--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: My performance, I believe, is about my…" description: "\"My performance, I believe, is about my duty to the script, and my duty to the story that we're trying to tell, and I try to do that in a way that is tr..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/911/yahya-abdul-mateen-ii-23757_believe_my-performance-i-believe-is-about-my-dut_1768760.jpg" --- # My performance, I believe, is about my duty to the script… ![“My performance, I believe, is about my duty to the script, and my duty to the story that we're trying to tell, and I try to do that in a way that is true, in a way that's going to hold up the script, and that's going to be fun for the viewers to watch.” quote by Yahya Abdul-Mateen II](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/911/yahya-abdul-mateen-ii-23757_believe_my-performance-i-believe-is-about-my-dut_1768760.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/911/yahya-abdul-mateen-ii-23757_believe_my-performance-i-believe-is-about-my-dut_1768760.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/911/yahya-abdul-mateen-ii-23757_believe_my-performance-i-believe-is-about-my-dut_1768760.jpg) > “My performance, I believe, is about my duty to the script, and my duty to the story that we're trying to tell, and I try to do that in a way that is true, in a way that's going to hold up the script, and that's going to be fun for the viewers to watch.” [Yahya Abdul-Mateen II](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yahya-abdul-mateen-ii/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. An actor sees his role as a responsibility to honor the script and story, aiming for authenticity and audience enjoyment. **In simple terms:** Acting is about duty to script and story, delivering truth and fun. Key Takeaway Respect the script, serve the story. Themes craft authenticity entertainment responsibility Mood thoughtful professional Type inspirational practical When to use this quote - theatre - film - television - live events Key Concepts storytelling performance ethics Questions to Reflect On - How do you balance fidelity to script with personal expression? - What makes a performance both true and enjoyable? A Different Perspective Audience expectations may clash with artistic integrity. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Believe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/believe/) [Believe Duty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/believe-duty-600249/) [Duty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/duty/) [Duty Script](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/duty-script-1759205/) [Fun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fun/) [Performance Believe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/performance-believe-874095/) [Script Duty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/script-duty-1759204/) [Script Going](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/script-going-877502/) [Story](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/story/) [Try](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/try/) ## Related quotes > [I like to improve myself every day and whatever my performance, I will always believe I can do better.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adama-traore/i-like-to-improve-myself-every-day-and-whatever-my-performance-i-will/) [Adama Traore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adama-traore/) > [“In an environment where there is a shared vision of excellence, where people can be the best they can be on a daily basis,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/in-an-environment-where-there-is-a-shared-vision-of-excellence-where/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I have always been generous because I know that I have done well in life and I believe it is part of my duty…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-turnbull/i-have-always-been-generous-because-i-know-that-i-have-done-well-in/) [Malcolm Turnbull](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-turnbull/) > [I have lived with my husband more than I have with my parents... I live beside him, and know his worries, his hopes, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mozah-bint-nasser-al-missned/i-have-lived-with-my-husband-more-than-i-have-with-my-parents-i-live/) [Mozah bint Nasser Al Missned](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mozah-bint-nasser-al-missned/) > [Faith is the result of the act of the will, following upon a conviction that to believe is a duty.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-henry-newman/faith-is-the-result-of-the-act-of-the-will-following-upon-a/) [John Henry Newman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-henry-newman/) > [Rod and I believe that it's our duty to set an example, which means teaching our children to treat others as they would wish…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penny-lancaster/rod-and-i-believe-that-it-s-our-duty-to-set-an-example-which-means/) [Penny Lancaster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penny-lancaster/) > [You have to be true to what you believe in and do your duty.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wesley-clark/you-have-to-be-true-to-what-you-believe-in-and-do-your-duty/) [Wesley Clark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wesley-clark/) > [...Regardless, I still do not believe that your duty is to do as the people wish. Your duty is to lead as best you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-sanderson/regardless-i-still-do-not-believe-that-your-duty-is-to-do-as-the/) [Brandon Sanderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-sanderson/) > [I believe it is the duty of each of us to act as if the fate of the world depended on him. Admittedly, one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-believe-it-is-the-duty-of-each-of-us-to-act-as-if-the-fate-of-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I believe that we have a duty to look frankly at the social conditions around us and to work to do what we can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/basil-hume/i-believe-that-we-have-a-duty-to-look-frankly-at-the-social/) [Basil Hume](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/basil-hume/) > [It's my duty to fight those who have chosen to belong to the party of death, those who say they receive their orders from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wole-soyinka/it-s-my-duty-to-fight-those-who-have-chosen-to-belong-to-the-party-of/) [Wole Soyinka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wole-soyinka/) > [Our minds and hearts are free to believe everything or nothing at all - and it is our duty to protect and perpetuate this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/our-minds-and-hearts-are-free-to-believe-everything-or-nothing-at-all/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [It took seven years from the time I wrote Mad Men until it finally got on the screen. I lived every day with that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-weiner/it-took-seven-years-from-the-time-i-wrote-mad-men-until-it-finally/) [Matthew Weiner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-weiner/) > [A movie script more than anything else is a plan of action for the crew. Everybody in the crew looks at the script to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-shearer/a-movie-script-more-than-anything-else-is-a-plan-of-action-for-the/) [Harry Shearer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-shearer/) > [I believe it is my duty as a performer to raise issues in the world of things we're afraid to look at.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samantha-morton/i-believe-it-is-my-duty-as-a-performer-to-raise-issues-in-the-world/) [Samantha Morton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samantha-morton/) ## More by Yahya Abdul-Mateen II > [I had taken an acting class at Berkeley - I was on the track team, and a friend of mine on the team said,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yahya-abdul-mateen-ii/i-had-taken-an-acting-class-at-berkeley-i-was-on-the-track-team-and-a/) [Yahya Abdul-Mateen II](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yahya-abdul-mateen-ii/) > [I'm so thankful every day.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yahya-abdul-mateen-ii/i-m-so-thankful-every-day/) [Yahya Abdul-Mateen II](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yahya-abdul-mateen-ii/) > [I'm from a place where young people traditionally do not have resources.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yahya-abdul-mateen-ii/i-m-from-a-place-where-young-people-traditionally-do-not-have/) [Yahya Abdul-Mateen II](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yahya-abdul-mateen-ii/) > [For the things that I've been involved in, most of it has really been - it's been a mixture of action and then drama.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yahya-abdul-mateen-ii/for-the-things-that-i-ve-been-involved-in-most-of-it-has-really-been/) [Yahya Abdul-Mateen II](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yahya-abdul-mateen-ii/) > [I think that everybody likes the bad guy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yahya-abdul-mateen-ii/i-think-that-everybody-likes-the-bad-guy/) [Yahya Abdul-Mateen II](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yahya-abdul-mateen-ii/) > [When I think about it, I was working very hard the summer before I applied to graduate school. I was going to the library…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yahya-abdul-mateen-ii/when-i-think-about-it-i-was-working-very-hard-the-summer-before-i/) [Yahya Abdul-Mateen II](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yahya-abdul-mateen-ii/) > ['Baywatch' was terrifying. I could feel the financial stakes, you know?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yahya-abdul-mateen-ii/baywatch-was-terrifying-i-could-feel-the-financial-stakes-you-know/) [Yahya Abdul-Mateen II](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yahya-abdul-mateen-ii/) > [Acting was always in the back of my head.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yahya-abdul-mateen-ii/acting-was-always-in-the-back-of-my-head/) [Yahya Abdul-Mateen II](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yahya-abdul-mateen-ii/) > [I surprise myself by the things I get excited by.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yahya-abdul-mateen-ii/i-surprise-myself-by-the-things-i-get-excited-by/) [Yahya Abdul-Mateen II](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yahya-abdul-mateen-ii/) > [When I was in college, it was on the recommendation of a friend of mine. He recommended that I take an acting class, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yahya-abdul-mateen-ii/when-i-was-in-college-it-was-on-the-recommendation-of-a-friend-of/) [Yahya Abdul-Mateen II](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yahya-abdul-mateen-ii/) > [I did not sit down and watch 'Baywatch' growing up. But I do specifically remember it coming on, and I remember it going off.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yahya-abdul-mateen-ii/i-did-not-sit-down-and-watch-baywatch-growing-up-but-i-do/) [Yahya Abdul-Mateen II](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yahya-abdul-mateen-ii/) > [I'm not very excitable as a person. What I say is, I'm always chillin', I'm always chillin'.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yahya-abdul-mateen-ii/i-m-not-very-excitable-as-a-person-what-i-say-is-i-m-always-chillin-i/) [Yahya Abdul-Mateen II](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yahya-abdul-mateen-ii/) > [I kind of assumed all of Australia was like the Gold Coast - so I was telling people Australians just work out and go…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yahya-abdul-mateen-ii/i-kind-of-assumed-all-of-australia-was-like-the-gold-coast-so-i-was/) [Yahya Abdul-Mateen II](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yahya-abdul-mateen-ii/) > [I have a lot of fun playing quote unquote villains because I think the bad guys get to have more fun, right?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yahya-abdul-mateen-ii/i-have-a-lot-of-fun-playing-quote-unquote-villains-because-i-think/) [Yahya Abdul-Mateen II](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yahya-abdul-mateen-ii/) > [My father was Muslim, and my mom is Christian, and we moved from New Orleans to Oakland, so I always had this appreciation for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yahya-abdul-mateen-ii/my-father-was-muslim-and-my-mom-is-christian-and-we-moved-from-new/) [Yahya Abdul-Mateen II](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yahya-abdul-mateen-ii/) [Explore all 25 Yahya Abdul-Mateen II quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yahya-abdul-mateen-ii/) ## More Believe 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/) > [Some people still believe you should just fall in line with what's going on - and that's scary. It makes a mockery of freedom…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-robison/some-people-still-believe-you-should-just-fall-in-line-with-what-s/) [Emily Robison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-robison/) > [The truth seems to be that propaganda on its own cannot force its way into unwilling minds; neither can it inculcate something wholly new;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/the-truth-seems-to-be-that-propaganda-on-its-own-cannot-force-its-way/) [Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/) > [Resist discouragement by speaking His Word over your future. Keep standing. Keep hoping; keep believing because He is working behind the scenes. He's going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-osteen/resist-discouragement-by-speaking-his-word-over-your-future-keep/) [Joel Osteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-osteen/) > [I can't believe that I'm sitting in meetings with Steven Spielberg, Tom Hanks, and Annette Bening. I want to take on that responsibility to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ross-williams/i-can-t-believe-that-i-m-sitting-in-meetings-with-steven-spielberg/) [Roger Ross Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ross-williams/) > [There is no such word as item girl in the dictionary. People have created this word and I don't believe that I am an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shefali-zariwala/there-is-no-such-word-as-item-girl-in-the-dictionary-people-have/) [Shefali Zariwala](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shefali-zariwala/) > [I understand that it's the music that keeps me alive... That's my lifeblood. And to give that up for, like, the TV, the cars,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/i-understand-that-it-s-the-music-that-keeps-me-alive-that-s-my/) [Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/) > [I don't really like too much credit. I know nobody's going to believe this, but I'd rather be able to score goals and nobody…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bradley-wright-phillips/i-don-t-really-like-too-much-credit-i-know-nobody-s-going-to-believe/) [Bradley Wright-Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bradley-wright-phillips/) > [“What I have a problem with is not so much religion or god, but faith. When you say you believe something in your heart…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penn-jillette/what-i-have-a-problem-with-is-not-so-much-religion-or-god-but-faith/) [Penn Jillette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penn-jillette/) > [Bush reiterated his stand to conservatives opposing his decision on stem cell research. He said today he believes life begins at conception and ends…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-leno/bush-reiterated-his-stand-to-conservatives-opposing-his-decision-on/) [Jay Leno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-leno/) > [Never underestimate the power of the human mind to believe what it wants to believe, no matter the conflicting evidence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-herbert/never-underestimate-the-power-of-the-human-mind-to-believe-what-it/) [Brian Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-herbert/) > [To believe in love, to be ready to give up anything for it, to be willing to risk your life for it, is the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-dicaprio/to-believe-in-love-to-be-ready-to-give-up-anything-for-it-to-be/) [Leonardo DiCaprio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-dicaprio/) > [That's why I don't generally talk about endorsements because I don't believe we have to tell people who to vote for.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-iii/that-s-why-i-don-t-generally-talk-about-endorsements-because-i-don-t/) [Martin Luther King III](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-iii/) > [Mankind have been slow to believe that order reigns in the universe-that the world is a cosmos and a chaos.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-a-garfield/mankind-have-been-slow-to-believe-that-order-reigns-in-the-universe/) [James A. Garfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-a-garfield/) > [We instantly believe everything we think. Isn't that insane? It's good for us to explore the depravity of our minds, so we know we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/krishna-das/we-instantly-believe-everything-we-think-isn-t-that-insane-it-s-good/) [Krishna Das](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/krishna-das/) [Browse all 47,704 Believe quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/believe/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "My performance, I believe, is about my duty to the script, and my duty to the story that we're trying to tell, and I try to do that in a way that is true, in a way that's going to hold up the script, and that's going to be fun for the viewers to watch.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Yahya Abdul-Mateen II" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yahya-abdul-mateen-ii/my-performance-i-believe-is-about-my-duty-to-the-script-and-my-duty/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Believe" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yahya-abdul-mateen-ii/my-performance-i-believe-is-about-my-duty-to-the-script-and-my-duty/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/911/yahya-abdul-mateen-ii-23757_believe_my-performance-i-believe-is-about-my-dut_1768760.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/911/yahya-abdul-mateen-ii-23757_believe_my-performance-i-believe-is-about-my-dut_1768760.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/911/yahya-abdul-mateen-ii-23757_believe_my-performance-i-believe-is-about-my-dut_1768760.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“My performance, I believe, is about my duty to the script, and my duty to the story that we're trying to…” — Yahya Abdul-Mateen II", "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": "Yahya Abdul-Mateen II", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yahya-abdul-mateen-ii/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "My performance, I believe, is about...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yahya-abdul-mateen-ii/my-performance-i-believe-is-about-my-duty-to-the-script-and-my-duty/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yahya-abdul-mateen-ii/my-performance-i-believe-is-about-my-duty-to-the-script-and-my-duty/#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 } } ] } ```