--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: One of the great things about acting is…" description: "\"One of the great things about acting is you can do things that in real life would get you in trouble. I think that's something I figured out pretty ear..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0ce/michael-shannon-9158_acting_one-of-the-great-things-about-acting-is_2642117.jpg" --- # One of the great things about acting is you can do things… ![“One of the great things about acting is you can do things that in real life would get you in trouble. I think that's something I figured out pretty early on.” quote by Michael Shannon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0ce/michael-shannon-9158_acting_one-of-the-great-things-about-acting-is_2642117.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0ce/michael-shannon-9158_acting_one-of-the-great-things-about-acting-is_2642117.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0ce/michael-shannon-9158_acting_one-of-the-great-things-about-acting-is_2642117.jpg) > “One of the great things about acting is you can do things that in real life would get you in trouble. I think that's something I figured out pretty early on.” [Michael Shannon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-shannon/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Acting lets people explore taboo actions safely, offering a rehearsal for real‑life consequences. **In simple terms:** Acting allows safe exploration of risky behavior. Key Takeaway Use role‑play to test boundaries. Themes creativity psychology risk freedom learning Mood playful introspective Type educational inspirational When to use this quote - theatre workshops - training simulations - personal growth Key Concepts role‑play simulation ethical testing Questions to Reflect On - What risky behavior could you rehearse safely? - How does safe exploration affect real choices? A Different Perspective Acting may blur lines between performance and reality. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Acting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/acting/) [Actor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actor/) [Great things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/great-things/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Real life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/real-life/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) ## Related quotes > [I've always loved the collaborative side of filmmaking, and there's a lot of things I can do in the acting side of things in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zoe-bell/i-ve-always-loved-the-collaborative-side-of-filmmaking-and-there-s-a/) [Zoe Bell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zoe-bell/) > [I think what I enjoy most about playing Zoey is the fact that she's a lot more comfortable and open than I am. That's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elisabeth-moss/i-think-what-i-enjoy-most-about-playing-zoey-is-the-fact-that-she-s-a/) [Elisabeth Moss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elisabeth-moss/) > [Acting is many things. Acting is playing lines, of course, but it's much more profound than that. Acting is truth-telling, and trying to find…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-greengrass/acting-is-many-things-acting-is-playing-lines-of-course-but-it-s-much/) [Paul Greengrass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-greengrass/) > [That's one of the great things about acting - you get to pretend you're somebody else, which is great if you get bored with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-shannon/that-s-one-of-the-great-things-about-acting-you-get-to-pretend-you-re/) [Michael Shannon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-shannon/) > [I love taking on challenges. I think one of the funnest things in acting is creating a character - wrapping yourself around a character…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/drew-waters/i-love-taking-on-challenges-i-think-one-of-the-funnest-things-in/) [Drew Waters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/drew-waters/) > [I do research. I do emotional sort of Method work. Somehow it’s a huge mishmash of things that becomes my own acting process and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicole-kidman/i-do-research-i-do-emotional-sort-of-method-work-somehow-it-s-a-huge/) [Nicole Kidman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicole-kidman/) > [I was producing things I was acting in, but I had never directed and I felt it was time. I was looking for a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-redford/i-was-producing-things-i-was-acting-in-but-i-had-never-directed-and-i/) [Robert Redford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-redford/) > [It's a fine line of doing what's good for your life and what your parents want you to do, but also following your dreams.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kaley-cuoco/it-s-a-fine-line-of-doing-what-s-good-for-your-life-and-what-your/) [Kaley Cuoco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kaley-cuoco/) > [Some of us have such incredible things that can keep us from acting. We have the luxury of drinking such good wine, and having…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dar-williams/some-of-us-have-such-incredible-things-that-can-keep-us-from-acting/) [Dar Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dar-williams/) > [One of the nice things about acting is that it allows you to open up to the other people within you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-duchovny/one-of-the-nice-things-about-acting-is-that-it-allows-you-to-open-up/) [David Duchovny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-duchovny/) > [One of the things about acting is you can always use your life. You have to recall how you are and how people are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ritter/one-of-the-things-about-acting-is-you-can-always-use-your-life-you/) [John Ritter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ritter/) > [One of the things about acting is it allows you to live other people's lives without having to pay the price.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-de-niro/one-of-the-things-about-acting-is-it-allows-you-to-live-other-people/) [Robert De Niro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-de-niro/) > [I didn't even have a career before 'Stranger Things' - it was my first acting job, my first time on a professional set, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-purser/i-didn-t-even-have-a-career-before-stranger-things-it-was-my-first/) [Shannon Purser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-purser/) > [I like to do a wide variety of things, and acting, particularly in the theatre, has given me that opportunity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-allam/i-like-to-do-a-wide-variety-of-things-and-acting-particularly-in-the/) [Roger Allam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-allam/) > [Listening and hearing are two different things, and acting is comprehending what the person is saying, thinking how it makes you feel and responding.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-wenham/listening-and-hearing-are-two-different-things-and-acting-is/) [David Wenham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-wenham/) ## More by Michael Shannon > [I like to play characters that get to do it all - to have a bit of comedy here and a bit of pathos…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-shannon/i-like-to-play-characters-that-get-to-do-it-all-to-have-a-bit-of/) [Michael Shannon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-shannon/) > [A lot of times people will send me stuff. They will find something and they will send it to me and then I will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-shannon/a-lot-of-times-people-will-send-me-stuff-they-will-find-something-and/) [Michael Shannon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-shannon/) > [The most fascinating part of movies is the organism of the movie - it's such a bizarre thing to do, to make a movie.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-shannon/the-most-fascinating-part-of-movies-is-the-organism-of-the-movie-it-s/) [Michael Shannon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-shannon/) > [One of the reasons I got into acting to begin with is that I was trying to figure out how life worked. It was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-shannon/one-of-the-reasons-i-got-into-acting-to-begin-with-is-that-i-was/) [Michael Shannon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-shannon/) > [Theater is the best. That's where you get the work done. You just really get in there and figure something out about a story…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-shannon/theater-is-the-best-that-s-where-you-get-the-work-done-you-just/) [Michael Shannon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-shannon/) > [I've never worried about anything in my life a fraction of the way I worry about my daughter. It's much more than hoping people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-shannon/i-ve-never-worried-about-anything-in-my-life-a-fraction-of-the-way-i/) [Michael Shannon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-shannon/) > [A lot of times the characters I play tend to be kind of loners or they don't have best friends or best buddies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-shannon/a-lot-of-times-the-characters-i-play-tend-to-be-kind-of-loners-or/) [Michael Shannon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-shannon/) > [The stage is a routine. It keeps you grounded, like a metronome. I find that soothing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-shannon/the-stage-is-a-routine-it-keeps-you-grounded-like-a-metronome-i-find/) [Michael Shannon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-shannon/) > [If you are going to be on TV for however many years, you want to make sure that you have writers that are giving…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-shannon/if-you-are-going-to-be-on-tv-for-however-many-years-you-want-to-make/) [Michael Shannon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-shannon/) > [I've always been happy just to be working. It doesn't really matter for me how many people are familiar with my name or my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-shannon/i-ve-always-been-happy-just-to-be-working-it-doesn-t-really-matter/) [Michael Shannon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-shannon/) > [When you see a struggle that you may be having personally put on a big screen and in a roomful of people, then it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-shannon/when-you-see-a-struggle-that-you-may-be-having-personally-put-on-a/) [Michael Shannon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-shannon/) > [I certainly don't want to have too many pre-conceived notions before I show up because then you might be cutting yourself off from the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-shannon/i-certainly-don-t-want-to-have-too-many-pre-conceived-notions-before/) [Michael Shannon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-shannon/) > [I never went into acting to be able to scare everybody. If I'd wanted to frighten people, I could have joined the C.I.A.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-shannon/i-never-went-into-acting-to-be-able-to-scare-everybody-if-i-d-wanted/) [Michael Shannon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-shannon/) > [Everybodys constantly being destroyed and rebuilding themselves, some more drastically than others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-shannon/everybodys-constantly-being-destroyed-and-rebuilding-themselves-some/) [Michael Shannon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-shannon/) > [If you are only getting two takes and you are on a crazy set where there is a lot of noise and distractions and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-shannon/if-you-are-only-getting-two-takes-and-you-are-on-a-crazy-set-where/) [Michael Shannon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-shannon/) [Explore all 75 Michael Shannon quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-shannon/) ## 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": "One of the great things about acting is you can do things that in real life would get you in trouble. 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