--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: [And on going from character to leading…" description: "\"[And on going from character to leading actor] I don't approach anything differently; I just approach it as a character. I'm always astounded at the fa..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/011/steve-carell-2000_actors_and-on-going-from-character-to-leading-a_2135330.jpg" --- # \[And on going from character to leading actor\] I don't… ![“[And on going from character to leading actor] I don't approach anything differently; I just approach it as a character. I'm always astounded at the fact that I've ever played a leading character in anything [Laughs]. And my wife concurs with that, frankly. She always thought I would be, at best…” quote by Steve Carell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/011/steve-carell-2000_actors_and-on-going-from-character-to-leading-a_2135330.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/011/steve-carell-2000_actors_and-on-going-from-character-to-leading-a_2135330.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/011/steve-carell-2000_actors_and-on-going-from-character-to-leading-a_2135330.jpg) > “\[And on going from character to leading actor\] I don't approach anything differently; I just approach it as a character. I'm always astounded at the fact that I've ever played a leading character in anything \[Laughs\]. And my wife concurs with that, frankly. She always thought I would be, at best, the wacky neighbor on a sitcom, so this is all just a surprise and a joy.” [Steve Carell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-carell/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He treats every role, big or small, as a character, finding joy in unexpected success. **In simple terms:** He approaches all acting work as playing a part. Key Takeaway Embrace each role as a chance to explore. Themes humility surprise joy Mood lighthearted inspirational Type personal career When to use this quote - stage performances - film auditions - personal growth Key Concepts character immersion career evolution unexpected success Questions to Reflect On - How does treating everything as a character affect your professional growth? - What balance is needed between humility and ambition? A Different Perspective He may overlook the need for strategic career planning. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Actors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actors/) [Approach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/approach/) [Approach Character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/approach-character-614087/) [Astounded](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/astounded/) [Character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character/) [Character Laughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character-laughs-4136764/) [Character Leading](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character-leading-4421122/) [Concur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/concur/) [Facts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/facts/) [Going Character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/going-character-2075889/) [Joy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/joy/) [Laughing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/laughing/) [Leadership](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/leadership/) [Leading Character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/leading-character-1908872/) [My wife](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/my-wife/) [Neighbor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/neighbor/) [Sitcom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sitcom/) [Surprise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/surprise/) [Wacky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wacky/) [Wife](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wife/) [Would be](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/would-be/) ## Related quotes > [Nothing shows a man's character more than what he laughs at.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/nothing-shows-a-man-s-character-more-than-what-he-laughs-at/) [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [The leading character isn't always the most important or interesting character; when people think that the protagonist is the character portrayed, it's people who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pilou-asbaek/the-leading-character-isn-t-always-the-most-important-or-interesting/) [Pilou Asbaek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pilou-asbaek/) > [Even with the lowest budget in the world, you better get some names in there; that calms people down. 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It is, in fact, the leading character.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-mondello/the-music-is-not-used-repetitiously-to-create-film-atmosphere-it-is/) [Bob Mondello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-mondello/) > [I had never had a positive leading character - somebody that wasn't an antihero, or who wasn't more of a guy that you're supposed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gus-van-sant/i-had-never-had-a-positive-leading-character-somebody-that-wasn-t-an/) [Gus Van Sant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gus-van-sant/) > [I think possibly the first film that has music as its leading character.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-shaffer/i-think-possibly-the-first-film-that-has-music-as-its-leading/) [Peter Shaffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-shaffer/) > [In a novel, the author gives the leading character intelligence and distinction. Fate goes to less trouble: mediocrities play a part in great events…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-maurice-de-talleyrand/in-a-novel-the-author-gives-the-leading-character-intelligence-and/) [Charles Maurice de Talleyrand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-maurice-de-talleyrand/) > [And, for any performer, to be able to go deep into character is fantastic. In film you only get to do that if you're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cillian-murphy/and-for-any-performer-to-be-able-to-go-deep-into-character-is/) [Cillian Murphy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cillian-murphy/) > [I am a character actress. Well, let's say, I am a leading character actress who does interesting, odd parts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/imelda-staunton/i-am-a-character-actress-well-let-s-say-i-am-a-leading-character/) [Imelda Staunton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/imelda-staunton/) > [Develop a clean line of action for your leading character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-wilder/develop-a-clean-line-of-action-for-your-leading-character/) [Billy Wilder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-wilder/) > [A sum of money is a leading character in this tale about people, just as a sum of honey might properly be a leading…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/a-sum-of-money-is-a-leading-character-in-this-tale-about-people-just/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [My basic mistake in 'The World's Greatest Lover' was that I made the leading character a neurotic kook and sent him to Hollywood. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-wilder/my-basic-mistake-in-the-world-s-greatest-lover-was-that-i-made-the/) [Gene Wilder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-wilder/) > [A well-written character is one where you don't know in which direction it's going; the character could spring a surprise any moment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rasika-dugal/a-well-written-character-is-one-where-you-don-t-know-in-which/) [Rasika Dugal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rasika-dugal/) ## More by Steve Carell > [It's a very familiar type of place where people either go to their house on the lake or they get together in different places.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-carell/it-s-a-very-familiar-type-of-place-where-people-either-go-to-their/) [Steve Carell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-carell/) > [Im not funny. Im actually quite a boring person to meet one-on-one. 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In Los Angeles, everything…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-carell/from-cheesecake-on-a-stick-to-meat-skewers-to-deep-fried-bananas-on-a/) [Steve Carell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-carell/) > [If I'd had a great level of success early on, who knows how I would have responded. I might have been a complete jerk.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-carell/if-i-d-had-a-great-level-of-success-early-on-who-knows-how-i-would/) [Steve Carell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-carell/) > [It was kind of like they were just giving us a toy to play with, to do whatever we wanted with.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-carell/it-was-kind-of-like-they-were-just-giving-us-a-toy-to-play-with-to-do/) [Steve Carell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-carell/) > [I wasn't a class clown, I never developed this comedic flair as a kid. Even when I decided to become an actor, it was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-carell/i-wasn-t-a-class-clown-i-never-developed-this-comedic-flair-as-a-kid/) [Steve Carell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-carell/) > [Whenever I hear someone describe something as a 'kids movie' or a 'family movie,' it immediately has a negative connotation in my mind because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-carell/whenever-i-hear-someone-describe-something-as-a-kids-movie-or-a/) [Steve Carell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-carell/) > [I don't text, I don't have a Blackberry. Literally, I just have a cell phone that I haven't programmed and the whole Bluetooth. No.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-carell/i-don-t-text-i-don-t-have-a-blackberry-literally-i-just-have-a-cell/) [Steve Carell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-carell/) > [I ate fiberglass insulation. It wasn’t cotton candy like the guy said… my tummy itches.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-carell/i-ate-fiberglass-insulation-it-wasn-t-cotton-candy-like-the-guy-said/) [Steve Carell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-carell/) > [After enjoying a tuna fish sandwich, my seven year old son kindly asked me to 'Change my breath.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-carell/after-enjoying-a-tuna-fish-sandwich-my-seven-year-old-son-kindly/) [Steve Carell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-carell/) > [Different things just strike people differently. And it's so subjective, too. Because what makes one person laugh won't make others laugh. I guess it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-carell/different-things-just-strike-people-differently-and-it-s-so/) [Steve Carell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-carell/) > [“I hate hospitals, in my mind they are associated with sickness.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-carell/i-hate-hospitals-in-my-mind-they-are-associated-with-sickness/) [Steve Carell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-carell/) > [I think when someone who's known for doing drama does a comedy but just tries to be funny, that's a mistake.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-carell/i-think-when-someone-who-s-known-for-doing-drama-does-a-comedy-but/) [Steve Carell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-carell/) [Explore all 192 Steve Carell quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-carell/) ## More Actors quotes > [Women still, when they have breast cancer, go to work; they still lead their lives. They have to. I just did what I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/monica-potter/women-still-when-they-have-breast-cancer-go-to-work-they-still-lead/) [Monica Potter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/monica-potter/) > [I'm trying to write a film with my friend. I'd love to get the thrill of speaking actors making my work even funnier.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-howard/i-m-trying-to-write-a-film-with-my-friend-i-d-love-to-get-the-thrill/) [Russell Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-howard/) > [A lesser complaint: hair extensions. 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It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kangana-ranaut/forget-the-credit-they-male-actors-take-all-the-money-as-well-we-don/) [Kangana Ranaut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kangana-ranaut/) > [I love film people and actors and I am in the right world because I am one of those people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ewan-mcgregor/i-love-film-people-and-actors-and-i-am-in-the-right-world-because-i/) [Ewan McGregor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ewan-mcgregor/) > [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/) > [What we're supposed to do as actors is be able to portray real human beings and emotions. And if you grow up in this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-browning/what-we-re-supposed-to-do-as-actors-is-be-able-to-portray-real-human/) [Emily Browning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-browning/) > [When we watch a film as actors, you have to understand that we always see much more than what's on screen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kunal-khemu/when-we-watch-a-film-as-actors-you-have-to-understand-that-we-always/) [Kunal Khemu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kunal-khemu/) > [As actors, you become an expert at starting over.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lupita-nyong-o/as-actors-you-become-an-expert-at-starting-over/) [Lupita Nyong'o](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lupita-nyong-o/) > [The whole concept of stage fright is fascinating. 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Being an actor is about changing who you are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-smith/a-rapper-is-about-being-completely-true-to-yourself-being-an-actor-is/) [Will Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-smith/) > [I've been a professional actor for almost 40 years.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-perlman/i-ve-been-a-professional-actor-for-almost-40-years/) [Ron Perlman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-perlman/) > [American actors are coy. We all have pricks and cunts, or are you different from the rest of us?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-greenaway/american-actors-are-coy-we-all-have-pricks-and-cunts-or-are-you/) [Peter Greenaway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-greenaway/) [Browse all 11,394 Actors quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actors/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "[And on going from character to leading actor] I don't approach anything differently; I just approach it as a character. I'm always astounded at the fact that I've ever played a leading character in anything [Laughs]. And my wife concurs with that, frankly. 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