--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I'm not an actress who can create a…" description: "\"I'm not an actress who can create a character. I play me.\" — Mary Tyler Moore" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ee3/mary-tyler-moore-8090_actress_i-m-not-an-actress-who-can-create-a-char_664472.png" --- # I'm not an actress who can create a character. I play me. ![“I'm not an actress who can create a character. I play me.” quote by Mary Tyler Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ee3/mary-tyler-moore-8090_actress_i-m-not-an-actress-who-can-create-a-char_664472.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ee3/mary-tyler-moore-8090_actress_i-m-not-an-actress-who-can-create-a-char_664472.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ee3/mary-tyler-moore-8090_actress_i-m-not-an-actress-who-can-create-a-char_664472.png) > “I'm not an actress who can create a character. I play me.” [Mary Tyler Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-tyler-moore/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. She emphasizes authenticity over acting, suggesting personal truth is more compelling than fabricated roles. **In simple terms:** Be yourself, not a character. Key Takeaway Embrace authenticity. Themes authenticity self expression Mood reflective inspirational Type personal philosophical When to use this quote - career interviews - public speaking - personal branding Key Concepts identity performance art Questions to Reflect On - When is it okay to adopt a persona? - How does authenticity affect audience connection? A Different Perspective Authenticity can limit artistic range. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Actress](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actress/) [Actress Create](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actress-create-5288077/) [Character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character/) [Character Play](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character-play/) [Create Character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/create-character/) [Creativity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/creativity/) [Play](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/play/) ## Related quotes > [I'd like to do voiceovers my whole life. I get to kind of create a character and go in and play.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-friedle/i-d-like-to-do-voiceovers-my-whole-life-i-get-to-kind-of-create-a/) [Will Friedle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-friedle/) > [Especially when you are advertising a product, I talk to the photographer and we create a character - it always gives you more freedom…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penelope-cruz/especially-when-you-are-advertising-a-product-i-talk-to-the/) [Penelope Cruz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penelope-cruz/) > [What does Macbeth want? What does Shakespeare want? What does Othello want? What does James want? What does Arthur Miller want when he wrote?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kani/what-does-macbeth-want-what-does-shakespeare-want-what-does-othello/) [John Kani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kani/) > [When I was in a meeting, I got advice that was someone telling me that in order to be successful, I needed to create…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mac-miller/when-i-was-in-a-meeting-i-got-advice-that-was-someone-telling-me-that/) [Mac Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mac-miller/) > [When I try to understand somebody, create a character, I fall into them. When I think writers are telling me what to think, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hari-kunzru/when-i-try-to-understand-somebody-create-a-character-i-fall-into-them/) [Hari Kunzru](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hari-kunzru/) > [Many times - especially when I'm playing an historical character - I want to be really on target with how I create that character…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giancarlo-esposito/many-times-especially-when-i-m-playing-an-historical-character-i-want/) [Giancarlo Esposito](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giancarlo-esposito/) > [It is a big temptation to me, when I create a character for a novel, to say that he is what he is because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/it-is-a-big-temptation-to-me-when-i-create-a-character-for-a-novel-to/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [To me, when you create a character, you create a total human being.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-doohan/to-me-when-you-create-a-character-you-create-a-total-human-being/) [James Doohan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-doohan/) > [I always had a sense that clothes, be it uniform or vintage, could help to create a character.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/collier-schorr/i-always-had-a-sense-that-clothes-be-it-uniform-or-vintage-could-help/) [Collier Schorr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/collier-schorr/) > [I really like acting because you can create a character. You can make someone who has never existed before. That's neat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/river-phoenix/i-really-like-acting-because-you-can-create-a-character-you-can-make/) [River Phoenix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/river-phoenix/) > [What's fun about doing a series is you get to take some time to create the character.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-hornsby/what-s-fun-about-doing-a-series-is-you-get-to-take-some-time-to/) [Russell Hornsby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-hornsby/) > [imperfections create character...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-hopkins/imperfections-create-character/) [Ellen Hopkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-hopkins/) > [It's nice to create a character, not just within two scenes, but within the journey of a whole movie. It's fun to do that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-isaac/it-s-nice-to-create-a-character-not-just-within-two-scenes-but-within/) [Oscar Isaac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-isaac/) > [You have to expose part of yourself to create a character deep enough for readers to care about. You try not to because it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-haslett/you-have-to-expose-part-of-yourself-to-create-a-character-deep-enough/) [Adam Haslett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-haslett/) > [I wanna create a character that's really memorable... like Julia Roberts did in 'Pretty Woman.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kari-wuhrer/i-wanna-create-a-character-that-s-really-memorable-like-julia-roberts/) [Kari Wuhrer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kari-wuhrer/) ## More by Mary Tyler Moore > [Diabetes is an all-too-personal time bomb which can go off today, tomorrow, next year, or 10 years from now - a time bomb affecting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-tyler-moore/diabetes-is-an-all-too-personal-time-bomb-which-can-go-off-today/) [Mary Tyler Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-tyler-moore/) > [Sometimes you have to get to know someone really well to realize you're really strangers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-tyler-moore/sometimes-you-have-to-get-to-know-someone-really-well-to-realize-you/) [Mary Tyler Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-tyler-moore/) > [The kinds of shows that seem to work now, the comedy shows, are those which require very little attention. They're superficial and I like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-tyler-moore/the-kinds-of-shows-that-seem-to-work-now-the-comedy-shows-are-those/) [Mary Tyler Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-tyler-moore/) > [And I came close to losing a part of my foot on two occasions. I hope I'm consistently lucky and that the next time…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-tyler-moore/and-i-came-close-to-losing-a-part-of-my-foot-on-two-occasions-i-hope/) [Mary Tyler Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-tyler-moore/) > [I wish that I could write. I think that's a wonderful outlet for an artist. You are ultimately in control. Your fate is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-tyler-moore/i-wish-that-i-could-write-i-think-that-s-a-wonderful-outlet-for-an/) [Mary Tyler Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-tyler-moore/) > [I have always been a combination of both security and insecurity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-tyler-moore/i-have-always-been-a-combination-of-both-security-and-insecurity/) [Mary Tyler Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-tyler-moore/) > [I go to an analyst not because I need to but because I choose to and maybe that's the difference. I don't think I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-tyler-moore/i-go-to-an-analyst-not-because-i-need-to-but-because-i-choose-to-and/) [Mary Tyler Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-tyler-moore/) > [Eating sundaes is something you can't do every night.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-tyler-moore/eating-sundaes-is-something-you-can-t-do-every-night/) [Mary Tyler Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-tyler-moore/) > [What happens is that the system builds many inferior blood vessels in the eye to take the place of the vessels that are dying.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-tyler-moore/what-happens-is-that-the-system-builds-many-inferior-blood-vessels-in/) [Mary Tyler Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-tyler-moore/) > [I don't think there's anything quite as dashing as a cop on horseback. To me it's wonderful.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-tyler-moore/i-don-t-think-there-s-anything-quite-as-dashing-as-a-cop-on-horseback/) [Mary Tyler Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-tyler-moore/) > [I just like the continue doing what I've been doing. A melange of funny, straight drama, television, movies, a little theater here and there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-tyler-moore/i-just-like-the-continue-doing-what-i-ve-been-doing-a-melange-of/) [Mary Tyler Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-tyler-moore/) > [I have no problem walking in New York because I have a very brisk pace: By the time anyone recognizes me, it's too late,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-tyler-moore/i-have-no-problem-walking-in-new-york-because-i-have-a-very-brisk/) [Mary Tyler Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-tyler-moore/) > [Diets are for those who are thick and tired of it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-tyler-moore/diets-are-for-those-who-are-thick-and-tired-of-it/) [Mary Tyler Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-tyler-moore/) > [I'm an experienced woman; I've been around. ... Well, all right, I might not've been around, but I've been ... nearby.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-tyler-moore/i-m-an-experienced-woman-i-ve-been-around-well-all-right-i-might-not/) [Mary Tyler Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-tyler-moore/) > [And the sculptor woman was so clever in the way she did it. She had the beret just about to leave my hand. So…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-tyler-moore/and-the-sculptor-woman-was-so-clever-in-the-way-she-did-it-she-had/) [Mary Tyler Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-tyler-moore/) [Explore all 84 Mary Tyler Moore quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-tyler-moore/) ## More Actress quotes > [Sigourney Weaver is a wonderful person. I was so lucky to have the opportunity to meet and work with such an amazing actress. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carrie-henn/sigourney-weaver-is-a-wonderful-person-i-was-so-lucky-to-have-the/) [Carrie Henn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carrie-henn/) > [People forget I'm an actress.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joey-heatherton/people-forget-i-m-an-actress/) [Joey Heatherton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joey-heatherton/) > [I adore Kelly Bishop as a human being and as an actress.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-gunn/i-adore-kelly-bishop-as-a-human-being-and-as-an-actress/) [Sean Gunn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-gunn/) > [I've been told before, and I tend to believe it, I'm not like most actresses out there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/moira-kelly/i-ve-been-told-before-and-i-tend-to-believe-it-i-m-not-like-most/) [Moira Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/moira-kelly/) > [Marilyn was a great actress, not a dumb blond bombshell. She was very smart, very astute and a good businesswoman.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-schiller/marilyn-was-a-great-actress-not-a-dumb-blond-bombshell-she-was-very/) [Lawrence Schiller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-schiller/) > [I'm an actress, not a pin-up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francesca-annis/i-m-an-actress-not-a-pin-up/) [Francesca Annis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francesca-annis/) > [My father was a GP; my mother was a teacher and amateur actress. My father was a bit of a storyteller, but the acting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ciaran-hinds/my-father-was-a-gp-my-mother-was-a-teacher-and-amateur-actress-my/) [Ciaran Hinds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ciaran-hinds/) > [I never wished that I was a superstar. Hell, I never even wished that I was an actress.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-lane/i-never-wished-that-i-was-a-superstar-hell-i-never-even-wished-that-i/) [Diane Lane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-lane/) > [Many of the heroines from outside Karnataka have worked in my films, but the attitude and adjusting nature of top South Indian actress Nayantara…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rockline-venkatesh/many-of-the-heroines-from-outside-karnataka-have-worked-in-my-films/) [Rockline Venkatesh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rockline-venkatesh/) > [There are a lot of great actresses out there. You learn to appreciate each one for what they offer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victoria-pratt/there-are-a-lot-of-great-actresses-out-there-you-learn-to-appreciate/) [Victoria Pratt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victoria-pratt/) > [There's certain things I try to avoid, as an actress, just to keep my world from being as narrow as it could be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/famke-janssen/there-s-certain-things-i-try-to-avoid-as-an-actress-just-to-keep-my/) [Famke Janssen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/famke-janssen/) > [I never wanted to be an opera singer. I wanted to be an actress, maybe a rock singer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristine-opolais/i-never-wanted-to-be-an-opera-singer-i-wanted-to-be-an-actress-maybe/) [Kristine Opolais](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristine-opolais/) > [When an actor charges high fees, nobody says anything. But when an actress does the same, it becomes news.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vijayashanti/when-an-actor-charges-high-fees-nobody-says-anything-but-when-an/) [Vijayashanti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vijayashanti/) > [I am going to be a great actress.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vivien-leigh/i-am-going-to-be-a-great-actress/) [Vivien Leigh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vivien-leigh/) > [As a black actress you've got to work doubly hard. But it doesn't ever get me to the point where I give up on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naturi-naughton/as-a-black-actress-you-ve-got-to-work-doubly-hard-but-it-doesn-t-ever/) [Naturi Naughton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naturi-naughton/) [Browse all 2,244 Actress quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actress/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I'm not an actress who can create a character. I play me.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Mary Tyler Moore" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-tyler-moore/i-m-not-an-actress-who-can-create-a-character-i-play-me/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Actress" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-tyler-moore/i-m-not-an-actress-who-can-create-a-character-i-play-me/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ee3/mary-tyler-moore-8090_actress_i-m-not-an-actress-who-can-create-a-char_664472.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ee3/mary-tyler-moore-8090_actress_i-m-not-an-actress-who-can-create-a-char_664472.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ee3/mary-tyler-moore-8090_actress_i-m-not-an-actress-who-can-create-a-char_664472.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I'm not an actress who can create a character. I play me.” — Mary Tyler Moore", "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 Tyler Moore", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-tyler-moore/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I'm not an actress who can...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-tyler-moore/i-m-not-an-actress-who-can-create-a-character-i-play-me/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-tyler-moore/i-m-not-an-actress-who-can-create-a-character-i-play-me/#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 } } ] } ```