--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When I know what the character I'm…" description: "\"When I know what the character I'm supposed to play wants in general terms, and when I know what did the other characters want to do, that's when all t..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ddb/max-von-sydow-7808_character_when-i-know-what-the-character-i-m-suppo_2052358.jpg" --- # When I know what the character I'm supposed to play wants… ![“When I know what the character I'm supposed to play wants in general terms, and when I know what did the other characters want to do, that's when all these wills collide and the emotions show up.” quote by Max von Sydow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ddb/max-von-sydow-7808_character_when-i-know-what-the-character-i-m-suppo_2052358.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ddb/max-von-sydow-7808_character_when-i-know-what-the-character-i-m-suppo_2052358.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ddb/max-von-sydow-7808_character_when-i-know-what-the-character-i-m-suppo_2052358.jpg) > “When I know what the character I'm supposed to play wants in general terms, and when I know what did the other characters want to do, that's when all these wills collide and the emotions show up.” [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. Understanding each character’s desires reveals intersecting motivations, producing authentic emotional conflict on stage. **In simple terms:** Knowing what each character wants creates true drama. Key Takeaway Study character goals to deepen performance. Themes acting character development conflict Mood introspective analytical Type educational inspirational When to use this quote - rehearsals - script analysis - directed scenes - ensemble work Key Concepts theatre psychology drama Questions to Reflect On - How do you balance multiple character drives? - What techniques reveal hidden desires? A Different Perspective Complex motives can be hard to align, leading to confusion. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character/) [Characters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/characters/) [Emotions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/emotions/) [Play](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/play/) ## Related quotes > [There cannot be two absolutely free beings in the universe, for sooner or later two completely free wills must collide.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aiden-wilson-tozer/there-cannot-be-two-absolutely-free-beings-in-the-universe-for-sooner/) [Aiden Wilson Tozer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aiden-wilson-tozer/) > [My approach is always the same. I try to be as honest as possible. Find the real honesty and humanity in the character because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aldis-hodge/my-approach-is-always-the-same-i-try-to-be-as-honest-as-possible-find/) [Aldis Hodge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aldis-hodge/) > [I always say that I'm at my best when there's no example of what the character is supposed to be. I thrive when there's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-august-richards/i-always-say-that-i-m-at-my-best-when-there-s-no-example-of-what-the/) [J. August Richards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-august-richards/) > [I am the character you are not supposed to like.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-rickman/i-am-the-character-you-are-not-supposed-to-like/) [Alan Rickman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-rickman/) > [“People get too concerned about looking stupid on-screen and so they constantly check the playback. You can’t be scared of looking stupid. Instead, just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lilly-singh/people-get-too-concerned-about-looking-stupid-on-screen-and-so-they/) [Lilly Singh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lilly-singh/) > [I don't make decisions just on the character I'm supposed to play. Sometimes it's based on the director, sometimes it's based on the story,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/holly-hunter/i-don-t-make-decisions-just-on-the-character-i-m-supposed-to-play/) [Holly Hunter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/holly-hunter/) > [What I do is to collaborate with each actor and work one-on-one to create a character. And that is a matter of huge complexity…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-leigh/what-i-do-is-to-collaborate-with-each-actor-and-work-one-on-one-to/) [Mike Leigh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-leigh/) > [Aircraft do not crash of themselves. They come to grief because men are foolish, or vain, or lazy, or irresolute or reckless. One crash…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nevil-shute/aircraft-do-not-crash-of-themselves-they-come-to-grief-because-men/) [Nevil Shute](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nevil-shute/) > [I will see you tomorrow, if God wills it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-john-paul-i/i-will-see-you-tomorrow-if-god-wills-it/) [Pope John Paul I](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-john-paul-i/) > [Nothing can resist the will of man when he knows what is true and wills what is good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eliphas-levi/nothing-can-resist-the-will-of-man-when-he-knows-what-is-true-and/) [Eliphas Levi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eliphas-levi/) > [Everything is possible to him who wills only what is true! Rest in Nature, study, know, then dare; dare to will, dare to act…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eliphas-levi/everything-is-possible-to-him-who-wills-only-what-is-true-rest-in/) [Eliphas Levi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eliphas-levi/) > [God wills in man only that which is good, in the kingdom of his grace; where the free will yields itself up into the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jakob-bohme/god-wills-in-man-only-that-which-is-good-in-the-kingdom-of-his-grace/) [Jakob Bohme](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jakob-bohme/) > [If God himself wills such misery on people whom I love, then I say I will deal with him](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eldridge-cleaver/if-god-himself-wills-such-misery-on-people-whom-i-love-then-i-say-i/) [Eldridge Cleaver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eldridge-cleaver/) > [I like to interpose in all of my appointments, if the Lord wills.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-b-simpson/i-like-to-interpose-in-all-of-my-appointments-if-the-lord-wills/) [A. B. Simpson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-b-simpson/) > [Our future and our fate lie in our wills more than in our hands, for our hands are but the instruments of our wills.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/b-c-forbes/our-future-and-our-fate-lie-in-our-wills-more-than-in-our-hands-for/) [B. C. Forbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/b-c-forbes/) ## 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 Character quotes > [This may sound strange, but although I feel like I know everything about my characters, the brand of shampoo they use, how many cavities…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gail-honeyman/this-may-sound-strange-but-although-i-feel-like-i-know-everything/) [Gail Honeyman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gail-honeyman/) > [I always like a character who makes me laugh.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachael-stirling/i-always-like-a-character-who-makes-me-laugh/) [Rachael Stirling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachael-stirling/) > [Social responsibility above the level of family, or at most of tribe, requires imagination-- devotion, loyalty, all the higher virtues -- which a man…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-heinlein/social-responsibility-above-the-level-of-family-or-at-most-of-tribe/) [Robert A. Heinlein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-heinlein/) > [Reader, if you are gifted with nerves like mine, aspire to any character but that of a wit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-lamb/reader-if-you-are-gifted-with-nerves-like-mine-aspire-to-any/) [Charles Lamb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-lamb/) > [I'm often moved by the circumstances around some of my characters, but I don't think I've actually cried watching myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-winslet/i-m-often-moved-by-the-circumstances-around-some-of-my-characters-but/) [Kate Winslet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-winslet/) > [When you're on a daytime drama you get one page, you better damn well know your character. You better know what she would do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hudgins/when-you-re-on-a-daytime-drama-you-get-one-page-you-better-damn-well/) David Hudgins > [It can sometimes make people fold into themselves and kind of run away, but I think in this case these characters are being forced…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-deschanel/it-can-sometimes-make-people-fold-into-themselves-and-kind-of-run/) [Emily Deschanel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-deschanel/) > [If you are well-mannered towards those whose views are similar to yours, you may be said to exhibit a fairly good character. But, if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-you-are-well-mannered-towards-those-whose-views-are-similar-to/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Democracy is based on the conviction that man has the moral and intellectual capacity, as well as the inalienable right, to govern himself with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-s-truman/democracy-is-based-on-the-conviction-that-man-has-the-moral-and/) [Harry S. 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