--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Film acting would be about 80 percent…" description: "\"Film acting would be about 80 percent better than it has been lately if actors did their homework, if they didn't have egos that took the size of their..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b53/rod-steiger-17430_acting_film-acting-would-be-about-80-percent-be_2166744.jpg" --- # Film acting would be about 80 percent better than it has… ![“Film acting would be about 80 percent better than it has been lately if actors did their homework, if they didn't have egos that took the size of their talent for granted.” quote by Rod Steiger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b53/rod-steiger-17430_acting_film-acting-would-be-about-80-percent-be_2166744.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b53/rod-steiger-17430_acting_film-acting-would-be-about-80-percent-be_2166744.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b53/rod-steiger-17430_acting_film-acting-would-be-about-80-percent-be_2166744.jpg) > “Film acting would be about 80 percent better than it has been lately if actors did their homework, if they didn't have egos that took the size of their talent for granted.” [Rod Steiger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rod-steiger/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Actors who study their roles and set aside ego improve performance dramatically. **In simple terms:** Preparation and humility boost acting. Key Takeaway Study the role, humble your ego. Themes professionalism humility craftsmanship Mood reflective inspirational Type craft career advice When to use this quote - rehearsals - character workshops - directed scenes - film sets Key Concepts method acting ego management Questions to Reflect On - How does ego affect creative teamwork? - What practices keep ego in check? A Different Perspective Ego can still hinder collaboration. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Acting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/acting/) [Actor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actor/) [Actors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actors/) [Cinema](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cinema/) [Ego](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ego/) [Egos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/egos/) [Film](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/film/) [Film acting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/film-acting/) [Talent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/talent/) [Theatre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/theatre/) ## Related quotes > [I think I'm a better actor now. I mean, I really think I know a lot about acting now. But I didn't know a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louie-anderson/i-think-i-m-a-better-actor-now-i-mean-i-really-think-i-know-a-lot/) [Louie Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louie-anderson/) > [I started professionally acting in '80.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-raci/i-started-professionally-acting-in-80/) [Paul Raci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-raci/) > [I'd definitely like to do some more film acting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francesca-hayward/i-d-definitely-like-to-do-some-more-film-acting/) [Francesca Hayward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francesca-hayward/) > [I don't have any plans to pursue film acting. It's not my thing anymore, if it ever was. Yes, I do still act sometimes.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mara-wilson/i-don-t-have-any-plans-to-pursue-film-acting-it-s-not-my-thing/) [Mara Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mara-wilson/) > [Film acting is really the trick of doing moments. You rarely do a take that lasts more than 20 seconds. You really earn your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-shepard/film-acting-is-really-the-trick-of-doing-moments-you-rarely-do-a-take/) [Sam Shepard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-shepard/) > [Absolutely, 'Rabbit Hole' gave me a nice first introduction into film acting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miles-teller/absolutely-rabbit-hole-gave-me-a-nice-first-introduction-into-film/) [Miles Teller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miles-teller/) > [I want to do music, film, acting - all of that kind of stuff.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chi-chi-devayne/i-want-to-do-music-film-acting-all-of-that-kind-of-stuff/) [Chi Chi DeVayne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chi-chi-devayne/) > [Getting Lurch's character straightened out was fun because I was brand new to professional film acting. I had only been in radio up till…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-cassidy/getting-lurch-s-character-straightened-out-was-fun-because-i-was/) [Ted Cassidy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-cassidy/) > [Ive had plenty of lessons about film acting and theatre acting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-boyega/ive-had-plenty-of-lessons-about-film-acting-and-theatre-acting/) [John Boyega](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-boyega/) > [John Cassavetes' films have really altered the way I see film and acting and storytelling and emotion and love, so I see acting as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tatiana-maslany/john-cassavetes-films-have-really-altered-the-way-i-see-film-and/) [Tatiana Maslany](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tatiana-maslany/) > [And film acting is incredibly tedious, just by its nature. It's incredibly, mind numbingly slow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hugh-grant/and-film-acting-is-incredibly-tedious-just-by-its-nature-it-s/) [Hugh Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hugh-grant/) > [Here is something no real celebrity will ever tell you: film acting is not very fun. Doing the same thing over and over again…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mara-wilson/here-is-something-no-real-celebrity-will-ever-tell-you-film-acting-is/) [Mara Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mara-wilson/) > [You can see all sorts of things in film acting if you know where to look and what to look for. One thing I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-caine/you-can-see-all-sorts-of-things-in-film-acting-if-you-know-where-to/) [Michael Caine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-caine/) > [That to me is what my idea of film acting should be. There shouldn't be any acting. You should just be watching a real…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-caine/that-to-me-is-what-my-idea-of-film-acting-should-be-there-shouldn-t/) [Michael Caine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-caine/) > [Reviews about film acting are very... tricky, because movies are such a collaborative thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-franco/reviews-about-film-acting-are-very-tricky-because-movies-are-such-a/) [James Franco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-franco/) ## More by Rod Steiger > [If you see the picture when things get exciting, he chews faster. When he really gets shocked, everything stops, including the chewing. So I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rod-steiger/if-you-see-the-picture-when-things-get-exciting-he-chews-faster-when/) [Rod Steiger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rod-steiger/) > [I'm not so sure that younger people today really appreciate the enormous bravery that went into the creation and production of that film, or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rod-steiger/i-m-not-so-sure-that-younger-people-today-really-appreciate-the/) [Rod Steiger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rod-steiger/) > [Respecting differences is very difficult.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rod-steiger/respecting-differences-is-very-difficult/) [Rod Steiger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rod-steiger/) > [The first thing that your should do when you win an Oscar is thank God. The second thing you should do is forget it.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rod-steiger/the-first-thing-that-your-should-do-when-you-win-an-oscar-is-thank/) [Rod Steiger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rod-steiger/) > [Man is a greater miracle than any god he ever invented.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rod-steiger/man-is-a-greater-miracle-than-any-god-he-ever-invented/) [Rod Steiger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rod-steiger/) > [I found out was, by the rhythm of my chewing, how I chewed fast, slow or what have you, I could tell the audience…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rod-steiger/i-found-out-was-by-the-rhythm-of-my-chewing-how-i-chewed-fast-slow-or/) [Rod Steiger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rod-steiger/) > [We come. We go. And inbetween we try to understand.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rod-steiger/we-come-we-go-and-inbetween-we-try-to-understand/) [Rod Steiger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rod-steiger/) > [The most important thing is to be whatever you are without shame.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rod-steiger/the-most-important-thing-is-to-be-whatever-you-are-without-shame/) [Rod Steiger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rod-steiger/) > [That's all religion is -- some principle you believe in . . . man has accomplished far more miracles than the God he invented.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rod-steiger/that-s-all-religion-is-some-principle-you-believe-in-man-has/) [Rod Steiger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rod-steiger/) > [Now that was one thing, but from an actor's point of view, this poor young man, crying from the moment I opened the door…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rod-steiger/now-that-was-one-thing-but-from-an-actor-s-point-of-view-this-poor/) [Rod Steiger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rod-steiger/) > [If he didn't fall in love he would have never come back near the end of the film. Because, what man is going to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rod-steiger/if-he-didn-t-fall-in-love-he-would-have-never-come-back-near-the-end/) [Rod Steiger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rod-steiger/) > [I was very pleased you know, and I was afraid that I might stick out, but I didn't. My happiest thing about that picture…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rod-steiger/i-was-very-pleased-you-know-and-i-was-afraid-that-i-might-stick-out/) [Rod Steiger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rod-steiger/) > [Complacency in the presence of miracles is like opening the door to your own tomb.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rod-steiger/complacency-in-the-presence-of-miracles-is-like-opening-the-door-to/) [Rod Steiger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rod-steiger/) > [We came around the corner, I kissed her and after I kissed her she relaxed. And then I grabbed her and kissed her again…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rod-steiger/we-came-around-the-corner-i-kissed-her-and-after-i-kissed-her-she/) [Rod Steiger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rod-steiger/) > [And the reason I really appreciated this is because after the picture came out, I was invited by the American Psychiatric Association to give…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rod-steiger/and-the-reason-i-really-appreciated-this-is-because-after-the-picture/) [Rod Steiger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rod-steiger/) [Explore all 37 Rod Steiger quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rod-steiger/) ## 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": "Film acting would be about 80 percent better than it has been lately if actors did their homework, if they didn't have egos that took the size of their talent for granted.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Rod Steiger" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rod-steiger/film-acting-would-be-about-80-percent-better-than-it-has-been-lately/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Acting" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rod-steiger/film-acting-would-be-about-80-percent-better-than-it-has-been-lately/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b53/rod-steiger-17430_acting_film-acting-would-be-about-80-percent-be_2166744.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b53/rod-steiger-17430_acting_film-acting-would-be-about-80-percent-be_2166744.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b53/rod-steiger-17430_acting_film-acting-would-be-about-80-percent-be_2166744.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Film acting would be about 80 percent better than it has been lately if actors did their homework, if they…” — Rod Steiger", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Rod Steiger", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rod-steiger/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Film acting would be about 80...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rod-steiger/film-acting-would-be-about-80-percent-better-than-it-has-been-lately/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rod-steiger/film-acting-would-be-about-80-percent-better-than-it-has-been-lately/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```