---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I've had experiences where I wasn't…"
description: "\"I've had experiences where I wasn't allowed to change words around at all because you have to say everything, exactly as written on the page. That's no..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/430/zooey-deschanel-1154_able_i-ve-had-experiences-where-i-wasn-t-allo_2054345.jpg"
---

#  I've had experiences where I wasn't allowed to change…

![“I've had experiences where I wasn't allowed to change words around at all because you have to say everything, exactly as written on the page. That's not fun for me. For me, part of being an actor is being able to contribute to a character's rhythms. If there's room to explore, you find a happy…” quote by Zooey Deschanel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/430/zooey-deschanel-1154_able_i-ve-had-experiences-where-i-wasn-t-allo_2054345.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/430/zooey-deschanel-1154_able_i-ve-had-experiences-where-i-wasn-t-allo_2054345.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/430/zooey-deschanel-1154_able_i-ve-had-experiences-where-i-wasn-t-allo_2054345.jpg)

> “I've had experiences where I wasn't allowed to change words around at all because you have to say everything, exactly as written on the page. That's not fun for me. For me, part of being an actor is being able to contribute to a character's rhythms. If there's room to explore, you find a happy medium.”

[Zooey Deschanel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zooey-deschanel/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Actors need flexibility to shape dialogue and discover a character’s natural cadence.

**In simple terms:** Actors should help craft their lines.

Key Takeaway

Seek balance between script and personal input.

Themes

acting creativity collaboration

Mood

reflective hopeful

Type

philosophical inspirational

When to use this quote

- rehearsals
- film sets
- workshops

Key Concepts

improvisation character development

Questions to Reflect On

- What compromises help maintain script integrity?
- How can actors suggest changes without disrupting vision?

A Different Perspective

Some productions demand exact adherence, limiting input.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Actors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actors/) [Character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character/) [Fun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fun/) [Language](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/language/) [Rhythm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rhythm/)

## Related quotes

> [Part of being an actor is being able to contribute to a character's rhythms. If there's room to explore, you find a happy medium.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-meriwether/part-of-being-an-actor-is-being-able-to-contribute-to-a-character-s/)

[Elizabeth Meriwether](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-meriwether/)

> [When a poem is really finished, you can't change anything. You can't move words around. You can't say, 'In other words, you mean.' No,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-s-merwin/when-a-poem-is-really-finished-you-can-t-change-anything-you-can-t/)

[W. S. Merwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-s-merwin/)

> [“For you, you have a toolbox filled with words. If one doesn't work, you find another one. Or another one. Or another. You change…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/morgan-parker/for-you-you-have-a-toolbox-filled-with-words-if-one-doesn-t-work-you/)

[Morgan Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/morgan-parker/)

> [I've worked with Woody Allen twice and he was like, "Whatever you want to change, it's up to you. If you want to change…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-clooney/i-ve-worked-with-woody-allen-twice-and-he-was-like-whatever-you-want/)

[George Clooney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-clooney/)

> [The words you say could hurt or help you. "Change Your Words, Change Your Life"](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-meyer/the-words-you-say-could-hurt-or-help-you-change-your-words-change/)

[Joyce Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-meyer/)

> [If you can change your words, you can change your world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-osteen/if-you-can-change-your-words-you-can-change-your-world/)

[Joel Osteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-osteen/)

> [I take sounds and change them into words.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-eno/i-take-sounds-and-change-them-into-words/)

[Brian Eno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-eno/)

> [A lot of writers, because they don't understand actors, feel like, in order to be better at their performance, they have to change the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giovanni-ribisi/a-lot-of-writers-because-they-don-t-understand-actors-feel-like-in/)

[Giovanni Ribisi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giovanni-ribisi/)

> [Well we can change and begin a new chapter but we can't change the words](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gisel-garcia/well-we-can-change-and-begin-a-new-chapter-but-we-can-t-change-the/)

[Gisel Garcia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gisel-garcia/)

> [I allowed the actors to have freedom and sometimes change words if they needed to or thought that another word was more current.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noel-clarke/i-allowed-the-actors-to-have-freedom-and-sometimes-change-words-if/)

[Noel Clarke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noel-clarke/)

> [To change your world, you must change your words. It's the rudder (James 3:4-5) of your life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-warren/to-change-your-world-you-must-change-your-words-it-s-the-rudder-james/)

[Rick Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-warren/)

> [You can sing a very aggressive word in such a way that it's very funny. You can change words, completely turn them around on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pj-harvey/you-can-sing-a-very-aggressive-word-in-such-a-way-that-it-s-very/)

[PJ Harvey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pj-harvey/)

> [You can apologize over and over but if your actions don't change, the words become meaningless.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anurag-prakash-ray/you-can-apologize-over-and-over-but-if-your-actions-don-t-change-the/)

[Anurag Prakash Ray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anurag-prakash-ray/)

> [“Change words like difficult/impossible/unrealistic to words like challenging/fun/daring/exciting, and then get back to working/playing/competing/winning”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-valentin/change-words-like-difficult-impossible-unrealistic-to-words-like/)

Jamie Valentin

> [You have to figure out what's important and keep the main points, though I will swing a little outside the box. It affords me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dawn-olivieri/you-have-to-figure-out-what-s-important-and-keep-the-main-points/)

[Dawn Olivieri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dawn-olivieri/)

## More by Zooey Deschanel

> [Anyone who knows me knows that I am really into hair. I'm a real girly girl and love doing my hair and experimenting with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zooey-deschanel/anyone-who-knows-me-knows-that-i-am-really-into-hair-i-m-a-real-girly/)

[Zooey Deschanel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zooey-deschanel/)

> [I know a lot of people that have had fake Twitters... actors and musicians that I know. It's sort of a problem. There are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zooey-deschanel/i-know-a-lot-of-people-that-have-had-fake-twitters-actors-and/)

[Zooey Deschanel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zooey-deschanel/)

> [For those of us who try to keep remembering, Try to do our better than our best. Think of all the children in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zooey-deschanel/for-those-of-us-who-try-to-keep-remembering-try-to-do-our-better-than/)

[Zooey Deschanel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zooey-deschanel/)

> [I think my knowledge of music theory is rooted in jazz theory, and a lot of the writers of standards - Rodgers and Hart,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zooey-deschanel/i-think-my-knowledge-of-music-theory-is-rooted-in-jazz-theory-and-a/)

[Zooey Deschanel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zooey-deschanel/)

> [I finally figured out how to read origami directions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zooey-deschanel/i-finally-figured-out-how-to-read-origami-directions/)

[Zooey Deschanel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zooey-deschanel/)

> [You do not need to look or be anorexic to be successful in Hollywood. The range of what's acceptable is a lot larger than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zooey-deschanel/you-do-not-need-to-look-or-be-anorexic-to-be-successful-in-hollywood/)

[Zooey Deschanel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zooey-deschanel/)

> [I'm not really that interested in pandering to an audience of people that are going to judge me before they hear me. If they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zooey-deschanel/i-m-not-really-that-interested-in-pandering-to-an-audience-of-people/)

[Zooey Deschanel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zooey-deschanel/)

> [There are a lot of actors who will sit here and talk to you about characters - 'He does this, and she's a really…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zooey-deschanel/there-are-a-lot-of-actors-who-will-sit-here-and-talk-to-you-about/)

[Zooey Deschanel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zooey-deschanel/)

> [I still have in me the same awareness when I was 12 and chubby and a girl was spitting in my face. I'm the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zooey-deschanel/i-still-have-in-me-the-same-awareness-when-i-was-12-and-chubby-and-a/)

[Zooey Deschanel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zooey-deschanel/)

> [Well, my piano's really beautiful. I actually have two pianos. I have a Yamaha upright from the '60s that's blond, wood, and black, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zooey-deschanel/well-my-piano-s-really-beautiful-i-actually-have-two-pianos-i-have-a/)

[Zooey Deschanel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zooey-deschanel/)

> [I always wanted to be normal. I tried really hard, but it's like I try so hard and then people still say I'm offbeat.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zooey-deschanel/i-always-wanted-to-be-normal-i-tried-really-hard-but-it-s-like-i-try/)

[Zooey Deschanel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zooey-deschanel/)

> [Yeah, well, we were looking for something sort of anonymous. It suggests what it is, but I like that it's modest. I feel like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zooey-deschanel/yeah-well-we-were-looking-for-something-sort-of-anonymous-it-suggests/)

[Zooey Deschanel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zooey-deschanel/)

> [You go to something like the Golden Globes, and it's the most glamorous place you could ever be, but then you go home and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zooey-deschanel/you-go-to-something-like-the-golden-globes-and-it-s-the-most/)

[Zooey Deschanel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zooey-deschanel/)

> [The red-carpet thing of premieres and parties is probably my least favourite part of my job.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zooey-deschanel/the-red-carpet-thing-of-premieres-and-parties-is-probably-my-least/)

[Zooey Deschanel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zooey-deschanel/)

> [Being tender and open is beautiful. As a woman, I feel continually shhh’ed. Too sensitive. Too mushy. Too wishy washy. Blah blah. Don’t let…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zooey-deschanel/being-tender-and-open-is-beautiful-as-a-woman-i-feel-continually-shhh/)

[Zooey Deschanel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zooey-deschanel/)

[Explore all 282 Zooey Deschanel quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zooey-deschanel/)

## More Able quotes

> [I am certain that children always know more than they are able to tell, and that makes the big difference between them and adults,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-lusseyran/i-am-certain-that-children-always-know-more-than-they-are-able-to/)

[Jacques Lusseyran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-lusseyran/)

> [I have observed this in my experience of slavery, - that whenever my condition was improved, instead of its increasing my contentment, it only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-douglass/i-have-observed-this-in-my-experience-of-slavery-that-whenever-my/)

[Frederick Douglass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-douglass/)

> [There is something about the South that accepts the supernatural. If you don't accept it and you're having a conversation with someone who does,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-englert/there-is-something-about-the-south-that-accepts-the-supernatural-if/)

[Alice Englert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-englert/)

> [In the '80s, the way radio was programmed, if you didn't have a hit record you weren't going to be able to make any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/huey-lewis/in-the-80s-the-way-radio-was-programmed-if-you-didn-t-have-a-hit/)

[Huey Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/huey-lewis/)

> [I think I've had the longest career of strength, focus, and still being able to sell records. I think I'm that guy. I'm still…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nas/i-think-i-ve-had-the-longest-career-of-strength-focus-and-still-being/)

[Nas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nas/)

> [I have that need in me, I want everyone to love me, but I'm embarrassed by that need, so I wanted to cover it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-jeselnik/i-have-that-need-in-me-i-want-everyone-to-love-me-but-i-m-embarrassed/)

[Anthony Jeselnik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-jeselnik/)

> [Thinking about the things that happened, I don't know any other ball player would could have done what he (Jackie Robinson) did. To be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pee-wee-reese/thinking-about-the-things-that-happened-i-don-t-know-any-other-ball/)

[Pee Wee Reese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pee-wee-reese/)

> [I wanted to remember in order to be able to return.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anais-nin/i-wanted-to-remember-in-order-to-be-able-to-return/)

[Anais Nin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anais-nin/)

> [Government schools, with your tax money, now discourage the teaching of multiplication tables by rote memorization but teach reading by the 'look-and-say' method which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-perry/government-schools-with-your-tax-money-now-discourage-the-teaching-of/)

Greg Perry

> [I don't know if I would qualify as mainstream. I think I have managed to function pretty successfully on the fringes of the music…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-metheny/i-don-t-know-if-i-would-qualify-as-mainstream-i-think-i-have-managed/)

[Pat Metheny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-metheny/)

> [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/)

> [The reason that Apple is able to create products like iPad is because we always try to be at the intersection of technology and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-jobs/the-reason-that-apple-is-able-to-create-products-like-ipad-is-because/)

[Steve Jobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-jobs/)

> [It was an important period for us, because even though we weren't a "punk band", and what became a model for a punk band,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-mallinder/it-was-an-important-period-for-us-because-even-though-we-weren-t-a/)

[Stephen Mallinder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-mallinder/)

> [- You look fine. - Right. I look fine. Except I don't, said Zora, tugging sadly at her man's nightshirt. This was why Kiki…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zadie-smith/you-look-fine-right-i-look-fine-except-i-don-t-said-zora-tugging/)

[Zadie Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zadie-smith/)

> [There is a way to be a woman, ask for what we deserve and be able to negotiate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tracee-ellis-ross/there-is-a-way-to-be-a-woman-ask-for-what-we-deserve-and-be-able-to/)

[Tracee Ellis Ross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tracee-ellis-ross/)

Browse all 17,257 Able quotes

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "I've had experiences where I wasn't allowed to change words around at all because you have to say everything, exactly as written on the page. That's not fun for me. For me, part of being an actor is being able to contribute to a character's rhythms. If there's room to explore, you find a happy medium.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Zooey Deschanel"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zooey-deschanel/i-ve-had-experiences-where-i-wasn-t-allowed-to-change-words-around-at/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Able"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zooey-deschanel/i-ve-had-experiences-where-i-wasn-t-allowed-to-change-words-around-at/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/430/zooey-deschanel-1154_able_i-ve-had-experiences-where-i-wasn-t-allo_2054345.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/430/zooey-deschanel-1154_able_i-ve-had-experiences-where-i-wasn-t-allo_2054345.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/430/zooey-deschanel-1154_able_i-ve-had-experiences-where-i-wasn-t-allo_2054345.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“I've had experiences where I wasn't allowed to change words around at all because you have to say…” — Zooey Deschanel",
                "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": "Zooey Deschanel",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zooey-deschanel/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "I've had experiences where I wasn't...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zooey-deschanel/i-ve-had-experiences-where-i-wasn-t-allowed-to-change-words-around-at/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zooey-deschanel/i-ve-had-experiences-where-i-wasn-t-allowed-to-change-words-around-at/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
