--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I think all my favorite directors have…" description: "\"I think all my favorite directors have acted. They understand how an actor thinks.\" — Michael Arden" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/78a/michael-arden-13817_actor_i-think-all-my-favorite-directors-have-a_650638.jpg" --- # I think all my favorite directors have acted. They… ![“I think all my favorite directors have acted. They understand how an actor thinks.” quote by Michael Arden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/78a/michael-arden-13817_actor_i-think-all-my-favorite-directors-have-a_650638.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/78a/michael-arden-13817_actor_i-think-all-my-favorite-directors-have-a_650638.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/78a/michael-arden-13817_actor_i-think-all-my-favorite-directors-have-a_650638.jpg) > “I think all my favorite directors have acted. They understand how an actor thinks.” [Michael Arden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-arden/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Directors who act understand actors’ perspectives, leading to better collaboration. **In simple terms:** Actor‑directors empathize with performers. Key Takeaway Leverage acting experience in directing. Themes collaboration empathy filmmaking Mood insightful encouraging Type advice inspirational When to use this quote - film sets - theatre rehearsals - workshop facilitation Key Concepts actor‑director synergy creative communication Questions to Reflect On - How does acting inform your directing decisions? - What other skills complement directing? A Different Perspective Acting experience may not translate to all directing challenges. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Actor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actor/) [Actor Thinks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actor-thinks-315966/) [Cinema](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cinema/) [Directors Acted](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/directors-acted-5204387/) [Favorite Directors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/favorite-directors-282489/) [Film](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/film/) [How](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/how/) [I think](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/i-think/) [Theatre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/theatre/) [Think](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/think/) [Understand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/understand/) [Understand Actor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/understand-actor-765124/) ## Related quotes > [When an actor thinks he has arrived and become the best one, that's when your downfall starts. I will always strive to do better…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tahir-raj-bhasin/when-an-actor-thinks-he-has-arrived-and-become-the-best-one-that-s/) [Tahir Raj Bhasin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tahir-raj-bhasin/) > [If a musician wants to be an actor, everyone thinks that's pretty cool. But if an actor wants to play a song, even if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hawkes/if-a-musician-wants-to-be-an-actor-everyone-thinks-that-s-pretty-cool/) [John Hawkes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hawkes/) > [Every actor thinks he can do comedy, and it's not true.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denis-leary/every-actor-thinks-he-can-do-comedy-and-it-s-not-true/) [Denis Leary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denis-leary/) > [“... as a convention, you get up and walk to the window to make the audience believe that you're looking out. It's for the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sanford-meisner/as-a-convention-you-get-up-and-walk-to-the-window-to-make-the/) [Sanford Meisner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sanford-meisner/) > [Every actor thinks to themselves, 'What if I wake up and I'm 45 and I'm still waiting tables, still waiting for that part and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wentworth-miller/every-actor-thinks-to-themselves-what-if-i-wake-up-and-i-m-45-and-i-m/) [Wentworth Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wentworth-miller/) > [Every actor thinks he's underused - unless he's a movie star.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-cole/every-actor-thinks-he-s-underused-unless-he-s-a-movie-star/) [Gary Cole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-cole/) > [As a director, it is important to understand the actor's process.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chadwick-boseman/as-a-director-it-is-important-to-understand-the-actor-s-process/) [Chadwick Boseman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chadwick-boseman/) > [Sometimes you read things that people don't even notice in a performance, that you just are moved by or understand that this actor is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-jenkins/sometimes-you-read-things-that-people-don-t-even-notice-in-a/) [Richard Jenkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-jenkins/) > [I didn't understand how you could be an actor if you didn't also study philosophy and study political science, astronomy. And also just go…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brit-marling/i-didn-t-understand-how-you-could-be-an-actor-if-you-didn-t-also/) [Brit Marling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brit-marling/) > [Every year or so, I try to do something; it keeps me refreshed as to what's going on in front of the lens, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-scorsese/every-year-or-so-i-try-to-do-something-it-keeps-me-refreshed-as-to/) [Martin Scorsese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-scorsese/) > [The more you are putting together the crew and the schedule, the more intimately you understand what each crew members needs to do their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-hechinger/the-more-you-are-putting-together-the-crew-and-the-schedule-the-more/) [Fred Hechinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-hechinger/) > [I want everyone to understand that as an actor you need to be able to play different roles, be versatile even in terms of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rhea-chakraborty/i-want-everyone-to-understand-that-as-an-actor-you-need-to-be-able-to/) [Rhea Chakraborty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rhea-chakraborty/) > [I had done some flimflam movies, but I didn't understand what being an actor meant anymore.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liam-neeson/i-had-done-some-flimflam-movies-but-i-didn-t-understand-what-being-an/) [Liam Neeson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liam-neeson/) > [Honestly, one of my favorite things about a director is when they understand what an actor brings to their role.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-messina/honestly-one-of-my-favorite-things-about-a-director-is-when-they/) [Chris Messina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-messina/) > [I don't understand the actor that chooses to play the same role in everything all the time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guy-pearce/i-don-t-understand-the-actor-that-chooses-to-play-the-same-role-in/) [Guy Pearce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guy-pearce/) ## More by Michael Arden > [I had a sort of rocky upbringing, and I think the theater was a safe place for me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-arden/i-had-a-sort-of-rocky-upbringing-and-i-think-the-theater-was-a-safe/) [Michael Arden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-arden/) > [My dream would be to have 50 people in a show with each person from a different country.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-arden/my-dream-would-be-to-have-50-people-in-a-show-with-each-person-from-a/) [Michael Arden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-arden/) > [A lot of times, comedy writers will go for the gay joke, and I've been vocal about saying, 'Go for the smart joke.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-arden/a-lot-of-times-comedy-writers-will-go-for-the-gay-joke-and-i-ve-been/) [Michael Arden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-arden/) > [So many gay men are mothers to so many young people, me included. I've had gay men who were more mother to me than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-arden/so-many-gay-men-are-mothers-to-so-many-young-people-me-included-i-ve/) [Michael Arden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-arden/) > [I created my family with the people I met in the theater and escaped in the stories I told and the characters I got…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-arden/i-created-my-family-with-the-people-i-met-in-the-theater-and-escaped/) [Michael Arden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-arden/) > [I want to create an environment that actors can be really free in.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-arden/i-want-to-create-an-environment-that-actors-can-be-really-free-in/) [Michael Arden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-arden/) > [I've played gay, and I've played straight... I'm proud to be a gay man myself, and I'm thrilled to get the opportunity to play…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-arden/i-ve-played-gay-and-i-ve-played-straight-i-m-proud-to-be-a-gay-man/) [Michael Arden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-arden/) > [My favorite collaborator is Dane Laffrey, who designed the set for 'Once on This Island,' but we've worked together since high school, when he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-arden/my-favorite-collaborator-is-dane-laffrey-who-designed-the-set-for/) [Michael Arden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-arden/) > [Say you have a young black kid, and you come to see a Sondheim show. You love the material, but you look on stage,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-arden/say-you-have-a-young-black-kid-and-you-come-to-see-a-sondheim-show/) [Michael Arden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-arden/) > [If you've never heard a piece of Mozart, then Mozart could sound scary or confusing, so it's all about learning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-arden/if-you-ve-never-heard-a-piece-of-mozart-then-mozart-could-sound-scary/) [Michael Arden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-arden/) > [Unless we build theater and performing arts, then we're not going to be creating future patrons. We need to make it accessible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-arden/unless-we-build-theater-and-performing-arts-then-we-re-not-going-to/) [Michael Arden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-arden/) > [I remember sitting at home in West Texas listening to my 'Songs for a New World' CD over and over.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-arden/i-remember-sitting-at-home-in-west-texas-listening-to-my-songs-for-a/) [Michael Arden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-arden/) > [I often think about what love can inspire in the world, not just in the eyes of the object of your affection.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-arden/i-often-think-about-what-love-can-inspire-in-the-world-not-just-in/) [Michael Arden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-arden/) > [We learn the most from listening, and I don't just mean with our ears.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-arden/we-learn-the-most-from-listening-and-i-don-t-just-mean-with-our-ears/) [Michael Arden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-arden/) > [Magic in plays and musicals, I think, is more often created because of the work of an incredible company rather than a single component.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-arden/magic-in-plays-and-musicals-i-think-is-more-often-created-because-of/) [Michael Arden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-arden/) [Explore all 49 Michael Arden quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-arden/) ## 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 think all my favorite directors have acted. 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