--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I had to learn that a good actor, like an…" description: "\"I had to learn that a good actor, like an iceberg, reveals only a small part of his ability on the surface. You suggest; you don't serve on a platter. ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/165/lilli-palmer-55187_ability_i-had-to-learn-that-a-good-actor-like-an_1036407.jpg" --- # I had to learn that a good actor, like an iceberg, reveals… ![“I had to learn that a good actor, like an iceberg, reveals only a small part of his ability on the surface. You suggest; you don't serve on a platter. You hold back. You don't expose it all to view. That's the way to put the audience's imagination to work.” quote by Lilli Palmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/165/lilli-palmer-55187_ability_i-had-to-learn-that-a-good-actor-like-an_1036407.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/165/lilli-palmer-55187_ability_i-had-to-learn-that-a-good-actor-like-an_1036407.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/165/lilli-palmer-55187_ability_i-had-to-learn-that-a-good-actor-like-an_1036407.jpg) > “I had to learn that a good actor, like an iceberg, reveals only a small part of his ability on the surface. You suggest; you don't serve on a platter. You hold back. You don't expose it all to view. That's the way to put the audience's imagination to work.” [Lilli Palmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lilli-palmer/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Actors should reveal only hints, letting audiences imagine the rest. **In simple terms:** Leave room for imagination. Key Takeaway Use subtlety in performance. Themes theatre imagination subtlety audience engagement Mood creative intriguing Type educational inspirational When to use this quote - stage performance - film acting - creative direction Key Concepts acting technique storytelling Questions to Reflect On - How does restraint affect storytelling? - When is it okay to be explicit? A Different Perspective Overexposure can spoil mystery. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Ability](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ability/) [Actor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actor/) [Actor Like](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actor-like/) [Actors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actors/) [Audience](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/audience/) [Audience Imagination](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/audience-imagination-2398130/) [Good actor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-actor/) [Good actors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-actors/) [Iceberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/iceberg/) [Imagination](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/imagination/) [Like Iceberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/like-iceberg-2371542/) [Small parts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/small-parts/) [Surface](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/surface/) [Theatre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/theatre/) [Views](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/views/) [Way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/way/) ## Related quotes > [English life is seventh-eighths below the surface, like an iceberg, and living in England for a year constitutes merely an introduction to an introduction…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-halsey/english-life-is-seventh-eighths-below-the-surface-like-an-iceberg-and/) [Margaret Halsey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-halsey/) > [The trick to being a novelist is to act like an iceberg. Make it seem as if you're displaying only one-tenth of what you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikram-seth/the-trick-to-being-a-novelist-is-to-act-like-an-iceberg-make-it-seem/) [Vikram Seth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikram-seth/) > [The mind is like an iceberg, it floats with one-seventh of its bulk above water.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sigmund-freud/the-mind-is-like-an-iceberg-it-floats-with-one-seventh-of-its-bulk/) [Sigmund Freud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sigmund-freud/) > [Is it not clear that a reviewer's psyche, like an iceberg, is seven-eighths beneath the surface?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/delmore-schwartz/is-it-not-clear-that-a-reviewer-s-psyche-like-an-iceberg-is-seven/) [Delmore Schwartz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/delmore-schwartz/) > [Stress is like an iceberg. We can see one-eighth of it above, but what about whats below.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/stress-is-like-an-iceberg-we-can-see-one-eighth-of-it-above-but-what/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Like icebergs, people normally expose only a small part of themselves, and generally just the part they wish to show.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/like-icebergs-people-normally-expose-only-a-small-part-of-themselves/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I don't beat at the details, but I do always keep in mind that anything that isn't A) moving the story forward or B)…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-shepard/i-don-t-beat-at-the-details-but-i-do-always-keep-in-mind-that/) [Jim Shepard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-shepard/) > [A good actor is like a racehorse or a Ferrari. If a cylinder is missing on a Chevy, it's doesn't matter that much. But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-walken/a-good-actor-is-like-a-racehorse-or-a-ferrari-if-a-cylinder-is/) [Christopher Walken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-walken/) > [But it's interesting being directed by someone who is a very good actor. There's nothing like it. It might sound like a territorial thing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-firth/but-it-s-interesting-being-directed-by-someone-who-is-a-very-good/) [Colin Firth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-firth/) > [I am somebody who creates images, with my perspectives, fascinations and my instincts as a narrator. You have to activate the audience's imagination. If…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/werner-herzog/i-am-somebody-who-creates-images-with-my-perspectives-fascinations/) [Werner Herzog](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/werner-herzog/) > [Radio leaves much to the audience's imagination, allows the listeners to fill in so much, provided that the voices convey enough.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/agnes-moorehead/radio-leaves-much-to-the-audience-s-imagination-allows-the-listeners/) [Agnes Moorehead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/agnes-moorehead/) > [A puppet, for example, is just a piece of wood, a couple of rivets, but put them together, and if you know how to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-lepage/a-puppet-for-example-is-just-a-piece-of-wood-a-couple-of-rivets-but/) [Robert Lepage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-lepage/) > [What's cool is when you're able to give your audience imagination and you don't have to cage them in like animals.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shia-labeouf/what-s-cool-is-when-you-re-able-to-give-your-audience-imagination-and/) [Shia LaBeouf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shia-labeouf/) > [The audience's imagination will do a better, more personalized version of the horror than you can actually paint. So that just, you know, with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jordan-peele/the-audience-s-imagination-will-do-a-better-more-personalized-version/) [Jordan Peele](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jordan-peele/) > [To put it simply, I'm not interested in making comfortable films, and I don't want to crush the audience's imagination. I want them to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-levinson/to-put-it-simply-i-m-not-interested-in-making-comfortable-films-and-i/) [Sam Levinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-levinson/) ## More by Lilli Palmer > [Departures and arrivals tend to emphasize people's personalities.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lilli-palmer/departures-and-arrivals-tend-to-emphasize-people-s-personalities/) [Lilli Palmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lilli-palmer/) > [Facility is an obstacle to any creativeness. In any art form. You get a nice effect without effort, sometimes by accident, and you're satisfied;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lilli-palmer/facility-is-an-obstacle-to-any-creativeness-in-any-art-form-you-get-a/) [Lilli Palmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lilli-palmer/) > [Smell can conjure up memories for me stronger than any other sense. Especially childhood memories. Perhaps because you were that much shorter and therefore…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lilli-palmer/smell-can-conjure-up-memories-for-me-stronger-than-any-other-sense/) [Lilli Palmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lilli-palmer/) > [I sweat. If anything comes easy to me I mistrust it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lilli-palmer/i-sweat-if-anything-comes-easy-to-me-i-mistrust-it/) [Lilli Palmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lilli-palmer/) > [Fidelity is a gift not a requirement.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lilli-palmer/fidelity-is-a-gift-not-a-requirement/) [Lilli Palmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lilli-palmer/) [Explore all 6 Lilli Palmer quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lilli-palmer/) ## More Ability quotes > [I don't think there's a direct correlation between my sexuality and my skiing ability. But I think because I was so concerned about it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gus-kenworthy/i-don-t-think-there-s-a-direct-correlation-between-my-sexuality-and/) [Gus Kenworthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gus-kenworthy/) > [“the importance of ability. The things that make a great job great, I discovered, are rare and valuable. If you want them in your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cal-newport/the-importance-of-ability-the-things-that-make-a-great-job-great-i/) [Cal Newport](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cal-newport/) > [Ambition drives you on, ability certainly helps, but the fickle finger of fate and luck are great things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fergus-henderson/ambition-drives-you-on-ability-certainly-helps-but-the-fickle-finger/) [Fergus Henderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fergus-henderson/) > [The ability of the gospel to unite us on common strengths and common truths is one of the great miracles . . . of the gospel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-r-holland/the-ability-of-the-gospel-to-unite-us-on-common-strengths-and-common/) [Jeffrey R. Holland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-r-holland/) > [Maybe law enforcement would like the ability to turn on the camera on your Mac.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-cook/maybe-law-enforcement-would-like-the-ability-to-turn-on-the-camera-on/) [Tim Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-cook/) > [I've seen guys come along with more ability - they've been faster or bigger or stronger - but they never worked hard to develop…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-largent/i-ve-seen-guys-come-along-with-more-ability-they-ve-been-faster-or/) [Steve Largent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-largent/) > [The youth of India has the strength to move the entire World with a click of a mouse, we have generated that ability!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/narendra-modi/the-youth-of-india-has-the-strength-to-move-the-entire-world-with-a/) [Narendra Modi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/narendra-modi/) > [Time hath not yet so dried this blood of mine, Nor age so eat up my invention, Nor fortune made such havoc of my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/time-hath-not-yet-so-dried-this-blood-of-mine-nor-age-so-eat-up-my/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [An absolutely necessary part of a writer's equipment, almost as necessary as talent, is the ability to stand up under punishment, both the punishment…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irwin-shaw/an-absolutely-necessary-part-of-a-writer-s-equipment-almost-as/) [Irwin Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irwin-shaw/) > [I'd be more frightened by not using whatever abilities I'd been given. I'd be more frightened by procrastination and laziness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denzel-washington/i-d-be-more-frightened-by-not-using-whatever-abilities-i-d-been-given/) [Denzel Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denzel-washington/) > [Bring into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ. Take what I cannot give: my heart, body, thoughts, time, abilities, money, health, strength,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-prentiss/bring-into-captivity-every-thought-to-the-obedience-of-christ-take/) [Elizabeth Prentiss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-prentiss/) > [You can only do the work to the very best of your ability.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christine-baranski/you-can-only-do-the-work-to-the-very-best-of-your-ability/) [Christine Baranski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christine-baranski/) > [Judge a person not by his ability to make money but by his ability to retain it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/judge-a-person-not-by-his-ability-to-make-money-but-by-his-ability-to/) [Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/) > [Balance is the ability to be happy in the midst of the most chaotic or even boring or transient circumstance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/balance-is-the-ability-to-be-happy-in-the-midst-of-the-most-chaotic/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [Bobby had faith in my ability as a singer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-london/bobby-had-faith-in-my-ability-as-a-singer/) [Julie London](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-london/) [Browse all 9,990 Ability quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ability/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I had to learn that a good actor, like an iceberg, reveals only a small part of his ability on the surface. 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