--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I try to research or make up for myself…" description: "\"I try to research or make up for myself what happened in any character's life. From when he was born until the first page of the script. I fill in the ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/62d/viggo-mortensen-1554_any_i-try-to-research-or-make-up-for-myself_633236.jpg" --- # I try to research or make up for myself what happened in… ![“I try to research or make up for myself what happened in any character's life. From when he was born until the first page of the script. I fill in the blanks.” quote by Viggo Mortensen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/62d/viggo-mortensen-1554_any_i-try-to-research-or-make-up-for-myself_633236.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/62d/viggo-mortensen-1554_any_i-try-to-research-or-make-up-for-myself_633236.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/62d/viggo-mortensen-1554_any_i-try-to-research-or-make-up-for-myself_633236.jpg) > “I try to research or make up for myself what happened in any character's life. From when he was born until the first page of the script. I fill in the blanks.” [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. The speaker immerses themselves in a character's entire life story to enrich their portrayal. **In simple terms:** Deep research fuels authentic performance. Key Takeaway Study characters thoroughly for richer storytelling. Themes creativity empathy craft character development Mood analytical introspective Type artistic practical When to use this quote - theatre - film - writing - role preparation Key Concepts method acting narrative immersion Questions to Reflect On - How much backstory is necessary for a role? - What risks arise from over‑filling gaps? A Different Perspective Time constraints may limit such exhaustive research. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Blanks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/blanks/) [Character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Research](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/research/) ## Related quotes > [This basic thing I always do: 'What happened between the character's birth, and page one of the script?' Anything that's not in the story,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/viggo-mortensen/this-basic-thing-i-always-do-what-happened-between-the-character-s/) [Viggo Mortensen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/viggo-mortensen/) > [Most actors do that. They fill in the blanks. You don't want to play a cipher.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-todd/most-actors-do-that-they-fill-in-the-blanks-you-don-t-want-to-play-a/) [Tony Todd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-todd/) > [But I just think we've got such a continuity with what we're doing that most people come in and fill in the blanks. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-hunter/but-i-just-think-we-ve-got-such-a-continuity-with-what-we-re-doing/) [Charlie Hunter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-hunter/) > [When judging a product, we rarely have exhaustive scientific data to go by. As a result, if we are to form a complete picture,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-mlodinow/when-judging-a-product-we-rarely-have-exhaustive-scientific-data-to/) [Leonard Mlodinow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-mlodinow/) > [I feel that historical novelists owe it to our readers to try to be as historically accurate as we can with the known facts.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharon-kay-penman/i-feel-that-historical-novelists-owe-it-to-our-readers-to-try-to-be/) [Sharon Kay Penman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharon-kay-penman/) > [“I did not elaborate, nor did I need to. The human imagination is capable of anything when left on its own to fill in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-bradley/i-did-not-elaborate-nor-did-i-need-to-the-human-imagination-is/) [Alan Bradley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-bradley/) > [Too often, we don't give people the opportunity to fill in the blanks.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-godin/too-often-we-don-t-give-people-the-opportunity-to-fill-in-the-blanks/) [Seth Godin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-godin/) > [I love books that give you space to climb inside there. And you have to run to keep up in places, and you have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-hall/i-love-books-that-give-you-space-to-climb-inside-there-and-you-have/) [Steven Hall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-hall/) > [I build my characters from the day they're born to the first page of the script.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sydney-sweeney/i-build-my-characters-from-the-day-they-re-born-to-the-first-page-of/) [Sydney Sweeney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sydney-sweeney/) > [I did around 100 episodes as Ted without the band, but the 20 I did with The Blanks are the only ones anyone ever…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-lloyd/i-did-around-100-episodes-as-ted-without-the-band-but-the-20-i-did/) [Sam Lloyd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-lloyd/) > [I don't have a great eye for detail. I leave blanks in all of my stories. I leave out all detail, which leaves the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garrison-keillor/i-don-t-have-a-great-eye-for-detail-i-leave-blanks-in-all-of-my/) [Garrison Keillor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garrison-keillor/) > [Once I get in my mind that it's going to go "da da da dadada da da," then it's kind of like filling in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bun-b/once-i-get-in-my-mind-that-it-s-going-to-go-da-da-da-dadada-da-da/) [Bun B](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bun-b/) > [It's your job as an actor to fill out the blanks. I love doing that. To fill in the bones.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-piven/it-s-your-job-as-an-actor-to-fill-out-the-blanks-i-love-doing-that-to/) [Jeremy Piven](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-piven/) > [While actors play with guns for make-believe, the guns themselves are by no means make-believe; they're real. Even when the actor is using blanks,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trieste-kelly-dunn/while-actors-play-with-guns-for-make-believe-the-guns-themselves-are/) [Trieste Kelly Dunn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trieste-kelly-dunn/) > [In writing my historical novels, I have to rely upon my imagination to a great extent. I think of it as 'filling in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharon-kay-penman/in-writing-my-historical-novels-i-have-to-rely-upon-my-imagination-to/) [Sharon Kay Penman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharon-kay-penman/) ## More by Viggo Mortensen > [Speaking more than one language and living in a multicultural family and environment did not seem like anything but what it was: the world…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/viggo-mortensen/speaking-more-than-one-language-and-living-in-a-multicultural-family/) [Viggo Mortensen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/viggo-mortensen/) > [We all experience many freakish and unexpected events - you have to be open to suffering a little. 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 Any quotes > [Amongst the financial Twitterati, the term 'muppets' has come to describe any client used and abused by some financial predator. I've adopted the term…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-ritholtz/amongst-the-financial-twitterati-the-term-muppets-has-come-to/) [Barry Ritholtz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-ritholtz/) > [At the very beginning, I was a page at Letterman, and I freelanced for any place that would let me write any word. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-schwartz/at-the-very-beginning-i-was-a-page-at-letterman-and-i-freelanced-for/) [Ben Schwartz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-schwartz/) > [Any incarnation of 'Batman' I am delighted to do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-west/any-incarnation-of-batman-i-am-delighted-to-do/) [Adam West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-west/) > [If we accept being talked to any kind of a way, then we are telling ourselves we are not quite worth the best. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-angelou/if-we-accept-being-talked-to-any-kind-of-a-way-then-we-are-telling/) [Maya Angelou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-angelou/) > [A lot of people have been saying 'The 100' reminds them of 'Lord Of The Flies,' 'Lost' and 'Battlestar Galactica,' and all of those…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marie-avgeropoulos/a-lot-of-people-have-been-saying-the-100-reminds-them-of-lord-of-the/) [Marie Avgeropoulos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marie-avgeropoulos/) > [I have never been in, nor have I had any strong particular desire to be in, what is termed a costume drama, but I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-freeman/i-have-never-been-in-nor-have-i-had-any-strong-particular-desire-to/) [Martin Freeman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-freeman/) > [We were so poor as kids. I didn't even see a bathtub, running water, hot water, commode - we didn't have any of that.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-robertson/we-were-so-poor-as-kids-i-didn-t-even-see-a-bathtub-running-water-hot/) [Phil Robertson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-robertson/) > [We earned any fans with the way we play.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-white/we-earned-any-fans-with-the-way-we-play/) [Jimmy White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-white/) > [Hard work and a good education will take you further than any government program.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-schock/hard-work-and-a-good-education-will-take-you-further-than-any/) [Aaron Schock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-schock/) > [Anyone who's read my 'Terror in the Skies' series knows that I have not been writing with an eye toward approval from any government…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annie-jacobsen/anyone-who-s-read-my-terror-in-the-skies-series-knows-that-i-have-not/) [Annie Jacobsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annie-jacobsen/) > [The system in Germany is different, as you sign up with a company for two or three years, and you work exclusively with them;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-wlaschiha/the-system-in-germany-is-different-as-you-sign-up-with-a-company-for/) [Tom Wlaschiha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-wlaschiha/) > [I'm writing about real things. Real people. Real characters. You have to believe what I write about is true or you wouldn't pay any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lou-reed/i-m-writing-about-real-things-real-people-real-characters-you-have-to/) [Lou Reed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lou-reed/) > [I haven't shut any doors, and I'm really open to anything, so I think it's just about the material and what is going to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danielle-panabaker/i-haven-t-shut-any-doors-and-i-m-really-open-to-anything-so-i-think/) [Danielle Panabaker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danielle-panabaker/) > [I never want to look back on any moment and say I could have done more. So I go all in.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-haze/i-never-want-to-look-back-on-any-moment-and-say-i-could-have-done/) [Scott Haze](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-haze/) > [I love the sea, but I avoid any sort of seaside resort that has skyscrapers or seaside entertainments.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/quentin-blake/i-love-the-sea-but-i-avoid-any-sort-of-seaside-resort-that-has/) [Quentin Blake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/quentin-blake/) Browse all 6,938 Any quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I try to research or make up for myself what happened in any character's life. From when he was born until the first page of the script. 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