--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: You try to make them comfortable so they…" description: "\"You try to make them comfortable so they can do what they're best at, and make them shine. You always want to make an actor shine. I'm of the mind that..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/796/todd-solondz-10108_actor_you-try-to-make-them-comfortable-so-they_2278605.png" --- # You try to make them comfortable so they can do what… ![“You try to make them comfortable so they can do what they're best at, and make them shine. You always want to make an actor shine. I'm of the mind that there's no one - you, your mother, anyone, that if in the right place at the right time in the right context, couldn't shine in a movie. And so if…” quote by Todd Solondz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/796/todd-solondz-10108_actor_you-try-to-make-them-comfortable-so-they_2278605.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/796/todd-solondz-10108_actor_you-try-to-make-them-comfortable-so-they_2278605.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/796/todd-solondz-10108_actor_you-try-to-make-them-comfortable-so-they_2278605.png) > “You try to make them comfortable so they can do what they're best at, and make them shine. You always want to make an actor shine. I'm of the mind that there's no one - you, your mother, anyone, that if in the right place at the right time in the right context, couldn't shine in a movie. And so if it means, "Oh, I have to make them uncomfortable," then whatever it takes to get what I need up onscreen. It's all in the service of the story.” [Todd Solondz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/todd-solondz/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Directors may discomfort actors to elicit authentic performances that serve the story’s needs. **In simple terms:** Discomfort can unlock authentic acting for the story. Key Takeaway Use discomfort strategically for narrative impact. Themes filmmaking acting directing storytelling Mood intense reflective Type advice philosophical When to use this quote - film production - casting - rehearsal - performance coaching Key Concepts method acting psychological safety creative tension Questions to Reflect On - When is discomfort justified? - How to balance comfort and authenticity? A Different Perspective Excessive discomfort can harm morale or health. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Actor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actor/) [Mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mind/) [Mother](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mother/) [Movie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/movie/) [Parenting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/parenting/) [Shining](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/shining/) [Theatre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/theatre/) [Uncomfortable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/uncomfortable/) [Whatever it takes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/whatever-it-takes/) ## Related quotes > [I don't have a formula. Every time an actor wants me to hold their hand, I hold their hand. If they say, "Stay," I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/todd-solondz/i-don-t-have-a-formula-every-time-an-actor-wants-me-to-hold-their/) [Todd Solondz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/todd-solondz/) > [I had no idea how to make it as an actor. But I knew I wanted to.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-walton/i-had-no-idea-how-to-make-it-as-an-actor-but-i-knew-i-wanted-to/) [David Walton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-walton/) > [I was into acting and wanted to make it as an actor but now I love direction. The hard work, sleepless nights and busy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuthirakani/i-was-into-acting-and-wanted-to-make-it-as-an-actor-but-now-i-love/) [Samuthirakani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuthirakani/) > [I knew I wanted to be an actor, and my mother said, 'Call Aaron Sorkin.' It seemed dubious that I'd make it as an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-malina/i-knew-i-wanted-to-be-an-actor-and-my-mother-said-call-aaron-sorkin/) [Joshua Malina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-malina/) > [The process of doing plays will make you an actor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-collins/the-process-of-doing-plays-will-make-you-an-actor/) [Stephen Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-collins/) > [Films make an actor immortal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/himani-shivpuri/films-make-an-actor-immortal/) [Himani Shivpuri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/himani-shivpuri/) > [I've always remembered something Sanford Meisner, my acting teacher, told us. When you create a character, it's like making a chair, except instead of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-duvall/i-ve-always-remembered-something-sanford-meisner-my-acting-teacher/) [Robert Duvall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-duvall/) > [My job has always been to not only make my character look like a badass but to also make the actor I am fighting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zoe-bell/my-job-has-always-been-to-not-only-make-my-character-look-like-a/) [Zoe Bell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zoe-bell/) > [Many directors try to direct things that are only going to make the actor uncomfortable. You tend to get more out of the actor…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neve-campbell/many-directors-try-to-direct-things-that-are-only-going-to-make-the/) [Neve Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neve-campbell/) > [When someone on screen portrays a character that behaves in a way you don't expect, you're subverting ideas. 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So, an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhishek-bachchan/every-film-for-every-actor-is-a-make-or-break-film-i-believe-every/) [Abhishek Bachchan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhishek-bachchan/) > [A director, I forget who, told me that it takes 30 years to make an actor. And I believe that. You have to learn…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cillian-murphy/a-director-i-forget-who-told-me-that-it-takes-30-years-to-make-an/) [Cillian Murphy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cillian-murphy/) > [I mean, its hard to be an actor in the city - trying to make it as an actor - because you waitress all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/piper-perabo/i-mean-its-hard-to-be-an-actor-in-the-city-trying-to-make-it-as-an/) [Piper Perabo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/piper-perabo/) ## More by Todd Solondz > [Some directors hardly talk to the actors at all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/todd-solondz/some-directors-hardly-talk-to-the-actors-at-all/) [Todd Solondz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/todd-solondz/) > [The funny thing is, strangers still seem to feel comfortable coming up to me and saying things, but now usually it's because they recognize…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/todd-solondz/the-funny-thing-is-strangers-still-seem-to-feel-comfortable-coming-up/) [Todd Solondz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/todd-solondz/) > [When part of what you're trying to get at is the truth hidden under a taboo, or when you want to nail a hypocrisy,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/todd-solondz/when-part-of-what-you-re-trying-to-get-at-is-the-truth-hidden-under-a/) [Todd Solondz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/todd-solondz/) > [For me, New Jersey is kind of a mythical place. It's emblematic of a certain aspect of American life. Florida is the same way.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/todd-solondz/for-me-new-jersey-is-kind-of-a-mythical-place-it-s-emblematic-of-a/) [Todd Solondz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/todd-solondz/) > [I always have to presume that each movie is my last movie because I never know if I'll get money again.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/todd-solondz/i-always-have-to-presume-that-each-movie-is-my-last-movie-because-i/) [Todd Solondz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/todd-solondz/) > [When I want to show the kind of meanness people are capable of, to make it believable I find I have to tone it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/todd-solondz/when-i-want-to-show-the-kind-of-meanness-people-are-capable-of-to/) [Todd Solondz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/todd-solondz/) > [I love working with actors. If you cast the right person in the right part at the right time, they make you look like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/todd-solondz/i-love-working-with-actors-if-you-cast-the-right-person-in-the-right/) [Todd Solondz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/todd-solondz/) > [I don't make movies with the idea that people are going to walk out of them feeling comfortable or better about themselves or more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/todd-solondz/i-don-t-make-movies-with-the-idea-that-people-are-going-to-walk-out/) [Todd Solondz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/todd-solondz/) > [Usually the audience has no idea that the censored version of whatever movie they're watching isn't the original.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/todd-solondz/usually-the-audience-has-no-idea-that-the-censored-version-of/) [Todd Solondz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/todd-solondz/) > [What's most insidious about MTV is that it commodifies precisely those things that young people believe are subversive. In other words, subversity itself has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/todd-solondz/what-s-most-insidious-about-mtv-is-that-it-commodifies-precisely/) [Todd Solondz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/todd-solondz/) > [When I'm asked who my audience is, I say someone with an open mind, which is not a vacant one and sometimes a liberal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/todd-solondz/when-i-m-asked-who-my-audience-is-i-say-someone-with-an-open-mind/) [Todd Solondz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/todd-solondz/) > [So much of what a pet is about for us is that it becomes a vessel for yearnings, dreams, illusions, hopes and so forth.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/todd-solondz/so-much-of-what-a-pet-is-about-for-us-is-that-it-becomes-a-vessel-for/) [Todd Solondz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/todd-solondz/) > [Like everything, what compels one to put pen to paper is a great question.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/todd-solondz/like-everything-what-compels-one-to-put-pen-to-paper-is-a-great/) [Todd Solondz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/todd-solondz/) > [It's one of the great gifts of having so little money that you are able to make these kinds of radical conceits that you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/todd-solondz/it-s-one-of-the-great-gifts-of-having-so-little-money-that-you-are/) [Todd Solondz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/todd-solondz/) > [The ability to take pleasure in one's life is a skill and is a kind of intelligence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/todd-solondz/the-ability-to-take-pleasure-in-one-s-life-is-a-skill-and-is-a-kind/) [Todd Solondz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/todd-solondz/) [Explore all 68 Todd Solondz quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/todd-solondz/) ## 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. 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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": "You try to make them comfortable so they can do what they're best at, and make them shine. You always want to make an actor shine. I'm of the mind that there's no one - you, your mother, anyone, that if in the right place at the right time in the right context, couldn't shine in a movie. And so if it means, \"Oh, I have to make them uncomfortable,\" then whatever it takes to get what I need up onscreen. 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