--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I think, as an actor, you're constantly…" description: "\"I think, as an actor, you're constantly confronted with your fear of sticking your neck out.\" — Mary Steenburgen" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/84f/mary-steenburgen-10553_actor_i-think-as-an-actor-you-re-constantly-co_643949.jpg" --- # I think, as an actor, you're constantly confronted with… ![“I think, as an actor, you're constantly confronted with your fear of sticking your neck out.” quote by Mary Steenburgen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/84f/mary-steenburgen-10553_actor_i-think-as-an-actor-you-re-constantly-co_643949.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/84f/mary-steenburgen-10553_actor_i-think-as-an-actor-you-re-constantly-co_643949.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/84f/mary-steenburgen-10553_actor_i-think-as-an-actor-you-re-constantly-co_643949.jpg) > “I think, as an actor, you're constantly confronted with your fear of sticking your neck out.” [Mary Steenburgen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-steenburgen/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Actors must regularly face fear and risk vulnerability to grow. **In simple terms:** Actors confront fear to evolve. Key Takeaway Embrace vulnerability. Themes creativity fear growth Mood inspirational encouraging Type artistic motivational When to use this quote - theatre - public speaking - personal development Key Concepts performance art psychology risk taking Questions to Reflect On - What fear holds you back? - How can vulnerability improve your work? A Different Perspective Fear can hinder progress. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Actor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actor/) [Fear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fear/) [Theatre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/theatre/) ## Related quotes > [Watch the turtle. He only moves forward by sticking his neck out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/watch-the-turtle-he-only-moves-forward-by-sticking-his-neck-out/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“We humans have a natural tendency to search for solutions and irrational explanations as soon as we are confronted with fear. Since the dawn…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/manuel-lempereur/we-humans-have-a-natural-tendency-to-search-for-solutions-and/) Manuel Lempereur > [“When we are confronted by fear and frustration, it’s easy to forget what we’re fighting for. It’s easy to let the importance of our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dembe-michael/when-we-are-confronted-by-fear-and-frustration-it-s-easy-to-forget/) Dembe Michael > [When you have done your best, confronted your fear of committing to color and form, and dared to step over the threshold into the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michele-cassou/when-you-have-done-your-best-confronted-your-fear-of-committing-to/) [Michele Cassou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michele-cassou/) > [Every budding actor should constantly focus on acquiring his/her skills rather than getting disappointed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shehnaaz-gill/every-budding-actor-should-constantly-focus-on-acquiring-his-her/) [Shehnaaz Gill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shehnaaz-gill/) > [I really believe that, as an actor, you should be constantly studying other people, and celebrity had the absolute opposite effect on me. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-schwimmer/i-really-believe-that-as-an-actor-you-should-be-constantly-studying/) [David Schwimmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-schwimmer/) > [As an actor, I can't be constantly worrying about the commercial returns of my film.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anushka-shetty/as-an-actor-i-can-t-be-constantly-worrying-about-the-commercial/) [Anushka Shetty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anushka-shetty/) > [I think, as an actor, you are constantly playing other people. I would like people to get to know me on a more personal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-atack/i-think-as-an-actor-you-are-constantly-playing-other-people-i-would/) [Emily Atack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-atack/) > [I think as an actor, you're constantly putting yourself out there, and a lot of times failing - and failing in front of a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-messina/i-think-as-an-actor-you-re-constantly-putting-yourself-out-there-and/) [Chris Messina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-messina/) > [What I try to do as an actor is constantly find that, find ways to risk, find opportunities to fall on my face if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-irons/what-i-try-to-do-as-an-actor-is-constantly-find-that-find-ways-to/) [Jeremy Irons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-irons/) > [As an actor, I'm constantly striving to find the darkness in the lighter characters and the lightness in the darker characters.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-edgerton/as-an-actor-i-m-constantly-striving-to-find-the-darkness-in-the/) [Joel Edgerton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-edgerton/) > [As an actor, one is constantly reading scripts and interacting with creative teams. Sometimes, things work and sometimes, they don't. It's never in an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/akshaye-khanna/as-an-actor-one-is-constantly-reading-scripts-and-interacting-with/) [Akshaye Khanna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/akshaye-khanna/) > [There's a lot of idiots in Hollywood, a lot of people with no imagination, so as an actor you have to constantly re-show them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-dorff/there-s-a-lot-of-idiots-in-hollywood-a-lot-of-people-with-no/) [Stephen Dorff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-dorff/) > [I think that diversity in your performances is what keeps you alive as an actor. You have to keep constantly evolving and surprising the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-reynor/i-think-that-diversity-in-your-performances-is-what-keeps-you-alive/) [Jack Reynor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-reynor/) > [The goal as an actor is to constantly surround yourself with amazing artists who challenge you and make you grow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-shahi/the-goal-as-an-actor-is-to-constantly-surround-yourself-with-amazing/) [Sarah Shahi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-shahi/) ## More by Mary Steenburgen > [Dancing in the strip club, Not the dancing, but the being naked was excruciatingly scary for me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-steenburgen/dancing-in-the-strip-club-not-the-dancing-but-the-being-naked-was/) [Mary Steenburgen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-steenburgen/) > [I learned not to care what other people think.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-steenburgen/i-learned-not-to-care-what-other-people-think/) [Mary Steenburgen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-steenburgen/) > [I was this person with this weird last name from New York that no one had ever heard of. But my screen test I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-steenburgen/i-was-this-person-with-this-weird-last-name-from-new-york-that-no-one/) [Mary Steenburgen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-steenburgen/) > [I love to play horrible, evil, mean people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-steenburgen/i-love-to-play-horrible-evil-mean-people/) [Mary Steenburgen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-steenburgen/) > [I wrote my first song when I was 54 years old.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-steenburgen/i-wrote-my-first-song-when-i-was-54-years-old/) [Mary Steenburgen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-steenburgen/) > [I have loved by far the majority of the people I've worked with and the experiences I've had.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-steenburgen/i-have-loved-by-far-the-majority-of-the-people-i-ve-worked-with-and/) [Mary Steenburgen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-steenburgen/) > [I'd already made the decision before I'd even read it-just because it was John Sayles. Then when I read it, the themes were actually…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-steenburgen/i-d-already-made-the-decision-before-i-d-even-read-it-just-because-it/) [Mary Steenburgen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-steenburgen/) > [I wanted it to be a wonderful combination of being able to dance a little bit, not being especially good, but also playing a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-steenburgen/i-wanted-it-to-be-a-wonderful-combination-of-being-able-to-dance-a/) [Mary Steenburgen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-steenburgen/) > [When you read books, you kind of create that whole world in your mind, and you go on a journey with the author of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-steenburgen/when-you-read-books-you-kind-of-create-that-whole-world-in-your-mind/) [Mary Steenburgen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-steenburgen/) > [I've done little things, including Botox, but it didn't feel right for me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-steenburgen/i-ve-done-little-things-including-botox-but-it-didn-t-feel-right-for/) [Mary Steenburgen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-steenburgen/) > [As an actress, my best tools are my emotions and expressions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-steenburgen/as-an-actress-my-best-tools-are-my-emotions-and-expressions/) [Mary Steenburgen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-steenburgen/) > [If there's an addiction in the Clinton family, it's to problem solving.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-steenburgen/if-there-s-an-addiction-in-the-clinton-family-it-s-to-problem-solving/) [Mary Steenburgen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-steenburgen/) > [Our culture loves movies and TV, which is wonderful, but there's something a little bit passive sometimes about watching, because you're looking at other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-steenburgen/our-culture-loves-movies-and-tv-which-is-wonderful-but-there-s/) [Mary Steenburgen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-steenburgen/) > [I think I did a couple of test commercials that didn't even make it on the air. That's how little I had really done.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-steenburgen/i-think-i-did-a-couple-of-test-commercials-that-didn-t-even-make-it/) [Mary Steenburgen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-steenburgen/) > [The accordion came from just having a desire to play music. Somehow, I have slowly taught myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-steenburgen/the-accordion-came-from-just-having-a-desire-to-play-music-somehow-i/) [Mary Steenburgen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-steenburgen/) [Explore all 64 Mary Steenburgen quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-steenburgen/) ## More Actor 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/) > [When you step out and do a song in a musical, the easier thing to do is make it funny. But when those transitions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelli-o-hara/when-you-step-out-and-do-a-song-in-a-musical-the-easier-thing-to-do/) [Kelli O'Hara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelli-o-hara/) > [I once told someone I could act. They totally bought it. I've been getting away with it ever since.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/akshay-kumar/i-once-told-someone-i-could-act-they-totally-bought-it-i-ve-been/) [Akshay Kumar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/akshay-kumar/) > [There has got to be a way for me to have a role on TV or in film that is just as normal as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adeel-akhtar/there-has-got-to-be-a-way-for-me-to-have-a-role-on-tv-or-in-film-that/) [Adeel Akhtar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adeel-akhtar/) > [I love casting against type and doing things you wouldn't expect, because I think you get more interesting performances that way. Hollywood loves to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-s-goyer/i-love-casting-against-type-and-doing-things-you-wouldn-t-expect/) [David S. Goyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-s-goyer/) > [I'm an actor, so I'm never going to feel like I've done enough.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/italia-ricci/i-m-an-actor-so-i-m-never-going-to-feel-like-i-ve-done-enough/) [Italia Ricci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/italia-ricci/) > [I am tired of our characters being so incomplete. When do we ever save the day in a film? When does a Latino actor…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/esai-morales/i-am-tired-of-our-characters-being-so-incomplete-when-do-we-ever-save/) [Esai Morales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/esai-morales/) > [When I was 13, I auditioned for the theater school, and I was there for four years. In the meantime, I did my first…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ana-de-armas/when-i-was-13-i-auditioned-for-the-theater-school-and-i-was-there-for/) [Ana de Armas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ana-de-armas/) > [If you stood me in a costume next to a computer graphic of the same-looking character, I think there would be a difference. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warwick-davis/if-you-stood-me-in-a-costume-next-to-a-computer-graphic-of-the-same/) [Warwick Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warwick-davis/) > [failure in the theater is more public, more brilliant, more unreal than in any other field.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lillian-hellman/failure-in-the-theater-is-more-public-more-brilliant-more-unreal-than/) [Lillian Hellman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lillian-hellman/) > [I'm a character actor - always have been, always will be - and historically, character actors don't come into their own until later in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annie-potts/i-m-a-character-actor-always-have-been-always-will-be-and/) [Annie Potts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annie-potts/) > [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/) > [I never planned to do female roles. It just happened. I was typecast.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/divine/i-never-planned-to-do-female-roles-it-just-happened-i-was-typecast/) [Divine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/divine/) > [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/) [Browse all 21,590 Actor quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actor/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I think, as an actor, you're constantly confronted with your fear of sticking your neck out.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Mary Steenburgen" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-steenburgen/i-think-as-an-actor-you-re-constantly-confronted-with-your-fear-of/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Actor" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-steenburgen/i-think-as-an-actor-you-re-constantly-confronted-with-your-fear-of/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/84f/mary-steenburgen-10553_actor_i-think-as-an-actor-you-re-constantly-co_643949.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/84f/mary-steenburgen-10553_actor_i-think-as-an-actor-you-re-constantly-co_643949.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/84f/mary-steenburgen-10553_actor_i-think-as-an-actor-you-re-constantly-co_643949.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I think, as an actor, you're constantly confronted with your fear of sticking your neck out.” — Mary Steenburgen", "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": "Mary Steenburgen", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-steenburgen/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I think, as an actor, you're...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-steenburgen/i-think-as-an-actor-you-re-constantly-confronted-with-your-fear-of/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-steenburgen/i-think-as-an-actor-you-re-constantly-confronted-with-your-fear-of/#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 } } ] } ```