--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: You should always challenge yourself, as…" description: "\"You should always challenge yourself, as an actor, to find the connection between you and the character.\" — Michael Ealy" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/764/michael-ealy-8211_actor_you-should-always-challenge-yourself-as_1892192.png" --- # You should always challenge yourself, as an actor, to find… ![“You should always challenge yourself, as an actor, to find the connection between you and the character.” quote by Michael Ealy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/764/michael-ealy-8211_actor_you-should-always-challenge-yourself-as_1892192.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/764/michael-ealy-8211_actor_you-should-always-challenge-yourself-as_1892192.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/764/michael-ealy-8211_actor_you-should-always-challenge-yourself-as_1892192.png) > “You should always challenge yourself, as an actor, to find the connection between you and the character.” [Michael Ealy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-ealy/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Actors should seek personal resonance with their roles to deepen performance. **In simple terms:** Connect personally with characters. Key Takeaway Find personal ties to roles. Themes acting self‑discovery craft Mood introspective motivational Type inspirational practical When to use this quote - auditions - rehearsals - character study - performance review Key Concepts method acting empathy Questions to Reflect On - How does personal connection affect authenticity? - When might detachment be better? A Different Perspective May blur boundaries between self and role. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Actor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actor/) [Actor Connection](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actor-connection-682802/) [Actors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actors/) [Challenge Actor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/challenge-actor-281558/) [Challenge yourself](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/challenge-yourself/) [Challenges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/challenges/) [Character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character/) [Connection Character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/connection-character-2741190/) [Connections](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/connections/) [Should](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/should/) [Theatre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/theatre/) ## Related quotes > [If I have no connection with the character, then it's all fake - it's just blah, blah, blah.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-hanks/if-i-have-no-connection-with-the-character-then-it-s-all-fake-it-s/) [Tom Hanks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-hanks/) > [I absolutely adore singing, and I hope I'll always be able to sing, but you can grow more and challenge yourself more as an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessie-buckley/i-absolutely-adore-singing-and-i-hope-i-ll-always-be-able-to-sing-but/) [Jessie Buckley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessie-buckley/) > [I don't think it's a bad thing to go out there and challenge yourself as an actor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-bomer/i-don-t-think-it-s-a-bad-thing-to-go-out-there-and-challenge-yourself/) [Matt Bomer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-bomer/) > [I do love being on television and in peoples' homes. I'm not an actor, so there is a connection that's real.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-zoe/i-do-love-being-on-television-and-in-peoples-homes-i-m-not-an-actor/) [Rachel Zoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-zoe/) > [You know, it's recently come into focus for me why I want to be an actor: It's because of the connection I feel to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-chastain/you-know-it-s-recently-come-into-focus-for-me-why-i-want-to-be-an/) [Jessica Chastain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-chastain/) > [Whenever an opportunity comes your way, challenge yourself to first thank God and then quickly follow up with the question, “God, who else is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lysa-terkeurst/whenever-an-opportunity-comes-your-way-challenge-yourself-to-first/) [Lysa TerKeurst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lysa-terkeurst/) > [You always want to challenge yourself and work with people you respect. 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That's my challenge as an actor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/javed-jaffrey/for-me-it-is-important-to-mould-myself-as-the-director-wants-that-s/) [Javed Jaffrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/javed-jaffrey/) > [The biggest challenge to being an actor is, when you're not working, just being unemployed: the downtime and not having anything to do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alden-ehrenreich/the-biggest-challenge-to-being-an-actor-is-when-you-re-not-working/) [Alden Ehrenreich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alden-ehrenreich/) > [I want to challenge myself as an actor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lamorne-morris/i-want-to-challenge-myself-as-an-actor/) [Lamorne Morris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lamorne-morris/) > [That's the challenge as an actor. You put yourself in uncomfortable positions because that's your job. Otherwise, just stay home and watch TV.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stacy-martin/that-s-the-challenge-as-an-actor-you-put-yourself-in-uncomfortable/) [Stacy Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stacy-martin/) > [After 'Pink,' I wanted to do something that would challenge me further as an actor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kirti-kulhari/after-pink-i-wanted-to-do-something-that-would-challenge-me-further/) [Kirti Kulhari](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kirti-kulhari/) ## More by Michael Ealy > [I feel like I've finally made it as an actor. I've been doing this for years and you don't always make a movie that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-ealy/i-feel-like-i-ve-finally-made-it-as-an-actor-i-ve-been-doing-this-for/) [Michael Ealy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-ealy/) > [I don't live my life in a social way. I don't put everything out on social media. I don't live that reality lifestyle. At…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-ealy/i-don-t-live-my-life-in-a-social-way-i-don-t-put-everything-out-on/) [Michael Ealy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-ealy/) > [Hey, I know it's Monday, but it's also a new day, a new week and in that lies a new opportunity for something special…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-ealy/hey-i-know-it-s-monday-but-it-s-also-a-new-day-a-new-week-and-in-that/) [Michael Ealy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-ealy/) > [At the end of the day, the last thing I want to do is - well, anything. I just want to sleep. I crash…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-ealy/at-the-end-of-the-day-the-last-thing-i-want-to-do-is-well-anything-i/) [Michael Ealy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-ealy/) > [I'm actually very good with Home Depot-handy type of paintwork.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-ealy/i-m-actually-very-good-with-home-depot-handy-type-of-paintwork/) [Michael Ealy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-ealy/) > [Summer of '93. I spent that summer shooting a movie on eight millimeter video with two of my best friends, who made me audition…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-ealy/summer-of-93-i-spent-that-summer-shooting-a-movie-on-eight-millimeter/) [Michael Ealy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-ealy/) > [If you want something to work, if it means that much to you; KEEP IT TO YOURSELF](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-ealy/if-you-want-something-to-work-if-it-means-that-much-to-you-keep-it-to/) [Michael Ealy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-ealy/) > [I love to act because it's the only aspect of my life beside God and family that I am truly passionate about on a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-ealy/i-love-to-act-because-it-s-the-only-aspect-of-my-life-beside-god-and/) [Michael Ealy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-ealy/) > [Its cold in the real world but keep your head up and know this is the beginning of something incredible..it will be what You…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-ealy/its-cold-in-the-real-world-but-keep-your-head-up-and-know-this-is-the/) [Michael Ealy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-ealy/) > [I would never sign on to a project that was male-bashing, because first and foremost I'm a man... what guy would sign on for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-ealy/i-would-never-sign-on-to-a-project-that-was-male-bashing-because/) [Michael Ealy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-ealy/) > [My parents, God bless 'em, were very supportive of me and my decision to pursue acting. Their dream for me and my sister was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-ealy/my-parents-god-bless-em-were-very-supportive-of-me-and-my-decision-to/) [Michael Ealy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-ealy/) > [I was the only human in 'Underworld.' I didn't really get the full gauge of what it is to be in a sci-fi/fantasy project.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-ealy/i-was-the-only-human-in-underworld-i-didn-t-really-get-the-full-gauge/) [Michael Ealy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-ealy/) > [My first heartbreak devastated me, but it was the support of my family and my second family, my church family, that helped me understand…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-ealy/my-first-heartbreak-devastated-me-but-it-was-the-support-of-my-family/) [Michael Ealy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-ealy/) > [Study your craft, first. Then explore the business side. If you can commit to mastering both, then you're ready to pursue acting as a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-ealy/study-your-craft-first-then-explore-the-business-side-if-you-can/) [Michael Ealy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-ealy/) > [I'm happiest when I'm acting, and I've dedicated my life to it. Still, as much as I love acting, at the end of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-ealy/i-m-happiest-when-i-m-acting-and-i-ve-dedicated-my-life-to-it-still/) [Michael Ealy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-ealy/) [Explore all 83 Michael Ealy quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-ealy/) ## 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! 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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 should always challenge yourself, as an actor, to find the connection between you and the character.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Michael Ealy" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-ealy/you-should-always-challenge-yourself-as-an-actor-to-find-the/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Actor" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-ealy/you-should-always-challenge-yourself-as-an-actor-to-find-the/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/764/michael-ealy-8211_actor_you-should-always-challenge-yourself-as_1892192.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/764/michael-ealy-8211_actor_you-should-always-challenge-yourself-as_1892192.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/764/michael-ealy-8211_actor_you-should-always-challenge-yourself-as_1892192.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“You should always challenge yourself, as an actor, to find the connection between you and the character.” — Michael Ealy", "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 Ealy", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-ealy/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "You should always challenge yourself, as...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-ealy/you-should-always-challenge-yourself-as-an-actor-to-find-the/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-ealy/you-should-always-challenge-yourself-as-an-actor-to-find-the/#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 } } ] } ```