--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I try not to write for actors because A…" description: "\"I try not to write for actors because A, they're not the character, and B, it's really depressing when you don't get them.\" — Theodore Melfi" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5ea/theodore-melfi-19341_because_i-try-not-to-write-for-actors-because-a_1221357.jpg" --- # I try not to write for actors because A, they're not the… ![“I try not to write for actors because A, they're not the character, and B, it's really depressing when you don't get them.” quote by Theodore Melfi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5ea/theodore-melfi-19341_because_i-try-not-to-write-for-actors-because-a_1221357.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5ea/theodore-melfi-19341_because_i-try-not-to-write-for-actors-because-a_1221357.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5ea/theodore-melfi-19341_because_i-try-not-to-write-for-actors-because-a_1221357.jpg) > “I try not to write for actors because A, they're not the character, and B, it's really depressing when you don't get them.” [Theodore Melfi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-melfi/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Writing for actors can miss the character's essence and feel discouraging when they don't understand the material. **In simple terms:** Writing for actors may miss character and feel sad. Key Takeaway Focus on character truth, not just actor. Themes writing character communication Mood reflective thoughtful Type advice creative When to use this quote - screenwriting - theatre - directing - actor collaboration Key Concepts authenticity empathy Questions to Reflect On - How can writers ensure actors grasp the character? - What strategies bridge writer‑actor gaps? A Different Perspective Actors may interpret differently, causing misalignment. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Actors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actors/) [Character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character/) [Depressing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/depressing/) [Really depressing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/really-depressing/) [Theatre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/theatre/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [You can take a picture of New York and one person looking at it will think it looks really depressing, frightening; and someone else…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elliott-smith/you-can-take-a-picture-of-new-york-and-one-person-looking-at-it-will/) [Elliott Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elliott-smith/) > [How many demons and people are enslaved here? (Jericho) Define slavery. (Asmodeus) Kept against their will. (Jericho) Good definition. Counting me? (Asmodeus) Why not?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherrilyn-kenyon/how-many-demons-and-people-are-enslaved-here-jericho-define-slavery/) [Sherrilyn Kenyon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherrilyn-kenyon/) > [I mean that's really depressing man. Of course, the kids are freaking out. They watch cartoons and sit in front of the television and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-haines/i-mean-that-s-really-depressing-man-of-course-the-kids-are-freaking/) [Emily Haines](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-haines/) > [I'm really interested in making movies that people see: I've made a lot of independent films and it's really depressing when no one sees…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-banks/i-m-really-interested-in-making-movies-that-people-see-i-ve-made-a/) [Elizabeth Banks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-banks/) > [When you say 'failure,' that seems really dramatic, but a lot of failure is just really depressing and mundane. 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NASA was not desegregated by a black male. NASA was not desegregated by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-melfi/the-fact-is-this-nasa-was-desegregated-by-a-white-male-nasa-was-not/) [Theodore Melfi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-melfi/) > [I think the commercial world is a lateral step from features. Some people see it as a step down, but I've never understood that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-melfi/i-think-the-commercial-world-is-a-lateral-step-from-features-some/) [Theodore Melfi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-melfi/) > [The journey of making 'Hidden Figures' has shown me the automatic privilege that all white men are afforded in America in 2017 and in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-melfi/the-journey-of-making-hidden-figures-has-shown-me-the-automatic/) [Theodore Melfi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-melfi/) > [I can't stand toe-to-toe with Bill Murray. It's very hard, because just looking at Bill - he's 6'3", and he just stares at you,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-melfi/i-can-t-stand-toe-to-toe-with-bill-murray-it-s-very-hard-because-just/) [Theodore Melfi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-melfi/) > [If you don't have comedy in a movie, you don't have a movie.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-melfi/if-you-don-t-have-comedy-in-a-movie-you-don-t-have-a-movie/) [Theodore Melfi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-melfi/) > [Change is incremental. Change is small.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-melfi/change-is-incremental-change-is-small/) [Theodore Melfi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-melfi/) > [You have a responsibility to make inclusion a daily thought, so we can get rid of the word 'inclusion.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-melfi/you-have-a-responsibility-to-make-inclusion-a-daily-thought-so-we-can/) [Theodore Melfi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-melfi/) > [After a tumultuous 20-year marriage, my father up and left one day, leaving my mother to raise three boys without the means to do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-melfi/after-a-tumultuous-20-year-marriage-my-father-up-and-left-one-day/) [Theodore Melfi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-melfi/) > [NASA didn't give a crap what gender you were or what race you were. If you could do the math, you were valuable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-melfi/nasa-didn-t-give-a-crap-what-gender-you-were-or-what-race-you-were-if/) [Theodore Melfi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-melfi/) > [We're all humans. Any human can tell any human's story. I don't want to have this conversation about black film or white film anymore.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-melfi/we-re-all-humans-any-human-can-tell-any-human-s-story-i-don-t-want-to/) [Theodore Melfi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-melfi/) > [Life is laughter.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-melfi/life-is-laughter/) [Theodore Melfi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-melfi/) > [To me, there are saints every day. They stand up and help others and live for others and do things for others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-melfi/to-me-there-are-saints-every-day-they-stand-up-and-help-others-and/) [Theodore Melfi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-melfi/) > [I think math is exciting, you know.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-melfi/i-think-math-is-exciting-you-know/) [Theodore Melfi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-melfi/) > [By the time I got to 'St Vincent,' I had shot so many scenarios I was ready for anything - I've shot kangaroos, I've…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-melfi/by-the-time-i-got-to-st-vincent-i-had-shot-so-many-scenarios-i-was/) [Theodore Melfi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-melfi/) [Explore all 33 Theodore Melfi quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-melfi/) ## More Actors quotes > [Women still, when they have breast cancer, go to work; they still lead their lives. They have to. 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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": "I try not to write for actors because A, they're not the character, and B, it's really depressing when you don't get them.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Theodore Melfi" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-melfi/i-try-not-to-write-for-actors-because-a-they-re-not-the-character-and/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Actors" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-melfi/i-try-not-to-write-for-actors-because-a-they-re-not-the-character-and/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5ea/theodore-melfi-19341_because_i-try-not-to-write-for-actors-because-a_1221357.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5ea/theodore-melfi-19341_because_i-try-not-to-write-for-actors-because-a_1221357.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5ea/theodore-melfi-19341_because_i-try-not-to-write-for-actors-because-a_1221357.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I try not to write for actors because A, they're not the character, and B, it's really depressing when you…” — Theodore Melfi", "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": "Theodore Melfi", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-melfi/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I try not to write for...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-melfi/i-try-not-to-write-for-actors-because-a-they-re-not-the-character-and/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-melfi/i-try-not-to-write-for-actors-because-a-they-re-not-the-character-and/#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 } } ] } ```