--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I cannot be a character in a bad movie. I…" description: "\"I cannot be a character in a bad movie. I can't be.\" — Robert McKee" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8c8/robert-mckee-8479_bad-movie_i-cannot-be-a-character-in-a-bad-movie-i_1981531.jpg" --- # I cannot be a character in a bad movie. I can't be. ![“I cannot be a character in a bad movie. I can't be.” quote by Robert McKee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8c8/robert-mckee-8479_bad-movie_i-cannot-be-a-character-in-a-bad-movie-i_1981531.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8c8/robert-mckee-8479_bad-movie_i-cannot-be-a-character-in-a-bad-movie-i_1981531.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8c8/robert-mckee-8479_bad-movie_i-cannot-be-a-character-in-a-bad-movie-i_1981531.jpg) > “I cannot be a character in a bad movie. I can't be.” [Robert McKee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-mckee/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. An actor should not embody a poorly written character, as it undermines artistic integrity. **In simple terms:** Avoid bad roles. Key Takeaway Choose quality scripts. Themes art integrity character performance choice Mood pragmatic reflective Type professional ethical When to use this quote - auditions - film sets - theatre - agent meetings Key Concepts script analysis career strategy self‑respect Questions to Reflect On - How do you assess a script? - What compromises are acceptable? A Different Perspective Bad scripts may be scarce. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Bad movie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bad-movie/) [Character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character/) [Character Bad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character-bad-580284/) [Cinema](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cinema/) [Movie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/movie/) ## Related quotes > [If I'm playing someone who's smart, suddenly every character I've played is smart. If I'm playing a bad guy, every character is a bad…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benedict-cumberbatch/if-i-m-playing-someone-who-s-smart-suddenly-every-character-i-ve/) [Benedict Cumberbatch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benedict-cumberbatch/) > [In every film, whether it's a fictional character or not, you create an idea of the character and for me I always do a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joaquin-phoenix/in-every-film-whether-it-s-a-fictional-character-or-not-you-create-an/) [Joaquin Phoenix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joaquin-phoenix/) > [What's the point of doing a great character in a bad film? Instead, I want audiences to thoroughly enjoy a film and remember my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hansika-motwani/what-s-the-point-of-doing-a-great-character-in-a-bad-film-instead-i/) [Hansika Motwani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hansika-motwani/) > [I firmly believe that you can't get a good movie without risking a bad movie.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/i-firmly-believe-that-you-can-t-get-a-good-movie-without-risking-a/) [Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/) > [I think bad movies are made around the world, not just in Hollywood. There are as many bad art films in the whole world…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alejandro-gonzalez-inarritu/i-think-bad-movies-are-made-around-the-world-not-just-in-hollywood/) [Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alejandro-gonzalez-inarritu/) > [All drama is conflict. Without conflict, there is no action. Without action, there is no character. Without character, there is no story. And without…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/syd-field/all-drama-is-conflict-without-conflict-there-is-no-action-without/) [Syd Field](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/syd-field/) > [People think, 'You're an actor, you can afford clothes,' but I just try to take the clothes from the movie, which makes the selecting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesse-eisenberg/people-think-you-re-an-actor-you-can-afford-clothes-but-i-just-try-to/) [Jesse Eisenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesse-eisenberg/) > [I laugh a lot in horror films. If I'm scared in a horror film, I try to think about what's scaring me... particularly, if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-reitman/i-laugh-a-lot-in-horror-films-if-i-m-scared-in-a-horror-film-i-try-to/) [Jason Reitman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-reitman/) > [My motto: 'No good movie is depressing. All bad movies are depressing.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ebert/my-motto-no-good-movie-is-depressing-all-bad-movies-are-depressing/) [Roger Ebert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ebert/) > [I was living in London and I thought, 'There's nothing here for me anymore.' I don't want to become this actor who's going to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-cox/i-was-living-in-london-and-i-thought-there-s-nothing-here-for-me/) [Brian Cox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-cox/) > [You can be good in a good movie, you can be good in a bad movie, you can be bad in a bad movie,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-gielgud/you-can-be-good-in-a-good-movie-you-can-be-good-in-a-bad-movie-you/) [John Gielgud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-gielgud/) > [Some movies run off the rails. This one is like the train crash in The Fugitive. I watched it in mounting gloom, realizing I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ebert/some-movies-run-off-the-rails-this-one-is-like-the-train-crash-in-the/) [Roger Ebert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ebert/) > [I like to go to really bad movies, during their sixth week, and there's only one other person in the theatre, and I like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zach-galifianakis/i-like-to-go-to-really-bad-movies-during-their-sixth-week-and-there-s/) [Zach Galifianakis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zach-galifianakis/) > [I love bad movies, whereas going to the theater for me is a painful experience. I think it's really hard to sit and watch…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zoe-kazan/i-love-bad-movies-whereas-going-to-the-theater-for-me-is-a-painful/) [Zoe Kazan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zoe-kazan/) > [I used to have a group called Bad-Movie Saturday. Every Saturday, six of us would go see the worst movie that came out each…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-reitman/i-used-to-have-a-group-called-bad-movie-saturday-every-saturday-six/) [Jason Reitman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-reitman/) ## More by Robert McKee > [Story isn't a flight from reality but a vehicle that carries us on our search for reality,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-mckee/story-isn-t-a-flight-from-reality-but-a-vehicle-that-carries-us-on/) [Robert McKee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-mckee/) > [Don't be didactic - don't write about poverty. Write about poor people. When you dramatize their lives and let life and characters be your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-mckee/don-t-be-didactic-don-t-write-about-poverty-write-about-poor-people/) [Robert McKee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-mckee/) > [To connect to people at the deepest level, you need stories.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-mckee/to-connect-to-people-at-the-deepest-level-you-need-stories/) [Robert McKee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-mckee/) > [Talent without craft is like fuel without an engine, it burns wildly but accomplishes nothing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-mckee/talent-without-craft-is-like-fuel-without-an-engine-it-burns-wildly/) [Robert McKee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-mckee/) > [“If the story you're telling, is the story you're telling, you're in deep shit.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-mckee/if-the-story-you-re-telling-is-the-story-you-re-telling-you-re-in/) [Robert McKee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-mckee/) > [Classical design is a mirror of the human mind. It's how we see the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-mckee/classical-design-is-a-mirror-of-the-human-mind-it-s-how-we-see-the/) [Robert McKee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-mckee/) > [To get the truth, you want to get your own heart to pound while you write.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-mckee/to-get-the-truth-you-want-to-get-your-own-heart-to-pound-while-you/) [Robert McKee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-mckee/) > [What happens is fact, not truth. Truth is what we think about what happens.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-mckee/what-happens-is-fact-not-truth-truth-is-what-we-think-about-what/) [Robert McKee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-mckee/) > [The universal erosion of values has lead to the universal erosion of story.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-mckee/the-universal-erosion-of-values-has-lead-to-the-universal-erosion-of/) [Robert McKee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-mckee/) > [In a world of lies and liars, an honest work of art is always an act of social responsibility.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-mckee/in-a-world-of-lies-and-liars-an-honest-work-of-art-is-always-an-act/) [Robert McKee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-mckee/) > [Influence is just persuasion in slow motion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-mckee/influence-is-just-persuasion-in-slow-motion/) [Robert McKee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-mckee/) > [Good story' means something worth telling that the world wants to hear. Finding this is your lonely task...But the love of a good story,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-mckee/good-story-means-something-worth-telling-that-the-world-wants-to-hear/) [Robert McKee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-mckee/) > [Most of life's actions are within our reach, but decisions take willpower.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-mckee/most-of-life-s-actions-are-within-our-reach-but-decisions-take/) [Robert McKee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-mckee/) > [We realize we can't go around saying and doing what we're actually thinking and feeling. If we all did that, life would be a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-mckee/we-realize-we-can-t-go-around-saying-and-doing-what-we-re-actually/) [Robert McKee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-mckee/) > [Oh, by the way, I tend to use a lot of profanities. I do that for a reason: I like it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-mckee/oh-by-the-way-i-tend-to-use-a-lot-of-profanities-i-do-that-for-a/) [Robert McKee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-mckee/) [Explore all 78 Robert McKee quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-mckee/) ## More Bad movie quotes > [I firmly believe that you can't get a good movie without risking a bad movie.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/i-firmly-believe-that-you-can-t-get-a-good-movie-without-risking-a/) [Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/) > [I think bad movies are made around the world, not just in Hollywood. There are as many bad art films in the whole world…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alejandro-gonzalez-inarritu/i-think-bad-movies-are-made-around-the-world-not-just-in-hollywood/) [Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alejandro-gonzalez-inarritu/) > [I love bad movies, whereas going to the theater for me is a painful experience. I think it's really hard to sit and watch…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zoe-kazan/i-love-bad-movies-whereas-going-to-the-theater-for-me-is-a-painful/) [Zoe Kazan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zoe-kazan/) > [My motto: 'No good movie is depressing. All bad movies are depressing.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ebert/my-motto-no-good-movie-is-depressing-all-bad-movies-are-depressing/) [Roger Ebert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ebert/) > [I laugh a lot in horror films. If I'm scared in a horror film, I try to think about what's scaring me... particularly, if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-reitman/i-laugh-a-lot-in-horror-films-if-i-m-scared-in-a-horror-film-i-try-to/) [Jason Reitman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-reitman/) > [I used to have a group called Bad-Movie Saturday. Every Saturday, six of us would go see the worst movie that came out each…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-reitman/i-used-to-have-a-group-called-bad-movie-saturday-every-saturday-six/) [Jason Reitman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-reitman/) > [I was living in London and I thought, 'There's nothing here for me anymore.' I don't want to become this actor who's going to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-cox/i-was-living-in-london-and-i-thought-there-s-nothing-here-for-me/) [Brian Cox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-cox/) > [You can be good in a good movie, you can be good in a bad movie, you can be bad in a bad movie,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-gielgud/you-can-be-good-in-a-good-movie-you-can-be-good-in-a-bad-movie-you/) [John Gielgud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-gielgud/) > [Some movies run off the rails. This one is like the train crash in The Fugitive. I watched it in mounting gloom, realizing I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ebert/some-movies-run-off-the-rails-this-one-is-like-the-train-crash-in-the/) [Roger Ebert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ebert/) > [I like to go to really bad movies, during their sixth week, and there's only one other person in the theatre, and I like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zach-galifianakis/i-like-to-go-to-really-bad-movies-during-their-sixth-week-and-there-s/) [Zach Galifianakis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zach-galifianakis/) > [I believe if you come out of a movie and the first thing you say is, 'The cinematography was beautiful,' it's a bad movie.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-waters/i-believe-if-you-come-out-of-a-movie-and-the-first-thing-you-say-is/) [John Waters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-waters/) > [I'm a huge Woody Allen fan. Good movie, bad movie, it doesn't matter - I just like his movies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-penn/i-m-a-huge-woody-allen-fan-good-movie-bad-movie-it-doesn-t-matter-i/) [Sean Penn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-penn/) > [It's possible for me to make a bad movie out of a good script, but I can't make a good movie from a bad…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-clooney/it-s-possible-for-me-to-make-a-bad-movie-out-of-a-good-script-but-i/) [George Clooney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-clooney/) > [Belly was not a bad movie. It was visually very interesting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orlando-jones/belly-was-not-a-bad-movie-it-was-visually-very-interesting/) [Orlando Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orlando-jones/) > [Somebody once said that Hollywood is based on a lot of producers deliberately making bad movies, and every now and then somebody gets lucky.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-carlin/somebody-once-said-that-hollywood-is-based-on-a-lot-of-producers/) [George Carlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-carlin/) [Browse all 143 Bad movie quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bad-movie/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I cannot be a character in a bad movie. 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