--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The most difficult part of playing Christ…" description: "\"The most difficult part of playing Christ was that I had to keep up the image around the clock. As soon as the picture finished, I returned home to Swe..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/047/max-von-sydow-7808_around_the-most-difficult-part-of-playing-chris_3199388.jpg" --- # The most difficult part of playing Christ was that I had… ![“The most difficult part of playing Christ was that I had to keep up the image around the clock. As soon as the picture finished, I returned home to Sweden and tried to find my old self. It took six months to get back to normal.” quote by Max von Sydow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/047/max-von-sydow-7808_around_the-most-difficult-part-of-playing-chris_3199388.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/047/max-von-sydow-7808_around_the-most-difficult-part-of-playing-chris_3199388.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/047/max-von-sydow-7808_around_the-most-difficult-part-of-playing-chris_3199388.jpg) > “The most difficult part of playing Christ was that I had to keep up the image around the clock. As soon as the picture finished, I returned home to Sweden and tried to find my old self. It took six months to get back to normal.” [Max von Sydow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-von-sydow/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He struggled to maintain a public persona while acting, and needed time away to recover his personal identity. **In simple terms:** Balancing public image and private self is hard. Key Takeaway Allow yourself time to reconnect with who you are. Themes identity performance mental health Mood reflective somber Type personal cautionary When to use this quote - acting career - post‑film adjustment - personal recovery Key Concepts self‑concept role immersion Questions to Reflect On - How do you separate your role from your self? - What rituals help you regain authenticity? A Different Perspective Public pressure can erode personal well‑being. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Around](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/around/) [Back](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/back/) [Christ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/christ/) [Christ Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/christ-image-950074/) [Clock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/clock/) [Difficult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/difficult/) [Find](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/find/) [Finished](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/finished/) [Get](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/get/) [Had](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/had/) [Home](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/home/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/image/) [Keep](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/keep/) [Months](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/months/) [Most](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/most/) [Normal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/normal/) [Old](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/old/) [Old self](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/old-self/) [Part](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/part/) [Picture](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/picture/) [Playing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/playing/) [Playing Christ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/playing-christ-1910624/) [Returned](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/returned/) [Returned Home](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/returned-home-288954/) [Self](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/self/) [Six](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/six/) [Six months](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/six-months/) [Soon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/soon/) [Sweden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sweden/) [Took](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/took/) [Took Months](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/took-months-268354/) [Tried](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tried/) [Up](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/up/) ## Related quotes > [I always say that playing Christ has just made me a better version of myself because I aspire to greater things, to a moral…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-roumie/i-always-say-that-playing-christ-has-just-made-me-a-better-version-of/) [Jonathan Roumie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-roumie/) > [From Nelson county we went to Logan county to see some relatives we had there, and after staying until the middle of October, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesse-james/from-nelson-county-we-went-to-logan-county-to-see-some-relatives-we/) [Jesse James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesse-james/) > [My wife and I have four children, and none of them are in lab science, so clearly I returned home at night and presented…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-agre/my-wife-and-i-have-four-children-and-none-of-them-are-in-lab-science/) [Peter Agre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-agre/) > [I went away, dear Agnes, loving you. 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Hendricks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-g-hendricks/) > [He that would be conformed to Christ's image, and become a Christ-like man, must be constantly studying Christ Himself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/he-that-would-be-conformed-to-christ-s-image-and-become-a-christ-like/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Any time we base our self-image on how we feel, we will run into problems because our feelings change. As long as we feel…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/myles-munroe/any-time-we-base-our-self-image-on-how-we-feel-we-will-run-into/) [Myles Munroe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/myles-munroe/) > [The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bible/the-god-of-this-age-has-blinded-the-minds-of-unbelievers-so-that-they/) [Bible](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bible/) > [The image of the tormented man is taken and reproduced in the dirtiest political ways by the institutions of the church, and through this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sorin-cerin/the-image-of-the-tormented-man-is-taken-and-reproduced-in-the/) [Sorin Cerin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sorin-cerin/) > [I read the Odyssey because it was the story of a man who returned home after being absent for more than twenty years and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guillermo-cabrera-infante/i-read-the-odyssey-because-it-was-the-story-of-a-man-who-returned/) [Guillermo Cabrera Infante](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guillermo-cabrera-infante/) > [“Returned home for dinner and dined alone—the countess had many visitors I do not like. I ate and drank moderately and after dinner copied…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/returned-home-for-dinner-and-dined-alone-the-countess-had-many/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [Most of the people - either returned home to the south or found housing near the shelter they were staying at](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-green/most-of-the-people-either-returned-home-to-the-south-or-found-housing/) [Tom Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-green/) ## More by Max von Sydow > [Italians are great improvisers. If something unforeseen happens, they throw up their hands, and they adjust.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-von-sydow/italians-are-great-improvisers-if-something-unforeseen-happens-they/) [Max von Sydow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-von-sydow/) > [Do it, do it, do it. And watch good actors. See what they are doing and how they are doing it. You have to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-von-sydow/do-it-do-it-do-it-and-watch-good-actors-see-what-they-are-doing-and/) [Max von Sydow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-von-sydow/) > [There are those who want to believe but can't, and there are those who believe as children and it's no problem for them at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-von-sydow/there-are-those-who-want-to-believe-but-can-t-and-there-are-those-who/) [Max von Sydow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-von-sydow/) > [I find it very hard to take myself seriously.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-von-sydow/i-find-it-very-hard-to-take-myself-seriously/) [Max von Sydow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-von-sydow/) > [I understand German; I can read German.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-von-sydow/i-understand-german-i-can-read-german/) [Max von Sydow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-von-sydow/) > [France is, for me, the country of happiness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-von-sydow/france-is-for-me-the-country-of-happiness/) [Max von Sydow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-von-sydow/) > [I could never learn to be totally fluent in any other language.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-von-sydow/i-could-never-learn-to-be-totally-fluent-in-any-other-language/) [Max von Sydow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-von-sydow/) > [If Jesus came back today, and saw what was going on in his name, he'd never stop throwing up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-von-sydow/if-jesus-came-back-today-and-saw-what-was-going-on-in-his-name-he-d/) [Max von Sydow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-von-sydow/) > [I owe Mr. Bergman so much.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-von-sydow/i-owe-mr-bergman-so-much/) [Max von Sydow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-von-sydow/) > [Perhaps I scare people. I don't know why.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-von-sydow/perhaps-i-scare-people-i-don-t-know-why/) [Max von Sydow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-von-sydow/) > [I remember those days with Bergman with great nostalgia. We were aware that the films were going to be quite important, and the work…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-von-sydow/i-remember-those-days-with-bergman-with-great-nostalgia-we-were-aware/) [Max von Sydow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-von-sydow/) > [My father was a professor of folklore, and my mother was a teacher until she was married. I had a good relationship with them,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-von-sydow/my-father-was-a-professor-of-folklore-and-my-mother-was-a-teacher/) [Max von Sydow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-von-sydow/) > [I think it's good that we're sometimes reminded of important events in history.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-von-sydow/i-think-it-s-good-that-we-re-sometimes-reminded-of-important-events/) [Max von Sydow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-von-sydow/) > [The more I had to act like a saint, the more I felt like being a sinner.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-von-sydow/the-more-i-had-to-act-like-a-saint-the-more-i-felt-like-being-a-sinner/) [Max von Sydow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-von-sydow/) > [I just feel I shouldn't work too much, because there are so many other things to do](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-von-sydow/i-just-feel-i-shouldn-t-work-too-much-because-there-are-so-many-other/) [Max von Sydow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-von-sydow/) [Explore all 87 Max von Sydow quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-von-sydow/) ## More Around quotes > [I actually think acting is a form of self-hypnosis. 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I guess what is fun about this role in 'Suburgatory' is that there's a lot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-tudyk/i-guess-i-m-attracted-to-things-that-are-fun-i-guess-what-is-fun/) [Alan Tudyk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-tudyk/) > [When I was a teen, I would draw a really, really long line around my eyes with eyeliner, like Lola Flores.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rosalia/when-i-was-a-teen-i-would-draw-a-really-really-long-line-around-my/) [Rosalia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rosalia/) > [I think the issues around diversity of all kinds are really a huge problem in the startup world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-lyons/i-think-the-issues-around-diversity-of-all-kinds-are-really-a-huge/) [Daniel Lyons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-lyons/) > [You always hear actors say, 'Theater is my first love,' and it is. 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So everybody's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-everly/you-couldn-t-get-me-to-go-travel-around-and-sit-in-a-hotel-room-again/) [Phil Everly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-everly/) > [I drink maple syrup. Then I'm hyper so I just run around like crazy and work it all off.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-mcadams/i-drink-maple-syrup-then-i-m-hyper-so-i-just-run-around-like-crazy/) [Rachel McAdams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-mcadams/) > [Music is almost like a therapy for me. It helps keep me centered and think straight. Before I discovered it, I was walking around,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/banks/music-is-almost-like-a-therapy-for-me-it-helps-keep-me-centered-and/) [Banks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/banks/) > [I have to say, I grew up with fashion because my mother was a seamstress, and she had an atelier. 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