--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I like playing Vernon Dursley in 'Harry…" description: "\"I like playing Vernon Dursley in 'Harry Potter,' because that gives me a license to be horrible to kids. I hate the odious business of sucking up to th..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/93c/richard-griffiths-18512_giving_i-like-playing-vernon-dursley-in-harry-p_2008075.jpg" --- # I like playing Vernon Dursley in 'Harry Potter,' because… ![“I like playing Vernon Dursley in 'Harry Potter,' because that gives me a license to be horrible to kids. I hate the odious business of sucking up to the public.” quote by Richard Griffiths](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/93c/richard-griffiths-18512_giving_i-like-playing-vernon-dursley-in-harry-p_2008075.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/93c/richard-griffiths-18512_giving_i-like-playing-vernon-dursley-in-harry-p_2008075.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/93c/richard-griffiths-18512_giving_i-like-playing-vernon-dursley-in-harry-p_2008075.jpg) > “I like playing Vernon Dursley in 'Harry Potter,' because that gives me a license to be horrible to kids. I hate the odious business of sucking up to the public.” [Richard Griffiths](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-griffiths/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He enjoys playing a villainous role that lets him act cruelly, contrasting with his public persona. **In simple terms:** He likes acting mean as a character. Key Takeaway Embrace roles that reveal hidden sides. Themes acting villainy public image authenticity Mood playful self‑aware Type reflective entertaining When to use this quote - theatre auditions - film casting - public speaking - role preparation Key Concepts character study performance psychology Questions to Reflect On - How does playing a villain affect your real‑life attitudes? - Can you separate character from self? A Different Perspective Playing a bad character may reinforce negative behavior off‑stage. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Giving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/giving/) [Harry potter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/harry-potter/) [Hate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hate/) [Horrible](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/horrible/) [Horrible Kids](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/horrible-kids-3571294/) [I hate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/i-hate/) [Kids](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kids/) [Kids Hate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kids-hate-1645194/) [License](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/license/) [Playing Vernon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/playing-vernon-3571295/) [Potters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/potters/) [Sucking Public](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sucking-public-3571296/) ## Related quotes > [“i have no idea why anyone would want to become a teacher. i mean, you have to spend the day with a group of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-levithan/i-have-no-idea-why-anyone-would-want-to-become-a-teacher-i-mean-you/) [David Levithan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-levithan/) > [Kids hate anyone who is different.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tamsin-egerton/kids-hate-anyone-who-is-different/) [Tamsin Egerton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tamsin-egerton/) > [“It does not make sense to say you love kids when you hate to have one .”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wordfaith3/it-does-not-make-sense-to-say-you-love-kids-when-you-hate-to-have-one/) [wordfaith3](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wordfaith3/) > [Here's to the kids who hate being compared to others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/here-s-to-the-kids-who-hate-being-compared-to-others/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I love little kids, I hate little kids being used by cynical politicians, though.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-schmidt/i-love-little-kids-i-hate-little-kids-being-used-by-cynical/) [Steve Schmidt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-schmidt/) > [If I had kids, my kids would hate me ... 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If…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-griffiths/i-ve-always-turned-down-stuff-where-you-had-to-be-fat-i-may-be-fat/) [Richard Griffiths](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-griffiths/) > [Actors do have good and bad sides. It's because the passage down the birth canal distorts the face. People born by caesarean section are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-griffiths/actors-do-have-good-and-bad-sides-it-s-because-the-passage-down-the/) [Richard Griffiths](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-griffiths/) > [I don't think I'd live in London unless you paid me. Nine figures would be nice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-griffiths/i-don-t-think-i-d-live-in-london-unless-you-paid-me-nine-figures/) [Richard Griffiths](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-griffiths/) > [I could never understand the attraction of Bette Davis. 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Those who are pretty. They think it's nice to be looked at because they are nice to look at.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-griffiths/some-actors-don-t-mind-it-those-who-are-pretty-they-think-it-s-nice/) [Richard Griffiths](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-griffiths/) > [It's been the most astonishing year because I've been having a marvelous adventure, and yet I kind of sympathize with people who have to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-griffiths/it-s-been-the-most-astonishing-year-because-i-ve-been-having-a/) [Richard Griffiths](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-griffiths/) > [Winning is something you've dreamed about and hoped for, so that when you get there it's no big deal. But if you lose you're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-griffiths/winning-is-something-you-ve-dreamed-about-and-hoped-for-so-that-when/) [Richard Griffiths](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-griffiths/) > [I wouldn't inflict my naked body on any paying audience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-griffiths/i-wouldn-t-inflict-my-naked-body-on-any-paying-audience/) [Richard Griffiths](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-griffiths/) > [I don't like the way I look so I don't like being photographed. 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I want to give something back to the younger generation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luciano-pavarotti/i-received-a-beautiful-welcome-to-the-world-of-music-i-want-to-give/) [Luciano Pavarotti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luciano-pavarotti/) > [Eternal Trinity... mystery deep as the sea, You could give me no greater gift than the gift of Yourself. For You are a fire…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/st-catherine-of-siena/eternal-trinity-mystery-deep-as-the-sea-you-could-give-me-no-greater/) [St. Catherine of Siena](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/st-catherine-of-siena/) > [Faith gives you a certain structure and meaning to your life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/riffat-hassan/faith-gives-you-a-certain-structure-and-meaning-to-your-life/) [Riffat Hassan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/riffat-hassan/) > [Grandma, please. It’s okay. Dad’s doing a great job. 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