--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Paul Schofield said something like, 'If…" description: "\"Paul Schofield said something like, 'If I'm not acting in a play, I don't really exist.' Those weren't the exact words, but he meant it's only when I'm..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6ae/michael-gambon-13467_acting_paul-schofield-said-something-like-if-i_583229.png" --- # Paul Schofield said something like, 'If I'm not acting in… ![“Paul Schofield said something like, 'If I'm not acting in a play, I don't really exist.' Those weren't the exact words, but he meant it's only when I'm acting in a play that I've got something to say about the world. And then why should I talk, when people can come to see it?” quote by Michael Gambon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6ae/michael-gambon-13467_acting_paul-schofield-said-something-like-if-i_583229.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6ae/michael-gambon-13467_acting_paul-schofield-said-something-like-if-i_583229.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6ae/michael-gambon-13467_acting_paul-schofield-said-something-like-if-i_583229.png) > “Paul Schofield said something like, 'If I'm not acting in a play, I don't really exist.' Those weren't the exact words, but he meant it's only when I'm acting in a play that I've got something to say about the world. And then why should I talk, when people can come to see it?” [Michael Gambon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-gambon/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Acting gives a person purpose and voice; without performance, existence feels empty. **In simple terms:** Acting defines existence. Key Takeaway Embrace performance to find meaning. Themes identity expression art existence Mood reflective thoughtful Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - theatre - personal crisis - creative work Key Concepts performance self-actualization Questions to Reflect On - How does acting shape your sense of self? - What does it mean to exist without a stage? A Different Perspective If one never performs, they may feel invisible. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Acting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/acting/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Play](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/play/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) ## Related quotes > [The knighthood for my humanitarian work meant more than if it had been for my acting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-moore/the-knighthood-for-my-humanitarian-work-meant-more-than-if-it-had/) [Roger Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-moore/) > [My favorite thing about acting is that I can play all kinds of different people. Frankly, I don't consider myself a very interesting person,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathan-kress/my-favorite-thing-about-acting-is-that-i-can-play-all-kinds-of/) [Nathan Kress](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathan-kress/) > [Playing normal-looking characters really intimidatesme. I got into acting to play anyone but me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-bob-thornton/playing-normal-looking-characters-really-intimidatesme-i-got-into/) [Billy Bob Thornton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-bob-thornton/) > [I don't do method acting. If I play a farmer, I'm not gonna spend 3 weeks on a chicken farm. That's a bit too…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carice-van-houten/i-don-t-do-method-acting-if-i-play-a-farmer-i-m-not-gonna-spend-3/) [Carice van Houten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carice-van-houten/) > [I think that's the great thing about acting: you get to play different characters and enhance one part of yourself to really bring that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danielle-campbell/i-think-that-s-the-great-thing-about-acting-you-get-to-play-different/) [Danielle Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danielle-campbell/) > [That's the beautiful part about acting - you get to play somebody other than yourself. So, I'm open to people who can't sing, people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandy-norwood/that-s-the-beautiful-part-about-acting-you-get-to-play-somebody-other/) [Brandy Norwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandy-norwood/) > [I like that, in voice acting, you can play different characters than you can when you're on camera and you're limited by your physical…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lacey-chabert/i-like-that-in-voice-acting-you-can-play-different-characters-than/) [Lacey Chabert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lacey-chabert/) > [That's the wonderful thing about acting - you play a role. It's about humanity, rather than labeling.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gugu-mbatha-raw/that-s-the-wonderful-thing-about-acting-you-play-a-role-it-s-about/) [Gugu Mbatha-Raw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gugu-mbatha-raw/) > [Sometimes I am kind of the opposite of my character. But that's the thing about acting, you get to play people who are not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dakota-fanning/sometimes-i-am-kind-of-the-opposite-of-my-character-but-that-s-the/) [Dakota Fanning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dakota-fanning/) > [I think acting, for me, is about play. It's about time, and it's about feeling, like there's a story to tell and I can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-keller/i-think-acting-for-me-is-about-play-it-s-about-time-and-it-s-about/) [Rachel Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-keller/) > [What's wonderful about acting is that you get to play different roles. For instance, in 'Amelie,' I played a young mother. Some of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-bolger/what-s-wonderful-about-acting-is-that-you-get-to-play-different-roles/) [Sarah Bolger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-bolger/) > [“What's it really like to always be the prettiest person in a room? Dos it mean you're always acting as if in a play,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherwood-smith/what-s-it-really-like-to-always-be-the-prettiest-person-in-a-room-dos/) [Sherwood Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherwood-smith/) > [For me, acting is play. It's just play and it's playing make believe really, really well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anson-mount/for-me-acting-is-play-it-s-just-play-and-it-s-playing-make-believe/) [Anson Mount](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anson-mount/) > [Modelling, initially, is interesting. I think acting is a long process and it is far more interesting a job. In acting you play a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dino-morea/modelling-initially-is-interesting-i-think-acting-is-a-long-process/) [Dino Morea](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dino-morea/) > [Quite often in acting, you have to play a certain part; you cannot speak as much as you want to speak.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvester-stallone/quite-often-in-acting-you-have-to-play-a-certain-part-you-cannot/) [Sylvester Stallone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvester-stallone/) ## More by Michael Gambon > [Theater actors are just tolerated. You have to be a movie star to be a celebrity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-gambon/theater-actors-are-just-tolerated-you-have-to-be-a-movie-star-to-be-a/) [Michael Gambon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-gambon/) > [I see film roles as lovely presents that come along now and again. I feel really lucky and say thank you very much. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-gambon/i-see-film-roles-as-lovely-presents-that-come-along-now-and-again-i/) [Michael Gambon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-gambon/) > [I used to be gay, but I was forced to give it up, because it made my eyes water.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-gambon/i-used-to-be-gay-but-i-was-forced-to-give-it-up-because-it-made-my/) [Michael Gambon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-gambon/) > [I have been in five Harry Potter films and never read a 'Harry Potter' book. If you are an actor, all you have is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-gambon/i-have-been-in-five-harry-potter-films-and-never-read-a-harry-potter/) [Michael Gambon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-gambon/) > [I can't remember any of the films I've done. You go from one to another, and they all blend in to a big mass.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-gambon/i-can-t-remember-any-of-the-films-i-ve-done-you-go-from-one-to/) [Michael Gambon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-gambon/) > [I live in fear of being a contented passenger. I'd rather get parts I can't play.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-gambon/i-live-in-fear-of-being-a-contented-passenger-i-d-rather-get-parts-i/) [Michael Gambon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-gambon/) > [I promise myself that I would go and do a play every year.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-gambon/i-promise-myself-that-i-would-go-and-do-a-play-every-year/) [Michael Gambon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-gambon/) > [Television has dried up for my generation, so it's plays and films.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-gambon/television-has-dried-up-for-my-generation-so-it-s-plays-and-films/) [Michael Gambon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-gambon/) > [I never met my theater fans. I'm out the stage door five minutes after the curtain goes up. So that's it. I don't even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-gambon/i-never-met-my-theater-fans-i-m-out-the-stage-door-five-minutes-after/) [Michael Gambon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-gambon/) > [There are some actors who are rehearsal actors, and some who are not. I am not. Having said that, I don't know what I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-gambon/there-are-some-actors-who-are-rehearsal-actors-and-some-who-are-not-i/) [Michael Gambon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-gambon/) > [I fell in love with Alan Ayckbourn the day I met him and, starting with 'The Norman Conquests,' went on to do eight plays…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-gambon/i-fell-in-love-with-alan-ayckbourn-the-day-i-met-him-and-starting/) [Michael Gambon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-gambon/) > [I've had a private pilot's license for years and flown all round the U.K. and over to France.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-gambon/i-ve-had-a-private-pilot-s-license-for-years-and-flown-all-round-the/) [Michael Gambon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-gambon/) > [All actors say they're concerned about the state of the theatre, but what they're really concerned about is that there'll be less work around.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-gambon/all-actors-say-they-re-concerned-about-the-state-of-the-theatre-but/) [Michael Gambon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-gambon/) > [I belong to quite a lot of learned societies. We collect firearms and discuss them at dinners and clubs and things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-gambon/i-belong-to-quite-a-lot-of-learned-societies-we-collect-firearms-and/) [Michael Gambon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-gambon/) > [Television has dried up for my generation, so its plays and films.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-gambon/television-has-dried-up-for-my-generation-so-its-plays-and-films/) [Michael Gambon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-gambon/) [Explore all 50 Michael Gambon quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-gambon/) ## More Acting 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/) > [Many Republicans have always reminded me of professional WWF wrestlers. They come into the ring all pumped up and acting like they're invincible and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-feig/many-republicans-have-always-reminded-me-of-professional-wwf/) [Paul Feig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-feig/) > [I'm a big fan of all the Boston guys that are acting - Matt Damon , Ben Affleck, Mark Wahlberg - they made a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenny-wormald/i-m-a-big-fan-of-all-the-boston-guys-that-are-acting-matt-damon-ben/) [Kenny Wormald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenny-wormald/) > [Acting is a grind, just like music is a grind. Sometimes it takes longer than what you can give.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/big-sean/acting-is-a-grind-just-like-music-is-a-grind-sometimes-it-takes/) [Big Sean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/big-sean/) > [It was only when I started making short films in college and I was looking for girls to play the me-ish parts that I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lena-dunham/it-was-only-when-i-started-making-short-films-in-college-and-i-was/) [Lena Dunham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lena-dunham/) > [Writing is something I took up rather than anything I had an inclination toward. I like acting -delivering someone else's message - but writing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-martin/writing-is-something-i-took-up-rather-than-anything-i-had-an/) [Steve Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-martin/) > [I can still function when I don't have that balance I crave. I had a tendency to be precious about acting, thinking of it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-regan/i-can-still-function-when-i-don-t-have-that-balance-i-crave-i-had-a/) [Laura Regan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-regan/) > [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/) > [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/) > [It definitely helps to have the acting experience going into singing, because when you're singing, you have to portray the emotion you were feeling…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-newman/it-definitely-helps-to-have-the-acting-experience-going-into-singing/) Ryan Newman > [The show was number one in the ratings, Gordon Russell was our head writer, the story lines were magnificent and the acting most exciting.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-storm/the-show-was-number-one-in-the-ratings-gordon-russell-was-our-head/) [Michael Storm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-storm/) > [I've done so many other projects where you're in a room with a reader and you're acting your lines out: 'We have to get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-cummings/i-ve-done-so-many-other-projects-where-you-re-in-a-room-with-a-reader/) [Jim Cummings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-cummings/) > [I do not believe in public shaming. I do believe that young adults go to college to learn things, and that this process will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-weingarten/i-do-not-believe-in-public-shaming-i-do-believe-that-young-adults-go/) [Gene Weingarten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-weingarten/) > [Poetry has, in a way, been my bridge to my acting career.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/omari-hardwick/poetry-has-in-a-way-been-my-bridge-to-my-acting-career/) [Omari Hardwick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/omari-hardwick/) [Browse all 12,062 Acting quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/acting/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Paul Schofield said something like, 'If I'm not acting in a play, I don't really exist.' Those weren't the exact words, but he meant it's only when I'm acting in a play that I've got something to say about the world. 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