--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I tend to play characters that I can…" description: "\"I tend to play characters that I can infuse with certain kinds of humour. Even the baddest guy can be funny in his own particular way. I want the audie..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d80/samuel-l-jackson-3595_audience_i-tend-to-play-characters-that-i-can-inf_2427139.jpg" --- # I tend to play characters that I can infuse with certain… ![“I tend to play characters that I can infuse with certain kinds of humour. Even the baddest guy can be funny in his own particular way. I want the audience to engage with the character on some deeper level so that they leave the cinema still thinking about him.” quote by Samuel L. Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d80/samuel-l-jackson-3595_audience_i-tend-to-play-characters-that-i-can-inf_2427139.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d80/samuel-l-jackson-3595_audience_i-tend-to-play-characters-that-i-can-inf_2427139.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d80/samuel-l-jackson-3595_audience_i-tend-to-play-characters-that-i-can-inf_2427139.jpg) > “I tend to play characters that I can infuse with certain kinds of humour. Even the baddest guy can be funny in his own particular way. I want the audience to engage with the character on some deeper level so that they leave the cinema still thinking about him.” [Samuel L. Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-l-jackson/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He chooses roles that allow humor to reveal depth, making even villains memorable and thought‑provoking for audiences. **In simple terms:** Humor can deepen character impact. Key Takeaway Use humor to humanize any role. Themes acting humor character depth audience engagement Mood thoughtful engaging Type inspirational practical When to use this quote - film casting - theatre workshops - character analysis - script reading Key Concepts character development psychology storytelling Questions to Reflect On - How can comedy reveal hidden motives? - When does humor undermine menace? A Different Perspective Humor may dilute seriousness if overused. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Audience](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/audience/) [Certain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/certain/) [Character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character/) [Character Deeper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character-deeper-232422/) [Cinema](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cinema/) [Cinema Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cinema-thinking-232421/) [Deeper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/deeper/) [Engage Character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/engage-character-232420/) [Funny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/funny/) [Guy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/guy/) [Humor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humor/) [Humour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humour/) [I can](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/i-can/) [Kind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kind/) [Levels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/levels/) [Particular](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/particular/) [Play](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/play/) [Play Characters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/play-characters/) [Stills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stills/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Want](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/want/) [Way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/way/) ## Related quotes > [When I was young I used to sit in the cinema thinking wouldn't it be great if you could have a film in which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-leigh/when-i-was-young-i-used-to-sit-in-the-cinema-thinking-wouldn-t-it-be/) [Mike Leigh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-leigh/) > [I love going to the cinema and thinking you're seeing something, and you end up on a whole other planet, and you can't believe…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garth-davis/i-love-going-to-the-cinema-and-thinking-you-re-seeing-something-and/) [Garth Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garth-davis/) > [It's always interesting to play characters who are vulnerable and how you display that vulnerability and what it's going to mean to people who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-l-jackson/it-s-always-interesting-to-play-characters-who-are-vulnerable-and-how/) [Samuel L. Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-l-jackson/) > [I do not fault anyone else who makes choices to play characters that they wished they hadn't... Because at the end of the day,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-dinklage/i-do-not-fault-anyone-else-who-makes-choices-to-play-characters-that/) [Peter Dinklage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-dinklage/) > [If you look at the rest of my stuff, I always play characters that kind of don't look like me, 'cause I love transforming…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-rasuk/if-you-look-at-the-rest-of-my-stuff-i-always-play-characters-that/) [Victor Rasuk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-rasuk/) > [Even while I'm really interested in playing female characters that are varied and interesting and dynamic, I'm not of the mind that you always…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tessa-thompson/even-while-i-m-really-interested-in-playing-female-characters-that/) [Tessa Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tessa-thompson/) > [I don't like to play characters that are one note, and just the attractive girl in the film.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elisha-cuthbert/i-don-t-like-to-play-characters-that-are-one-note-and-just-the/) [Elisha Cuthbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elisha-cuthbert/) > [If I wrote a play with four characters every single one of them would talk like me regardless of age or sex.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-maccaig/if-i-wrote-a-play-with-four-characters-every-single-one-of-them-would/) [Norman MacCaig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-maccaig/) > [I play characters that allow me to do lot more than just be a glamorous heroine.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lara-dutta/i-play-characters-that-allow-me-to-do-lot-more-than-just-be-a/) [Lara Dutta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lara-dutta/) > [Every actor, I don't care what they say, their roles are a lot more interesting than we are, and at the end of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/moon-bloodgood/every-actor-i-don-t-care-what-they-say-their-roles-are-a-lot-more/) [Moon Bloodgood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/moon-bloodgood/) > [I normally play very serious characters.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kylie-bunbury/i-normally-play-very-serious-characters/) [Kylie Bunbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kylie-bunbury/) > [You have to play your characters, not like them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-malkovich/you-have-to-play-your-characters-not-like-them/) [John Malkovich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-malkovich/) > [I want to continually play characters that speak to me, but also are different than what I've just done.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/santino-fontana/i-want-to-continually-play-characters-that-speak-to-me-but-also-are/) [Santino Fontana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/santino-fontana/) > [When I realised that what I do really well is play women who are tough and vulnerable, it was a moment of clarity. Many…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carrie-anne-moss/when-i-realised-that-what-i-do-really-well-is-play-women-who-are/) [Carrie-Anne Moss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carrie-anne-moss/) > [I like to play characters that get to do it all - to have a bit of comedy here and a bit of pathos…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-shannon/i-like-to-play-characters-that-get-to-do-it-all-to-have-a-bit-of/) [Michael Shannon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-shannon/) ## More by Samuel L. Jackson > [I'm sure there are a lot of Italians who refer to themselves as goombahs and greaseballs and whatever. That's what people do. It gives…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-l-jackson/i-m-sure-there-are-a-lot-of-italians-who-refer-to-themselves-as/) [Samuel L. Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-l-jackson/) > [Take a stand for what's right. Raise a ruckus and make a change. You may not always be popular, but you'll be part of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-l-jackson/take-a-stand-for-what-s-right-raise-a-ruckus-and-make-a-change-you/) [Samuel L. Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-l-jackson/) > [Quentin Tarantino was talking about Ordell a little bit, and I was like, "I'm sure Ordell is one of those people who thought Superfly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-l-jackson/quentin-tarantino-was-talking-about-ordell-a-little-bit-and-i-was/) [Samuel L. Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-l-jackson/) > [ I grew up in the South with guns everywhere and we never shot anyone. This \[shooting\] is about people who aren't taught the value… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-l-jackson/i-grew-up-in-the-south-with-guns-everywhere-and-we-never-shot-anyone/) [Samuel L. Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-l-jackson/) > [“Hold on to your butts.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-l-jackson/hold-on-to-your-butts/) [Samuel L. Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-l-jackson/) > [I was desperate on Coming To America set - not to buy drugs or anything, but I had a person at home, a girlfriend…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-l-jackson/i-was-desperate-on-coming-to-america-set-not-to-buy-drugs-or-anything/) [Samuel L. Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-l-jackson/) > [Jackson doesn't bother to read the scripts anymore. He just checks to make sure he has one loud scene where he gets to shout,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-l-jackson/jackson-doesn-t-bother-to-read-the-scripts-anymore-he-just-checks-to/) [Samuel L. Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-l-jackson/) > [Because of where I come from, I never thought I'd see in my life a black candidate running for President.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-l-jackson/because-of-where-i-come-from-i-never-thought-i-d-see-in-my-life-a/) [Samuel L. Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-l-jackson/) > [When you start to talk about comic books, a lot of the time, people forget about the comic part of it. They need to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-l-jackson/when-you-start-to-talk-about-comic-books-a-lot-of-the-time-people/) [Samuel L. Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-l-jackson/) > [I guess the worst day I have had was when I had to stand up in rehab in front of my wife and daughter…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-l-jackson/i-guess-the-worst-day-i-have-had-was-when-i-had-to-stand-up-in-rehab/) [Samuel L. Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-l-jackson/) > [I understood, through rehab, things about creating characters. I understood that creating whole people means knowing where we come from, how we can make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-l-jackson/i-understood-through-rehab-things-about-creating-characters-i/) [Samuel L. Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-l-jackson/) > [When the riots happened in L.A., they didn't go to Beverly Hills to trash Rodeo Drive. They trashed their own neighborhoods. It's one of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-l-jackson/when-the-riots-happened-in-l-a-they-didn-t-go-to-beverly-hills-to/) [Samuel L. Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-l-jackson/) > [If you have an opportunity to use your voice you should use it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-l-jackson/if-you-have-an-opportunity-to-use-your-voice-you-should-use-it/) [Samuel L. Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-l-jackson/) > [What kills me is that everybody thinks I like Jazz.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-l-jackson/what-kills-me-is-that-everybody-thinks-i-like-jazz/) [Samuel L. Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-l-jackson/) > [I think the biggest challenges for franchises are keeping them fresh and exciting, and most times, you need a good bad guy to make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-l-jackson/i-think-the-biggest-challenges-for-franchises-are-keeping-them-fresh/) [Samuel L. Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-l-jackson/) [Explore all 126 Samuel L. Jackson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-l-jackson/) ## More Audience quotes > [If the audience likes your work, if they like you, they don't think whether you are married or have children or not. I made…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dimple-kapadia/if-the-audience-likes-your-work-if-they-like-you-they-don-t-think/) [Dimple Kapadia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dimple-kapadia/) > [It's those moments, those odd moments that you look for and sometimes by creating this kind of loose atmosphere you find those little moments…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-levinson/it-s-those-moments-those-odd-moments-that-you-look-for-and-sometimes/) [Barry Levinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-levinson/) > [I can skate beautifully. While performing on ice I always try to please the audience and to win as well. Being artistic is very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evgeni-plushenko/i-can-skate-beautifully-while-performing-on-ice-i-always-try-to/) [Evgeni Plushenko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evgeni-plushenko/) > [One of the best moments of any Liars show is hearing the crowd squawk 'We're doomed! We're doomed!' on cue during 'We Fenced Other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-sheffield/one-of-the-best-moments-of-any-liars-show-is-hearing-the-crowd-squawk/) [Rob Sheffield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-sheffield/) > [It's the adrenaline rush you only get from being in front of an audience. It's addictive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raphael-saadiq/it-s-the-adrenaline-rush-you-only-get-from-being-in-front-of-an/) [Raphael Saadiq](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raphael-saadiq/) > [If I had to speak in front of a Korean audience, I would be hard pressed to sound other than a little girl.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/an-na/if-i-had-to-speak-in-front-of-a-korean-audience-i-would-be-hard/) [An Na](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/an-na/) > [The liveness of theater, and the excitement of experiencing it alongside an audience, is something you can't get at home. That makes the theater…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-blaemire/the-liveness-of-theater-and-the-excitement-of-experiencing-it/) [Nick Blaemire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-blaemire/) > [One of the things that touches me most when I play for an audience is that although we may be unable to communicate in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-hough/one-of-the-things-that-touches-me-most-when-i-play-for-an-audience-is/) [Stephen Hough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-hough/) > [I have to feel the audience. I enjoy that feeling of community.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-gahan/i-have-to-feel-the-audience-i-enjoy-that-feeling-of-community/) [Dave Gahan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-gahan/) > [When you lived it for years and years and years and seen different characters just get pummeled and squashed because 'I said so,' it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arn-anderson/when-you-lived-it-for-years-and-years-and-years-and-seen-different/) [Arn Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arn-anderson/) > [“During the first few minutes of your presentation, your job is to assure the audience members that you are not going to waste their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dale-ludwig-and-greg-owen-boger/during-the-first-few-minutes-of-your-presentation-your-job-is-to/) [Dale Ludwig and Greg Owen-Boger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dale-ludwig-and-greg-owen-boger/) > [Donald Trump is a different ball of wax. I've been trying to say for I don't know how many months now that the traditional…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/donald-trump-is-a-different-ball-of-wax-i-ve-been-trying-to-say-for-i/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [I don't think about who the audience is for my books.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-k-rowling-2/i-don-t-think-about-who-the-audience-is-for-my-books/) [J. K. Rowling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-k-rowling-2/) > [I feel I have been playing all primary characters. And if your character forms a connect with the audience, it doesn't matter if you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angad-bedi/i-feel-i-have-been-playing-all-primary-characters-and-if-your/) [Angad Bedi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angad-bedi/) > [When I was playing piano, it was like, 'I'm going to write a song using all the white keys.' My music director, who knew…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-tesh/when-i-was-playing-piano-it-was-like-i-m-going-to-write-a-song-using/) [John Tesh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-tesh/) [Browse all 9,118 Audience quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/audience/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I tend to play characters that I can infuse with certain kinds of humour. Even the baddest guy can be funny in his own particular way. I want the audience to engage with the character on some deeper level so that they leave the cinema still thinking about him.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Samuel L. 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