--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Many times, I like to read the script…" description: "\"Many times, I like to read the script before I even know who they want me to play, so I can read it and really enjoy it as an audience member. I think ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/155/william-h-macy-3931_ability_many-times-i-like-to-read-the-script-bef_2457013.jpg" --- # Many times, I like to read the script before I even know… ![“Many times, I like to read the script before I even know who they want me to play, so I can read it and really enjoy it as an audience member. I think that's given me the ability to ferret out the really special scripts from all the rest.” quote by William H. Macy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/155/william-h-macy-3931_ability_many-times-i-like-to-read-the-script-bef_2457013.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/155/william-h-macy-3931_ability_many-times-i-like-to-read-the-script-bef_2457013.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/155/william-h-macy-3931_ability_many-times-i-like-to-read-the-script-bef_2457013.jpg) > “Many times, I like to read the script before I even know who they want me to play, so I can read it and really enjoy it as an audience member. I think that's given me the ability to ferret out the really special scripts from all the rest.” [William H. Macy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-h-macy/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Reading scripts before casting lets an actor assess the material as a viewer, helping spot truly exceptional writing. **In simple terms:** Read scripts early to judge quality like an audience. Key Takeaway Use early reading to choose projects wisely. Themes acting script analysis career strategy Mood thoughtful analytical Type professional reflective When to use this quote - audition prep - script selection - career planning - project evaluation Key Concepts artistic intuition quality assessment Questions to Reflect On - How does early script reading affect your performance choices? - Can you separate personal enjoyment from professional fit? A Different Perspective May miss chemistry with director or cast if only focusing on script. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Ability](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ability/) [Audience](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/audience/) [Enjoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/enjoy/) [Enjoy Audience](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/enjoy-audience-422357/) [Ferrets](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ferrets/) [Given](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/given/) [I can](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/i-can/) [I can read](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/i-can-read/) [Knows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knows/) [Members](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/members/) [Play](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/play/) [Read Script](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/read-script/) [Script](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/script/) [Script Know](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/script-know-618860/) [Scripts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/scripts/) [Special](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/special/) [Special Scripts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/special-scripts-618861/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Want](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/want/) [Want me](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/want-me/) ## Related quotes > [Usually you read a script and you know somebody who knows somebody who maybe knew that person or met them once.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amanda-schull/usually-you-read-a-script-and-you-know-somebody-who-knows-somebody/) [Amanda Schull](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amanda-schull/) > [You read a script, and you know if you need to do it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suranne-jones/you-read-a-script-and-you-know-if-you-need-to-do-it/) [Suranne Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suranne-jones/) > [I always want to read the script and know everything and at least understand the context of the world that you're in and why…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurence-fishburne/i-always-want-to-read-the-script-and-know-everything-and-at-least/) [Laurence Fishburne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurence-fishburne/) > [I read a script and I know immediately whether that role is for me or not.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-coolidge/i-read-a-script-and-i-know-immediately-whether-that-role-is-for-me-or/) [Jennifer Coolidge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-coolidge/) > [Normally, when I read a script, it takes me two and a half hours. I usually put it down and come back to it.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katee-sackhoff/normally-when-i-read-a-script-it-takes-me-two-and-a-half-hours-i/) [Katee Sackhoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katee-sackhoff/) > [As long as I can do something that I am passionate about and that I can really enjoy and the audience can enjoy. That…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwayne-johnson/as-long-as-i-can-do-something-that-i-am-passionate-about-and-that-i/) [Dwayne Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwayne-johnson/) > [You have to just enjoy yourself sometimes, and the audience will, too. Not every role has to be 'The Taming of the Shrew.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-passmore/you-have-to-just-enjoy-yourself-sometimes-and-the-audience-will-too/) [Matt Passmore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-passmore/) > [It's a pain in the ass, show business. And the only time that I really enjoy it is when I'm in front of an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elaine-stritch/it-s-a-pain-in-the-ass-show-business-and-the-only-time-that-i-really/) [Elaine Stritch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elaine-stritch/) > [There's some anxiety the 30 minutes before the show starts. But once you step on stage and face the people, everything goes away, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thalia/there-s-some-anxiety-the-30-minutes-before-the-show-starts-but-once/) [Thalia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thalia/) > [I definitely enjoy an audience, when I'm performing. As I get older I'm kind of less comfortable at being demonstrative. I always fancied myself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-o-dowd/i-definitely-enjoy-an-audience-when-i-m-performing-as-i-get-older-i-m/) [Chris O'Dowd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-o-dowd/) > [At every concert I leave a lot to the moment. I must have the unexpected, the unforeseen. I want to risk, to dare. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-rubinstein/at-every-concert-i-leave-a-lot-to-the-moment-i-must-have-the/) [Arthur Rubinstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-rubinstein/) > [All modesty aside, I think I'm good at reading scripts. The way I read a script is as fast as I can, all in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-h-macy/all-modesty-aside-i-think-i-m-good-at-reading-scripts-the-way-i-read/) [William H. Macy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-h-macy/) > [On film, it's really nice to see that transformation from the beginning, reading the script, to know where he starts and where he ends,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cameron-monaghan/on-film-it-s-really-nice-to-see-that-transformation-from-the/) [Cameron Monaghan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cameron-monaghan/) > [I find that when people get a script, they know within five pages if the writer can write. Once you're five pages in, it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danny-strong/i-find-that-when-people-get-a-script-they-know-within-five-pages-if/) [Danny Strong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danny-strong/) > [In a movie script, you know what the moments are that you really have to hit it out of the park.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-dorff/in-a-movie-script-you-know-what-the-moments-are-that-you-really-have/) [Stephen Dorff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-dorff/) ## More by William H. Macy > [Here are the good things about independent films: They do the more interesting, chancy scripts. They're run by love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-h-macy/here-are-the-good-things-about-independent-films-they-do-the-more/) [William H. Macy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-h-macy/) > [Another mistake a director can make is not to be prepared, so you get there on the day to shoot the scene, and they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-h-macy/another-mistake-a-director-can-make-is-not-to-be-prepared-so-you-get/) [William H. Macy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-h-macy/) > [I don't know if it's fair to say that it's a bad time for movies. It seems to me that throughout the entire history…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-h-macy/i-don-t-know-if-it-s-fair-to-say-that-it-s-a-bad-time-for-movies-it/) [William H. Macy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-h-macy/) > [I do want to do TV, but I'm looking to be a creator, writer, and producer, and perhaps I could be a recurring character.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-h-macy/i-do-want-to-do-tv-but-i-m-looking-to-be-a-creator-writer-and/) [William H. Macy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-h-macy/) > [We all want to be 20 again and have that first sense of love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-h-macy/we-all-want-to-be-20-again-and-have-that-first-sense-of-love/) [William H. Macy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-h-macy/) > [It’s a shame...you just don’t see young people doing anything outside these days.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-h-macy/it-s-a-shame-you-just-don-t-see-young-people-doing-anything-outside/) [William H. Macy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-h-macy/) > [Talk about putting your money where your mouth is. It's not right. Someone's gotta say it. They said it. I applaud them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-h-macy/talk-about-putting-your-money-where-your-mouth-is-it-s-not-right/) [William H. Macy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-h-macy/) > [I think what all actors share is that, somewhere down in your solar plexus, there's this fear that you're not going to be able…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-h-macy/i-think-what-all-actors-share-is-that-somewhere-down-in-your-solar/) [William H. Macy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-h-macy/) > [I don't watch rushes. My whole thing is to try to stay in the moment with the other actor, and to let it all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-h-macy/i-don-t-watch-rushes-my-whole-thing-is-to-try-to-stay-in-the-moment/) [William H. Macy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-h-macy/) > [One of the things I did early on in film was over-enunciate and talk too loud.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-h-macy/one-of-the-things-i-did-early-on-in-film-was-over-enunciate-and-talk/) [William H. Macy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-h-macy/) > [If I like the story and it's well written, and it's a character I want to play and they'll pay me, then I decide…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-h-macy/if-i-like-the-story-and-it-s-well-written-and-it-s-a-character-i-want/) [William H. Macy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-h-macy/) > [The emotions will take care of themselves. You don't have to prod them along. As a matter of fact, you get in trouble when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-h-macy/the-emotions-will-take-care-of-themselves-you-don-t-have-to-prod-them/) [William H. Macy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-h-macy/) > [Ninety percent of the preparation we do as actors is just jive. It doesn't do anything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-h-macy/ninety-percent-of-the-preparation-we-do-as-actors-is-just-jive-it/) [William H. Macy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-h-macy/) > [When Fargo came out, I hired a publicist for the first time in my life. I thought, if ever I was going to make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-h-macy/when-fargo-came-out-i-hired-a-publicist-for-the-first-time-in-my-life/) [William H. Macy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-h-macy/) > [That's pretty much what every scene is about, getting people to see your point of view. Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-h-macy/that-s-pretty-much-what-every-scene-is-about-getting-people-to-see/) [William H. Macy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-h-macy/) [Explore all 119 William H. Macy quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-h-macy/) ## More Ability quotes > [I don't think there's a direct correlation between my sexuality and my skiing ability. But I think because I was so concerned about it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gus-kenworthy/i-don-t-think-there-s-a-direct-correlation-between-my-sexuality-and/) [Gus Kenworthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gus-kenworthy/) > [“the importance of ability. The things that make a great job great, I discovered, are rare and valuable. If you want them in your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cal-newport/the-importance-of-ability-the-things-that-make-a-great-job-great-i/) [Cal Newport](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cal-newport/) > [Ambition drives you on, ability certainly helps, but the fickle finger of fate and luck are great things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fergus-henderson/ambition-drives-you-on-ability-certainly-helps-but-the-fickle-finger/) [Fergus Henderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fergus-henderson/) > [The ability of the gospel to unite us on common strengths and common truths is one of the great miracles . . . of the gospel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-r-holland/the-ability-of-the-gospel-to-unite-us-on-common-strengths-and-common/) [Jeffrey R. Holland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-r-holland/) > [Maybe law enforcement would like the ability to turn on the camera on your Mac.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-cook/maybe-law-enforcement-would-like-the-ability-to-turn-on-the-camera-on/) [Tim Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-cook/) > [I've seen guys come along with more ability - they've been faster or bigger or stronger - but they never worked hard to develop…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-largent/i-ve-seen-guys-come-along-with-more-ability-they-ve-been-faster-or/) [Steve Largent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-largent/) > [The youth of India has the strength to move the entire World with a click of a mouse, we have generated that ability!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/narendra-modi/the-youth-of-india-has-the-strength-to-move-the-entire-world-with-a/) [Narendra Modi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/narendra-modi/) > [Time hath not yet so dried this blood of mine, Nor age so eat up my invention, Nor fortune made such havoc of my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/time-hath-not-yet-so-dried-this-blood-of-mine-nor-age-so-eat-up-my/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [An absolutely necessary part of a writer's equipment, almost as necessary as talent, is the ability to stand up under punishment, both the punishment…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irwin-shaw/an-absolutely-necessary-part-of-a-writer-s-equipment-almost-as/) [Irwin Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irwin-shaw/) > [I'd be more frightened by not using whatever abilities I'd been given. I'd be more frightened by procrastination and laziness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denzel-washington/i-d-be-more-frightened-by-not-using-whatever-abilities-i-d-been-given/) [Denzel Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denzel-washington/) > [Bring into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ. Take what I cannot give: my heart, body, thoughts, time, abilities, money, health, strength,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-prentiss/bring-into-captivity-every-thought-to-the-obedience-of-christ-take/) [Elizabeth Prentiss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-prentiss/) > [You can only do the work to the very best of your ability.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christine-baranski/you-can-only-do-the-work-to-the-very-best-of-your-ability/) [Christine Baranski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christine-baranski/) > [Judge a person not by his ability to make money but by his ability to retain it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/judge-a-person-not-by-his-ability-to-make-money-but-by-his-ability-to/) [Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/) > [Balance is the ability to be happy in the midst of the most chaotic or even boring or transient circumstance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/balance-is-the-ability-to-be-happy-in-the-midst-of-the-most-chaotic/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [Bobby had faith in my ability as a singer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-london/bobby-had-faith-in-my-ability-as-a-singer/) [Julie London](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-london/) [Browse all 9,990 Ability quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ability/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Many times, I like to read the script before I even know who they want me to play, so I can read it and really enjoy it as an audience member. 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