--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I don't get nervous when I'm directing a…" description: "\"I don't get nervous when I'm directing a play. It's not like acting.\" — Philip Seymour Hoffman" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c21/philip-seymour-hoffman-2704_acting_i-don-t-get-nervous-when-i-m-directing-a_31418.jpg" --- # I don't get nervous when I'm directing a play. It's not… ![“I don't get nervous when I'm directing a play. It's not like acting.” quote by Philip Seymour Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c21/philip-seymour-hoffman-2704_acting_i-don-t-get-nervous-when-i-m-directing-a_31418.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c21/philip-seymour-hoffman-2704_acting_i-don-t-get-nervous-when-i-m-directing-a_31418.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c21/philip-seymour-hoffman-2704_acting_i-don-t-get-nervous-when-i-m-directing-a_31418.jpg) > “I don't get nervous when I'm directing a play. It's not like acting.” [Philip Seymour Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-seymour-hoffman/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker distinguishes directing from acting, emphasizing that directing involves a different set of pressures and responsibilities, allowing for calm focus on the overall vision rather than personal performance anxiety. **In simple terms:** Directing feels less personal than acting. Key Takeaway Leadership can be less stressful than performance. Themes leadership creative process role differentiation confidence collaboration Mood focused confident analytical Type observation advice When to use this quote - rehearsal planning - stage management - creative meetings - production design - actor coaching Key Concepts vision team dynamics responsibility artistic control Practical Applications - guiding a theatrical production - coordinating creative teams Questions to Reflect On - How does responsibility shift when you move from performer to director? - What aspects of directing can reduce personal anxiety? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Acting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/acting/) [Nervous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nervous/) [Play](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/play/) ## Related quotes > [I was never nervous directing. Not once. I'm more nervous acting. I'm far more nervous on set, before I say my lines, than I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rose-mcgowan/i-was-never-nervous-directing-not-once-i-m-more-nervous-acting-i-m/) [Rose McGowan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rose-mcgowan/) > [Directing an opera is similar to directing a play. The singing must not get in the way of the drama.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-beresford/directing-an-opera-is-similar-to-directing-a-play-the-singing-must/) [Bruce Beresford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-beresford/) > [I would consider directing. I think directing myself would be tough, but I'm definitely interested in directing. I might start off directing a play…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-c-reilly/i-would-consider-directing-i-think-directing-myself-would-be-tough/) [John C. Reilly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-c-reilly/) > [Given a choice, I prefer directing a play to a film.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naseeruddin-shah/given-a-choice-i-prefer-directing-a-play-to-a-film/) [Naseeruddin Shah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naseeruddin-shah/) > [ It was really interesting to be editing the film \[Trust\] in New York and directing the play in Chicago, and one definitely informed the… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-schwimmer/it-was-really-interesting-to-be-editing-the-film-trust-in-new-york/) [David Schwimmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-schwimmer/) > [I think directing is part play, part work, not just all work, because I think you always have to play. I think that's ultimately…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marc-forster/i-think-directing-is-part-play-part-work-not-just-all-work-because-i/) [Marc Forster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marc-forster/) > [Every director is always directing around the play. If you have an actor who really doesn't get the character well enough, you have to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nilo-cruz/every-director-is-always-directing-around-the-play-if-you-have-an/) [Nilo Cruz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nilo-cruz/) > [I enjoy directing, but I really like acting more. The idea of controlling the whole thing is not something that really appeals to me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stacy-keach/i-enjoy-directing-but-i-really-like-acting-more-the-idea-of/) [Stacy Keach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stacy-keach/) > [That's all TV acting is. Like, let me find my mark and seem like I'm still acting. Sometimes they'll put sandbags there, but then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-benanti/that-s-all-tv-acting-is-like-let-me-find-my-mark-and-seem-like-i-m/) [Laura Benanti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-benanti/) > [My passion is more specific, in the sense that I've always liked doing comedy. I've always liked doing music. I like acting. And apparently,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-guest/my-passion-is-more-specific-in-the-sense-that-i-ve-always-liked-doing/) [Christopher Guest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-guest/) > [I feel like with acting it's not like you make a choice - it's kind of in you and you have to do it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/felicity-jones/i-feel-like-with-acting-it-s-not-like-you-make-a-choice-it-s-kind-of/) [Felicity Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/felicity-jones/) > [I like acting too much and it's too, I'm just too busy doing that and I'm too hungry for it, to get behind the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-weisz/i-like-acting-too-much-and-it-s-too-i-m-just-too-busy-doing-that-and/) [Rachel Weisz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-weisz/) > [If I'm directing actors, I learn about acting that way. If I'm acting, I learn about directing that way. Producing is just something that's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-seymour-hoffman/if-i-m-directing-actors-i-learn-about-acting-that-way-if-i-m-acting-i/) [Philip Seymour Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-seymour-hoffman/) > [In acting, you are fulfilled if you give justice to your role... if you are able to do a credible performance and touch the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-hutton/in-acting-you-are-fulfilled-if-you-give-justice-to-your-role-if-you/) [Timothy Hutton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-hutton/) > [Steven Spielberg seems to have wanted to be a director from 13. He put his dog in a certain position and made him eat…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-brooks/steven-spielberg-seems-to-have-wanted-to-be-a-director-from-13-he-put/) [Albert Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-brooks/) ## More by Philip Seymour Hoffman > [To act well isn't an easy thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-seymour-hoffman/to-act-well-isn-t-an-easy-thing/) [Philip Seymour Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-seymour-hoffman/) > [I would never not work on the part without it playing. That's what being an actor is. You use everything that's influenced you to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-seymour-hoffman/i-would-never-not-work-on-the-part-without-it-playing-that-s-what/) [Philip Seymour Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-seymour-hoffman/) > [I have a fine level of recognition in the business and among the acting community now, so I consider myself one of the lucky…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-seymour-hoffman/i-have-a-fine-level-of-recognition-in-the-business-and-among-the/) [Philip Seymour Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-seymour-hoffman/) > [I don't want to repeat myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-seymour-hoffman/i-don-t-want-to-repeat-myself/) [Philip Seymour Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-seymour-hoffman/) > [Life's pretty funny when you're objectively on the outside looking at it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-seymour-hoffman/life-s-pretty-funny-when-you-re-objectively-on-the-outside-looking-at/) [Philip Seymour Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-seymour-hoffman/) > [I was a breed of people who aren't capable of doing anything, really. At college I began to get the idea that being macho…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-seymour-hoffman/i-was-a-breed-of-people-who-aren-t-capable-of-doing-anything-really/) [Philip Seymour Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-seymour-hoffman/) > [I would definitely say pleasure is not happiness. Because I think I kill pleasure. Like I take too much of it in, and therefore…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-seymour-hoffman/i-would-definitely-say-pleasure-is-not-happiness-because-i-think-i/) [Philip Seymour Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-seymour-hoffman/) > [Creating anything is hard.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-seymour-hoffman/creating-anything-is-hard/) [Philip Seymour Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-seymour-hoffman/) > [For me, acting is torturous, and it's torturous because you know it's a beautiful thing. I was young once, and I said, that's beautiful…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-seymour-hoffman/for-me-acting-is-torturous-and-it-s-torturous-because-you-know-it-s-a/) [Philip Seymour Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-seymour-hoffman/) > [When you're playing someone who really lived, you carry a burden, a burden to be accurate. But it's one that you have to let…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-seymour-hoffman/when-you-re-playing-someone-who-really-lived-you-carry-a-burden-a/) [Philip Seymour Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-seymour-hoffman/) > [In a film there a lot of people scheduling, you know.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-seymour-hoffman/in-a-film-there-a-lot-of-people-scheduling-you-know/) [Philip Seymour Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-seymour-hoffman/) > [I like so many different kinds of music just because all I did was listen to the radio as a kid.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-seymour-hoffman/i-like-so-many-different-kinds-of-music-just-because-all-i-did-was/) [Philip Seymour Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-seymour-hoffman/) > [I've seen a lot of friends who have a lot of great projects, whether it's a script or a play or whatever, and it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-seymour-hoffman/i-ve-seen-a-lot-of-friends-who-have-a-lot-of-great-projects-whether/) [Philip Seymour Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-seymour-hoffman/) > [You have all the influence you choose to have.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-seymour-hoffman/you-have-all-the-influence-you-choose-to-have/) [Philip Seymour Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-seymour-hoffman/) > [I have an awful memory, and I have a great memory. Meaning that, if I'm trying to remember something, I can't remember it. But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-seymour-hoffman/i-have-an-awful-memory-and-i-have-a-great-memory-meaning-that-if-i-m/) [Philip Seymour Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-seymour-hoffman/) [Explore all 153 Philip Seymour Hoffman quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-seymour-hoffman/) ## 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. 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