-attention-was-ripped-away-from-him-as-with-another-blast/) [Lesley Livingston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lesley-livingston/) > [“As the sun sank over the far purple hills, I imagined how he would welcome me into his war band with silver words praising…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lesley-livingston/as-the-sun-sank-over-the-far-purple-hills-i-imagined-how-he-would/) [Lesley Livingston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lesley-livingston/) > [“Well then, what’s the problem?” “It’s not honorable!” “Oh.” Elka snorted. “Is that all?” “All?” I gaped at her. “It’s everything!” She rolled her…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lesley-livingston/well-then-what-s-the-problem-it-s-not-honorable-oh-elka-snorted-is/) [Lesley Livingston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lesley-livingston/) > [“He looked taken aback, but I didn’t care if I’d offended him. I was about to be sold. And if it amused this pampered…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lesley-livingston/he-looked-taken-aback-but-i-didn-t-care-if-i-d-offended-him-i-was/) [Lesley Livingston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lesley-livingston/) [Explore all 130 Lesley Livingston quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lesley-livingston/) ## More Bad guy quotes > [“This is what is called "honor among thieves," for the really dangerous people are those who do not recognize that they are thieves— the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-w-watts/this-is-what-is-called-honor-among-thieves-for-the-really-dangerous/) [Alan W. Watts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-w-watts/) > [It's easy to say, let's go in and get the bad guys. But you have a divided country of Sunnis and Shias. 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'In America we give them corporate bonuses.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-robotham/here-you-can-shoot-the-bad-guys-a-mercenary-says-in-baghdad-in/) [Michael Robotham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-robotham/) > [To us, being the bad guys is cool, because we always root for the bad guys in the movies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-hanneman/to-us-being-the-bad-guys-is-cool-because-we-always-root-for-the-bad/) [Jeff Hanneman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-hanneman/) > [In 'Gran Torino,' Eastwood moves towards the climax of the movie not by staging a shoot-out, but by putting his weapons to one side…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-korda/in-gran-torino-eastwood-moves-towards-the-climax-of-the-movie-not-by/) [Michael Korda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-korda/) > [In order to have your best good guy, you have to be that bad guy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-flair/in-order-to-have-your-best-good-guy-you-have-to-be-that-bad-guy/) [Charlotte Flair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-flair/) > [After I did 'Brooklyn,' I did about five or six violent films in one way or another, and not always with me being the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emory-cohen/after-i-did-brooklyn-i-did-about-five-or-six-violent-films-in-one-way/) [Emory Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emory-cohen/) > [The first act is the easiest to plot. 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