--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Acting, at least for me, is very unreal…" description: "\"Acting, at least for me, is very unreal, and when I'm doing it, I actually feel embarrassed.\" — Steve Vai" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7b7/steve-vai-7290_acting_acting-at-least-for-me-is-very-unreal-an_892807.jpg" --- # Acting, at least for me, is very unreal, and when I'm… ![“Acting, at least for me, is very unreal, and when I'm doing it, I actually feel embarrassed.” quote by Steve Vai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7b7/steve-vai-7290_acting_acting-at-least-for-me-is-very-unreal-an_892807.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7b7/steve-vai-7290_acting_acting-at-least-for-me-is-very-unreal-an_892807.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7b7/steve-vai-7290_acting_acting-at-least-for-me-is-very-unreal-an_892807.jpg) > “Acting, at least for me, is very unreal, and when I'm doing it, I actually feel embarrassed.” [Steve Vai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-vai/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Acting feels artificial to the speaker, causing embarrassment when performing. **In simple terms:** Acting feels fake and embarrassing. Key Takeaway Accept discomfort as part of performance. Themes self-awareness performance anxiety authenticity Mood introspective vulnerable Type artistic personal When to use this quote - theater work - live concerts Key Concepts stage fright personal expression Questions to Reflect On - What triggers your embarrassment? - How can you embrace authenticity on stage? A Different Perspective May limit artistic growth. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Acting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/acting/) [Acting Unreal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/acting-unreal-1166251/) [Actually Feel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actually-feel/) [Embarrassed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/embarrassed/) [Feel Embarrassed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feel-embarrassed-256415/) [Feels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feels/) [Unreal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/unreal/) ## Related quotes > [We feel properly embarrassed when we are caught doing something that makes us look inept, knuckleheaded, or inappropriate. Maybe the difference is this: we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-b-smedes/we-feel-properly-embarrassed-when-we-are-caught-doing-something-that/) [Lewis B. Smedes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-b-smedes/) > [Sometimes I feel embarrassed because I'll tell the kids if someone is driving really slow or cutting in, I'll say "Bloody Asian drivers." But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pearl-tan/sometimes-i-feel-embarrassed-because-i-ll-tell-the-kids-if-someone-is/) [Pearl Tan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pearl-tan/) > [I've done some things I'm embarrassed about, and I like to tell people about them so that maybe they feel less embarrassed or alone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-schumer/i-ve-done-some-things-i-m-embarrassed-about-and-i-like-to-tell-people/) [Amy Schumer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-schumer/) > [To me, it's important to prove that this isn't just teenage kids' s\*\*t and you should feel embarrassed when you're over forty and still…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keith-richards/to-me-it-s-important-to-prove-that-this-isn-t-just-teenage-kids-s-t/) [Keith Richards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keith-richards/) > [I don't really have any secret shames. If I like an artist, I like them. Nothing to feel embarrassed about.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-hoppus/i-don-t-really-have-any-secret-shames-if-i-like-an-artist-i-like-them/) [Mark Hoppus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-hoppus/) > [As a filmmaker, it's important to sit there and feel embarrassed. If you feel embarrassed by something, you cut it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-dominik/as-a-filmmaker-it-s-important-to-sit-there-and-feel-embarrassed-if/) [Andrew Dominik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-dominik/) > [In my stand up, I think I try to be less energetic because I feel embarrassed about how much enthusiasm I have. There's something…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-bamford/in-my-stand-up-i-think-i-try-to-be-less-energetic-because-i-feel/) [Maria Bamford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-bamford/) > [I don't think I'm that knowledgeable. I don't think I am that good looking even. I feel embarrassed when people say these things to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neha-dhupia/i-don-t-think-i-m-that-knowledgeable-i-don-t-think-i-am-that-good/) [Neha Dhupia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neha-dhupia/) > [It's, like, you know, if you're sad, it's a way of connecting with other people. And we - a lot of times we sort…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pete-docter/it-s-like-you-know-if-you-re-sad-it-s-a-way-of-connecting-with-other/) [Pete Docter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pete-docter/) > [The knighthood was a tremendous honour, I don't dismiss it. But I feel embarrassed by the flowery, theatrical stuff that goes with being an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-hopkins/the-knighthood-was-a-tremendous-honour-i-don-t-dismiss-it-but-i-feel/) [Anthony Hopkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-hopkins/) > [We should not feel embarrassed by our difficulties, only by our failure to grow anything beautiful from them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alain-de-botton/we-should-not-feel-embarrassed-by-our-difficulties-only-by-our/) [Alain de Botton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alain-de-botton/) > [“I’m beginning to feel more embarrassed about the conversation than about anything we’ve just done. Horny? They really use that word? Jesus. All my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-hornby/i-m-beginning-to-feel-more-embarrassed-about-the-conversation-than/) [Nick Hornby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-hornby/) > [A problem shared is a problem halved, but as with so many problems affecting women - periods, menopause, post-natal depression - we often feel…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/konnie-huq/a-problem-shared-is-a-problem-halved-but-as-with-so-many-problems/) [Konnie Huq](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/konnie-huq/) > [“I don’t know why girls feel embarrassed to eat in front of a guy. Now, talking in front of a guy is a whole…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-cassar/i-don-t-know-why-girls-feel-embarrassed-to-eat-in-front-of-a-guy-now/) [Julie Cassar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-cassar/) > [“You have nothing to feel regret about or to feel embarrassed about. Whatever you have done in your life has led you to this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liz-ryan/you-have-nothing-to-feel-regret-about-or-to-feel-embarrassed-about/) [Liz Ryan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liz-ryan/) ## More by Steve Vai > [I designed a guitar for Ibanez and then they started manufacturing it - it's called the Jem - it's 26 years old and I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-vai/i-designed-a-guitar-for-ibanez-and-then-they-started-manufacturing-it/) [Steve Vai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-vai/) > [You can never deny the immense talent, rock credibility and iconic historical contribution that Van Halen made.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-vai/you-can-never-deny-the-immense-talent-rock-credibility-and-iconic/) [Steve Vai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-vai/) > [I can tell you this: I'm an extremely passionate individual. I try to be careful how I display it because you never know how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-vai/i-can-tell-you-this-i-m-an-extremely-passionate-individual-i-try-to/) [Steve Vai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-vai/) > [I don't believe in 'greatest'. I believe in favorites.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-vai/i-don-t-believe-in-greatest-i-believe-in-favorites/) [Steve Vai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-vai/) > [Along with its enchanting and exquisite melodies, West Side Story has attitude and a tremendous amount of frenetic energy. It's emotional, theatrical and technical.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-vai/along-with-its-enchanting-and-exquisite-melodies-west-side-story-has/) [Steve Vai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-vai/) > [I have a deep love for life and my fellow human beings. I try to understand everything that everybody does, even if it seems…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-vai/i-have-a-deep-love-for-life-and-my-fellow-human-beings-i-try-to/) [Steve Vai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-vai/) > [I've never really heard anybody imitating anything of mine the way they do with Edward Van Halen's stuff.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-vai/i-ve-never-really-heard-anybody-imitating-anything-of-mine-the-way/) [Steve Vai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-vai/) > [The only thing that's holding you back, is the way you're thinking.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-vai/the-only-thing-that-s-holding-you-back-is-the-way-you-re-thinking/) [Steve Vai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-vai/) > [My main calling in life is to seek and achieve spiritual balance, and to express that through my instrument. Everything else is here today,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-vai/my-main-calling-in-life-is-to-seek-and-achieve-spiritual-balance-and/) [Steve Vai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-vai/) > [There's very notable dynamics in all of the collaborations I've done. It's hard to say if one is more important than the other, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-vai/there-s-very-notable-dynamics-in-all-of-the-collaborations-i-ve-done/) [Steve Vai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-vai/) > [I awake, I meditate, get the kids off to school, go to the gym, go to the Favored Nations office, and usually at around…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-vai/i-awake-i-meditate-get-the-kids-off-to-school-go-to-the-gym-go-to-the/) [Steve Vai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-vai/) > [I think every artist subconsciously wants to evolve themselves. Sometimes they get stuck in ruts because of pop culture, peer pressure, stuff like that.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-vai/i-think-every-artist-subconsciously-wants-to-evolve-themselves/) [Steve Vai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-vai/) > [Baby don't wake me, let me take you on an endless journey. We touch and the softest kiss explodes with lust. It's real and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-vai/baby-don-t-wake-me-let-me-take-you-on-an-endless-journey-we-touch-and/) [Steve Vai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-vai/) > [We have the insight and the tools to identify and bring to fruition the dormant talent that our artists possess. Favored Nations will be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-vai/we-have-the-insight-and-the-tools-to-identify-and-bring-to-fruition/) [Steve Vai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-vai/) > [That's the thing about great artists: They find the thing that's most obvious to themselves, what's most conscious and natural, and they put it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-vai/that-s-the-thing-about-great-artists-they-find-the-thing-that-s-most/) [Steve Vai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-vai/) [Explore all 92 Steve Vai quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-vai/) ## 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](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/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": "Acting, at least for me, is very unreal, and when I'm doing it, I actually feel embarrassed.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Steve Vai" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-vai/acting-at-least-for-me-is-very-unreal-and-when-i-m-doing-it-i/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Acting" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-vai/acting-at-least-for-me-is-very-unreal-and-when-i-m-doing-it-i/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7b7/steve-vai-7290_acting_acting-at-least-for-me-is-very-unreal-an_892807.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7b7/steve-vai-7290_acting_acting-at-least-for-me-is-very-unreal-an_892807.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7b7/steve-vai-7290_acting_acting-at-least-for-me-is-very-unreal-an_892807.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Acting, at least for me, is very unreal, and when I'm doing it, I actually feel embarrassed.” — Steve Vai", "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": "Steve Vai", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-vai/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Acting, at least for me, is...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-vai/acting-at-least-for-me-is-very-unreal-and-when-i-m-doing-it-i/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-vai/acting-at-least-for-me-is-very-unreal-and-when-i-m-doing-it-i/#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 } } ] } ```