--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I'm almost tempted, when I'm playing a…" description: "\"I'm almost tempted, when I'm playing a real person, not to meet them. Afterwards, maybe. But, the job is the same. You still have to show up on screen ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b0e/ted-danson-6752_afterwards_i-m-almost-tempted-when-i-m-playing-a-re_895835.jpg" --- # I'm almost tempted, when I'm playing a real person, not to… ![“I'm almost tempted, when I'm playing a real person, not to meet them. Afterwards, maybe. But, the job is the same. You still have to show up on screen and be alive and real and all that stuff.” quote by Ted Danson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b0e/ted-danson-6752_afterwards_i-m-almost-tempted-when-i-m-playing-a-re_895835.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b0e/ted-danson-6752_afterwards_i-m-almost-tempted-when-i-m-playing-a-re_895835.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b0e/ted-danson-6752_afterwards_i-m-almost-tempted-when-i-m-playing-a-re_895835.jpg) > “I'm almost tempted, when I'm playing a real person, not to meet them. Afterwards, maybe. But, the job is the same. You still have to show up on screen and be alive and real and all that stuff.” [Ted Danson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-danson/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Playing a role requires staying present and authentic, even when the character is fictional, blending reality and performance. **In simple terms:** Acting demands genuine presence despite fictional context. Key Takeaway Stay authentic while portraying any character. Themes acting authenticity performance Mood reflective introspective Type advice philosophical When to use this quote - theatre - film sets - live streaming - virtual reality events Key Concepts method acting screen presence Questions to Reflect On - How do you separate self from character? - What techniques keep you grounded? A Different Perspective Balancing personal identity with a role can cause emotional strain. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Alive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/alive/) [Job](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/job/) ## Related quotes > [At some point, you have to disconnect, if the obsession with playing a real person gets in the way of the movie at large.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-edgerton/at-some-point-you-have-to-disconnect-if-the-obsession-with-playing-a/) [Joel Edgerton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-edgerton/) > [Sometimes when you're the good guy, you're sort of trapped. "Oh, he can't say that." And even when you're playing a real person like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denzel-washington/sometimes-when-you-re-the-good-guy-you-re-sort-of-trapped-oh-he-can-t/) [Denzel Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denzel-washington/) > [If I'm playing a real-life person, I would take notes, I think that's important. For instance, when I played Rosemary Clooney, I was lucky…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sondra-locke/if-i-m-playing-a-real-life-person-i-would-take-notes-i-think-that-s/) [Sondra Locke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sondra-locke/) > ['Inherent Vice' was a novel that already existed, and in 'Steve Jobs,' I was playing a real person; in those situations, you do feel…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-waterston/inherent-vice-was-a-novel-that-already-existed-and-in-steve-jobs-i/) [Katherine Waterston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katherine-waterston/) > [There's always mixed feelings about the work that I do. When you're playing a real person, that's another kind of responsibility. I have to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caleb-landry-jones/there-s-always-mixed-feelings-about-the-work-that-i-do-when-you-re/) [Caleb Landry Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caleb-landry-jones/) > [And I think when you're playing someone who is a real person, it's extremely important to take the time and put in the effort…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lydia-hearst/and-i-think-when-you-re-playing-someone-who-is-a-real-person-it-s/) [Lydia Hearst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lydia-hearst/) > [It's a daunting thing to be playing a real person and to have contact with her and meet her and be in her circle…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tatiana-maslany/it-s-a-daunting-thing-to-be-playing-a-real-person-and-to-have-contact/) [Tatiana Maslany](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tatiana-maslany/) > [If you're playing a fictional character, you can create a character, you can sort of take certain liberties. And when you're playing a real…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donnie-wahlberg/if-you-re-playing-a-fictional-character-you-can-create-a-character/) [Donnie Wahlberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donnie-wahlberg/) > [You feel a huge sense of responsibility when you're playing a real person.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-strong/you-feel-a-huge-sense-of-responsibility-when-you-re-playing-a-real/) [Jeremy Strong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-strong/) > [I don't know if it's harder but when you're playing a real person you want to honor their memory - even if they're a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toby-jones/i-don-t-know-if-it-s-harder-but-when-you-re-playing-a-real-person-you/) [Toby Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toby-jones/) > [If you're playing a real person, then you want to do a certain amount of research, but that's only going to be so useful…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurence-fishburne/if-you-re-playing-a-real-person-then-you-want-to-do-a-certain-amount/) [Laurence Fishburne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurence-fishburne/) > [Playing a real person, it does add an extra level of thoughtfulness. You're portraying someone who actually existed, so instead of saying, like, 'OK,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ross-lynch/playing-a-real-person-it-does-add-an-extra-level-of-thoughtfulness/) [Ross Lynch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ross-lynch/) > [If you want to do your version, go off and write it. You bring your knowledge to it, and you can use that to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jared-harris/if-you-want-to-do-your-version-go-off-and-write-it-you-bring-your/) [Jared Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jared-harris/) > [There's a way of doing comedy that feels true to the person doing it, that doesn't feel like clown-work or silly faces and antics,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-daly/there-s-a-way-of-doing-comedy-that-feels-true-to-the-person-doing-it/) [Andy Daly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-daly/) > [I do as much research as is physically possible when I'm playing a real person, be they alive or dead.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natalie-dormer/i-do-as-much-research-as-is-physically-possible-when-i-m-playing-a/) [Natalie Dormer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natalie-dormer/) ## More by Ted Danson > [To grow up knowing you're loved is astounding. It's a huge gift to a child.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-danson/to-grow-up-knowing-you-re-loved-is-astounding-it-s-a-huge-gift-to-a/) [Ted Danson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-danson/) > [If you actively do something, it will stop making you feel like a victim and you'll start feeling like part of the solution, which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-danson/if-you-actively-do-something-it-will-stop-making-you-feel-like-a/) [Ted Danson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-danson/) > [I don't think it's a matter of, do you win the game or not, it's how gracefully do you play it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-danson/i-don-t-think-it-s-a-matter-of-do-you-win-the-game-or-not-it-s-how/) [Ted Danson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-danson/) > [The environmental movement, like all political processes, reacts best to disasters. But these are very slow, very gradual disasters in the making.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-danson/the-environmental-movement-like-all-political-processes-reacts-best/) [Ted Danson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-danson/) > [Centuries-old habitats such as coral gardens are destroyed in an instant by bottom trawls, pulverized by weighted nets into barren plains. And global carbon…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-danson/centuries-old-habitats-such-as-coral-gardens-are-destroyed-in-an/) [Ted Danson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-danson/) > [The pressure isn't on my brain, but on my mouth. I realized Sam Malone said very little, he spoke in little sentences. Which is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-danson/the-pressure-isn-t-on-my-brain-but-on-my-mouth-i-realized-sam-malone/) [Ted Danson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-danson/) > [I became interested in ocean issues in the 1980s when I couldn't take my daughters swimming because of pollution at our local beach. Twenty-five…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-danson/i-became-interested-in-ocean-issues-in-the-1980s-when-i-couldn-t-take/) [Ted Danson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-danson/) > [I think the struggle, whenever you make a film or television movie based on a real person's life, is finding a dramatic arc that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-danson/i-think-the-struggle-whenever-you-make-a-film-or-television-movie/) [Ted Danson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-danson/) > [I am forever grateful for 'Cheers.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-danson/i-am-forever-grateful-for-cheers/) [Ted Danson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-danson/) > [I feel very strongly that you can't just beat people up anymore; you have to work hand in hand and find ways to compromise,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-danson/i-feel-very-strongly-that-you-can-t-just-beat-people-up-anymore-you/) [Ted Danson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-danson/) > [I was at our beautiful home in Martha's Vineyard, near Boston, sitting on the porch looking at the ocean when I got a phone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-danson/i-was-at-our-beautiful-home-in-martha-s-vineyard-near-boston-sitting/) [Ted Danson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-danson/) > [You have to be an optimist, right? You have to be critical, then you have to be an optimist. Or else you're really stupid.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-danson/you-have-to-be-an-optimist-right-you-have-to-be-critical-then-you/) [Ted Danson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-danson/) > [I am a bit of a Pollyanna - I spend most of my day happy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-danson/i-am-a-bit-of-a-pollyanna-i-spend-most-of-my-day-happy/) [Ted Danson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-danson/) > [Around year seven or eight, you'd kill yourself when you realized Norm had to enter and you had to come up with a new…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-danson/around-year-seven-or-eight-you-d-kill-yourself-when-you-realized-norm/) [Ted Danson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-danson/) > [There should be a list of people who can and cannot clone themselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-danson/there-should-be-a-list-of-people-who-can-and-cannot-clone-themselves/) [Ted Danson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-danson/) [Explore all 97 Ted Danson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-danson/) ## More Afterwards quotes > [I didn't grow up in one of those restrictive Christian households where you couldn't do this or that. We were brought up with a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yolanda-adams/i-didn-t-grow-up-in-one-of-those-restrictive-christian-households/) [Yolanda Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yolanda-adams/) > [When I work, I'm thinking in terms of purely visual effects and relations, and any verbal equivalent is something that comes afterwards. But it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adolph-gottlieb/when-i-work-i-m-thinking-in-terms-of-purely-visual-effects-and/) [Adolph Gottlieb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adolph-gottlieb/) > [It's amazing when I do a gig how many people of different ages come up to me afterwards and chat to me about songs.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ella-henderson/it-s-amazing-when-i-do-a-gig-how-many-people-of-different-ages-come/) [Ella Henderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ella-henderson/) > [I play golf, but sometimes it's so un-relaxing, I have to play tennis to wind down. Now that I think about it, this process…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-ross/i-play-golf-but-sometimes-it-s-so-un-relaxing-i-have-to-play-tennis/) [Adam Ross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-ross/) > [When I play, I'm so in the moment that I can't really remember what happened afterwards. It's a rare experience for a thinking person…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lykke-li/when-i-play-i-m-so-in-the-moment-that-i-can-t-really-remember-what/) [Lykke Li](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lykke-li/) > [Professional camera crews are rarely there when a bomb goes off or a rocket lands. They usually show up afterwards.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-mackinnon/professional-camera-crews-are-rarely-there-when-a-bomb-goes-off-or-a/) [Rebecca MacKinnon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-mackinnon/) > [I was just so focused on being healthy for my baby during pregnancy, and afterward I was not in a rush to lose the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marisa-miller/i-was-just-so-focused-on-being-healthy-for-my-baby-during-pregnancy/) [Marisa Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marisa-miller/) > [You get yourself prepared for a big game, you get yourself up for it. Then afterwards you don't sleep or eat properly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-giggs/you-get-yourself-prepared-for-a-big-game-you-get-yourself-up-for-it/) [Ryan Giggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-giggs/) > [I mention this fact as tending to support what I have often heard stated, namely, that a shark's sense of smell is so keen…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-grey/i-mention-this-fact-as-tending-to-support-what-i-have-often-heard/) [George Grey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-grey/) > [Serious drama in a significant degree began at Harvard in the 1880s. In 1881, the Cercle Francais initiated the annual French play, and shortly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-anthony-lukas/serious-drama-in-a-significant-degree-began-at-harvard-in-the-1880s/) [J. Anthony Lukas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-anthony-lukas/) > [Scoring goals is the best feeling you can have. I always look up at the stand for my family straight afterwards; it means everything…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-lampard/scoring-goals-is-the-best-feeling-you-can-have-i-always-look-up-at/) [Frank Lampard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-lampard/) > [The only thing I find difficult to watch - horror movies - not that I don't like them. Like 'The Shining,' it's one of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikolaj-coster-waldau/the-only-thing-i-find-difficult-to-watch-horror-movies-not-that-i-don/) [Nikolaj Coster-Waldau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikolaj-coster-waldau/) > [My usual day is I get up around 11 o'clock and do yoga and then eat afterwards. Then I have sound check and play…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-franti/my-usual-day-is-i-get-up-around-11-o-clock-and-do-yoga-and-then-eat/) [Michael Franti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-franti/) > [Once you walk off the set, if you're an actor, the rest isn't your responsibility, which I like a lot. I'm not responsible for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-kirk/once-you-walk-off-the-set-if-you-re-an-actor-the-rest-isn-t-your/) [Justin Kirk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-kirk/) > [Iranians launched their constitutional revolution in 1906 and established their parliament soon afterward.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-kinzer/iranians-launched-their-constitutional-revolution-in-1906-and/) [Stephen Kinzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-kinzer/) Browse all 117 Afterwards quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I'm almost tempted, when I'm playing a real person, not to meet them. Afterwards, maybe. But, the job is the same. You still have to show up on screen and be alive and real and all that stuff.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Ted Danson" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-danson/i-m-almost-tempted-when-i-m-playing-a-real-person-not-to-meet-them/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Afterwards" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-danson/i-m-almost-tempted-when-i-m-playing-a-real-person-not-to-meet-them/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b0e/ted-danson-6752_afterwards_i-m-almost-tempted-when-i-m-playing-a-re_895835.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b0e/ted-danson-6752_afterwards_i-m-almost-tempted-when-i-m-playing-a-re_895835.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b0e/ted-danson-6752_afterwards_i-m-almost-tempted-when-i-m-playing-a-re_895835.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I'm almost tempted, when I'm playing a real person, not to meet them. Afterwards, maybe. But, the job is the…” — Ted Danson", "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": "Ted Danson", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-danson/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I'm almost tempted, when I'm playing...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-danson/i-m-almost-tempted-when-i-m-playing-a-real-person-not-to-meet-them/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-danson/i-m-almost-tempted-when-i-m-playing-a-real-person-not-to-meet-them/#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 } } ] } ```