--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: As an actor, I still don't really know…" description: "\"As an actor, I still don't really know exactly what I am doing most of the time.\" — Sam Riley" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b8b/sam-riley-28347_actor_as-an-actor-i-still-don-t-really-know-ex_2954075.jpg" --- # As an actor, I still don't really know exactly what I am… ![“As an actor, I still don't really know exactly what I am doing most of the time.” quote by Sam Riley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b8b/sam-riley-28347_actor_as-an-actor-i-still-don-t-really-know-ex_2954075.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b8b/sam-riley-28347_actor_as-an-actor-i-still-don-t-really-know-ex_2954075.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b8b/sam-riley-28347_actor_as-an-actor-i-still-don-t-really-know-ex_2954075.jpg) > “As an actor, I still don't really know exactly what I am doing most of the time.” [Sam Riley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-riley/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker admits uncertainty about his craft, highlighting the improvisational nature of acting and life. **In simple terms:** He often doesn’t know what he’s doing. Key Takeaway Embrace uncertainty and stay adaptable. Themes uncertainty craft self-awareness Mood reflective honest Type personal career. When to use this quote - theatre rehearsals - first‑time auditions - career transitions - daily decision‑making Key Concepts improvisation identity creative process Questions to Reflect On - How do you navigate doubt in creative work? - What strategies help you stay present when unsure? A Different Perspective Even with uncertainty, skill grows through experience and reflection. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Actor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actor/) [Actor Don](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actor-don-776945/) [Am](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/am/) [Doing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doing/) [Doing Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doing-time-479728/) [Exactly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/exactly/) [Exactly Doing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/exactly-doing-330716/) [I am](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/i-am/) [Know](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/know/) [Most](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/most/) [Really](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/really/) [Still](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/still/) [Theatre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/theatre/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [As an actor, I still dont really know exactly what I am doing most of the time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-riley/as-an-actor-i-still-dont-really-know-exactly-what-i-am-doing-most-of/) [Sam Riley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-riley/) > [No matter how drunk you actually get.. there's always that small part inside of you that knows EXACTLY what you're doing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christine-ramkran/no-matter-how-drunk-you-actually-get-there-s-always-that-small-part/) [Christine Ramkran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christine-ramkran/) > [I know exactly what I'm doing on the ice, and I'm in my element.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/apolo-ohno/i-know-exactly-what-i-m-doing-on-the-ice-and-i-m-in-my-element/) [Apolo Ohno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/apolo-ohno/) > [“Something about knowing exactly what you're doing, and why.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-powell/something-about-knowing-exactly-what-you-re-doing-and-why/) [Julie Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-powell/) > [You become an actor because you don't want to do the same thing all the time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-smart/you-become-an-actor-because-you-don-t-want-to-do-the-same-thing-all/) [Jean Smart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-smart/) > [I just don't think of myself as an actor much at all, so I don't lust after any particular roles.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-howard/i-just-don-t-think-of-myself-as-an-actor-much-at-all-so-i-don-t-lust/) [Ron Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-howard/) > [As an actor I don't have a problem with any kind of films.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joy-mathew/as-an-actor-i-don-t-have-a-problem-with-any-kind-of-films/) [Joy Mathew](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joy-mathew/) > [I didn't grow up really wanting to be an actor. I don't remember ever not being an actor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodie-foster/i-didn-t-grow-up-really-wanting-to-be-an-actor-i-don-t-remember-ever/) [Jodie Foster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodie-foster/) > [As an actor I don't like to keep things the same.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nigel-hawthorne/as-an-actor-i-don-t-like-to-keep-things-the-same/) [Nigel Hawthorne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nigel-hawthorne/) > [It's a long struggle being an actor; I don't know if I'd ever recommend it to anybody!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marc-warren/it-s-a-long-struggle-being-an-actor-i-don-t-know-if-i-d-ever/) [Marc Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marc-warren/) > [I just always wanted to be an actor. I don't remember ever not wanting to be an actor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bridget-regan/i-just-always-wanted-to-be-an-actor-i-don-t-remember-ever-not-wanting/) [Bridget Regan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bridget-regan/) > [As an actor, I don't want to do something which I have already done before.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yami-gautam/as-an-actor-i-don-t-want-to-do-something-which-i-have-already-done/) [Yami Gautam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yami-gautam/) > [When you're an actor you don't really know what you have to do until you see what you look like.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-wilkinson/when-you-re-an-actor-you-don-t-really-know-what-you-have-to-do-until/) [Tom Wilkinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-wilkinson/) > [People know me as a TV actor but they don't know who the real Abhinav Shukla is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhinav-shukla/people-know-me-as-a-tv-actor-but-they-don-t-know-who-the-real-abhinav/) [Abhinav Shukla](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhinav-shukla/) > [As an actor, you don't know what is going to come next.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andie-macdowell/as-an-actor-you-don-t-know-what-is-going-to-come-next/) [Andie MacDowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andie-macdowell/) ## More by Sam Riley > [I'm an actor, of course, so I like to show off.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-riley/i-m-an-actor-of-course-so-i-like-to-show-off/) [Sam Riley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-riley/) > [I learned to stop looking on the Internet pretty early on.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-riley/i-learned-to-stop-looking-on-the-internet-pretty-early-on/) [Sam Riley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-riley/) > [I'd been told I was going to be the next big thing. But in actual fact, the complete opposite happened.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-riley/i-d-been-told-i-was-going-to-be-the-next-big-thing-but-in-actual-fact/) [Sam Riley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-riley/) > ['On the Road' is another one of those, a film in which the audience has a very clear idea of who they think your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-riley/on-the-road-is-another-one-of-those-a-film-in-which-the-audience-has/) [Sam Riley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-riley/) > [Part of what makes your performances more convincing is that your own image isn't getting in the way. And the more you can keep…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-riley/part-of-what-makes-your-performances-more-convincing-is-that-your-own/) [Sam Riley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-riley/) > [I watch all the classic films that film people say that you ought to have seen, and I try to watch things in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-riley/i-watch-all-the-classic-films-that-film-people-say-that-you-ought-to/) [Sam Riley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-riley/) > [I've no interest in going on a road trip. If I want to go on holiday, I want to sit on a beach, swim,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-riley/i-ve-no-interest-in-going-on-a-road-trip-if-i-want-to-go-on-holiday-i/) [Sam Riley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-riley/) > [I'm Angelina Jolie's sidekick in 'Maleficent'. It's cool.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-riley/i-m-angelina-jolie-s-sidekick-in-maleficent-it-s-cool/) [Sam Riley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-riley/) > [I was one of the only ones there interested in acting. You find when you're doing school plays that a lot of people there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-riley/i-was-one-of-the-only-ones-there-interested-in-acting-you-find-when/) [Sam Riley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-riley/) > [I feel quite safe and isolated in Germany. My wife is very well known there. But I am only looked at when I am…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-riley/i-feel-quite-safe-and-isolated-in-germany-my-wife-is-very-well-known/) [Sam Riley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-riley/) > [I guess you could say I'm pretty wary.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-riley/i-guess-you-could-say-i-m-pretty-wary/) [Sam Riley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-riley/) > [My parents are relieved as much as anything that I'm getting some work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-riley/my-parents-are-relieved-as-much-as-anything-that-i-m-getting-some-work/) [Sam Riley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-riley/) > [To do a studio film, something with Disney. My father is thrilled.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-riley/to-do-a-studio-film-something-with-disney-my-father-is-thrilled/) [Sam Riley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-riley/) > [We panic if there's two centimeters of snow in London.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-riley/we-panic-if-there-s-two-centimeters-of-snow-in-london/) [Sam Riley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-riley/) > [For me the costume is always a huge part of getting into character.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-riley/for-me-the-costume-is-always-a-huge-part-of-getting-into-character/) [Sam Riley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-riley/) [Explore all 19 Sam Riley quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-riley/) ## More Actor 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/) > [When you step out and do a song in a musical, the easier thing to do is make it funny. But when those transitions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelli-o-hara/when-you-step-out-and-do-a-song-in-a-musical-the-easier-thing-to-do/) [Kelli O'Hara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelli-o-hara/) > [I once told someone I could act. They totally bought it. I've been getting away with it ever since.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/akshay-kumar/i-once-told-someone-i-could-act-they-totally-bought-it-i-ve-been/) [Akshay Kumar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/akshay-kumar/) > [There has got to be a way for me to have a role on TV or in film that is just as normal as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adeel-akhtar/there-has-got-to-be-a-way-for-me-to-have-a-role-on-tv-or-in-film-that/) [Adeel Akhtar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adeel-akhtar/) > [I love casting against type and doing things you wouldn't expect, because I think you get more interesting performances that way. Hollywood loves to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-s-goyer/i-love-casting-against-type-and-doing-things-you-wouldn-t-expect/) [David S. Goyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-s-goyer/) > [I'm an actor, so I'm never going to feel like I've done enough.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/italia-ricci/i-m-an-actor-so-i-m-never-going-to-feel-like-i-ve-done-enough/) [Italia Ricci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/italia-ricci/) > [I am tired of our characters being so incomplete. When do we ever save the day in a film? When does a Latino actor…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/esai-morales/i-am-tired-of-our-characters-being-so-incomplete-when-do-we-ever-save/) [Esai Morales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/esai-morales/) > [When I was 13, I auditioned for the theater school, and I was there for four years. In the meantime, I did my first…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ana-de-armas/when-i-was-13-i-auditioned-for-the-theater-school-and-i-was-there-for/) [Ana de Armas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ana-de-armas/) > [If you stood me in a costume next to a computer graphic of the same-looking character, I think there would be a difference. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warwick-davis/if-you-stood-me-in-a-costume-next-to-a-computer-graphic-of-the-same/) [Warwick Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warwick-davis/) > [failure in the theater is more public, more brilliant, more unreal than in any other field.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lillian-hellman/failure-in-the-theater-is-more-public-more-brilliant-more-unreal-than/) [Lillian Hellman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lillian-hellman/) > [I'm a character actor - always have been, always will be - and historically, character actors don't come into their own until later in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annie-potts/i-m-a-character-actor-always-have-been-always-will-be-and/) [Annie Potts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annie-potts/) > [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/) > [I never planned to do female roles. It just happened. I was typecast.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/divine/i-never-planned-to-do-female-roles-it-just-happened-i-was-typecast/) [Divine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/divine/) > [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/) [Browse all 21,590 Actor quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actor/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "As an actor, I still don't really know exactly what I am doing most of the time.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Sam Riley" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-riley/as-an-actor-i-still-don-t-really-know-exactly-what-i-am-doing-most-of/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Actor" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-riley/as-an-actor-i-still-don-t-really-know-exactly-what-i-am-doing-most-of/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b8b/sam-riley-28347_actor_as-an-actor-i-still-don-t-really-know-ex_2954075.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b8b/sam-riley-28347_actor_as-an-actor-i-still-don-t-really-know-ex_2954075.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b8b/sam-riley-28347_actor_as-an-actor-i-still-don-t-really-know-ex_2954075.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“As an actor, I still don't really know exactly what I am doing most of the time.” — Sam Riley", "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": "Sam Riley", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-riley/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "As an actor, I still don't...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-riley/as-an-actor-i-still-don-t-really-know-exactly-what-i-am-doing-most-of/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-riley/as-an-actor-i-still-don-t-really-know-exactly-what-i-am-doing-most-of/#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 } } ] } ```