--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I've done some awful auditions, and I've…" description: "\"I've done some awful auditions, and I've really done some horrible work, but it forced me to flex those muscles, and that's what makes you a better act..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f76/melanie-scrofano-17645_actor_i-ve-done-some-awful-auditions-and-i-ve_2942313.jpg" --- # I've done some awful auditions, and I've really done some… ![“I've done some awful auditions, and I've really done some horrible work, but it forced me to flex those muscles, and that's what makes you a better actor, just doing bad work and seeing what looks bad and growing from it.” quote by Melanie Scrofano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f76/melanie-scrofano-17645_actor_i-ve-done-some-awful-auditions-and-i-ve_2942313.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f76/melanie-scrofano-17645_actor_i-ve-done-some-awful-auditions-and-i-ve_2942313.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f76/melanie-scrofano-17645_actor_i-ve-done-some-awful-auditions-and-i-ve_2942313.jpg) > “I've done some awful auditions, and I've really done some horrible work, but it forced me to flex those muscles, and that's what makes you a better actor, just doing bad work and seeing what looks bad and growing from it.” [Melanie Scrofano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melanie-scrofano/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Bad performances reveal weaknesses, prompting deliberate practice and growth as an actor. **In simple terms:** Mistakes expose flaws, leading to improvement. Key Takeaway Embrace failure to improve. Themes acting growth self‑critique Mood determined reflective Type motivational inspirational When to use this quote - audition prep - rehearsal - self‑review - coaching - career development Key Concepts deliberate practice muscle memory Questions to Reflect On - How can you turn a specific mistake into a learning plan? - What habits help you objectively assess your performance? A Different Perspective Bad work may damage confidence if not reflected upon. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Actor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actor/) [Auditions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/auditions/) [Theatre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/theatre/) [Work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/work/) ## Related quotes > [I was really awful at auditions. There's something about sitting down and saying into the camera: 'I'm Nina and this is the name of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nina-conti/i-was-really-awful-at-auditions-there-s-something-about-sitting-down/) [Nina Conti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nina-conti/) > [“That wasn't it. It didn't occur to you to flex your muscles and take over, to show me you could handle things for me.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-roberts/that-wasn-t-it-it-didn-t-occur-to-you-to-flex-your-muscles-and-take/) [Nora Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-roberts/) > [If you do a character that resonates enough, people are always going to see you as that character. It will just be up to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danny-mcbride/if-you-do-a-character-that-resonates-enough-people-are-always-going/) [Danny McBride](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danny-mcbride/) > [“The frown again. So much contained there in the flex of a few muscles. All of history, it sometimes seemed to me. All of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roland-merullo/the-frown-again-so-much-contained-there-in-the-flex-of-a-few-muscles/) [Roland Merullo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roland-merullo/) > [It quite funny I don't try to show off my muscle dont flex my muscles and u can still see them only if u…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-country/it-quite-funny-i-don-t-try-to-show-off-my-muscle-dont-flex-my-muscles/) [Michael Country](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-country/) > [ \[ Being director\] is really reassuring to me that it's just about who is right for that role and less about if you ace… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alden-ehrenreich/being-director-is-really-reassuring-to-me-that-it-s-just-about-who-is/) [Alden Ehrenreich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alden-ehrenreich/) > [“We all know that drugs, alcohol and tobacco are Bad, but work, we are brought up to believe, is Good. As a result the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-fry/we-all-know-that-drugs-alcohol-and-tobacco-are-bad-but-work-we-are/) [Stephen Fry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-fry/) > [“I can’t function here anymore. I mean in life: I can’t function in this life. I’m no better off than when I was in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ned-vizzini/i-can-t-function-here-anymore-i-mean-in-life-i-can-t-function-in-this/) [Ned Vizzini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ned-vizzini/) > [“As Chafer said, long ago, “If men go to perdition it will be because every possible mercy from God has been resisted.”3 I cannot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-davis/as-chafer-said-long-ago-if-men-go-to-perdition-it-will-be-because/) [Patrick Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-davis/) > [A bad worker quarrels with his tools](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/proverb/a-bad-worker-quarrels-with-his-tools/) Proverb > [Our best performances are so stained with sin, that it is hard to know whether they are good works or bad works.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-spurgeon/our-best-performances-are-so-stained-with-sin-that-it-is-hard-to-know/) [Charles Spurgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-spurgeon/) > [If you do good work for good clients, it will lead to other good work for other good clients. If you do bad work…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-bierut/if-you-do-good-work-for-good-clients-it-will-lead-to-other-good-work/) [Michael Bierut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-bierut/) > [“Good work does not matter, because a man is judged by his worst output and another man takes all the credit of his best…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudyard-kipling/good-work-does-not-matter-because-a-man-is-judged-by-his-worst-output/) [Rudyard Kipling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudyard-kipling/) > [“Also, don’t be timid about your conclusions. Sometimes abandoning what you’re working on is the right move, even if you’ve already put in a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-fried/also-don-t-be-timid-about-your-conclusions-sometimes-abandoning-what/) [Jason Fried](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-fried/) > [If I am going to be phased out by whatever powers, then I want people to know that it is not because I am…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/parvathy/if-i-am-going-to-be-phased-out-by-whatever-powers-then-i-want-people/) [Parvathy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/parvathy/) ## More by Melanie Scrofano > [Trust yourself and don't do anything that doesn't feel right.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melanie-scrofano/trust-yourself-and-don-t-do-anything-that-doesn-t-feel-right/) [Melanie Scrofano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melanie-scrofano/) > [I don't smile or talk before 10 A.M. unless it's scripted.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melanie-scrofano/i-don-t-smile-or-talk-before-10-a-m-unless-it-s-scripted/) [Melanie Scrofano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melanie-scrofano/) > [As an actor, there's nothing worse than having to hide anything, because you're just so aware of it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melanie-scrofano/as-an-actor-there-s-nothing-worse-than-having-to-hide-anything/) [Melanie Scrofano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melanie-scrofano/) > [I knew from being pregnant that you can be very strong. You're still very capable. Especially if it was stuff you were able to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melanie-scrofano/i-knew-from-being-pregnant-that-you-can-be-very-strong-you-re-still/) [Melanie Scrofano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melanie-scrofano/) > [I make unbelievable pizza.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melanie-scrofano/i-make-unbelievable-pizza/) [Melanie Scrofano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melanie-scrofano/) > [I don't know if you've ever tried to run through waist-deep snow, but it's next to impossible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melanie-scrofano/i-don-t-know-if-you-ve-ever-tried-to-run-through-waist-deep-snow-but/) [Melanie Scrofano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melanie-scrofano/) > [I'm a big fan of honesty and being real, so to me, it seemed like Wynonna was a very human character in a very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melanie-scrofano/i-m-a-big-fan-of-honesty-and-being-real-so-to-me-it-seemed-like/) [Melanie Scrofano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melanie-scrofano/) > [I think any story line that involves a relationship is going to be interesting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melanie-scrofano/i-think-any-story-line-that-involves-a-relationship-is-going-to-be/) [Melanie Scrofano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melanie-scrofano/) > [My dad taught me to read by reading comic strips in the Saturday paper and Archie comics.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melanie-scrofano/my-dad-taught-me-to-read-by-reading-comic-strips-in-the-saturday/) [Melanie Scrofano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melanie-scrofano/) > [I love doing stuff in a harness. It's surprising what you can actually do. I'm reasonably coordinated, so I can do flips and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melanie-scrofano/i-love-doing-stuff-in-a-harness-it-s-surprising-what-you-can-actually/) [Melanie Scrofano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melanie-scrofano/) > [No such thing as food that's terrible for you, unless you binge on it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melanie-scrofano/no-such-thing-as-food-that-s-terrible-for-you-unless-you-binge-on-it/) [Melanie Scrofano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melanie-scrofano/) > [I think it's refreshing when the people you're looking up to mess up just like you do, but somehow, things, in their own way,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melanie-scrofano/i-think-it-s-refreshing-when-the-people-you-re-looking-up-to-mess-up/) [Melanie Scrofano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melanie-scrofano/) > [When I was pretending not to be pregnant, I knew where I stood with everyone, and I knew that the world would accept me;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melanie-scrofano/when-i-was-pretending-not-to-be-pregnant-i-knew-where-i-stood-with/) [Melanie Scrofano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melanie-scrofano/) > [People are so used to men playing these amazing roles that they sometimes can't even see that there is no reason it has to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melanie-scrofano/people-are-so-used-to-men-playing-these-amazing-roles-that-they/) [Melanie Scrofano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melanie-scrofano/) > [You don't have to be in our industry to have a panic attack about your career when you're pregnant. Even if you're a lawyer,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melanie-scrofano/you-don-t-have-to-be-in-our-industry-to-have-a-panic-attack-about/) [Melanie Scrofano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melanie-scrofano/) [Explore all 36 Melanie Scrofano quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melanie-scrofano/) ## 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've done some awful auditions, and I've really done some horrible work, but it forced me to flex those muscles, and that's what makes you a better actor, just doing bad work and seeing what looks bad and growing from it.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Melanie Scrofano" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melanie-scrofano/i-ve-done-some-awful-auditions-and-i-ve-really-done-some-horrible/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Actor" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melanie-scrofano/i-ve-done-some-awful-auditions-and-i-ve-really-done-some-horrible/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f76/melanie-scrofano-17645_actor_i-ve-done-some-awful-auditions-and-i-ve_2942313.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f76/melanie-scrofano-17645_actor_i-ve-done-some-awful-auditions-and-i-ve_2942313.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f76/melanie-scrofano-17645_actor_i-ve-done-some-awful-auditions-and-i-ve_2942313.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I've done some awful auditions, and I've really done some horrible work, but it forced me to flex those…” — Melanie Scrofano", "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": "Melanie Scrofano", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melanie-scrofano/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I've done some awful auditions, and...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melanie-scrofano/i-ve-done-some-awful-auditions-and-i-ve-really-done-some-horrible/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melanie-scrofano/i-ve-done-some-awful-auditions-and-i-ve-really-done-some-horrible/#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 } } ] } ```