--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I have the same criteria for choosing…" description: "\"I have the same criteria for choosing roles as I have always had: fantastic writing and complicated characters.\" — Paula Malcomson" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/947/paula-malcomson-21448_always_i-have-the-same-criteria-for-choosing-ro_808549.jpg" --- # I have the same criteria for choosing roles as I have… ![“I have the same criteria for choosing roles as I have always had: fantastic writing and complicated characters.” quote by Paula Malcomson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/947/paula-malcomson-21448_always_i-have-the-same-criteria-for-choosing-ro_808549.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/947/paula-malcomson-21448_always_i-have-the-same-criteria-for-choosing-ro_808549.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/947/paula-malcomson-21448_always_i-have-the-same-criteria-for-choosing-ro_808549.jpg) > “I have the same criteria for choosing roles as I have always had: fantastic writing and complicated characters.” [Paula Malcomson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paula-malcomson/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Choosing roles based on strong writing and complex characters ensures artistic fulfillment and career longevity. **In simple terms:** Good scripts and deep characters matter most. Key Takeaway Select projects with rich storytelling. Themes career artistry character development Mood determined inspired Type professional advice When to use this quote - audition preparation - career planning - creative workshops - script reading Key Concepts script analysis character study Questions to Reflect On - What defines a “fantastic” script for you? - How do you balance artistic goals with financial needs? A Different Perspective Complex roles may be scarce, limiting opportunities. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Always](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/always/) [Character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character/) [Choosing Roles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/choosing-roles-476374/) [Complicated](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/complicated/) [Complicated Characters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/complicated-characters-837898/) [Fantastic Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fantastic-writing-2361671/) [Had](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/had/) [Roles Fantastic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/roles-fantastic-6165154/) [Same](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/same/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) [Writing Complicated](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing-complicated-2454399/) ## Related quotes > [I am attracted to fantastic writing, and fantastic reading, of course. But I think things that we call fantastic may be real, in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jorge-luis-borges/i-am-attracted-to-fantastic-writing-and-fantastic-reading-of-course/) [Jorge Luis Borges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jorge-luis-borges/) > [“When you are writing a complicated story, you have got to have a map.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-r-r-tolkien/when-you-are-writing-a-complicated-story-you-have-got-to-have-a-map/) [J.R.R. Tolkien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-r-r-tolkien/) > [If I thought that what I'm doing when I write is expressing myself, I'd junk the typewriter. Writing is a much more complicated activity…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-sontag/if-i-thought-that-what-i-m-doing-when-i-write-is-expressing-myself-i/) [Susan Sontag](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-sontag/) > [Fantastic writing in English is kind of disreputable, but fantastic writing in translation is the summit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-lethem/fantastic-writing-in-english-is-kind-of-disreputable-but-fantastic/) [Jonathan Lethem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-lethem/) > [When complicated characters aren't well drawn, they're boring.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-eaton/when-complicated-characters-aren-t-well-drawn-they-re-boring/) [Rebecca Eaton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-eaton/) > [I like complicated characters.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-kinnear/i-like-complicated-characters/) [Greg Kinnear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-kinnear/) > [I am really drawn to damaged characters, and I have a lot of sympathy for them. Making those complicated characters empathetic is something to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-haggis/i-am-really-drawn-to-damaged-characters-and-i-have-a-lot-of-sympathy/) [Paul Haggis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-haggis/) > [I'm drawn to damaged, complicated characters.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruth-wilson/i-m-drawn-to-damaged-complicated-characters/) [Ruth Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruth-wilson/) > [ I think real humans are so complicated, and often \[characters\] are written more one-dimensional without maybe even the writer knowing it. I've felt numerous… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristen-bell/i-think-real-humans-are-so-complicated-and-often-characters-are/) [Kristen Bell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristen-bell/) > [Bad guys are complicated characters. It's always fun to play them. You get away with a lot more. You don't have a heroic code…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-dinklage/bad-guys-are-complicated-characters-it-s-always-fun-to-play-them-you/) [Peter Dinklage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-dinklage/) > [I have always liked kind of outsider characters. In the movies I grew up liking, you had more complicated characters. I don't mean that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jody-hill/i-have-always-liked-kind-of-outsider-characters-in-the-movies-i-grew/) [Jody Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jody-hill/) > [I tend to enjoy roles that I very closely identify with: fringe people and complicated characters, who might even be bad guys, or bad…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dylan-sprouse/i-tend-to-enjoy-roles-that-i-very-closely-identify-with-fringe-people/) [Dylan Sprouse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dylan-sprouse/) > [As an actor, you always dream of having these really nuanced and complicated characters, and feeding more life into them and adding layers to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melissa-barrera/as-an-actor-you-always-dream-of-having-these-really-nuanced-and/) [Melissa Barrera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-barrera/) > [I really like to play these complicated characters, and I really like to transform.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carrie-preston/i-really-like-to-play-these-complicated-characters-and-i-really-like/) [Carrie Preston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carrie-preston/) > [I love my job. It's such a privilege to be able to play such complicated characters. Growing up, I wanted to be a billion…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashley-bell/i-love-my-job-it-s-such-a-privilege-to-be-able-to-play-such/) [Ashley Bell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashley-bell/) ## More by Paula Malcomson > [I don't work with a lot of preparation. I think very well on my feet, and I'm very good when the pressure is on.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paula-malcomson/i-don-t-work-with-a-lot-of-preparation-i-think-very-well-on-my-feet/) [Paula Malcomson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paula-malcomson/) > [A room full of hundreds, let alone thousands, of people is not my most fun thing in the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paula-malcomson/a-room-full-of-hundreds-let-alone-thousands-of-people-is-not-my-most/) [Paula Malcomson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paula-malcomson/) > [Listen, I'm from Belfast. We're not polite people. And it's language. We're direct.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paula-malcomson/listen-i-m-from-belfast-we-re-not-polite-people-and-it-s-language-we/) [Paula Malcomson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paula-malcomson/) > [I'm not a Method actor - ask anybody.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paula-malcomson/i-m-not-a-method-actor-ask-anybody/) [Paula Malcomson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paula-malcomson/) > [I don't have keepsakes from shows, really. It's in the work. It's all there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paula-malcomson/i-don-t-have-keepsakes-from-shows-really-it-s-in-the-work-it-s-all/) [Paula Malcomson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paula-malcomson/) > [I'm not interested in a pretty world. It's boring to me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paula-malcomson/i-m-not-interested-in-a-pretty-world-it-s-boring-to-me/) [Paula Malcomson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paula-malcomson/) > [I've done network shows. A director will call me and say, 'Do you want to do this with me?' and I'll say, 'Sure,' but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paula-malcomson/i-ve-done-network-shows-a-director-will-call-me-and-say-do-you-want/) [Paula Malcomson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paula-malcomson/) > [I always go for just really, hopefully, great writing and great acting, being in the company of great actors.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paula-malcomson/i-always-go-for-just-really-hopefully-great-writing-and-great-acting/) [Paula Malcomson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paula-malcomson/) > [I'm pretty excited about the state of TV these days. There's great opportunity for really complicated relationships, in a way that I don't really…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paula-malcomson/i-m-pretty-excited-about-the-state-of-tv-these-days-there-s-great/) [Paula Malcomson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paula-malcomson/) > [To me, movies is just scratching the surface for the work. There are people who are so, so great at that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paula-malcomson/to-me-movies-is-just-scratching-the-surface-for-the-work-there-are/) [Paula Malcomson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paula-malcomson/) > [I just want to play strong characters, whatever that is in.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paula-malcomson/i-just-want-to-play-strong-characters-whatever-that-is-in/) [Paula Malcomson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paula-malcomson/) > [I like to work long-term on projects. It's fun to go in and out and get in there and do something and leave it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paula-malcomson/i-like-to-work-long-term-on-projects-it-s-fun-to-go-in-and-out-and/) [Paula Malcomson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paula-malcomson/) > [I try not to be too profane around children or old people. Other than that, that's how I speak.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paula-malcomson/i-try-not-to-be-too-profane-around-children-or-old-people-other-than/) [Paula Malcomson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paula-malcomson/) > [I love 'Happy Valley.' I love 'Transparent.' I love 'Fleabag.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paula-malcomson/i-love-happy-valley-i-love-transparent-i-love-fleabag/) [Paula Malcomson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paula-malcomson/) > [It's definitely hard to say good-bye to a character that you've played for a long time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paula-malcomson/it-s-definitely-hard-to-say-good-bye-to-a-character-that-you-ve/) [Paula Malcomson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paula-malcomson/) [Explore all 29 Paula Malcomson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paula-malcomson/) ## More Always quotes > [I think performing has pretty much always been a part of me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isa-briones/i-think-performing-has-pretty-much-always-been-a-part-of-me/) [Isa Briones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isa-briones/) > [I always thought if I was born 2000 years earlier, I would be a monk, probably carving a monastery or some giant pantheon buildings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenova-chen/i-always-thought-if-i-was-born-2000-years-earlier-i-would-be-a-monk/) [Jenova Chen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenova-chen/) > [I always like a character who makes me laugh.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachael-stirling/i-always-like-a-character-who-makes-me-laugh/) [Rachael Stirling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachael-stirling/) > [It's always great to see old friends, especially those I have not been able to see in 15 months.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-regal/it-s-always-great-to-see-old-friends-especially-those-i-have-not-been/) [William Regal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-regal/) > [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 have really good lateral movement. I've always had quick lateral movement.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austin-rivers/i-have-really-good-lateral-movement-i-ve-always-had-quick-lateral/) [Austin Rivers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austin-rivers/) > [There is something magical about being able to feel somebody. And that is something that has always moved me with music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-brink/there-is-something-magical-about-being-able-to-feel-somebody-and-that/) [Maria Brink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-brink/) > [Mythology is something that always has opportunities to explore. 'It' has been on Earth for millions of years. He's been in contact with humans…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-muschietti/mythology-is-something-that-always-has-opportunities-to-explore-it/) [Andy Muschietti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-muschietti/) > [It's not writing in the traditional sense, but I've always said that the writing process continues on the set and even into the editing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-b-weide/it-s-not-writing-in-the-traditional-sense-but-i-ve-always-said-that/) [Robert B. Weide](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-b-weide/) > [I always watch my matches back 100 times afterwards because that's how I improve. This is something I've always done, even in NXT.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mandy-rose/i-always-watch-my-matches-back-100-times-afterwards-because-that-s/) [Mandy Rose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mandy-rose/) > [I've always been of the idea that is doesn't really matter where you are geographically - with 'Lonerism,' we made half the album in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-parker/i-ve-always-been-of-the-idea-that-is-doesn-t-really-matter-where-you/) [Kevin Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-parker/) > [It's very easy to fool yourself that you're working, you know, when you're really not working very hard. I mean, I'm very lazy. So…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-caro/it-s-very-easy-to-fool-yourself-that-you-re-working-you-know-when-you/) [Robert Caro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-caro/) > [Whether it was Little League or playing with your brothers or sisters, that was always a problem. If I would lose - because I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cal-ripken-jr/whether-it-was-little-league-or-playing-with-your-brothers-or-sisters/) [Cal Ripken, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cal-ripken-jr/) > [I always say if you put someone from a small town into a big city for ten years, then when they go back, they'll…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-colter/i-always-say-if-you-put-someone-from-a-small-town-into-a-big-city-for/) [Mike Colter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-colter/) > [Bayern is always a team that can win the Champions League title in Europe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lothar-matthaus/bayern-is-always-a-team-that-can-win-the-champions-league-title-in/) [Lothar Matthaus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lothar-matthaus/) [Browse all 36,048 Always quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/always/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I have the same criteria for choosing roles as I have always had: fantastic writing and complicated characters.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Paula Malcomson" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paula-malcomson/i-have-the-same-criteria-for-choosing-roles-as-i-have-always-had/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Always" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paula-malcomson/i-have-the-same-criteria-for-choosing-roles-as-i-have-always-had/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/947/paula-malcomson-21448_always_i-have-the-same-criteria-for-choosing-ro_808549.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/947/paula-malcomson-21448_always_i-have-the-same-criteria-for-choosing-ro_808549.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/947/paula-malcomson-21448_always_i-have-the-same-criteria-for-choosing-ro_808549.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I have the same criteria for choosing roles as I have always had: fantastic writing and complicated…” — Paula Malcomson", "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": "Paula Malcomson", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paula-malcomson/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I have the same criteria for...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paula-malcomson/i-have-the-same-criteria-for-choosing-roles-as-i-have-always-had/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paula-malcomson/i-have-the-same-criteria-for-choosing-roles-as-i-have-always-had/#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 } } ] } ```