--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: You try to pick good stories, and that's…" description: "\"You try to pick good stories, and that's pretty much all the control you have as an actor.\" — Michael Cera" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/26a/michael-cera-11156_actors_you-try-to-pick-good-stories-and-that-s_1805703.jpg" --- # You try to pick good stories, and that's pretty much all… ![“You try to pick good stories, and that's pretty much all the control you have as an actor.” quote by Michael Cera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/26a/michael-cera-11156_actors_you-try-to-pick-good-stories-and-that-s_1805703.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/26a/michael-cera-11156_actors_you-try-to-pick-good-stories-and-that-s_1805703.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/26a/michael-cera-11156_actors_you-try-to-pick-good-stories-and-that-s_1805703.jpg) > “You try to pick good stories, and that's pretty much all the control you have as an actor.” [Michael Cera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-cera/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Actors have limited control over the stories they tell; they can only choose which scripts to accept. **In simple terms:** Actors can only pick stories, not control them. Key Takeaway Choose roles that align with your values. Themes career creative control storytelling Mood pragmatic inspirational Type career creative When to use this quote - audition decisions - script analysis - career planning - industry networking Key Concepts film industry agency artistic integrity Questions to Reflect On - What criteria guide your role selection? - How do you cope with unwanted script changes? A Different Perspective Industry constraints may limit true creative freedom. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Actor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actor/) [Actors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actors/) [Good stories](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-stories/) [Stories](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stories/) [Theatre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/theatre/) ## Related quotes > [It is one of the few elements in the process that a director really, really can't control: an actor's performance. If you have a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-bateman/it-is-one-of-the-few-elements-in-the-process-that-a-director-really/) [Jason Bateman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-bateman/) > [When I come up against a director who has a concept that I don't agree with, or maybe I just haven't thought of it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-nicholson/when-i-come-up-against-a-director-who-has-a-concept-that-i-don-t/) [Jack Nicholson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-nicholson/) > [You have total control of it, and when you're an actor, you're subject to production design and costumes and directors and studio choices and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rainn-wilson/you-have-total-control-of-it-and-when-you-re-an-actor-you-re-subject/) [Rainn Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rainn-wilson/) > [My stories are pretty simplistic, but the characters are always complex and always right, and that comes from the script and my research and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-scott/my-stories-are-pretty-simplistic-but-the-characters-are-always/) [Tony Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-scott/) > [I've been in this business now for almost ten years. I've done a lot of stories. I have a pretty good track record.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-hastings/i-ve-been-in-this-business-now-for-almost-ten-years-i-ve-done-a-lot/) [Michael Hastings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-hastings/) > [...my basic belief about the making of stories is that they pretty much make themselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/my-basic-belief-about-the-making-of-stories-is-that-they-pretty-much/) [Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) > [I pick good big men as teammates, don't I?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-horry/i-pick-good-big-men-as-teammates-don-t-i/) [Robert Horry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-horry/) > [Pick a good set of friends that are going to allow you to move in the right direction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/collin-sexton/pick-a-good-set-of-friends-that-are-going-to-allow-you-to-move-in-the/) [Collin Sexton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/collin-sexton/) > [We must pick out what is good for us where we can find it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pablo-picasso/we-must-pick-out-what-is-good-for-us-where-we-can-find-it/) [Pablo Picasso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pablo-picasso/) > [It's good to have your mates around you. They push you on. When you're down they pick you up, when they're down I pick…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bukayo-saka/it-s-good-to-have-your-mates-around-you-they-push-you-on-when-you-re/) [Bukayo Saka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bukayo-saka/) > [All I can tell them is pick a good one and sock it. I get back to the dugout and they ask me what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/babe-ruth/all-i-can-tell-them-is-pick-a-good-one-and-sock-it-i-get-back-to-the/) [Babe Ruth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/babe-ruth/) > [“They believe that life is filled with a bunch of choices and we just have to pick good, better, or best. We can settle…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilyn-grey/they-believe-that-life-is-filled-with-a-bunch-of-choices-and-we-just/) [Marilyn Grey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilyn-grey/) > [My voice, my likeness is my livelihood. That's it. I keep it simple. I pick good products.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-mays/my-voice-my-likeness-is-my-livelihood-that-s-it-i-keep-it-simple-i/) [Billy Mays](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-mays/) > [Attitude is everything, so pick a good one](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-dyer/attitude-is-everything-so-pick-a-good-one/) [Wayne Dyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wayne-dyer/) > [I pick good women, but I haven't had any luck with my men.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-arden/i-pick-good-women-but-i-haven-t-had-any-luck-with-my-men/) [Elizabeth Arden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-arden/) ## More by Michael Cera > [I always kind of end up in situations where I don't know too many people, and I'm not very social, and I feel, you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-cera/i-always-kind-of-end-up-in-situations-where-i-don-t-know-too-many/) [Michael Cera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-cera/) > [I always try and bring stuff from home, not only to make it feel like home, but to remind me of Toronto all the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-cera/i-always-try-and-bring-stuff-from-home-not-only-to-make-it-feel-like/) [Michael Cera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-cera/) > [I sort of gave up my ambition to be handsome... I was excited about people thinking I was an idiot.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-cera/i-sort-of-gave-up-my-ambition-to-be-handsome-i-was-excited-about/) [Michael Cera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-cera/) > [I wanted to be Dr. Pete Venkman when I grew up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-cera/i-wanted-to-be-dr-pete-venkman-when-i-grew-up/) [Michael Cera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-cera/) > [Arrested Development never felt safe. Even the first season, we did thirteen episodes, and we thought we'd never do a back nine. So I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-cera/arrested-development-never-felt-safe-even-the-first-season-we-did/) [Michael Cera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-cera/) > [Ghostbusters is kind of like the reason I wanted to be an actor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-cera/ghostbusters-is-kind-of-like-the-reason-i-wanted-to-be-an-actor/) [Michael Cera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-cera/) > [I just want to be really careful with decisions I make. When you make a decision about your career, it changes your life in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-cera/i-just-want-to-be-really-careful-with-decisions-i-make-when-you-make/) [Michael Cera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-cera/) > [Every choice you make as an actor ends up being really influential on your life, because you're spending a lot of time working on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-cera/every-choice-you-make-as-an-actor-ends-up-being-really-influential-on/) [Michael Cera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-cera/) > [I may not have gone to high school every day, but I spent whole a lot of my adolescence feeling vulnerable and confused and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-cera/i-may-not-have-gone-to-high-school-every-day-but-i-spent-whole-a-lot/) [Michael Cera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-cera/) > [I broke my nose and got a concussion when I was 13.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-cera/i-broke-my-nose-and-got-a-concussion-when-i-was-13/) [Michael Cera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-cera/) > [I'm always concerned that I'm not being nice enough. You know, people have told me I'm unfailingly polite...But I think those people are all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-cera/i-m-always-concerned-that-i-m-not-being-nice-enough-you-know-people/) [Michael Cera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-cera/) > [Michael Cera was born in Canada in 1988 at the tender age of zero.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-cera/michael-cera-was-born-in-canada-in-1988-at-the-tender-age-of-zero/) [Michael Cera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-cera/) > [FOX has picked us up repeatedly. We've never had decent ratings and they've picked us up over and over, so I guess that's commendable.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-cera/fox-has-picked-us-up-repeatedly-we-ve-never-had-decent-ratings-and/) [Michael Cera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-cera/) > [There are a lot of slutty girls in Canada. Eleven-year-old sluts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-cera/there-are-a-lot-of-slutty-girls-in-canada-eleven-year-old-sluts/) [Michael Cera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-cera/) > [The thing is, I really can't relate to anyone my own age. Not in a superior way - an inferior way, if anything. Socially,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-cera/the-thing-is-i-really-can-t-relate-to-anyone-my-own-age-not-in-a/) [Michael Cera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-cera/) [Explore all 61 Michael Cera quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-cera/) ## 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": "You try to pick good stories, and that's pretty much all the control you have as an actor.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Michael Cera" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-cera/you-try-to-pick-good-stories-and-that-s-pretty-much-all-the-control/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Actor" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-cera/you-try-to-pick-good-stories-and-that-s-pretty-much-all-the-control/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/26a/michael-cera-11156_actors_you-try-to-pick-good-stories-and-that-s_1805703.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/26a/michael-cera-11156_actors_you-try-to-pick-good-stories-and-that-s_1805703.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/26a/michael-cera-11156_actors_you-try-to-pick-good-stories-and-that-s_1805703.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“You try to pick good stories, and that's pretty much all the control you have as an actor.” — Michael Cera", "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": "Michael Cera", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-cera/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "You try to pick good stories,...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-cera/you-try-to-pick-good-stories-and-that-s-pretty-much-all-the-control/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-cera/you-try-to-pick-good-stories-and-that-s-pretty-much-all-the-control/#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 } } ] } ```