--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I'm probably more personal when I'm…" description: "\"I'm probably more personal when I'm acting than at any other time. More open, more direct. Because it allows me to be something that I can't always fee..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/79a/philip-seymour-hoffman-2704_acting_i-m-probably-more-personal-when-i-m-acti_1781875.jpg" --- # I'm probably more personal when I'm acting than at any… ![“I'm probably more personal when I'm acting than at any other time. More open, more direct. Because it allows me to be something that I can't always feel comfortable with when I'm living my own life, you know? Because it's make- believe.” quote by Philip Seymour Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/79a/philip-seymour-hoffman-2704_acting_i-m-probably-more-personal-when-i-m-acti_1781875.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/79a/philip-seymour-hoffman-2704_acting_i-m-probably-more-personal-when-i-m-acti_1781875.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/79a/philip-seymour-hoffman-2704_acting_i-m-probably-more-personal-when-i-m-acti_1781875.jpg) > “I'm probably more personal when I'm acting than at any other time. More open, more direct. Because it allows me to be something that I can't always feel comfortable with when I'm living my own life, you know? Because it's make- believe.” [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. Acting can reveal personal openness and authenticity that everyday life may conceal. **In simple terms:** Acting reveals hidden openness. Key Takeaway Use performance to explore self. Themes self‑exploration authenticity creativity Mood reflective introspective Type motivational philosophical When to use this quote - theatre workshops - role‑play therapy - public speaking - personal journaling Key Concepts psychology performance art Questions to Reflect On - How does performance change your self‑perception? - When does openness become vulnerability? A Different Perspective May blur personal boundaries. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Acting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/acting/) [Make believe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/make-believe/) [My own life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/my-own-life/) [Personal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/personal/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [I think that plays are probably the most personal, because it's just me in charge, but sometimes it's just really - I think that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-henry-hwang/i-think-that-plays-are-probably-the-most-personal-because-it-s-just/) [David Henry Hwang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-henry-hwang/) > [I don't care about my personal acting career anymore. I'm done with it. After 10 years of making movies and doing better than I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-spacey/i-don-t-care-about-my-personal-acting-career-anymore-i-m-done-with-it/) [Kevin Spacey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-spacey/) > [ It's probably the most personal project \[The Fourth Phase\] I've done, which changed the dynamic a little bit. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/travis-rice/it-s-probably-the-most-personal-project-the-fourth-phase-i-ve-done/) [Travis Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/travis-rice/) > [Acting is a full-time job for me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/van-heflin/acting-is-a-full-time-job-for-me/) [Van Heflin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/van-heflin/) > [Actually, the year anniversary of what you just heard, my son Grahame and I are going to be in a play together, and I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-lesh/actually-the-year-anniversary-of-what-you-just-heard-my-son-grahame/) [Phil Lesh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-lesh/) > [Getting all dressed up and putting on fancy clothes - all of that's a great thing, but oddly, it doesn't really have a lot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annette-bening/getting-all-dressed-up-and-putting-on-fancy-clothes-all-of-that-s-a/) [Annette Bening](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annette-bening/) > [Acting is the only time when I truly maintain the spontaneity that I want to be present at all times.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-dicaprio/acting-is-the-only-time-when-i-truly-maintain-the-spontaneity-that-i/) [Leonardo DiCaprio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-dicaprio/) > [The greatest gift an actor can have is not revealing who he is but through the parts he plays. Unfortunately, we live in a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jude-law/the-greatest-gift-an-actor-can-have-is-not-revealing-who-he-is-but/) [Jude Law](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jude-law/) > [Acting time is like flight time: You can work on a simulator, you can rehearse, but unless you're really in front of the camera…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kapelos/acting-time-is-like-flight-time-you-can-work-on-a-simulator-you-can/) [John Kapelos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kapelos/) > [I think when I started acting, the whole time I was working towards one day coming to America. Hollywood, in particular, is seen to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liam-hemsworth/i-think-when-i-started-acting-the-whole-time-i-was-working-towards/) [Liam Hemsworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liam-hemsworth/) > [Ryerson helped me because I was around acting all the time. It was pretty much all I thought about, even if I didn't really…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mena-massoud/ryerson-helped-me-because-i-was-around-acting-all-the-time-it-was/) [Mena Massoud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mena-massoud/) > [Not only is acting more than a part-time job, it's more than a full-time job. It's a full-time obsession.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-caine/not-only-is-acting-more-than-a-part-time-job-it-s-more-than-a-full/) [Michael Caine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-caine/) > [I think when I started acting it was the first time I got the freedom of expression. I was able to express certain emotions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-beach/i-think-when-i-started-acting-it-was-the-first-time-i-got-the-freedom/) [Adam Beach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-beach/) > [I do both music and acting at the same time. To me they are both really important parts of how I express myself and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aleksa-palladino/i-do-both-music-and-acting-at-the-same-time-to-me-they-are-both/) [Aleksa Palladino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aleksa-palladino/) > [Anthony Hopkins says you just keep acting. Do it all the time and eventually it will happen. He got his break, after all, by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-e-grant/anthony-hopkins-says-you-just-keep-acting-do-it-all-the-time-and/) [Richard E. Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-e-grant/) ## 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 don't get nervous when I'm directing a play. It's not like acting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-seymour-hoffman/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/) > [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/) [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. I do believe that young adults go to college to learn things, and that this process will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-weingarten/i-do-not-believe-in-public-shaming-i-do-believe-that-young-adults-go/) [Gene Weingarten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-weingarten/) > [Poetry has, in a way, been my bridge to my acting career.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/omari-hardwick/poetry-has-in-a-way-been-my-bridge-to-my-acting-career/) [Omari Hardwick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/omari-hardwick/) [Browse all 12,062 Acting quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/acting/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I'm probably more personal when I'm acting than at any other time. More open, more direct. Because it allows me to be something that I can't always feel comfortable with when I'm living my own life, you know? 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