Bad Quote by Paul Dano
“You look at the part in '12 Years A Slave,' you finish that script - I mean, it's a powerful story. You go, 'Man, I have to play a bad character in this.' And then you go, 'Well, do I want to play a bad character and contribute to a good story?'”
About This Quote
Source Interview: Discussing role choices, 2013
Choosing to portray a flawed character can serve a larger, meaningful narrative despite personal discomfort.
In simple terms: Playing a bad role can support a good story.
Key Takeaway
Embrace challenging roles for greater impact.
Themes
art
morality
craft
character
storytelling
Mood
conflicted
thoughtful
Type
artistic
ethical
When to use this quote
- theatre
- film
- personal growth
- audience engagement
Key Concepts
ethical acting
narrative impact
Questions to Reflect On
- When does a role’s negative portrayal outweigh its narrative benefit?
- How can actors reconcile personal values with problematic characters?
A Different Perspective
Audience may misinterpret the actor’s intent.
![“Of course I think it's a movie for everybody [Insane Farting Corpse], but that's probably just because it's a movie for me.” quote by Paul Dano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/14e/paul-dano-2579_corpses_of-course-i-think-it-s-a-movie-for-every_14478.jpg)
![“If you could call me buff, my version of buff was when I finished that film [Swiss Army Man].” quote by Paul Dano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/9b1/paul-dano-2579_army_if-you-could-call-me-buff-my-version-of_102499.jpg)
![“Reading the script [Insane Farting Corpse], by page two or three, I felt that way. I thought, I'm in. It was so beautiful and insane and funny and I wanted to see it happen.” quote by Paul Dano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/4ef/paul-dano-2579_beautiful_reading-the-script-insane-farting-corpse_116588.jpg)
![“I'm really excited to share the movie [Swiss Army Man] with people, so I'm glad that people are seeing it. And I want them to, because I think it's a really fun movie to experience sitting next to people. It makes it funnier. It makes it more comfortable. It makes it sweeter.” quote by Paul Dano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/fa0/paul-dano-2579_army_i-m-really-excited-to-share-the-movie-sw_132788.jpg)
