--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Before 9/11, I was playing a wide range…" description: "\"Before 9/11, I was playing a wide range of characters. I would play a lover, a cop, a father. As long as I could create the illusion of the character, ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a88/navid-negahban-36417_bad-guy_before-9-11-i-was-playing-a-wide-range-o_1012618.jpg" --- # Before 9/11, I was playing a wide range of characters. I… ![“Before 9/11, I was playing a wide range of characters. I would play a lover, a cop, a father. As long as I could create the illusion of the character, the part was given to me. But after 9/11, something changed. We became the villains, the bad guys. I don't mind to play the bad guy as long as the…” quote by Navid Negahban](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a88/navid-negahban-36417_bad-guy_before-9-11-i-was-playing-a-wide-range-o_1012618.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a88/navid-negahban-36417_bad-guy_before-9-11-i-was-playing-a-wide-range-o_1012618.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a88/navid-negahban-36417_bad-guy_before-9-11-i-was-playing-a-wide-range-o_1012618.jpg) > “Before 9/11, I was playing a wide range of characters. I would play a lover, a cop, a father. As long as I could create the illusion of the character, the part was given to me. But after 9/11, something changed. We became the villains, the bad guys. I don't mind to play the bad guy as long as the bad guy has a base.” [Navid Negahban](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/navid-negahban/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. After 9/11, the speaker perceives a shift toward playing villainous roles, seeking depth in characters. **In simple terms:** Roles turned darker after 9/11, desire depth. Key Takeaway Seek complexity in any role. Themes career typecasting post‑9/11 culture Mood thoughtful determined Type professional reflective When to use this quote - acting auditions - script analysis - career planning Key Concepts character development stereotypes Questions to Reflect On - Do you prefer villains with motivations? - How can actors reshape typecasts? A Different Perspective Audience expectations may limit role variety. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Bad guy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bad-guy/) [Bad guys](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bad-guys/) [Character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character/) [Cop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cop/) [Father](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/father/) [Illusion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/illusion/) [Lovers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lovers/) [Mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mind/) [Play](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/play/) [Villain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/villain/) ## Related quotes > [Nearly every day on the television set the hero cop breaks into the bad guy's house and beats a confession out of him and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerry-spence/nearly-every-day-on-the-television-set-the-hero-cop-breaks-into-the/) [Gerry Spence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerry-spence/) > [I've always been, in games, the bad guy. If there was ever cops and robbers I was always a robber.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jake-m-johnson/i-ve-always-been-in-games-the-bad-guy-if-there-was-ever-cops-and/) [Jake M. Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jake-m-johnson/) > [Every cop isn't a bad cop just like every NFL player that makes a mistake, we're not all bad guys.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenny-stills/every-cop-isn-t-a-bad-cop-just-like-every-nfl-player-that-makes-a/) [Kenny Stills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenny-stills/) > [I've been telling anybody who would listen that I wanted to do a series for the last 10 years. But I wouldn't do it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-petersen/i-ve-been-telling-anybody-who-would-listen-that-i-wanted-to-do-a/) [William Petersen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-petersen/) > [I enjoy playing villains - I'm very proud that I belong to a very honorable tradition of British actors who come to Hollywood to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-molina/i-enjoy-playing-villains-i-m-very-proud-that-i-belong-to-a-very/) [Alfred Molina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-molina/) > [ Nikolaj \[Coster-Waldau\] plays one of the ugliest villains. We had to create such a horrible guy, because he is the bad guy in the… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-upton/nikolaj-coster-waldau-plays-one-of-the-ugliest-villains-we-had-to/) [Kate Upton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-upton/) > [The only way to describe my involvement in Planes is that its an absolute dream come true for me. Getting to be a bad…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-craig-smith/the-only-way-to-describe-my-involvement-in-planes-is-that-its-an/) [Roger Craig Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-craig-smith/) > [I did a play once where a reviewer said, 'Martin Freeman's too nice to play a bad guy.' And I thought: 'Well, bad guys…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-freeman/i-did-a-play-once-where-a-reviewer-said-martin-freeman-s-too-nice-to/) [Martin Freeman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-freeman/) > [The English are good at bad guys - the James Bond-style villain, cunning, slow-burning. The Americans are much more obvious about it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/idris-elba/the-english-are-good-at-bad-guys-the-james-bond-style-villain-cunning/) [Idris Elba](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/idris-elba/) > [I've kind of had to make a career of playing villains. In order to stay employed, I had to figure out how to play…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-pierce/i-ve-kind-of-had-to-make-a-career-of-playing-villains-in-order-to/) [Jeffrey Pierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-pierce/) > [Look at the facts, look at the circumstances if you choose to have an open mind and understand and care deeply about the safety…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kimberly-guilfoyle/look-at-the-facts-look-at-the-circumstances-if-you-choose-to-have-an/) [Kimberly Guilfoyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kimberly-guilfoyle/) > [To us, being the bad guys is cool, because we always root for the bad guys in the movies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-hanneman/to-us-being-the-bad-guys-is-cool-because-we-always-root-for-the-bad/) [Jeff Hanneman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-hanneman/) > [“Here you can shoot the bad guys,' a mercenary says in Baghdad. 'In America we give them corporate bonuses.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-robotham/here-you-can-shoot-the-bad-guys-a-mercenary-says-in-baghdad-in/) [Michael Robotham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-robotham/) > [It's easy to say, let's go in and get the bad guys. But you have a divided country of Sunnis and Shias. The United…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tulsi-gabbard/it-s-easy-to-say-let-s-go-in-and-get-the-bad-guys-but-you-have-a/) [Tulsi Gabbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tulsi-gabbard/) > [“This is what is called "honor among thieves," for the really dangerous people are those who do not recognize that they are thieves— the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-w-watts/this-is-what-is-called-honor-among-thieves-for-the-really-dangerous/) [Alan W. Watts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-w-watts/) ## More by Navid Negahban > [I speak Farsi, German, Dari, and I understand Turkish, but I haven't used it since 1985, so I'm a bit rusty.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/navid-negahban/i-speak-farsi-german-dari-and-i-understand-turkish-but-i-haven-t-used/) [Navid Negahban](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/navid-negahban/) > [I like 'Shameless.' The first season I just watched it straight through. I literally didn't get up. I just had to finish it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/navid-negahban/i-like-shameless-the-first-season-i-just-watched-it-straight-through/) [Navid Negahban](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/navid-negahban/) > [As actors, if we are truthful to ourselves and we know what we can do and what we cannot do and just go after…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/navid-negahban/as-actors-if-we-are-truthful-to-ourselves-and-we-know-what-we-can-do/) [Navid Negahban](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/navid-negahban/) > [I left Iran back in 1985. I lived in Turkey for a while, then I went to Germany. I joined a theater company there,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/navid-negahban/i-left-iran-back-in-1985-i-lived-in-turkey-for-a-while-then-i-went-to/) [Navid Negahban](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/navid-negahban/) > [I think we're always intrigued by things we're not familiar with.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/navid-negahban/i-think-we-re-always-intrigued-by-things-we-re-not-familiar-with/) [Navid Negahban](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/navid-negahban/) > [As an actor sometimes we sit and wait for projects to be handed to us and we don't really work. We expect our agents…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/navid-negahban/as-an-actor-sometimes-we-sit-and-wait-for-projects-to-be-handed-to-us/) [Navid Negahban](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/navid-negahban/) > [I grew up during the Revolution of Iran and the war between Iran and Iraq. The things that I saw. The impact. How it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/navid-negahban/i-grew-up-during-the-revolution-of-iran-and-the-war-between-iran-and/) [Navid Negahban](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/navid-negahban/) > [When I was I kid, there were so many different things that I wanted to be. As an actor, I get a chance to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/navid-negahban/when-i-was-i-kid-there-were-so-many-different-things-that-i-wanted-to/) [Navid Negahban](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/navid-negahban/) > [I like 'Breaking Bad' and 'Game of Thrones.' I like that era. I like that fantasy world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/navid-negahban/i-like-breaking-bad-and-game-of-thrones-i-like-that-era-i-like-that/) [Navid Negahban](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/navid-negahban/) > [I grew up on Harold Lloyd, Charles Chaplin, and Buster Keaton, and those were the ones who inspired me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/navid-negahban/i-grew-up-on-harold-lloyd-charles-chaplin-and-buster-keaton-and-those/) [Navid Negahban](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/navid-negahban/) > [I lived with a German family. I learned about schnitzel from Ritta Seiffer. When she cooked she'd get the oil really hot so that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/navid-negahban/i-lived-with-a-german-family-i-learned-about-schnitzel-from-ritta/) [Navid Negahban](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/navid-negahban/) > [You just need to put yourself in someone else's shoes and then see how they feel and then you will understand why they are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/navid-negahban/you-just-need-to-put-yourself-in-someone-else-s-shoes-and-then-see/) [Navid Negahban](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/navid-negahban/) [Explore all 13 Navid Negahban quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/navid-negahban/) ## More Bad guy quotes > [“This is what is called "honor among thieves," for the really dangerous people are those who do not recognize that they are thieves— the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-w-watts/this-is-what-is-called-honor-among-thieves-for-the-really-dangerous/) [Alan W. Watts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-w-watts/) > [It's easy to say, let's go in and get the bad guys. But you have a divided country of Sunnis and Shias. The United…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tulsi-gabbard/it-s-easy-to-say-let-s-go-in-and-get-the-bad-guys-but-you-have-a/) [Tulsi Gabbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tulsi-gabbard/) > [Obviously I'm very grateful 'Bad Guy' is doing so well - it's shocking and surprising and gratifying - but I do think it's important…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/finneas/obviously-i-m-very-grateful-bad-guy-is-doing-so-well-it-s-shocking/) [Finneas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/finneas/) > [“Here you can shoot the bad guys,' a mercenary says in Baghdad. 'In America we give them corporate bonuses.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-robotham/here-you-can-shoot-the-bad-guys-a-mercenary-says-in-baghdad-in/) [Michael Robotham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-robotham/) > [To us, being the bad guys is cool, because we always root for the bad guys in the movies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-hanneman/to-us-being-the-bad-guys-is-cool-because-we-always-root-for-the-bad/) [Jeff Hanneman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-hanneman/) > [In 'Gran Torino,' Eastwood moves towards the climax of the movie not by staging a shoot-out, but by putting his weapons to one side…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-korda/in-gran-torino-eastwood-moves-towards-the-climax-of-the-movie-not-by/) [Michael Korda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-korda/) > [In order to have your best good guy, you have to be that bad guy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-flair/in-order-to-have-your-best-good-guy-you-have-to-be-that-bad-guy/) [Charlotte Flair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-flair/) > [After I did 'Brooklyn,' I did about five or six violent films in one way or another, and not always with me being the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emory-cohen/after-i-did-brooklyn-i-did-about-five-or-six-violent-films-in-one-way/) [Emory Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emory-cohen/) > [The first act is the easiest to plot. The second act is always the hardest to plot. Generally a good, you know, sometimes the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-j-cannell/the-first-act-is-the-easiest-to-plot-the-second-act-is-always-the/) [Stephen J. Cannell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-j-cannell/) > [“We fall into the fallacy of believing we can litigate the complicated story before us into a black-and-white binary of good guys and bad…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wesley-lowery/we-fall-into-the-fallacy-of-believing-we-can-litigate-the-complicated/) [Wesley Lowery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wesley-lowery/) > [“If there was a bad guy we could appeal to the people because, like it or not, we, the huddled masses, want our public…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-carter/if-there-was-a-bad-guy-we-could-appeal-to-the-people-because-like-it/) [Bill Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-carter/) > [But the thing about bad guys is that they have the biggest bosomed blond, they have great clothes and cars, and get great death…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-roberts/but-the-thing-about-bad-guys-is-that-they-have-the-biggest-bosomed/) [Eric Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-roberts/) > [I don't know what it is that I do, but when I play a really bad guy, I'm able to bring some level of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miguel-ferrer/i-don-t-know-what-it-is-that-i-do-but-when-i-play-a-really-bad-guy-i/) [Miguel Ferrer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miguel-ferrer/) > [In my career, I've been lucky to do the bad guys that are more interesting, where the audience wants to spend more time with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-stormare/in-my-career-i-ve-been-lucky-to-do-the-bad-guys-that-are-more/) [Peter Stormare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-stormare/) > [Playing a bad guy is always more fun than playing the good guy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margot-robbie/playing-a-bad-guy-is-always-more-fun-than-playing-the-good-guy/) [Margot Robbie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margot-robbie/) [Browse all 1,228 Bad guy quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bad-guy/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Before 9/11, I was playing a wide range of characters. I would play a lover, a cop, a father. As long as I could create the illusion of the character, the part was given to me. But after 9/11, something changed. We became the villains, the bad guys. I don't mind to play the bad guy as long as the bad guy has a base.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Navid Negahban" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/navid-negahban/before-9-11-i-was-playing-a-wide-range-of-characters-i-would-play-a/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Bad guy" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/navid-negahban/before-9-11-i-was-playing-a-wide-range-of-characters-i-would-play-a/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a88/navid-negahban-36417_bad-guy_before-9-11-i-was-playing-a-wide-range-o_1012618.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a88/navid-negahban-36417_bad-guy_before-9-11-i-was-playing-a-wide-range-o_1012618.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a88/navid-negahban-36417_bad-guy_before-9-11-i-was-playing-a-wide-range-o_1012618.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Before 9/11, I was playing a wide range of characters. I would play a lover, a cop, a father. As long as I…” — Navid Negahban", "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": "Navid Negahban", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/navid-negahban/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Before 9/11, I was playing a...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/navid-negahban/before-9-11-i-was-playing-a-wide-range-of-characters-i-would-play-a/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/navid-negahban/before-9-11-i-was-playing-a-wide-range-of-characters-i-would-play-a/#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 } } ] } ```