--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When you're hiding behind a character all…" description: "\"When you're hiding behind a character all the time, as soon as you have to be yourself, you feel kind of terrified.\" — Sheridan Smith" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/26e/sheridan-smith-16226_behinds_when-you-re-hiding-behind-a-character-al_2202868.png" --- # When you're hiding behind a character all the time, as… ![“When you're hiding behind a character all the time, as soon as you have to be yourself, you feel kind of terrified.” quote by Sheridan Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/26e/sheridan-smith-16226_behinds_when-you-re-hiding-behind-a-character-al_2202868.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/26e/sheridan-smith-16226_behinds_when-you-re-hiding-behind-a-character-al_2202868.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/26e/sheridan-smith-16226_behinds_when-you-re-hiding-behind-a-character-al_2202868.png) > “When you're hiding behind a character all the time, as soon as you have to be yourself, you feel kind of terrified.” [Sheridan Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheridan-smith/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Constantly portraying characters can cause fear when revealing one's true self, highlighting vulnerability. **In simple terms:** Playing roles hides true self, causing fear. Key Takeaway Allow yourself authenticity despite fear. Themes vulnerability identity performance Mood introspective empathetic Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - acting - public speaking - personal relationships - self‑discovery Key Concepts self‑presentation psychological safety Questions to Reflect On - When do you feel most authentic? - How can you ease the transition to self? A Different Perspective Fear can hinder genuine connections. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Behinds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/behinds/) [Being yourself](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/being-yourself/) [Character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character/) [Feels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feels/) [Hiding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hiding/) [Hiding Character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hiding-character-4614115/) [Kind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kind/) [Kind Terrified](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kind-terrified-2514411/) [Soon Feel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/soon-feel-938924/) [Terrified](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/terrified/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [Always, when I get onto horseback, I'm kind of terrified of being up there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/always-when-i-get-onto-horseback-i-m-kind-of-terrified-of-being-up/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [All my work's been disguise, really: hiding behind the character.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-jason/all-my-work-s-been-disguise-really-hiding-behind-the-character/) [David Jason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-jason/) > [I always just felt more comfortable just kind of hiding behind a character than being myself onstage.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bobcat-goldthwait/i-always-just-felt-more-comfortable-just-kind-of-hiding-behind-a/) [Bobcat Goldthwait](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bobcat-goldthwait/) > [It was the kind of terrified look that reminds you that no matter how rational or grown up a person might seem, some part…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-m-martin/it-was-the-kind-of-terrified-look-that-reminds-you-that-no-matter-how/) [Ann M. 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Coming soon. I feel it in my bones.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-richler/wait-for-me-kath-coming-soon-i-feel-it-in-my-bones/) [Emma Richler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-richler/) > [“When you read a book, you don't give up on it. You might soon feel like your part of the story.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kiersten-white/when-you-read-a-book-you-don-t-give-up-on-it-you-might-soon-feel-like/) [Kiersten White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kiersten-white/) ## More by Sheridan Smith > [I've been so lucky with the people I've worked with, but I'm such a fan girl. When I moved to London at 16, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheridan-smith/i-ve-been-so-lucky-with-the-people-i-ve-worked-with-but-i-m-such-a/) [Sheridan Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheridan-smith/) > [I certainly never get above my station - my family would soon slap me back down to earth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheridan-smith/i-certainly-never-get-above-my-station-my-family-would-soon-slap-me/) [Sheridan Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheridan-smith/) > [I'm normally a burger and chips girl - such a cheap date.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheridan-smith/i-m-normally-a-burger-and-chips-girl-such-a-cheap-date/) [Sheridan Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheridan-smith/) > [My brother is the lead singer of The Torn, and my parents are in a country duo.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheridan-smith/my-brother-is-the-lead-singer-of-the-torn-and-my-parents-are-in-a/) [Sheridan Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheridan-smith/) > [I swore on screen when I got the Olivier for 'Legally Blonde,' I was so surprised. 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Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/n-d-wilson/) [Browse all 6,789 Behinds quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/behinds/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "When you're hiding behind a character all the time, as soon as you have to be yourself, you feel kind of terrified.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Sheridan Smith" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheridan-smith/when-you-re-hiding-behind-a-character-all-the-time-as-soon-as-you/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Behinds" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheridan-smith/when-you-re-hiding-behind-a-character-all-the-time-as-soon-as-you/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/26e/sheridan-smith-16226_behinds_when-you-re-hiding-behind-a-character-al_2202868.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/26e/sheridan-smith-16226_behinds_when-you-re-hiding-behind-a-character-al_2202868.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/26e/sheridan-smith-16226_behinds_when-you-re-hiding-behind-a-character-al_2202868.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“When you're hiding behind a character all the time, as soon as you have to be yourself, you feel kind of…” — Sheridan Smith", "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": "Sheridan Smith", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheridan-smith/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "When you're hiding behind a character...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheridan-smith/when-you-re-hiding-behind-a-character-all-the-time-as-soon-as-you/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheridan-smith/when-you-re-hiding-behind-a-character-all-the-time-as-soon-as-you/#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 } } ] } ```