--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: As an actor, the only thing you have is…" description: "\"As an actor, the only thing you have is your instinct and your imagination.\" — Toby Stephens" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/972/toby-stephens-15685_actor_as-an-actor-the-only-thing-you-have-is-y_3031909.jpg" --- # As an actor, the only thing you have is your instinct and… ![“As an actor, the only thing you have is your instinct and your imagination.” quote by Toby Stephens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/972/toby-stephens-15685_actor_as-an-actor-the-only-thing-you-have-is-y_3031909.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/972/toby-stephens-15685_actor_as-an-actor-the-only-thing-you-have-is-y_3031909.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/972/toby-stephens-15685_actor_as-an-actor-the-only-thing-you-have-is-y_3031909.jpg) > “As an actor, the only thing you have is your instinct and your imagination.” [Toby Stephens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toby-stephens/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. An actor relies on intuition and creativity to bring roles to life. **In simple terms:** Actors need instinct and imagination. Key Takeaway Cultivate your inner voice. Themes creativity intuition performance Mood inspired determined Type advice motivational When to use this quote - audition prep - character development - rehearsal - live performance Key Concepts method acting improvisation Questions to Reflect On - How do you balance instinct with training? - When does imagination hinder realism? A Different Perspective Instinct can be unreliable without technique. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Actor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actor/) [Actor Thing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actor-thing-273247/) [Imagination](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/imagination/) [Instinct](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/instinct/) [Instinct Imagination](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/instinct-imagination-4957094/) [Only](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/only/) [Theatre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/theatre/) [Thing Instinct](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thing-instinct-2307154/) [Your](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/your/) ## Related quotes > [For all the talk you hear about knowledge being such a wonderful thing, instinct is worth forty of it for real unerringness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/for-all-the-talk-you-hear-about-knowledge-being-such-a-wonderful/) [Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/) > [I did the whole struggling actor thing and lucked into being in the right place at the right time and getting involved in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/drew-seeley/i-did-the-whole-struggling-actor-thing-and-lucked-into-being-in-the/) [Drew Seeley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/drew-seeley/) > [When you're the guy behind the camera, you're aware of the reasons for the compromises or the changes that get made. As an actor,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/casey-affleck/when-you-re-the-guy-behind-the-camera-you-re-aware-of-the-reasons-for/) [Casey Affleck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/casey-affleck/) > [I know that I'm a decent actor, but it's another thing to be in a scene with Jon Hamm and hold your own.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-pare/i-know-that-i-m-a-decent-actor-but-it-s-another-thing-to-be-in-a/) [Jessica Pare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-pare/) > [I'm an actor, and the thing about an actor is that if you're fortunate enough and you have the ability, is you can access…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-majors/i-m-an-actor-and-the-thing-about-an-actor-is-that-if-you-re-fortunate/) [Jonathan Majors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-majors/) > [It was like a dream to me to suddenly get into the market with that kind of movie, like La Haine. It actually created…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vincent-cassel/it-was-like-a-dream-to-me-to-suddenly-get-into-the-market-with-that/) [Vincent Cassel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vincent-cassel/) > [It's easier to see in someone else, another actor, how they kind of disappear and then this other persona appears. A great actor is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annette-bening/it-s-easier-to-see-in-someone-else-another-actor-how-they-kind-of/) [Annette Bening](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annette-bening/) > [What's with the whole 'child actor' and 'teen actor' thing? You're either an actor or actress, or you're not. I don't get it! I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-dennison/what-s-with-the-whole-child-actor-and-teen-actor-thing-you-re-either/) [Julian Dennison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-dennison/) > [What you always try to do, as an actor, is find the thing that's universal in the person.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/finn-wittrock/what-you-always-try-to-do-as-an-actor-is-find-the-thing-that-s/) [Finn Wittrock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/finn-wittrock/) > [I know it might seem a little superficial, but every actor has their thing. Some people focus on the walk, but for me, it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natalie-zea/i-know-it-might-seem-a-little-superficial-but-every-actor-has-their/) [Natalie Zea](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natalie-zea/) > [Sometimes I'm doing a big movie, or sometimes I'm doing a TV show, but as an actor, it's almost the same thing for me.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hiroyuki-sanada/sometimes-i-m-doing-a-big-movie-or-sometimes-i-m-doing-a-tv-show-but/) [Hiroyuki Sanada](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hiroyuki-sanada/) > [If you put me in a box, I'm a character actor. The thing that keeps popping up for me - it sounds really cliche…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gayle-rankin/if-you-put-me-in-a-box-i-m-a-character-actor-the-thing-that-keeps/) [Gayle Rankin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gayle-rankin/) > [It's one thing to have forced time off as an actor, and another thing when you actually say, 'I don't want to read anything,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-dern/it-s-one-thing-to-have-forced-time-off-as-an-actor-and-another-thing/) [Laura Dern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-dern/) > [As an actor, the first thing you learn in drama school is you never judge.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-clarke/as-an-actor-the-first-thing-you-learn-in-drama-school-is-you-never/) [Jason Clarke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-clarke/) > [If the director's a communist, whatever, he's a communist. All I care is that he directs. For the actor, the same thing. All you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clint-eastwood/if-the-director-s-a-communist-whatever-he-s-a-communist-all-i-care-is/) [Clint Eastwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clint-eastwood/) ## More by Toby Stephens > [That's the privilege of being a grandparent - they can indulge the children while parents have to be the bad guy. Grandparents can also…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toby-stephens/that-s-the-privilege-of-being-a-grandparent-they-can-indulge-the/) [Toby Stephens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toby-stephens/) > [I remember going to the cinema to watch 'Blade Runner' when I was 14 or 15. It was a huge flop when it came…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toby-stephens/i-remember-going-to-the-cinema-to-watch-blade-runner-when-i-was-14-or/) [Toby Stephens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toby-stephens/) > [They sent me the script, and I was dubious at first. I said, 'Lost in Space? They're reviving that? They tried to do that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toby-stephens/they-sent-me-the-script-and-i-was-dubious-at-first-i-said-lost-in/) [Toby Stephens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toby-stephens/) > [I would love to be in a Jimmy McGovern drama on TV, but there is no way he would ever ask me unless it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toby-stephens/i-would-love-to-be-in-a-jimmy-mcgovern-drama-on-tv-but-there-is-no/) [Toby Stephens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toby-stephens/) > [I love Scotland, mainly for its landscape. I like walking, and it's a great place to go hiking.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toby-stephens/i-love-scotland-mainly-for-its-landscape-i-like-walking-and-it-s-a/) [Toby Stephens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toby-stephens/) > [I'm fair-skinned, so beaches are a bit boring for me. I'm either smeared in lotion or under a shade. However, I do love the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toby-stephens/i-m-fair-skinned-so-beaches-are-a-bit-boring-for-me-i-m-either/) [Toby Stephens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toby-stephens/) > [Whenever I'm doing stage, I want to be doing screen, and vice versa.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toby-stephens/whenever-i-m-doing-stage-i-want-to-be-doing-screen-and-vice-versa/) [Toby Stephens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toby-stephens/) > [If you're going to reboot something, reboot it in a totally original way that speaks to a new generation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toby-stephens/if-you-re-going-to-reboot-something-reboot-it-in-a-totally-original/) [Toby Stephens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toby-stephens/) > [I blub all the time, in the most weird situations - not in the ones that should make me cry. Music makes me very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toby-stephens/i-blub-all-the-time-in-the-most-weird-situations-not-in-the-ones-that/) [Toby Stephens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toby-stephens/) > [I was doing a lot of great theatre, but I just couldn't work out how to make ends meet.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toby-stephens/i-was-doing-a-lot-of-great-theatre-but-i-just-couldn-t-work-out-how/) [Toby Stephens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toby-stephens/) > [My parents' parents were regular working-class people. I ended up speaking in a certain way, and one gets sidelined into doing certain parts. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toby-stephens/my-parents-parents-were-regular-working-class-people-i-ended-up/) [Toby Stephens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toby-stephens/) > [When I met with Anna Chancellor, I knew she was a kindred spirit. We got one another.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toby-stephens/when-i-met-with-anna-chancellor-i-knew-she-was-a-kindred-spirit-we/) [Toby Stephens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toby-stephens/) > [You can't learn how to act; you can only really learn it through experience and practice and really finding what your voice is and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toby-stephens/you-can-t-learn-how-to-act-you-can-only-really-learn-it-through/) [Toby Stephens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toby-stephens/) > [Quite honestly, as long as I am working, can enjoy what I do, get on with it, and put bread on the table, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toby-stephens/quite-honestly-as-long-as-i-am-working-can-enjoy-what-i-do-get-on/) [Toby Stephens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toby-stephens/) > [I remember my parents being really on me about speaking in a certain way when I was young, I think because they came from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toby-stephens/i-remember-my-parents-being-really-on-me-about-speaking-in-a-certain/) [Toby Stephens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toby-stephens/) [Explore all 42 Toby Stephens quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toby-stephens/) ## More Actor 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/) > [When you step out and do a song in a musical, the easier thing to do is make it funny. But when those transitions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelli-o-hara/when-you-step-out-and-do-a-song-in-a-musical-the-easier-thing-to-do/) [Kelli O'Hara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelli-o-hara/) > [I once told someone I could act. They totally bought it. I've been getting away with it ever since.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/akshay-kumar/i-once-told-someone-i-could-act-they-totally-bought-it-i-ve-been/) [Akshay Kumar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/akshay-kumar/) > [There has got to be a way for me to have a role on TV or in film that is just as normal as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adeel-akhtar/there-has-got-to-be-a-way-for-me-to-have-a-role-on-tv-or-in-film-that/) [Adeel Akhtar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adeel-akhtar/) > [I love casting against type and doing things you wouldn't expect, because I think you get more interesting performances that way. Hollywood loves to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-s-goyer/i-love-casting-against-type-and-doing-things-you-wouldn-t-expect/) [David S. Goyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-s-goyer/) > [I'm an actor, so I'm never going to feel like I've done enough.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/italia-ricci/i-m-an-actor-so-i-m-never-going-to-feel-like-i-ve-done-enough/) [Italia Ricci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/italia-ricci/) > [I am tired of our characters being so incomplete. When do we ever save the day in a film? When does a Latino actor…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/esai-morales/i-am-tired-of-our-characters-being-so-incomplete-when-do-we-ever-save/) [Esai Morales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/esai-morales/) > [When I was 13, I auditioned for the theater school, and I was there for four years. In the meantime, I did my first…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ana-de-armas/when-i-was-13-i-auditioned-for-the-theater-school-and-i-was-there-for/) [Ana de Armas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ana-de-armas/) > [If you stood me in a costume next to a computer graphic of the same-looking character, I think there would be a difference. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warwick-davis/if-you-stood-me-in-a-costume-next-to-a-computer-graphic-of-the-same/) [Warwick Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warwick-davis/) > [failure in the theater is more public, more brilliant, more unreal than in any other field.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lillian-hellman/failure-in-the-theater-is-more-public-more-brilliant-more-unreal-than/) [Lillian Hellman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lillian-hellman/) > [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/) > [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/) > [I never planned to do female roles. It just happened. I was typecast.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/divine/i-never-planned-to-do-female-roles-it-just-happened-i-was-typecast/) [Divine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/divine/) > [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/) [Browse all 21,590 Actor quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actor/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "As an actor, the only thing you have is your instinct and your imagination.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Toby Stephens" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toby-stephens/as-an-actor-the-only-thing-you-have-is-your-instinct-and-your/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Actor" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toby-stephens/as-an-actor-the-only-thing-you-have-is-your-instinct-and-your/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/972/toby-stephens-15685_actor_as-an-actor-the-only-thing-you-have-is-y_3031909.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/972/toby-stephens-15685_actor_as-an-actor-the-only-thing-you-have-is-y_3031909.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/972/toby-stephens-15685_actor_as-an-actor-the-only-thing-you-have-is-y_3031909.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“As an actor, the only thing you have is your instinct and your imagination.” — Toby Stephens", "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": "Toby Stephens", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toby-stephens/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "As an actor, the only thing...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toby-stephens/as-an-actor-the-only-thing-you-have-is-your-instinct-and-your/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toby-stephens/as-an-actor-the-only-thing-you-have-is-your-instinct-and-your/#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 } } ] } ```