--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I prefer the smaller acting than big…" description: "\"I prefer the smaller acting than big histrionics. It's about reacting and looks, which is often underestimated.\" — Viggo Mortensen" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/baa/viggo-mortensen-1554_acting_i-prefer-the-smaller-acting-than-big-his_2811786.jpg" --- # I prefer the smaller acting than big histrionics. It's… ![“I prefer the smaller acting than big histrionics. It's about reacting and looks, which is often underestimated.” quote by Viggo Mortensen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/baa/viggo-mortensen-1554_acting_i-prefer-the-smaller-acting-than-big-his_2811786.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/baa/viggo-mortensen-1554_acting_i-prefer-the-smaller-acting-than-big-his_2811786.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/baa/viggo-mortensen-1554_acting_i-prefer-the-smaller-acting-than-big-his_2811786.jpg) > “I prefer the smaller acting than big histrionics. It's about reacting and looks, which is often underestimated.” [Viggo Mortensen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/viggo-mortensen/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Smaller, subtle acting is preferred over big theatrics; often undervalued. **In simple terms:** Subtle performance matters. Key Takeaway Notice nuance. Themes acting style subtlety performance appreciation Mood analytical appreciative Type critical artistic When to use this quote - theatre - film acting - casting decisions Key Concepts Film theory acting methodology Questions to Reflect On - How do you value subtlety? - When does big acting serve a story? A Different Perspective Subtlety may be overlooked by audiences. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Acting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/acting/) ## Related quotes > [I tend to prefer the smaller movies because they shoot more efficiently and so you're are able to maintain that momentum of the character…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesse-eisenberg/i-tend-to-prefer-the-smaller-movies-because-they-shoot-more/) [Jesse Eisenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesse-eisenberg/) > [I prefer smaller movies because they tend to be more about character than about story.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-weisz/i-prefer-smaller-movies-because-they-tend-to-be-more-about-character/) [Rachel Weisz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-weisz/) > [As a kid, acting was my big escape. 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The philosopher Schopenhauer talked about how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/viggo-mortensen/we-all-experience-many-freakish-and-unexpected-events-you-have-to-be/) [Viggo Mortensen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/viggo-mortensen/) > [Most actors can't make any kind of living.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/viggo-mortensen/most-actors-can-t-make-any-kind-of-living/) [Viggo Mortensen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/viggo-mortensen/) > [As far as money goes, there's a saying in Denmark: 'Your last suit doesn't have any pockets.' You can't take it with you. You…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/viggo-mortensen/as-far-as-money-goes-there-s-a-saying-in-denmark-your-last-suit-doesn/) [Viggo Mortensen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/viggo-mortensen/) > [Most movies are lucky to have one moment, one shot that you look at and you always remember that moment and that scene.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/viggo-mortensen/most-movies-are-lucky-to-have-one-moment-one-shot-that-you-look-at/) [Viggo Mortensen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/viggo-mortensen/) > [I like stories that leave you wanting more, leave you wondering, but don't tell you everything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/viggo-mortensen/i-like-stories-that-leave-you-wanting-more-leave-you-wondering-but/) [Viggo Mortensen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/viggo-mortensen/) > [Usually the characters I play are men of few words, who communicate in non-verbal ways.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/viggo-mortensen/usually-the-characters-i-play-are-men-of-few-words-who-communicate-in/) [Viggo Mortensen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/viggo-mortensen/) > [You do need to get lucky, no matter how talented you are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/viggo-mortensen/you-do-need-to-get-lucky-no-matter-how-talented-you-are/) [Viggo Mortensen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/viggo-mortensen/) > [When I was a little boy, I rode, but I didn't own horses.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/viggo-mortensen/when-i-was-a-little-boy-i-rode-but-i-didn-t-own-horses/) [Viggo Mortensen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/viggo-mortensen/) > [I realise how important it is to use the time I have. I respect people who want to do that by watching television. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/viggo-mortensen/i-realise-how-important-it-is-to-use-the-time-i-have-i-respect-people/) [Viggo Mortensen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/viggo-mortensen/) > [When I land in a country and they ask for 'occupation,' I always just put 'artist.' I think that covers all of it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/viggo-mortensen/when-i-land-in-a-country-and-they-ask-for-occupation-i-always-just/) [Viggo Mortensen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/viggo-mortensen/) > [I was born in New York but as a baby moved to Venezuela and Argentina. I've also lived in Denmark, where my father's from.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/viggo-mortensen/i-was-born-in-new-york-but-as-a-baby-moved-to-venezuela-and-argentina/) [Viggo Mortensen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/viggo-mortensen/) > [People are becoming more intimately acquainted with people who are different than them - it's not so unusual anymore.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/viggo-mortensen/people-are-becoming-more-intimately-acquainted-with-people-who-are/) [Viggo Mortensen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/viggo-mortensen/) > [There might be people out there who wouldn't hire me because they thought I should keep my mouth shut, but I'm not aware of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/viggo-mortensen/there-might-be-people-out-there-who-wouldn-t-hire-me-because-they/) [Viggo Mortensen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/viggo-mortensen/) > [Bernie Sanders has inspired millions of people in this country.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/viggo-mortensen/bernie-sanders-has-inspired-millions-of-people-in-this-country/) [Viggo Mortensen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/viggo-mortensen/) [Explore all 228 Viggo Mortensen quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/viggo-mortensen/) ## More Acting 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/) > [Many Republicans have always reminded me of professional WWF wrestlers. They come into the ring all pumped up and acting like they're invincible and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-feig/many-republicans-have-always-reminded-me-of-professional-wwf/) [Paul Feig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-feig/) > [I'm a big fan of all the Boston guys that are acting - Matt Damon , Ben Affleck, Mark Wahlberg - they made a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenny-wormald/i-m-a-big-fan-of-all-the-boston-guys-that-are-acting-matt-damon-ben/) [Kenny Wormald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenny-wormald/) > [Acting is a grind, just like music is a grind. Sometimes it takes longer than what you can give.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/big-sean/acting-is-a-grind-just-like-music-is-a-grind-sometimes-it-takes/) [Big Sean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/big-sean/) > [It was only when I started making short films in college and I was looking for girls to play the me-ish parts that I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lena-dunham/it-was-only-when-i-started-making-short-films-in-college-and-i-was/) [Lena Dunham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lena-dunham/) > [Writing is something I took up rather than anything I had an inclination toward. I like acting -delivering someone else's message - but writing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-martin/writing-is-something-i-took-up-rather-than-anything-i-had-an/) [Steve Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-martin/) > [I can still function when I don't have that balance I crave. I had a tendency to be precious about acting, thinking of it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-regan/i-can-still-function-when-i-don-t-have-that-balance-i-crave-i-had-a/) [Laura Regan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-regan/) > [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/) > [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/) > [It definitely helps to have the acting experience going into singing, because when you're singing, you have to portray the emotion you were feeling…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-newman/it-definitely-helps-to-have-the-acting-experience-going-into-singing/) Ryan Newman > [The show was number one in the ratings, Gordon Russell was our head writer, the story lines were magnificent and the acting most exciting.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-storm/the-show-was-number-one-in-the-ratings-gordon-russell-was-our-head/) [Michael Storm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-storm/) > [I've done so many other projects where you're in a room with a reader and you're acting your lines out: 'We have to get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-cummings/i-ve-done-so-many-other-projects-where-you-re-in-a-room-with-a-reader/) [Jim Cummings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-cummings/) > [I do not believe in public shaming. I do believe that young adults go to college to learn things, and that this process will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-weingarten/i-do-not-believe-in-public-shaming-i-do-believe-that-young-adults-go/) [Gene Weingarten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-weingarten/) > [Poetry has, in a way, been my bridge to my acting career.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/omari-hardwick/poetry-has-in-a-way-been-my-bridge-to-my-acting-career/) [Omari Hardwick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/omari-hardwick/) [Browse all 12,062 Acting quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/acting/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I prefer the smaller acting than big histrionics. 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