--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I tend to play more true-to-life…" description: "\"I tend to play more true-to-life characters in real situations.\" — Mekhi Phifer" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/515/mekhi-phifer-11337_character_i-tend-to-play-more-true-to-life-charact_2380545.jpg" --- # I tend to play more true-to-life characters in real… ![“I tend to play more true-to-life characters in real situations.” quote by Mekhi Phifer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/515/mekhi-phifer-11337_character_i-tend-to-play-more-true-to-life-charact_2380545.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/515/mekhi-phifer-11337_character_i-tend-to-play-more-true-to-life-charact_2380545.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/515/mekhi-phifer-11337_character_i-tend-to-play-more-true-to-life-charact_2380545.jpg) > “I tend to play more true-to-life characters in real situations.” [Mekhi Phifer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mekhi-phifer/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He prefers portraying realistic characters in authentic contexts. **In simple terms:** Plays realistic roles. Key Takeaway Focus on authenticity in acting. Themes authenticity character acting realism Mood reflective thoughtful Type analytical insightful When to use this quote - film auditions - theatre rehearsals - improvisation workshops Key Concepts method acting character immersion Questions to Reflect On - How does realism affect audience connection? - When is exaggeration more effective? A Different Perspective May limit range of diverse roles. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character/) [Characters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/characters/) [Play](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/play/) [Situations](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/situations/) [True life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/true-life/) ## Related quotes > [I enjoy playing real human beings after playing a lot of larger than life characters. I love playing true to life characters and that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-jai-white/i-enjoy-playing-real-human-beings-after-playing-a-lot-of-larger-than/) [Michael Jai White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-jai-white/) > [I just want to keep finding special characters that I feel like I can bring to life and characters that are real and not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aubrey-plaza/i-just-want-to-keep-finding-special-characters-that-i-feel-like-i-can/) [Aubrey Plaza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aubrey-plaza/) > [I think one of the few times I've been involved with real-life characters was the story of Marie Bonaparte. I think it's really difficult…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-deneuve/i-think-one-of-the-few-times-i-ve-been-involved-with-real-life/) [Catherine Deneuve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-deneuve/) > [I'm drawn to real-life characters. A lot of the characters I play, I've had in me since second grade. I've been dragging them around…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-sedaris/i-m-drawn-to-real-life-characters-a-lot-of-the-characters-i-play-i-ve/) [Amy Sedaris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-sedaris/) > [Health is the first of life Wealth is the next of life Characters courage is the best of life Respect is must in life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/health-is-the-first-of-life-wealth-is-the-next-of-life-characters/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Well you have to do a tremendous amount of research and if you're playing someone who's a real life person, especially someone who's alive…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-sheen/well-you-have-to-do-a-tremendous-amount-of-research-and-if-you-re/) [Michael Sheen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-sheen/) > [In the stormy current of life characters are weights or floats which at one time make us glide along the bottom, and at another…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hippolyte-taine/in-the-stormy-current-of-life-characters-are-weights-or-floats-which/) [Hippolyte Taine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hippolyte-taine/) > [I write about relationships and I try to create real-life characters.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-giffin/i-write-about-relationships-and-i-try-to-create-real-life-characters/) [Emily Giffin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-giffin/) > [Clifford paints true-to-life characters with the same gritty touch as the best of Dennis Lehane. Straightforward and edgy, Lamentation gnaws with nail-biting tension on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-dugoni/clifford-paints-true-to-life-characters-with-the-same-gritty-touch-as/) [Robert Dugoni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-dugoni/) > [Every once in a while I play a true idiot, and they're really fun to play.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-banks/every-once-in-a-while-i-play-a-true-idiot-and-they-re-really-fun-to/) [Elizabeth Banks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-banks/) > [People claimed I refused to play. But that is not true and a complete lie.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marko-arnautovic/people-claimed-i-refused-to-play-but-that-is-not-true-and-a-complete/) [Marko Arnautovic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marko-arnautovic/) > [Every once and a while I play a true idiot, and they're really fun to play.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-mitchell/every-once-and-a-while-i-play-a-true-idiot-and-they-re-really-fun-to/) [Elizabeth Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-mitchell/) > [For me to play any true person in a film based on a true story, I always want to make sure that it doesn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lydia-hearst/for-me-to-play-any-true-person-in-a-film-based-on-a-true-story-i/) [Lydia Hearst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lydia-hearst/) > [The truth is that we have to, as American citizens, stop thinking that this life that we're living, the things that we're dealing with,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stevie-wonder/the-truth-is-that-we-have-to-as-american-citizens-stop-thinking-that/) [Stevie Wonder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stevie-wonder/) > [Anything and everything at any given time is sort of the point I think. We're dealing in real situations and that's why we have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eliza-dushku/anything-and-everything-at-any-given-time-is-sort-of-the-point-i/) [Eliza Dushku](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eliza-dushku/) ## More by Mekhi Phifer > [I've gotten to travel all over the world and meet all kinds of people and do all kinds of great things, so it's, like,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mekhi-phifer/i-ve-gotten-to-travel-all-over-the-world-and-meet-all-kinds-of-people/) [Mekhi Phifer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mekhi-phifer/) > [In the early '80s, it was hard to find celebrities you can identify with if you lived in the hood. There weren't any rap…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mekhi-phifer/in-the-early-80s-it-was-hard-to-find-celebrities-you-can-identify/) [Mekhi Phifer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mekhi-phifer/) > [Actors look at life in a different way. When I meet people, I know that one day I may portray that person or someone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mekhi-phifer/actors-look-at-life-in-a-different-way-when-i-meet-people-i-know-that/) [Mekhi Phifer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mekhi-phifer/) > [A lot of times you'll hear horror stories about actors being incredibly selfish and only wanting themselves to shine, but for me, it's not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mekhi-phifer/a-lot-of-times-you-ll-hear-horror-stories-about-actors-being/) [Mekhi Phifer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mekhi-phifer/) > [I always try to pick and choose projects that will be impactful to someone. From films like 'Clockers' to playing a doctor on 'ER'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mekhi-phifer/i-always-try-to-pick-and-choose-projects-that-will-be-impactful-to/) [Mekhi Phifer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mekhi-phifer/) > [Once or twice a week, I try to do some kind of boxing. I'm hitting the bags and jumping rope - all that stuff.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mekhi-phifer/once-or-twice-a-week-i-try-to-do-some-kind-of-boxing-i-m-hitting-the/) [Mekhi Phifer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mekhi-phifer/) > [I'm very comfortable with what I do, but it just seems like yesterday that I just started, at 19, and it's been like a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mekhi-phifer/i-m-very-comfortable-with-what-i-do-but-it-just-seems-like-yesterday/) [Mekhi Phifer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mekhi-phifer/) > [Being from New York, living in L.A., being in Chicago, you kind of get more of the big-city, melting-pot sort of thing. But when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mekhi-phifer/being-from-new-york-living-in-l-a-being-in-chicago-you-kind-of-get/) [Mekhi Phifer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mekhi-phifer/) > [I'm a big road trip guy. I'm the guy who gets in the RV and drives across country. And when you do that, you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mekhi-phifer/i-m-a-big-road-trip-guy-i-m-the-guy-who-gets-in-the-rv-and-drives/) [Mekhi Phifer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mekhi-phifer/) > [I grew up in a rough environment. You want to be strong and have your presence felt out there. That attitude reflects how people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mekhi-phifer/i-grew-up-in-a-rough-environment-you-want-to-be-strong-and-have-your/) [Mekhi Phifer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mekhi-phifer/) > [Rap is definitely a youthful expression.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mekhi-phifer/rap-is-definitely-a-youthful-expression/) [Mekhi Phifer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mekhi-phifer/) > [Toronto is like a smaller, safe New York.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mekhi-phifer/toronto-is-like-a-smaller-safe-new-york/) [Mekhi Phifer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mekhi-phifer/) > [Being producer you're still going to have to sell somebody who's going to give you the money on the idea and everything like that.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mekhi-phifer/being-producer-you-re-still-going-to-have-to-sell-somebody-who-s/) [Mekhi Phifer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mekhi-phifer/) > [When break dancing was out, I break danced. When rapping was the thing, I freestyled rap on the street and battled and all that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mekhi-phifer/when-break-dancing-was-out-i-break-danced-when-rapping-was-the-thing/) [Mekhi Phifer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mekhi-phifer/) > [I love kids, outings, camping, sports, Legoland, all the Daddy stuff. I love it. I wish I could just do that, but I have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mekhi-phifer/i-love-kids-outings-camping-sports-legoland-all-the-daddy-stuff-i/) [Mekhi Phifer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mekhi-phifer/) [Explore all 60 Mekhi Phifer quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mekhi-phifer/) ## 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. Truman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-s-truman/) > [In the fight between biology and morality, biology has commonly won in the end.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/semir-zeki/in-the-fight-between-biology-and-morality-biology-has-commonly-won-in/) [Semir Zeki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/semir-zeki/) > [Your looks don't make you pretty, it's the person inside who makes you pretty!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-chan/your-looks-don-t-make-you-pretty-it-s-the-person-inside-who-makes-you/) [Aaron Chan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-chan/) > [I'm not a huge social media kind of guy, so I don't really know, I don't really ever get... at least in real life,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/freddie-stroma/i-m-not-a-huge-social-media-kind-of-guy-so-i-don-t-really-know-i-don/) [Freddie Stroma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/freddie-stroma/) > [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/) > [Courage: the most important of all the virtues because without courage, you can't practice any other virtue consistently](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-angelou/courage-the-most-important-of-all-the-virtues-because-without-courage/) [Maya Angelou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-angelou/) > [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/) [Browse all 32,707 Character quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I tend to play more true-to-life characters in real situations.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Mekhi Phifer" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mekhi-phifer/i-tend-to-play-more-true-to-life-characters-in-real-situations/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Character" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mekhi-phifer/i-tend-to-play-more-true-to-life-characters-in-real-situations/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/515/mekhi-phifer-11337_character_i-tend-to-play-more-true-to-life-charact_2380545.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/515/mekhi-phifer-11337_character_i-tend-to-play-more-true-to-life-charact_2380545.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/515/mekhi-phifer-11337_character_i-tend-to-play-more-true-to-life-charact_2380545.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I tend to play more true-to-life characters in real situations.” — Mekhi Phifer", "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": "Mekhi Phifer", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mekhi-phifer/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I tend to play more true-to-life...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mekhi-phifer/i-tend-to-play-more-true-to-life-characters-in-real-situations/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mekhi-phifer/i-tend-to-play-more-true-to-life-characters-in-real-situations/#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 } } ] } ```