--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The character and the actor in a…" description: "\"The character and the actor in a long-running series slowly become one. I think there must be funny stories about actors who, in the pilot for a TV ser..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/69b/william-h-macy-3931_actors_the-character-and-the-actor-in-a-long-ru_2334989.jpg" --- # The character and the actor in a long-running series… ![“The character and the actor in a long-running series slowly become one. I think there must be funny stories about actors who, in the pilot for a TV series, did some weird thing with their eyes, or some speech impediment or something, and the next thing you know, it's eight years later, and they're…” quote by William H. Macy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/69b/william-h-macy-3931_actors_the-character-and-the-actor-in-a-long-ru_2334989.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/69b/william-h-macy-3931_actors_the-character-and-the-actor-in-a-long-ru_2334989.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/69b/william-h-macy-3931_actors_the-character-and-the-actor-in-a-long-ru_2334989.jpg) > “The character and the actor in a long-running series slowly become one. I think there must be funny stories about actors who, in the pilot for a TV series, did some weird thing with their eyes, or some speech impediment or something, and the next thing you know, it's eight years later, and they're still doing that freaking gag.” [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. Long‑running roles blend actor and character, leading to habitual quirks that persist over years. **In simple terms:** Actors and characters merge over time. Key Takeaway Be aware of evolving character traits. Themes acting identity longevity Mood reflective analytical Type observational insightful When to use this quote - TV series development - actor coaching - scriptwriting Key Concepts character immersion habit formation Questions to Reflect On - Do actors risk typecasting? - How can fresh traits be introduced? A Different Perspective Audience may resist change, limiting creative growth. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Actors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actors/) [Actors Pilot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actors-pilot-5631579/) [Character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character/) [Character actor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character-actor/) [Eight](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/eight/) [Eye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/eye/) [Freaking Gag](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/freaking-gag-5631580/) [Funny story](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/funny-story/) [Gags](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gags/) [Impediments](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/impediments/) [Knows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knows/) [Long](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/long/) [Next](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/next/) [Pilot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pilot/) [Pilots](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pilots/) [Running](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/running/) [Series](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/series/) [Speech](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/speech/) [Speech impediment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/speech-impediment/) [Stills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stills/) [Stories](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stories/) [Stories Actors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stories-actors-1589243/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Tv series](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tv-series/) [Tvs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tvs/) [Weird things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/weird-things/) [Years](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/years/) ## Related quotes > [As actors, if you get a pilot on HBO or on USA, your odds are good that it's going to get picked up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-dekay/as-actors-if-you-get-a-pilot-on-hbo-or-on-usa-your-odds-are-good-that/) [Tim DeKay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-dekay/) > [I can tell stories to other actors about the level of aggression on stage in the '70s between actors - it was unbelievable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-pryce/i-can-tell-stories-to-other-actors-about-the-level-of-aggression-on/) [Jonathan Pryce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-pryce/) > [I've never pursued a role. I always hear stories about actors going after parts and I'm, like, 'How do they do that?' 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But writing a funny story that inspires others to venture beyond their level of comfort in pursuit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/romany-malco/writing-a-funny-story-is-one-thing-but-writing-a-funny-story-that/) [Romany Malco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/romany-malco/) > [The longer and more carefully we look at a funny story, the sadder it becomes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-longer-and-more-carefully-we-look-at-a-funny-story-the-sadder-it/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“This time I don't want to be my own mother. I make a decision, take the entire bag of chocolate to my bedroom and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrea-partee/this-time-i-don-t-want-to-be-my-own-mother-i-make-a-decision-take-the/) [Andrea Partee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrea-partee/) > [Funny stories on set - there are thousands of them, but they are only funny to the people who were on the movies. You…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-campbell/funny-stories-on-set-there-are-thousands-of-them-but-they-are-only/) [Bruce Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-campbell/) > [I like how you don't hide your problems like everyone else, and I don't have to hide mine when I'm around you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ned-vizzini/i-like-how-you-don-t-hide-your-problems-like-everyone-else-and-i-don/) [Ned Vizzini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ned-vizzini/) > [ʺWhy,ʺ he began slowly, ʺis Victor Dashkov joining us?ʺ ʺWell, itʹs kind of a funny story . . .ʺ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richelle-mead/why-he-began-slowly-is-victor-dashkov-joining-us-well-it-s-kind-of-a/) [Richelle Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richelle-mead/) > [I don't sit down to write a funny story. Every single thing I sit down to write is meant to be sad.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lorrie-moore/i-don-t-sit-down-to-write-a-funny-story-every-single-thing-i-sit-down/) [Lorrie Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lorrie-moore/) > [It's never fun to run out of gas while on a road trip, But the adventure of trying to find gas when your in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-bingham/it-s-never-fun-to-run-out-of-gas-while-on-a-road-trip-but-the/) [Ryan Bingham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-bingham/) > [Santa Claus has nothing to do with it," the latke said. "Christmas and Hanukah are completely different things." "But different things can often blend…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/santa-claus-has-nothing-to-do-with-it-the-latke-said-christmas-and/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## 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 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": "The character and the actor in a long-running series slowly become one. 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