--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It's strange how the mind works while…" description: "\"It's strange how the mind works while you're acting, because you have all sorts of quick thoughts going on as well as the motivations with the characte..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f61/mark-rylance-10062_character_it-s-strange-how-the-mind-works-while-yo_2162542.jpg" --- # It's strange how the mind works while you're acting… ![“It's strange how the mind works while you're acting, because you have all sorts of quick thoughts going on as well as the motivations with the character.” quote by Mark Rylance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f61/mark-rylance-10062_character_it-s-strange-how-the-mind-works-while-yo_2162542.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f61/mark-rylance-10062_character_it-s-strange-how-the-mind-works-while-yo_2162542.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f61/mark-rylance-10062_character_it-s-strange-how-the-mind-works-while-yo_2162542.jpg) > “It's strange how the mind works while you're acting, because you have all sorts of quick thoughts going on as well as the motivations with the character.” [Mark Rylance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-rylance/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Describes the mental duality of acting: spontaneous thoughts and character motivations. **In simple terms:** Acting blends quick thoughts with character drive. Key Takeaway Balance instinct and role understanding. Themes creativity psychology performance mindset Mood introspective analytical Type artistic psychological When to use this quote - rehearsal - live performance - improvisation - character study Key Concepts dual cognition method acting Questions to Reflect On - How do you stay present while acting? - What techniques help merge thoughts with character? A Different Perspective Risk of overthinking can hinder authenticity. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Acting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/acting/) [Character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character/) [Mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mind/) [Motivation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/motivation/) [Psychology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/psychology/) [Thoughts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thoughts/) ## Related quotes > [Bless by the most high cursed by the lowest. Used to think the quick now thoughts travel the slowest.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barrington-levy/bless-by-the-most-high-cursed-by-the-lowest-used-to-think-the-quick/) [Barrington Levy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barrington-levy/) > [I spent half my life in a boarding school where we were shown only the sporadic wholesome classic like 'The Sound Of Music.' So,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vijay-deverakonda/i-spent-half-my-life-in-a-boarding-school-where-we-were-shown-only/) [Vijay Deverakonda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vijay-deverakonda/) > [“One of the most important variables in whether an enterprise remains great lies in a simple question: what is the truth about the inner…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rosettabooks/one-of-the-most-important-variables-in-whether-an-enterprise-remains-2/) RosettaBooks > [Sometimes a scene works and acting is the easiest thing in the world and you don't have to do much of anything - just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/viggo-mortensen/sometimes-a-scene-works-and-acting-is-the-easiest-thing-in-the-world/) [Viggo Mortensen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/viggo-mortensen/) > [“One of the most important variables in whether an enterprise remains great lies in a simple question: what is the truth about the inner…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-r-covey/one-of-the-most-important-variables-in-whether-an-enterprise-remains/) [Stephen R. Covey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-r-covey/) > [Thoughts are strange creatures. They lead you from one thing to another. Sometimes you don’t know how you got from one to the next.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franny-billingsley/thoughts-are-strange-creatures-they-lead-you-from-one-thing-to/) [Franny Billingsley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franny-billingsley/) > [All that we are is the result of what we have thought.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/all-that-we-are-is-the-result-of-what-we-have-thought/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Fill your minds with thoughts that will make you smile each time you remember them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-mark/fill-your-minds-with-thoughts-that-will-make-you-smile-each-time-you/) [Terry Mark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-mark/) > [“Whenever we think, we construct a world that is centred upon the object of our thinking; whenever we act, we reconstruct a world that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raheel-farooq/whenever-we-think-we-construct-a-world-that-is-centred-upon-the/) [Raheel Farooq](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raheel-farooq/) > [I keep my thoughts to myself, and I think that's one of the best ways to be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tito-jackson/i-keep-my-thoughts-to-myself-and-i-think-that-s-one-of-the-best-ways/) [Tito Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tito-jackson/) > [If I held all the thoughts of the world in my hand, I would be careful not to open it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernard-le-bovier-de-fontenelle/if-i-held-all-the-thoughts-of-the-world-in-my-hand-i-would-be-careful/) [Bernard le Bovier de Fontenelle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernard-le-bovier-de-fontenelle/) > [I can't say that there are 'things' that make me come alive. There are thoughts that make me come alive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-williamson/i-can-t-say-that-there-are-things-that-make-me-come-alive-there-are/) [Marianne Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-williamson/) > [“He who is mindless is defenceless” RjS”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rassool-jibraeel-snyman/he-who-is-mindless-is-defenceless-rjs/) [rassool jibraeel snyman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rassool-jibraeel-snyman/) > [“It took me years to learn to sit at my desk for more than two minutes at a time, to put up with the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erica-jong/it-took-me-years-to-learn-to-sit-at-my-desk-for-more-than-two-minutes/) [Erica Jong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erica-jong/) > [“I urge you: don't cut short these thought-trains of yours. Follow them through to their end. Your thoughts and your feelings. Follow them through…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-m-coetzee/i-urge-you-don-t-cut-short-these-thought-trains-of-yours-follow-them/) [J.M. Coetzee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-m-coetzee/) ## More by Mark Rylance > [But to me I find Francis Bacon the most likely candidate to be the author.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-rylance/but-to-me-i-find-francis-bacon-the-most-likely-candidate-to-be-the/) [Mark Rylance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-rylance/) > [I've always looked at famous actors and hope that once they get a part that they have success in, they would reprise it every…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-rylance/i-ve-always-looked-at-famous-actors-and-hope-that-once-they-get-a/) [Mark Rylance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-rylance/) > [I certainly never pictured myself even attending the Academy Awards, much less winning at 56. I very, very happily settled into a theater career.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-rylance/i-certainly-never-pictured-myself-even-attending-the-academy-awards/) [Mark Rylance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-rylance/) > [In a way, I think science is the modern religion, and at times, I despise it as much as I despise other religions because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-rylance/in-a-way-i-think-science-is-the-modern-religion-and-at-times-i/) [Mark Rylance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-rylance/) > [So there's a lot of people tied into believing that the traditional response to the authorship question. In terms of actors, some people get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-rylance/so-there-s-a-lot-of-people-tied-into-believing-that-the-traditional/) [Mark Rylance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-rylance/) > [My understanding is that we are generally a very philanthropic and compassionate people - that when there are disasters in the world, individual citizens…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-rylance/my-understanding-is-that-we-are-generally-a-very-philanthropic-and/) [Mark Rylance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-rylance/) > [Every great filmmaker at some moment makes a war film.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-rylance/every-great-filmmaker-at-some-moment-makes-a-war-film/) [Mark Rylance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-rylance/) > [There were terrific shows on TV like 'Star Trek' and 'Voyage To The Bottom Of The Sea' and 'Wild Wild West.' All us kids…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-rylance/there-were-terrific-shows-on-tv-like-star-trek-and-voyage-to-the/) [Mark Rylance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-rylance/) > [I love film. I love going to see films; I always have. I've done quite a few.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-rylance/i-love-film-i-love-going-to-see-films-i-always-have-i-ve-done-quite-a/) [Mark Rylance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-rylance/) > [It's an important thing for children to be able to make up their own words.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-rylance/it-s-an-important-thing-for-children-to-be-able-to-make-up-their-own/) [Mark Rylance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-rylance/) > [Great actors try to dismiss all ideas from their conscious mind in order to provide an experience that is real.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-rylance/great-actors-try-to-dismiss-all-ideas-from-their-conscious-mind-in/) [Mark Rylance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-rylance/) > [You try, as an actor, to wear a mask; you're serving a story.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-rylance/you-try-as-an-actor-to-wear-a-mask-you-re-serving-a-story/) [Mark Rylance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-rylance/) > [But I find with Francis Bacon, some of the things were in the place, and someone who was connected with these schools of thought,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-rylance/but-i-find-with-francis-bacon-some-of-the-things-were-in-the-place/) [Mark Rylance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-rylance/) > [My accent does slip. When I arrived in England in 1978 at 18, I was shocked to find myself 'the American' at RADA. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-rylance/my-accent-does-slip-when-i-arrived-in-england-in-1978-at-18-i-was/) [Mark Rylance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-rylance/) > [But I don't sit down at dinner and have clever ideas.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-rylance/but-i-don-t-sit-down-at-dinner-and-have-clever-ideas/) [Mark Rylance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-rylance/) [Explore all 68 Mark Rylance quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-rylance/) ## 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": "It's strange how the mind works while you're acting, because you have all sorts of quick thoughts going on as well as the motivations with the character.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Mark Rylance" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-rylance/it-s-strange-how-the-mind-works-while-you-re-acting-because-you-have/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Acting" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-rylance/it-s-strange-how-the-mind-works-while-you-re-acting-because-you-have/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f61/mark-rylance-10062_character_it-s-strange-how-the-mind-works-while-yo_2162542.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f61/mark-rylance-10062_character_it-s-strange-how-the-mind-works-while-yo_2162542.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f61/mark-rylance-10062_character_it-s-strange-how-the-mind-works-while-yo_2162542.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“It's strange how the mind works while you're acting, because you have all sorts of quick thoughts going on…” — Mark Rylance", "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": "Mark Rylance", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-rylance/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "It's strange how the mind works...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-rylance/it-s-strange-how-the-mind-works-while-you-re-acting-because-you-have/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-rylance/it-s-strange-how-the-mind-works-while-you-re-acting-because-you-have/#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 } } ] } ```