--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I've always remembered something Sanford…" description: "\"I've always remembered something Sanford Meisner, my acting teacher, told us. When you create a character, it's like making a chair, except instead of ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ffe/robert-duvall-5224_acting_i-ve-always-remembered-something-sanford_1370762.jpg" --- # I've always remembered something Sanford Meisner, my… ![“I've always remembered something Sanford Meisner, my acting teacher, told us. When you create a character, it's like making a chair, except instead of making someting out of wood, you make it out of yourself. That's the actor's craft - using yourself to create a character.” quote by Robert Duvall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ffe/robert-duvall-5224_acting_i-ve-always-remembered-something-sanford_1370762.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ffe/robert-duvall-5224_acting_i-ve-always-remembered-something-sanford_1370762.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ffe/robert-duvall-5224_acting_i-ve-always-remembered-something-sanford_1370762.jpg) > “I've always remembered something Sanford Meisner, my acting teacher, told us. When you create a character, it's like making a chair, except instead of making someting out of wood, you make it out of yourself. That's the actor's craft - using yourself to create a character.” [Robert Duvall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-duvall/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Acting requires using personal experience as material, shaping a character like building a chair from oneself. **In simple terms:** Use self as material. Key Takeaway Channel personal experience into performance. Themes acting self‑exploration craft Mood introspective creative Type instructional philosophical When to use this quote - theater rehearsals - film auditions - character development Key Concepts method acting identity creativity Questions to Reflect On - How do you separate self from role? - What personal traits enhance a character? A Different Perspective Risk of over‑identification; emotional strain. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Acting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/acting/) [Acting Teacher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/acting-teacher-753169/) [Actor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actor/) [Actor Craft](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actor-craft-4719515/) [Actors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actors/) [Chair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/chair/) [Chairs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/chairs/) [Character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character/) [Crafts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/crafts/) [Create Character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/create-character/) [Make Actor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/make-actor-1184423/) [Remembered](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/remembered/) [Teacher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/teacher/) [Theatre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/theatre/) [Us](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/us/) [Woods](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/woods/) ## Related quotes > [I thought being in the wheelchair might be kind of limiting for me as an actor. 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For me, it's actually thrilling because I get to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-sammel/i-know-what-it-means-to-sit-in-that-chair-for-four-or-five-hours-for/) [Richard Sammel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-sammel/) > [I have no plans to rock myself to sleep in my bath chair yet.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-forsyth/i-have-no-plans-to-rock-myself-to-sleep-in-my-bath-chair-yet/) [Bruce Forsyth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-forsyth/) > [They are fighting for the chair while I am fighting for your happiness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/narendra-modi/they-are-fighting-for-the-chair-while-i-am-fighting-for-your-happiness/) [Narendra Modi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/narendra-modi/) > [I grew up in a makeup chair, to see! the women around me getting ready was so aspirational, It is about mothers and daughters,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/drew-barrymore/i-grew-up-in-a-makeup-chair-to-see-the-women-around-me-getting-ready/) [Drew Barrymore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/drew-barrymore/) > [I bought my mother-in-law a beautiful chair for Christmas, but she won't let me plug it in.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milton-berle/i-bought-my-mother-in-law-a-beautiful-chair-for-christmas-but-she-won/) [Milton Berle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milton-berle/) ## More by Robert Duvall > [You get below the Mason-Dixon line and you have some of the best music, culture, the two races, the literature, and it's so rich.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-duvall/you-get-below-the-mason-dixon-line-and-you-have-some-of-the-best/) [Robert Duvall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-duvall/) > [You have a little bit of feeling for everyone you play.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-duvall/you-have-a-little-bit-of-feeling-for-everyone-you-play/) [Robert Duvall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-duvall/) > [I was fortunate in the last century to be in the two biggest hits film-wise, 'Godfather I' and 'Godfather II,' and 'Lonesome Dove.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-duvall/i-was-fortunate-in-the-last-century-to-be-in-the-two-biggest-hits/) [Robert Duvall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-duvall/) > [Art is competitive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-duvall/art-is-competitive/) [Robert Duvall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-duvall/) > [Very often some of the religious miracle plays you see on television can be very corny, I find. 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I mean, when I did 'Lonesome Dove' way back I rode horses day and night for like three or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-duvall/sometimes-you-don-t-prepare-much-i-mean-when-i-did-lonesome-dove-way/) [Robert Duvall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-duvall/) > [Hollywood is still the mecca for good or bad, but it isn't the beginning or end for filmmaking.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-duvall/hollywood-is-still-the-mecca-for-good-or-bad-but-it-isn-t-the/) [Robert Duvall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-duvall/) > [I wouldn't mind starting to ride some more if I had a really good horse to just work a little bit with every day.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-duvall/i-wouldn-t-mind-starting-to-ride-some-more-if-i-had-a-really-good/) [Robert Duvall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-duvall/) > [Well, it's like my movie, 'The Apostle.' Some people in the North don't get that movie. 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