--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Obviously, any time you're closer in…" description: "\"Obviously, any time you're closer in terms of what your knowledge is to a character, you can add something. But an actor's job is not to play only peop..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b7a/peter-riegert-23510_actor_obviously-any-time-you-re-closer-in-term_999116.jpg" --- # Obviously, any time you're closer in terms of what your… ![“Obviously, any time you're closer in terms of what your knowledge is to a character, you can add something. But an actor's job is not to play only people he can identify with.” quote by Peter Riegert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b7a/peter-riegert-23510_actor_obviously-any-time-you-re-closer-in-term_999116.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b7a/peter-riegert-23510_actor_obviously-any-time-you-re-closer-in-term_999116.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b7a/peter-riegert-23510_actor_obviously-any-time-you-re-closer-in-term_999116.jpg) > “Obviously, any time you're closer in terms of what your knowledge is to a character, you can add something. But an actor's job is not to play only people he can identify with.” [Peter Riegert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-riegert/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Actors should embody characters beyond personal identification, adding depth through imagination. **In simple terms:** Actors must go beyond personal experience. Key Takeaway Embrace roles beyond your own life. Themes acting empathy creativity Mood inspirational practical Type educational motivational When to use this quote - theatre - film - role preparation - character study Key Concepts method acting character immersion Questions to Reflect On - What techniques help you connect with unlike characters? - How do you balance personal truth with fictional portrayal? A Different Perspective May dilute authenticity if over‑imagined. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Actor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actor/) [Character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character/) [Job](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/job/) [Knowledge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knowledge/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Play](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/play/) [Theatre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/theatre/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [Rare almost as great poets, rarer, perhaps, than veritable saints and martyrs; are consummate men of business. A man, to be excellent in this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-helps/rare-almost-as-great-poets-rarer-perhaps-than-veritable-saints-and/) [Arthur Helps](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-helps/) > [A man with a lot of knowledge and no character is a dangerous man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/a-man-with-a-lot-of-knowledge-and-no-character-is-a-dangerous-man/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The essential thing is not knowledge, but character.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-le-conte/the-essential-thing-is-not-knowledge-but-character/) Joseph Le Conte > [Memory is knowledge; character is the box of values and habits in which our knowledge knocks around. People with a lot of knowledge thrown…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-thorsell/memory-is-knowledge-character-is-the-box-of-values-and-habits-in/) William Thorsell > [Look closer at the stress in your own life and you can identify that negative emotions are always built on counterfactual statements.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/look-closer-at-the-stress-in-your-own-life-and-you-can-identify-that/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I go to work, I do a job, I play a role, and then I go home. I don't wear a cape at home.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-cavill/i-go-to-work-i-do-a-job-i-play-a-role-and-then-i-go-home-i-don-t-wear/) [Henry Cavill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-cavill/) > [I'm happy to have a job. I play a little, write a little, perform some. It's not like it's an engineered, well-manufactured plan or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leon-russell/i-m-happy-to-have-a-job-i-play-a-little-write-a-little-perform-some/) [Leon Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leon-russell/) > [My job is to go out there and play football. My job is to go out there and win football games.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ezekiel-elliott/my-job-is-to-go-out-there-and-play-football-my-job-is-to-go-out-there/) [Ezekiel Elliott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ezekiel-elliott/) > [I thought my dream job was to play cricket.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-flintoff/i-thought-my-dream-job-was-to-play-cricket/) [Andrew Flintoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-flintoff/) > [It's my job to go out there and play well regardless of the circumstances.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mac-jones/it-s-my-job-to-go-out-there-and-play-well-regardless-of-the/) [Mac Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mac-jones/) > [I've always done a good job when I play with better players than myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-caruso/i-ve-always-done-a-good-job-when-i-play-with-better-players-than/) [Alex Caruso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-caruso/) > [The first-ever job I had was in a play, 'Trench Kiss,' with Caroline Quentin and Arthur Smith.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-miller/the-first-ever-job-i-had-was-in-a-play-trench-kiss-with-caroline/) [Ben Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-miller/) > [My job was to play my character in the best way that I could, and hopefully people will enjoy that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-hayes/my-job-was-to-play-my-character-in-the-best-way-that-i-could-and/) [Sean Hayes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-hayes/) > [Our job is to play football.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reece-james/our-job-is-to-play-football/) [Reece James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reece-james/) > [Every play I'm competing my tail off to try to win the route, win the block or whatever my job is on that play.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danny-amendola/every-play-i-m-competing-my-tail-off-to-try-to-win-the-route-win-the/) [Danny Amendola](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danny-amendola/) ## More by Peter Riegert > [There are times when you have to fight for something you believe in, that you love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-riegert/there-are-times-when-you-have-to-fight-for-something-you-believe-in/) [Peter Riegert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-riegert/) > [I think when you're younger, as an actor you have much more of a notion that you are doing something to the audience. But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-riegert/i-think-when-you-re-younger-as-an-actor-you-have-much-more-of-a/) [Peter Riegert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-riegert/) > [In 2000, I realized I had reached that certain age when the parts get scarcer. So I decided to try my hand at directing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-riegert/in-2000-i-realized-i-had-reached-that-certain-age-when-the-parts-get/) [Peter Riegert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-riegert/) > [There is a temptation for an actor to editorialize what they're doing. And you can't do that with Pinter. It's almost like a musical…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-riegert/there-is-a-temptation-for-an-actor-to-editorialize-what-they-re-doing/) [Peter Riegert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-riegert/) > [Ease is something that I think many admire in other people, in sports or whatever it may be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-riegert/ease-is-something-that-i-think-many-admire-in-other-people-in-sports/) [Peter Riegert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-riegert/) > [I did 'Animal House' in 1978, then 'Local Hero' in 1983, and then in '88, 'Crossing Delancey.' And I realized that every three to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-riegert/i-did-animal-house-in-1978-then-local-hero-in-1983-and-then-in-88/) [Peter Riegert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-riegert/) > [A movie is a filmed rehearsal in a way. The audience doesn't know that because you're taking out the things that don't work. There's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-riegert/a-movie-is-a-filmed-rehearsal-in-a-way-the-audience-doesn-t-know-that/) [Peter Riegert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-riegert/) > [I apply the three gag rule, which is if I can read a script without gagging more than three times, then maybe I can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-riegert/i-apply-the-three-gag-rule-which-is-if-i-can-read-a-script-without/) [Peter Riegert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-riegert/) > [You realize Shakespeare wasn't stuck for an idea when he said, 'All the world's a stage.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-riegert/you-realize-shakespeare-wasn-t-stuck-for-an-idea-when-he-said-all-the/) [Peter Riegert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-riegert/) > [I like Guinness, and that will make anyone Irish. That and soda bread, and I'm good to go.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-riegert/i-like-guinness-and-that-will-make-anyone-irish-that-and-soda-bread/) [Peter Riegert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-riegert/) > [When you get older, unless you're a huge star, the parts become less and the competition becomes greater. Because the guys left standing are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-riegert/when-you-get-older-unless-you-re-a-huge-star-the-parts-become-less/) [Peter Riegert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-riegert/) > [It never occurs to me that acting with a superstar is something to worry about. I figure the bigger the better because more will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-riegert/it-never-occurs-to-me-that-acting-with-a-superstar-is-something-to/) [Peter Riegert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-riegert/) > [I got to learn from the American audience. Hearing what it is they're not getting. These are audiences, 35 to 40, an older demographic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-riegert/i-got-to-learn-from-the-american-audience-hearing-what-it-is-they-re/) [Peter Riegert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-riegert/) > [There are movies I've seen or books I've read that attach themselves in a way that's greater than the ability to understand why. How…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-riegert/there-are-movies-i-ve-seen-or-books-i-ve-read-that-attach-themselves/) [Peter Riegert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-riegert/) > [We don't think of them as acting, but we take on certain characteristics based on where we function, and those relationships draw out aspects…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-riegert/we-don-t-think-of-them-as-acting-but-we-take-on-certain/) [Peter Riegert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-riegert/) [Explore all 26 Peter Riegert quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-riegert/) ## More Actor 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/) > [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 once told someone I could act. They totally bought it. I've been getting away with it ever since.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/akshay-kumar/i-once-told-someone-i-could-act-they-totally-bought-it-i-ve-been/) [Akshay Kumar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/akshay-kumar/) > [There has got to be a way for me to have a role on TV or in film that is just as normal as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adeel-akhtar/there-has-got-to-be-a-way-for-me-to-have-a-role-on-tv-or-in-film-that/) [Adeel Akhtar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adeel-akhtar/) > [I love casting against type and doing things you wouldn't expect, because I think you get more interesting performances that way. Hollywood loves to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-s-goyer/i-love-casting-against-type-and-doing-things-you-wouldn-t-expect/) [David S. Goyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-s-goyer/) > [I'm an actor, so I'm never going to feel like I've done enough.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/italia-ricci/i-m-an-actor-so-i-m-never-going-to-feel-like-i-ve-done-enough/) [Italia Ricci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/italia-ricci/) > [I am tired of our characters being so incomplete. When do we ever save the day in a film? When does a Latino actor…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/esai-morales/i-am-tired-of-our-characters-being-so-incomplete-when-do-we-ever-save/) [Esai Morales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/esai-morales/) > [When I was 13, I auditioned for the theater school, and I was there for four years. In the meantime, I did my first…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ana-de-armas/when-i-was-13-i-auditioned-for-the-theater-school-and-i-was-there-for/) [Ana de Armas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ana-de-armas/) > [If you stood me in a costume next to a computer graphic of the same-looking character, I think there would be a difference. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warwick-davis/if-you-stood-me-in-a-costume-next-to-a-computer-graphic-of-the-same/) [Warwick Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warwick-davis/) > [failure in the theater is more public, more brilliant, more unreal than in any other field.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lillian-hellman/failure-in-the-theater-is-more-public-more-brilliant-more-unreal-than/) [Lillian Hellman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lillian-hellman/) > [I'm a character actor - always have been, always will be - and historically, character actors don't come into their own until later in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annie-potts/i-m-a-character-actor-always-have-been-always-will-be-and/) [Annie Potts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annie-potts/) > [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/) > [I never planned to do female roles. It just happened. I was typecast.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/divine/i-never-planned-to-do-female-roles-it-just-happened-i-was-typecast/) [Divine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/divine/) > [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/) [Browse all 21,590 Actor quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actor/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Obviously, any time you're closer in terms of what your knowledge is to a character, you can add something. 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