--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: An actor knows much more about a…" description: "\"An actor knows much more about a character than the character knows about himself.\" — Martin Landau" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ea7/martin-landau-3492_about_an-actor-knows-much-more-about-a-charact_243779.jpg" --- # An actor knows much more about a character than the… ![“An actor knows much more about a character than the character knows about himself.” quote by Martin Landau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ea7/martin-landau-3492_about_an-actor-knows-much-more-about-a-charact_243779.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ea7/martin-landau-3492_about_an-actor-knows-much-more-about-a-charact_243779.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ea7/martin-landau-3492_about_an-actor-knows-much-more-about-a-charact_243779.jpg) > “An actor knows much more about a character than the character knows about himself.” [Martin Landau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-landau/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Actors often understand their roles deeper than the characters themselves, revealing hidden layers of motivation and conflict. **In simple terms:** Actors see characters more clearly than the characters themselves. Key Takeaway Study your role from an outside perspective. Themes acting character analysis empathy Mood introspective analytical Type educational inspirational When to use this quote - theatre rehearsals - film casting - character workshops - script analysis Key Concepts psychology method acting narrative insight Questions to Reflect On - How does an actor’s personal experience shape their interpretation? - Can a character be fully understood without an actor’s input? A Different Perspective Actors may project their own biases onto the character, distorting true insight. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Actor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actor/) [Character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character/) [Theatre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/theatre/) ## Related quotes > [A person of character knows the difference between right and wrong and always tries to do the right thing for the right reason.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-josephson/a-person-of-character-knows-the-difference-between-right-and-wrong/) [Michael Josephson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-josephson/) > [Well, you know, I don't think anyone who writes a television series has a master plan from the beginning, and knows all the character…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-day/well-you-know-i-don-t-think-anyone-who-writes-a-television-series-has/) [Charlie Day](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-day/) > [If you know exactly what your character knows, its a drama.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timur-bekmambetov/if-you-know-exactly-what-your-character-knows-its-a-drama/) [Timur Bekmambetov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timur-bekmambetov/) > [After a while, the person who knows the character best is you, the actor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-kelechi-watson/after-a-while-the-person-who-knows-the-character-best-is-you-the-actor/) [Susan Kelechi Watson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-kelechi-watson/) > [If you know exactly what your character knows, it's a drama.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timur-bekmambetov/if-you-know-exactly-what-your-character-knows-it-s-a-drama/) [Timur Bekmambetov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timur-bekmambetov/) > [It's always incredible though when you feel like the writer knows the character intimately and can see their life sprawling away outside of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-ritchie/it-s-always-incredible-though-when-you-feel-like-the-writer-knows-the/) [Charlotte Ritchie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-ritchie/) > [“No fiction can have real interest if the central character is not an agent struggling for his or her own goals but a victim,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-gardner/no-fiction-can-have-real-interest-if-the-central-character-is-not-an-2/) [John Gardner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-gardner/) > [The really cool thing about when you're playing a comic book character is that no one knows what he sounds like.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-mcdermitt/the-really-cool-thing-about-when-you-re-playing-a-comic-book/) [Josh McDermitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-mcdermitt/) > [Nobody knows my name. Nobody knows me at all, but they call me by the character of the last movie that I was in.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/romany-malco/nobody-knows-my-name-nobody-knows-me-at-all-but-they-call-me-by-the/) [Romany Malco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/romany-malco/) > [I would really like it if someone knows me more for a character that I've played. If they call out the character's name instead…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kriti-sanon/i-would-really-like-it-if-someone-knows-me-more-for-a-character-that/) [Kriti Sanon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kriti-sanon/) > [Acting can be a very cruel mistress. It's not a meritocracy. In other walks of life, by being good at what you do, you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-strong/acting-can-be-a-very-cruel-mistress-it-s-not-a-meritocracy-in-other/) [Mark Strong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-strong/) > [A good actor knows exactly what the camera wants, what the sound wants, where to find the light and how to tell a good…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aneurin-barnard/a-good-actor-knows-exactly-what-the-camera-wants-what-the-sound-wants/) [Aneurin Barnard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aneurin-barnard/) > [ Denzel \[Washington\] just knows the actor. He knows the process, and you don't often get that. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/viola-davis/denzel-washington-just-knows-the-actor-he-knows-the-process-and-you/) [Viola Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/viola-davis/) > [By the time an actor knows how to act any sort of part he is often too old to act any but a few.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-somerset-maugham/by-the-time-an-actor-knows-how-to-act-any-sort-of-part-he-is-often/) [W. Somerset Maugham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-somerset-maugham/) > [If an actor knows how to milk a cow, I always know it will not be difficult to be in business with him,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/werner-herzog/if-an-actor-knows-how-to-milk-a-cow-i-always-know-it-will-not-be/) [Werner Herzog](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/werner-herzog/) ## More by Martin Landau > [My best stuff as a teacher was always to find the problems within each individual actor, and I'll suggest things that I know that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-landau/my-best-stuff-as-a-teacher-was-always-to-find-the-problems-within/) [Martin Landau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-landau/) > [People are in denial all the time, hiding things. 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I didn't want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-landau/i-was-offered-the-gene-hackman-role-in-the-poseidon-adventure-four/) [Martin Landau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-landau/) > [A good director makes a playground and allows you to play.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-landau/a-good-director-makes-a-playground-and-allows-you-to-play/) [Martin Landau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-landau/) > [People do not necessarily reveal what is going on - only bad actors do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-landau/people-do-not-necessarily-reveal-what-is-going-on-only-bad-actors-do/) [Martin Landau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-landau/) > [I've got two daughters, and it's impossible for me to say one of them is a favorite.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-landau/i-ve-got-two-daughters-and-it-s-impossible-for-me-to-say-one-of-them/) [Martin Landau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-landau/) > [You can't perish because of your own feelings; you have to embrace those things as an actor because it's part of your palette.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-landau/you-can-t-perish-because-of-your-own-feelings-you-have-to-embrace/) [Martin Landau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-landau/) > [I run the 'Actors Studio' on the West Cost. I'm artistic director of that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-landau/i-run-the-actors-studio-on-the-west-cost-i-m-artistic-director-of-that/) [Martin Landau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-landau/) > [The actor has to have some degree of craft, along with the talent. No one tries to laugh except bad actors. 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