---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: That's the joy of acting, to bring…"
description: "\"That's the joy of acting, to bring something to it. That's what makes acting exciting. Just saying lines is not terribly exciting.\" — Lorne Greene"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e21/lorne-greene-5780_acting_that-s-the-joy-of-acting-to-bring-someth_350549.jpg"
---

#  That's the joy of acting, to bring something to it. That's…

![“That's the joy of acting, to bring something to it. That's what makes acting exciting. Just saying lines is not terribly exciting.” quote by Lorne Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e21/lorne-greene-5780_acting_that-s-the-joy-of-acting-to-bring-someth_350549.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e21/lorne-greene-5780_acting_that-s-the-joy-of-acting-to-bring-someth_350549.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e21/lorne-greene-5780_acting_that-s-the-joy-of-acting-to-bring-someth_350549.jpg)

> “That's the joy of acting, to bring something to it. That's what makes acting exciting. Just saying lines is not terribly exciting.”

[Lorne Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lorne-greene/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Acting becomes thrilling when performers add personal depth, not just recite lines.

**In simple terms:** Depth makes performance exciting.

Key Takeaway

Infuse personal insight into your craft.

Themes

acting creativity personal expression

Mood

enthusiastic inspired

Type

artistic motivational

When to use this quote

- theatre workshops
- film rehearsals
- improvisation classes

Key Concepts

method acting authenticity engagement

Questions to Reflect On

- How do you balance personal input with script fidelity?
- When does personal interpretation hinder the narrative?

A Different Perspective

Over‑personalization can distract from the story.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Acting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/acting/) [Actor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actor/) [Joy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/joy/)

## Related quotes

> [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/)

> [It’s more than just saying lines and turning the light on. You have to drive the story—there’s a technical aspect.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angela-bassett/it-s-more-than-just-saying-lines-and-turning-the-light-on-you-have-to/)

[Angela Bassett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angela-bassett/)

> [When I'm not excited, it makes acting very hard for me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-dano/when-i-m-not-excited-it-makes-acting-very-hard-for-me/)

[Paul Dano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-dano/)

> [I can't become another person, no matter how much makeup I wear. Something of your own past, your experiences and personality always comes out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-watanabe/i-can-t-become-another-person-no-matter-how-much-makeup-i-wear/)

[Ken Watanabe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-watanabe/)

> [I always say what makes acting so much easier is when you get to act off of good actors.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noah-schnapp/i-always-say-what-makes-acting-so-much-easier-is-when-you-get-to-act/)

[Noah Schnapp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noah-schnapp/)

> [As human beings, we aren't as individual as we'd like to believe we are. And I think that's what makes acting possible. Despite the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lupita-nyong-o/as-human-beings-we-aren-t-as-individual-as-we-d-like-to-believe-we/)

[Lupita Nyong'o](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lupita-nyong-o/)

> [I think that is the secret of great acting. You have to bring your imagination to the party. You've got to have a great…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-spielberg/i-think-that-is-the-secret-of-great-acting-you-have-to-bring-your/)

[Steven Spielberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-spielberg/)

> [The thing I love about acting is that you can bring something very personal into the open and at the same time remain hidden…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-whishaw/the-thing-i-love-about-acting-is-that-you-can-bring-something-very/)

[Ben Whishaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-whishaw/)

> [The level of acting that I bring to films in three dimensions. I hope they make people sign some kind of waiver because if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-lennon/the-level-of-acting-that-i-bring-to-films-in-three-dimensions-i-hope/)

[Thomas Lennon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-lennon/)

> [I think acting can bring you closer to yourself and help you understand other people](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-hurt/i-think-acting-can-bring-you-closer-to-yourself-and-help-you/)

[William Hurt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-hurt/)

> [I think the secret of great acting is that you have to bring your imagination to the party. You have to have a great…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-spielberg/i-think-the-secret-of-great-acting-is-that-you-have-to-bring-your/)

[Steven Spielberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-spielberg/)

> [When I'm not acting, I do like to take a year off at a time, at least if I can, just in order to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heath-ledger/when-i-m-not-acting-i-do-like-to-take-a-year-off-at-a-time-at-least/)

[Heath Ledger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heath-ledger/)

> [Acting is so exciting to me. It's a thrill; otherwise I wouldn't do it. Not to be hokey, but I think life is definitely…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-mitchell/acting-is-so-exciting-to-me-it-s-a-thrill-otherwise-i-wouldn-t-do-it/)

[Elizabeth Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-mitchell/)

> [Acting is exciting. It is different every time you do it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-lamberg/acting-is-exciting-it-is-different-every-time-you-do-it/)

[Adam Lamberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-lamberg/)

> [ And it \[acting\] was exciting to me. And scary. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tracee-ellis-ross/and-it-acting-was-exciting-to-me-and-scary/)

[Tracee Ellis Ross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tracee-ellis-ross/)

## More by Lorne Greene

> [I feel energetic when I'm working.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lorne-greene/i-feel-energetic-when-i-m-working/)

[Lorne Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lorne-greene/)

> [The Cartwrights happen to be a family that other families want to be like.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lorne-greene/the-cartwrights-happen-to-be-a-family-that-other-families-want-to-be/)

[Lorne Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lorne-greene/)

> [I think the hearing loss started with 'Bonanza.' Sometimes the director would put us in a box canyon and have us fire our guns.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lorne-greene/i-think-the-hearing-loss-started-with-bonanza-sometimes-the-director/)

[Lorne Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lorne-greene/)

> [If I were following trends, I would never have done 'Ringo.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lorne-greene/if-i-were-following-trends-i-would-never-have-done-ringo/)

[Lorne Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lorne-greene/)

> [Ben Cartwright was patterned after my father, who never saw 'Bonanza.' In that sense, my father will live for a long time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lorne-greene/ben-cartwright-was-patterned-after-my-father-who-never-saw-bonanza-in/)

[Lorne Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lorne-greene/)

> [A diversity of interests keep me very much alive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lorne-greene/a-diversity-of-interests-keep-me-very-much-alive/)

[Lorne Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lorne-greene/)

> [I left Canada in 1953 because I could find nothing very satisfying about delivering commercial pitches on camera. I felt the whole atmosphere of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lorne-greene/i-left-canada-in-1953-because-i-could-find-nothing-very-satisfying/)

[Lorne Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lorne-greene/)

> [In my youth I wanted to be a concert violinist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lorne-greene/in-my-youth-i-wanted-to-be-a-concert-violinist/)

[Lorne Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lorne-greene/)

> [When I was 16, I discovered wildlife. My father took me to a place called Algonquin Park in Northern Ontario - it has some 1,600 lakes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lorne-greene/when-i-was-16-i-discovered-wildlife-my-father-took-me-to-a-place/)

[Lorne Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lorne-greene/)

> [I lived with my 'Bonanza' family for 14 years. On 'Battlestar,' we jumped right in and got to know each other later. That's just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lorne-greene/i-lived-with-my-bonanza-family-for-14-years-on-battlestar-we-jumped/)

[Lorne Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lorne-greene/)

> [Getting old doesn't frighten me. But I've got to take care of myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lorne-greene/getting-old-doesn-t-frighten-me-but-i-ve-got-to-take-care-of-myself/)

[Lorne Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lorne-greene/)

> [People go to see Shakespeare plays over and over, not because the story is new, but because they want to see how a certain…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lorne-greene/people-go-to-see-shakespeare-plays-over-and-over-not-because-the/)

[Lorne Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lorne-greene/)

> [We're long on conversation in our house. Therefore, I don't like going to restaurants too much. There are too many distractions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lorne-greene/we-re-long-on-conversation-in-our-house-therefore-i-don-t-like-going/)

[Lorne Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lorne-greene/)

> [I played Big Brother in a Studio One presentation of '1984,' and that should have marked me as a villain to American producers. But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lorne-greene/i-played-big-brother-in-a-studio-one-presentation-of-1984-and-that/)

[Lorne Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lorne-greene/)

> [I look after my car very well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lorne-greene/i-look-after-my-car-very-well/)

[Lorne Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lorne-greene/)

[Explore all 100 Lorne Greene quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lorne-greene/)

## 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": "That's the joy of acting, to bring something to it. That's what makes acting exciting. Just saying lines is not terribly exciting.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Lorne Greene"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lorne-greene/that-s-the-joy-of-acting-to-bring-something-to-it-that-s-what-makes/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Acting"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lorne-greene/that-s-the-joy-of-acting-to-bring-something-to-it-that-s-what-makes/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e21/lorne-greene-5780_acting_that-s-the-joy-of-acting-to-bring-someth_350549.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e21/lorne-greene-5780_acting_that-s-the-joy-of-acting-to-bring-someth_350549.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e21/lorne-greene-5780_acting_that-s-the-joy-of-acting-to-bring-someth_350549.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“That's the joy of acting, to bring something to it. That's what makes acting exciting. Just saying lines is…” — Lorne Greene",
                "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": "Lorne Greene",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lorne-greene/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "That's the joy of acting, to...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lorne-greene/that-s-the-joy-of-acting-to-bring-something-to-it-that-s-what-makes/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lorne-greene/that-s-the-joy-of-acting-to-bring-something-to-it-that-s-what-makes/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
