--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The thing about being an actor is that as…" description: "\"The thing about being an actor is that as we get older, there are more and more characters to explore and, in general, they get more complicated, so yo..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/59c/victoria-clark-42836_actor_the-thing-about-being-an-actor-is-that-a_2687339.jpg" --- # The thing about being an actor is that as we get older… ![“The thing about being an actor is that as we get older, there are more and more characters to explore and, in general, they get more complicated, so you get to bring all your crazy life experience to the table.” quote by Victoria Clark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/59c/victoria-clark-42836_actor_the-thing-about-being-an-actor-is-that-a_2687339.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/59c/victoria-clark-42836_actor_the-thing-about-being-an-actor-is-that-a_2687339.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/59c/victoria-clark-42836_actor_the-thing-about-being-an-actor-is-that-a_2687339.jpg) > “The thing about being an actor is that as we get older, there are more and more characters to explore and, in general, they get more complicated, so you get to bring all your crazy life experience to the table.” [Victoria Clark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victoria-clark/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Highlights that aging actors gain richer life experiences, allowing them to portray increasingly complex characters. **In simple terms:** Aging enriches an actor's depth. Key Takeaway Leverage personal history in performance. Themes career acting growth experience artistic development Mood reflective optimistic Type artistic inspirational When to use this quote - audition preparation - role research - career mentorship - personal storytelling Key Concepts Character complexity life experience creative expression Questions to Reflect On - How does experience shape character interpretation? - Can new actors learn from seasoned performers? A Different Perspective Complex roles may limit opportunities for younger actors. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Actor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actor/) [Actor Older](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actor-older-611958/) [Actors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actors/) [Character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character/) [Complicated](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/complicated/) [Crazy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/crazy/) [Crazy life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/crazy-life/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Life experience](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life-experience/) [Older Characters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/older-characters-870589/) [Tables](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tables/) [Theatre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/theatre/) [Your crazy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/your-crazy/) ## Related quotes > [You can tell a book is real when your heart beats faster. Real books make you sweat. Cry, if no one is looking. Real…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-halse-anderson/you-can-tell-a-book-is-real-when-your-heart-beats-faster-real-books/) [Laurie Halse Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-halse-anderson/) > [You should be able to tell your child, "This is an actor. And she's older than Mommy!"](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rosie-o-donnell/you-should-be-able-to-tell-your-child-this-is-an-actor-and-she-s/) [Rosie O'Donnell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rosie-o-donnell/) > [When I was younger, it was so much easier. All I needed to do was just get a job. It was like, 'Oh, my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sebastian-stan/when-i-was-younger-it-was-so-much-easier-all-i-needed-to-do-was-just/) [Sebastian Stan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sebastian-stan/) > [I'm becoming more indulgent and less giving as an actor as I get older. I'm immersing myself more in roles emotionally.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rhys-ifans/i-m-becoming-more-indulgent-and-less-giving-as-an-actor-as-i-get/) [Rhys Ifans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rhys-ifans/) > [Direction is closest to my heart. I may run out of work as an actor as I get older, but I can work as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rakshit-shetty/direction-is-closest-to-my-heart-i-may-run-out-of-work-as-an-actor-as/) [Rakshit Shetty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rakshit-shetty/) > [I don't know if it's that the scripts are evolving or just that I'm getting older, but the characters become more interesting as you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-barr/i-don-t-know-if-it-s-that-the-scripts-are-evolving-or-just-that-i-m/) [Matt Barr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-barr/) > [To purposely concoct older characters of a sunny disposition would be as much of a solecism as deliberately fabricating arrhythmic blacks, spendthrift Jews, slacker…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-self/to-purposely-concoct-older-characters-of-a-sunny-disposition-would-be/) [Will Self](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-self/) > [I turn 30 next month, and in my 20s, I've been in this limbo of being too old to play the young lead, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christian-cooke/i-turn-30-next-month-and-in-my-20s-i-ve-been-in-this-limbo-of-being/) [Christian Cooke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christian-cooke/) > [In New York, I much prefer playing older because as characters get older, they get more interesting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danny-pintauro/in-new-york-i-much-prefer-playing-older-because-as-characters-get/) [Danny Pintauro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danny-pintauro/) > [I guess I'm attracted and repelled by isolation. It scares me. And it's why I tend to write about older characters, too, because for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/conor-mcpherson/i-guess-i-m-attracted-and-repelled-by-isolation-it-scares-me-and-it-s/) [Conor McPherson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/conor-mcpherson/) > [I don't mind playing older characters. I find it interesting. There are parts I couldn't have got when I was 30 years old. So,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harrison-ford/i-don-t-mind-playing-older-characters-i-find-it-interesting-there-are/) [Harrison Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harrison-ford/) > [I guess Im attracted and repelled by isolation. It scares me. And its why I tend to write about older characters, too, because for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/conor-mcpherson/i-guess-im-attracted-and-repelled-by-isolation-it-scares-me-and-its/) [Conor McPherson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/conor-mcpherson/) > [I think hopefully as you're getting older you're getting parts that require more preparation, and by that I just mean - I don't know,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miles-teller/i-think-hopefully-as-you-re-getting-older-you-re-getting-parts-that/) [Miles Teller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miles-teller/) > [In my stories, I think, as I've gotten older, the characters have become stronger and more independent, and more capable of making unconventional decisions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-giffin/in-my-stories-i-think-as-i-ve-gotten-older-the-characters-have-become/) [Emily Giffin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-giffin/) > [What America is, to me, is a guy doesn't want to buy, you let him not buy, you respect his not buying. A guy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-saunders/what-america-is-to-me-is-a-guy-doesn-t-want-to-buy-you-let-him-not/) [George Saunders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-saunders/) ## More by Victoria Clark > [In addition to being the most beautiful score I have ever sung, 'Piazza' gave me the opportunity to honor the matriarchs of my Southern…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victoria-clark/in-addition-to-being-the-most-beautiful-score-i-have-ever-sung-piazza/) [Victoria Clark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victoria-clark/) > [Here's the deal with Matty Morrison: He is the most unassuming, nicest, most humble guy, who also happens to be extremely talented.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victoria-clark/here-s-the-deal-with-matty-morrison-he-is-the-most-unassuming-nicest/) [Victoria Clark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victoria-clark/) > [My deceased grandmother on my mom's side was a real fairy godmother, who lived to be 102 and who I always feel is looking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victoria-clark/my-deceased-grandmother-on-my-mom-s-side-was-a-real-fairy-godmother/) [Victoria Clark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victoria-clark/) > [I have been blessed with roles that allow me to express something very personal at a specific time in my life. I seek them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victoria-clark/i-have-been-blessed-with-roles-that-allow-me-to-express-something/) [Victoria Clark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victoria-clark/) > [Matthew Broderick and Megan Mullally were unbelievable to work with in 'How to Succeed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victoria-clark/matthew-broderick-and-megan-mullally-were-unbelievable-to-work-with/) [Victoria Clark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victoria-clark/) > [I'm a lyric soprano. I can try to step outside that and do different kind of singing, but it's not something I can sustain…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victoria-clark/i-m-a-lyric-soprano-i-can-try-to-step-outside-that-and-do-different/) [Victoria Clark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victoria-clark/) > [Whatever life lesson I'm going through at any point in my life, projects just somehow magically appear that help me work through it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victoria-clark/whatever-life-lesson-i-m-going-through-at-any-point-in-my-life/) [Victoria Clark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victoria-clark/) > [One of our top objectives is to find and destroy the WMD. There are a number of sites.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victoria-clark/one-of-our-top-objectives-is-to-find-and-destroy-the-wmd-there-are-a/) [Victoria Clark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victoria-clark/) > [ As soon as I leave the world \[of the show\], I want to turn around and come back. That's how real it is. As… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victoria-clark/as-soon-as-i-leave-the-world-of-the-show-i-want-to-turn-around-and/) [Victoria Clark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victoria-clark/) [Explore all 10 Victoria Clark quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victoria-clark/) ## 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": "The thing about being an actor is that as we get older, there are more and more characters to explore and, in general, they get more complicated, so you get to bring all your crazy life experience to the table.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Victoria Clark" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victoria-clark/the-thing-about-being-an-actor-is-that-as-we-get-older-there-are-more/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Actor" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victoria-clark/the-thing-about-being-an-actor-is-that-as-we-get-older-there-are-more/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/59c/victoria-clark-42836_actor_the-thing-about-being-an-actor-is-that-a_2687339.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/59c/victoria-clark-42836_actor_the-thing-about-being-an-actor-is-that-a_2687339.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/59c/victoria-clark-42836_actor_the-thing-about-being-an-actor-is-that-a_2687339.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The thing about being an actor is that as we get older, there are more and more characters to explore and…” — Victoria Clark", "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": "Victoria Clark", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victoria-clark/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The thing about being an actor...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victoria-clark/the-thing-about-being-an-actor-is-that-as-we-get-older-there-are-more/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victoria-clark/the-thing-about-being-an-actor-is-that-as-we-get-older-there-are-more/#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 } } ] } ```