--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: What I find sometimes that is tricky is…" description: "\"What I find sometimes that is tricky is if actors are using too much of their own life in a picture, in a scene, they get locked into a particular way ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2ca/tom-cruise-3523_actors_what-i-find-sometimes-that-is-tricky-is_612702.jpg" --- # What I find sometimes that is tricky is if actors are… ![“What I find sometimes that is tricky is if actors are using too much of their own life in a picture, in a scene, they get locked into a particular way to play the scene, and it lacks an immediacy.” quote by Tom Cruise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2ca/tom-cruise-3523_actors_what-i-find-sometimes-that-is-tricky-is_612702.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2ca/tom-cruise-3523_actors_what-i-find-sometimes-that-is-tricky-is_612702.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2ca/tom-cruise-3523_actors_what-i-find-sometimes-that-is-tricky-is_612702.jpg) > “What I find sometimes that is tricky is if actors are using too much of their own life in a picture, in a scene, they get locked into a particular way to play the scene, and it lacks an immediacy.” [Tom Cruise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-cruise/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. When actors rely heavily on personal experience, they may become rigid, losing the fresh, immediate quality needed for a scene. **In simple terms:** Overusing personal life can make performance stiff. Key Takeaway Stay open to new choices. Themes acting creativity authenticity Mood reflective analytical Type performance acting When to use this quote - theatre rehearsals - film sets - improvisation workshops Key Concepts method acting immediacy character flexibility Questions to Reflect On - How can you balance personal truth with character truth? - What techniques keep performance fresh? A Different Perspective Personal bias can limit character depth. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Actors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actors/) [Actors Using](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actors-using-2806872/) [Immediacy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/immediacy/) [Locked](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/locked/) [Particular](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/particular/) [Play](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/play/) [Play Scene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/play-scene-1307290/) [Scene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/scene/) [Scene Lacks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/scene-lacks-4972338/) [Sometimes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sometimes/) [Theatre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/theatre/) [Too much](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/too-much/) [Tricky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tricky/) [Tricky Actors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tricky-actors-4972337/) [Way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/way/) ## Related quotes > [I don't feel particularly comfortable about actors using whatever power they may have to push their beliefs, unless they're extremely well informed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-fiennes/i-don-t-feel-particularly-comfortable-about-actors-using-whatever/) [Ralph Fiennes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-fiennes/) > [One incredible tool to accomplish bringing a product to the public is to put a face on TV shows, movies, and the actors in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristoffer-polaha/one-incredible-tool-to-accomplish-bringing-a-product-to-the-public-is/) [Kristoffer Polaha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristoffer-polaha/) > ['City Is Mine' was a real big video for me and a good opportunity to learn how to play out a scene.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-carr/city-is-mine-was-a-real-big-video-for-me-and-a-good-opportunity-to/) [Steve Carr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-carr/) > [I don't personally look to my own life experiences for answers about how to play a scene. For me, that's some kind of bastardization…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christian-bale/i-don-t-personally-look-to-my-own-life-experiences-for-answers-about-2/) [Christian Bale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christian-bale/) > [I don't personally look to my own life experiences for answers about how to play a scene.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christian-bale/i-don-t-personally-look-to-my-own-life-experiences-for-answers-about/) [Christian Bale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christian-bale/) > [There's a rule in acting called, 'Don't play the result.' If you have a character who's going to end up in a certain place,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-j-fox/there-s-a-rule-in-acting-called-don-t-play-the-result-if-you-have-a/) [Michael J. Fox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-j-fox/) > [My one big regret was that there were no scenes that I could play with Eva Marie Saint. I hounded them. I said figure…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-lange/my-one-big-regret-was-that-there-were-no-scenes-that-i-could-play/) [Jessica Lange](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-lange/) > [Shooting in New York can be a problem... I had to walk through a crowd, come in the front door, and play the scene.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-gere/shooting-in-new-york-can-be-a-problem-i-had-to-walk-through-a-crowd/) [Richard Gere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-gere/) > [If I can play a scene in a master shot, I always prefer it. And the actors always prefer it. 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Bill O'Reilly recounts the dramatic events of the spring of 1865 with such exhilarating immediacy that you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vince-flynn/killing-lincoln-is-a-must-read-historical-thriller-bill-o-reilly/) [Vince Flynn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vince-flynn/) > [Take any writer you want in the 19th century: they wrote with quill pens, dipping a piece of goose feather in ink and writing.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-murch/take-any-writer-you-want-in-the-19th-century-they-wrote-with-quill/) [Walter Murch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-murch/) > [When one has made a decision to kill a person, even if it will be very difficult to succeed by advancing straight ahead, it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yamamoto-tsunetomo/when-one-has-made-a-decision-to-kill-a-person-even-if-it-will-be-very/) [Yamamoto Tsunetomo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yamamoto-tsunetomo/) > [Films are artifice. We're telling stories on film. At the same time, when it works, there is a real tough immediacy and spontaneity to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-mcgann/films-are-artifice-we-re-telling-stories-on-film-at-the-same-time/) [Paul McGann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-mcgann/) ## More by Tom Cruise > [I'm not greedy. I just want my half.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-cruise/i-m-not-greedy-i-just-want-my-half/) [Tom Cruise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-cruise/) > [When I work, I work very hard. So I look to work with people who have that level of dedication. And I depend on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-cruise/when-i-work-i-work-very-hard-so-i-look-to-work-with-people-who-have/) [Tom Cruise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-cruise/) > [The important thing is to be relaxed in your work. Same in life. Don't make everything too intense. Then you can let everything go…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-cruise/the-important-thing-is-to-be-relaxed-in-your-work-same-in-life-don-t/) [Tom Cruise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-cruise/) > [We live in a world in which we are able to communicate very quickly in many different ways, and yet we find communicating more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-cruise/we-live-in-a-world-in-which-we-are-able-to-communicate-very-quickly/) [Tom Cruise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-cruise/) > [I look at the Samurai because they were the artists of their time. What I think struck me when I read Bushido is compassion.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-cruise/i-look-at-the-samurai-because-they-were-the-artists-of-their-time/) [Tom Cruise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-cruise/) > [I'm a romantic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-cruise/i-m-a-romantic/) [Tom Cruise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-cruise/) > [I structure the scripts and work on them on films and work on scenes with writers and but I haven't written a script myself,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-cruise/i-structure-the-scripts-and-work-on-them-on-films-and-work-on-scenes/) [Tom Cruise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-cruise/) > [Talk is over-rated as a means of settling disputes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-cruise/talk-is-over-rated-as-a-means-of-settling-disputes/) [Tom Cruise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-cruise/) > [Yes, of course. Are you really so arrogant as to believe we are alone in this universe? Millions of stars, and we're supposed to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-cruise/yes-of-course-are-you-really-so-arrogant-as-to-believe-we-are-alone/) [Tom Cruise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-cruise/) > [My childhood was extremely lonely. I was dyslexic and lots of kids make fun of me. That experience made me tough inside, because you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-cruise/my-childhood-was-extremely-lonely-i-was-dyslexic-and-lots-of-kids/) [Tom Cruise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-cruise/) > [The thing about film-making is I give it everything, that's why I work so hard. I always tell young actors to take charge. It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-cruise/the-thing-about-film-making-is-i-give-it-everything-that-s-why-i-work/) [Tom Cruise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-cruise/) > [Do I make mistakes? Yeah.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-cruise/do-i-make-mistakes-yeah/) [Tom Cruise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-cruise/) > [It seems to me that if there were any logic to our language, trust would be a four letter word.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-cruise/it-seems-to-me-that-if-there-were-any-logic-to-our-language-trust/) [Tom Cruise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-cruise/) > [I have cooked turkeys in my day but when Mom's around I let her do it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-cruise/i-have-cooked-turkeys-in-my-day-but-when-mom-s-around-i-let-her-do-it/) [Tom Cruise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-cruise/) > [I've been...chased by paparazzi, and they run lights, and they chase you and harass you the whole time. It happens all over the world,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-cruise/i-ve-been-chased-by-paparazzi-and-they-run-lights-and-they-chase-you/) [Tom Cruise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-cruise/) [Explore all 128 Tom Cruise quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-cruise/) ## More Actors quotes > [Women still, when they have breast cancer, go to work; they still lead their lives. They have to. I just did what I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/monica-potter/women-still-when-they-have-breast-cancer-go-to-work-they-still-lead/) [Monica Potter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/monica-potter/) > [I'm trying to write a film with my friend. I'd love to get the thrill of speaking actors making my work even funnier.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-howard/i-m-trying-to-write-a-film-with-my-friend-i-d-love-to-get-the-thrill/) [Russell Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-howard/) > [A lesser complaint: hair extensions. There are moments on 'All My Children' when half the women actors, young and old, seem to be afflicted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/camille-paglia/a-lesser-complaint-hair-extensions-there-are-moments-on-all-my/) [Camille Paglia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/camille-paglia/) > [I'm very used to working with first time actors - you can just look back at 'E.T.' with Drew Barrymore, and Christian Bale from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-spielberg/i-m-very-used-to-working-with-first-time-actors-you-can-just-look/) [Steven Spielberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-spielberg/) > [Forget the credit, they (male actors) take all the money as well. We don't get paid even one-third of what male actors get. It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kangana-ranaut/forget-the-credit-they-male-actors-take-all-the-money-as-well-we-don/) [Kangana Ranaut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kangana-ranaut/) > [I love film people and actors and I am in the right world because I am one of those people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ewan-mcgregor/i-love-film-people-and-actors-and-i-am-in-the-right-world-because-i/) [Ewan McGregor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ewan-mcgregor/) > [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/) > [What we're supposed to do as actors is be able to portray real human beings and emotions. And if you grow up in this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-browning/what-we-re-supposed-to-do-as-actors-is-be-able-to-portray-real-human/) [Emily Browning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-browning/) > [When we watch a film as actors, you have to understand that we always see much more than what's on screen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kunal-khemu/when-we-watch-a-film-as-actors-you-have-to-understand-that-we-always/) [Kunal Khemu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kunal-khemu/) > [As actors, you become an expert at starting over.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lupita-nyong-o/as-actors-you-become-an-expert-at-starting-over/) [Lupita Nyong'o](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lupita-nyong-o/) > [The whole concept of stage fright is fascinating. Actors get stage fright, but they wouldn't be on the stage in the first place if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-greene/the-whole-concept-of-stage-fright-is-fascinating-actors-get-stage/) [Robert Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-greene/) > [No actor wants to choose - they just want all of the options available to them all the time; we tend to be pretty…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gillian-jacobs/no-actor-wants-to-choose-they-just-want-all-of-the-options-available/) [Gillian Jacobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gillian-jacobs/) > [A rapper is about being completely true to yourself. Being an actor is about changing who you are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-smith/a-rapper-is-about-being-completely-true-to-yourself-being-an-actor-is/) [Will Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-smith/) > [I've been a professional actor for almost 40 years.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-perlman/i-ve-been-a-professional-actor-for-almost-40-years/) [Ron Perlman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-perlman/) > [American actors are coy. 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": "What I find sometimes that is tricky is if actors are using too much of their own life in a picture, in a scene, they get locked into a particular way to play the scene, and it lacks an immediacy.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Tom Cruise" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-cruise/what-i-find-sometimes-that-is-tricky-is-if-actors-are-using-too-much/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Actors" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-cruise/what-i-find-sometimes-that-is-tricky-is-if-actors-are-using-too-much/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2ca/tom-cruise-3523_actors_what-i-find-sometimes-that-is-tricky-is_612702.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2ca/tom-cruise-3523_actors_what-i-find-sometimes-that-is-tricky-is_612702.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2ca/tom-cruise-3523_actors_what-i-find-sometimes-that-is-tricky-is_612702.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“What I find sometimes that is tricky is if actors are using too much of their own life in a picture, in a…” — Tom Cruise", "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": "Tom Cruise", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-cruise/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "What I find sometimes that is...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-cruise/what-i-find-sometimes-that-is-tricky-is-if-actors-are-using-too-much/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-cruise/what-i-find-sometimes-that-is-tricky-is-if-actors-are-using-too-much/#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 } } ] } ```