--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When an acting teacher tells a student…" description: "\"When an acting teacher tells a student 'that wasn't honest work' or 'that didn't seem real,' what does this mean? In life, we are rarely 'truthful' or ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f75/stella-adler-11807_acting_when-an-acting-teacher-tells-a-student-t_888319.jpg" --- # When an acting teacher tells a student 'that wasn't honest… ![“When an acting teacher tells a student 'that wasn't honest work' or 'that didn't seem real,' what does this mean? In life, we are rarely 'truthful' or 'honest' or 'real'. And characters in plays are almost never 'truthful' or 'honest' or 'real'. What exactly do teachers even mean by these words? A…” quote by Stella Adler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f75/stella-adler-11807_acting_when-an-acting-teacher-tells-a-student-t_888319.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f75/stella-adler-11807_acting_when-an-acting-teacher-tells-a-student-t_888319.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f75/stella-adler-11807_acting_when-an-acting-teacher-tells-a-student-t_888319.jpg) > “When an acting teacher tells a student 'that wasn't honest work' or 'that didn't seem real,' what does this mean? In life, we are rarely 'truthful' or 'honest' or 'real'. And characters in plays are almost never 'truthful' or 'honest' or 'real'. What exactly do teachers even mean by these words? A more useful question is: What is the story the actor was telling in their work? An actor is always telling a story. We all are telling stories, all the time. Story: that is what it is all about.” [Stella Adler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stella-adler/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. She means the performance lacks authenticity, emotional truth, and genuine connection to the character’s inner life. **In simple terms:** The work feels fake and unconvincing. Key Takeaway Seek genuine emotional connection in performance. Themes authenticity emotional truth storytelling Mood reflective inquisitive Type instructional philosophical When to use this quote - audition preparation - rehearsal process - character development - directed scene work Key Concepts method acting psychology of character truth in art Questions to Reflect On - What emotions are you avoiding? - How can you embody truth without over‑analyzing? A Different Perspective Even truthful moments can feel forced if the actor is over‑thinking. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Acting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/acting/) [Acting teachers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/acting-teachers/) [Actors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actors/) [Character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character/) [Honest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/honest/) [Honest work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/honest-work/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Play](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/play/) [Stories](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stories/) [Students](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/students/) [Teacher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/teacher/) [Telling A Story](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/telling-a-story/) [Telling stories](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/telling-stories/) [Truth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/truth/) [Truthful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/truthful/) ## Related quotes > [I owe a lot to my teachers and mean to pay them back some day.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-leacock/i-owe-a-lot-to-my-teachers-and-mean-to-pay-them-back-some-day/) [Stephen Leacock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-leacock/) > [“Teachers are mean, teachers are rude, and teachers don't know what to do.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donnajo-calhoun/teachers-are-mean-teachers-are-rude-and-teachers-don-t-know-what-to-do/) [Donnajo Calhoun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donnajo-calhoun/) > [Teachers are everything. I mean, you're a poor kid from the ghetto, your parents are busy working 24/7, working like a Mexican.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-leguizamo/teachers-are-everything-i-mean-you-re-a-poor-kid-from-the-ghetto-your/) [John Leguizamo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-leguizamo/) > [The word theatre comes from the Greeks. It means the seeing place.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stella-adler/the-word-theatre-comes-from-the-greeks-it-means-the-seeing-place/) [Stella Adler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stella-adler/) > [The hardest thing which I've experienced is calling up my father, Rance Howard, who's a wonderful actor, and telling him I've had to cut…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-howard/the-hardest-thing-which-i-ve-experienced-is-calling-up-my-father/) [Ron Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-howard/) > [We are not the originators of the story. I think it's actually the opposite when you're an actor. You're telling somebody else's story.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-lange/we-are-not-the-originators-of-the-story-i-think-it-s-actually-the/) [Jessica Lange](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-lange/) > [There's so many ways to be a voice and that's what I'm figuring out. Being an artist, being an actor, it's about telling stories…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-cabral/there-s-so-many-ways-to-be-a-voice-and-that-s-what-i-m-figuring-out/) [Richard Cabral](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-cabral/) > [Being an artist, being an actor, it's about telling stories that could heal, that could open up discussion that could make the community better.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-cabral/being-an-artist-being-an-actor-it-s-about-telling-stories-that-could/) [Richard Cabral](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-cabral/) > [That LIKE A BOSS moment when you turn to the exact page in a book your teacher tells you too.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/that-like-a-boss-moment-when-you-turn-to-the-exact-page-in-a-book/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [A Good Teacher Is Who Tells To Study Hard... . . . . . But,, . . . . . A Best Teacher Is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/a-good-teacher-is-who-tells-to-study-hard-but-a-best-teacher-is-who/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [A mediocre music teacher tells. A good music teacher explains. A superior music teacher demonstrates. A great music teacher inspires.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-arthur-ward/a-mediocre-music-teacher-tells-a-good-music-teacher-explains-a/) [William Arthur Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-arthur-ward/) > [Teacher: Alright class we have a new student!( Teacher tells the student to introduce herself) New Student: Hi am... Students: Shut the F@$K UP!!!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/teacher-alright-class-we-have-a-new-student-teacher-tells-the-student/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Experience is a teacher who never tells you in advance what your next lesson will be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melchor-lim/experience-is-a-teacher-who-never-tells-you-in-advance-what-your-next/) [Melchor Lim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melchor-lim/) > [“Students Are Wise Who listen to what the Teacher Tells them: http://www.wikinut.com/in/uiinof ”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/smart-oyejide/students-are-wise-who-listen-to-what-the-teacher-tells-them-http-www/) [Smart Oyejide](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/smart-oyejide/) > [To me, a lot of what makes a good actor is not what a teacher tells you to do but how you respond when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenne-headly/to-me-a-lot-of-what-makes-a-good-actor-is-not-what-a-teacher-tells/) [Glenne Headly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenne-headly/) ## More by Stella Adler > [Acting is in everything but the words.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stella-adler/acting-is-in-everything-but-the-words/) [Stella Adler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stella-adler/) > [To grow: that is your deepest and truest need when you say, 'I want to be an actor.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stella-adler/to-grow-that-is-your-deepest-and-truest-need-when-you-say-i-want-to/) [Stella Adler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stella-adler/) > [The actor has to develop his body. The actor has to work on his voice. But the most important thing the actor has to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stella-adler/the-actor-has-to-develop-his-body-the-actor-has-to-work-on-his-voice/) [Stella Adler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stella-adler/) > [Our heritage as actors goes back thousands of years, and we have to feel as comfortable in the clothes, and the language of Sophocles…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stella-adler/our-heritage-as-actors-goes-back-thousands-of-years-and-we-have-to/) [Stella Adler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stella-adler/) > [Your curse is that you have chosen a form that requires endless study … It means you have to read, you have to observe,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stella-adler/your-curse-is-that-you-have-chosen-a-form-that-requires-endless-study/) [Stella Adler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stella-adler/) > [If you can't take both sides, it means you can only play yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stella-adler/if-you-can-t-take-both-sides-it-means-you-can-only-play-yourself/) [Stella Adler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stella-adler/) > [“That spark has to be kept alive.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stella-adler/that-spark-has-to-be-kept-alive/) [Stella Adler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stella-adler/) > [It's not enough to have talent. You have to have a talent for your talent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stella-adler/it-s-not-enough-to-have-talent-you-have-to-have-a-talent-for-your/) [Stella Adler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stella-adler/) > [It's not important to know who you are. It's important to know what you do, and then to do it like hercules!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stella-adler/it-s-not-important-to-know-who-you-are-it-s-important-to-know-what/) [Stella Adler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stella-adler/) > [Your job as actors is to understand the size of what you say, to understand what's beneath the word.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stella-adler/your-job-as-actors-is-to-understand-the-size-of-what-you-say-to/) [Stella Adler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stella-adler/) > [You'll begin to act when you can forget your technique - when it is so securely inside you that you need not call upon…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stella-adler/you-ll-begin-to-act-when-you-can-forget-your-technique-when-it-is-so/) [Stella Adler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stella-adler/) > [Life is boring. The weather is boring. Actors must not be boring.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stella-adler/life-is-boring-the-weather-is-boring-actors-must-not-be-boring/) [Stella Adler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stella-adler/) > [The word theatre comes from the Greeks. It means the seeing place. It is the place people come to see the truth about life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stella-adler/the-word-theatre-comes-from-the-greeks-it-means-the-seeing-place-it/) [Stella Adler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stella-adler/) > [You act with your soul. That's why you all want to be actors, because your souls are not used up by life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stella-adler/you-act-with-your-soul-that-s-why-you-all-want-to-be-actors-because/) [Stella Adler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stella-adler/) > [Acting can be the healthiest profession in the world, because it allows you to do things you can't do in real life. It allows…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stella-adler/acting-can-be-the-healthiest-profession-in-the-world-because-it/) [Stella Adler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stella-adler/) [Explore all 57 Stella Adler quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stella-adler/) ## 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": "When an acting teacher tells a student 'that wasn't honest work' or 'that didn't seem real,' what does this mean? In life, we are rarely 'truthful' or 'honest' or 'real'. And characters in plays are almost never 'truthful' or 'honest' or 'real'. What exactly do teachers even mean by these words? 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