If I can get you to laugh with me, you like me better, which makes you open to my ideas
John CleeseRead
Some actors, I think, want to feel that they are as creative as the writer. And the answer is, frankly, they're not.
Interpretation
What this quote means
This quote emphasizes the distinction between actors and writers in the creative process.
John Cleese suggests that while some actors may desire to be seen as equally creative as the writers who craft the narratives they perform, the inherent nature of their roles distinguishes them. Actors interpret and portray characters based on the writers' creations, which raises the question of creative ownership and contribution within the arts.
Themes
ActorsCreativityWritingArtPerformance
In practice
Example use cases
During a panel discussion on the creative process in film, this quote could highlight the collaborative nature of writing and acting.
More from John Cleese
All quotes βBecause, as we all know, itβs easier to do trivial things that are urgent than it is to do important things that are not urgent, like thinking. And itβs also easier to do little things we know we can do than to start on big things that weβre not so sure about.
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If you are leaping a ravine, the moment of takeoff is a bad time to be considering alternative strategies.
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In Britain, girls seem to be either bright or attractive. In America, that's not the case. They're both.
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I used to desire many, many things, but now I have just one desire, and that's to get rid of all my other desires.
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When the target audience is American teenage kids, you can have problems. My generation prized really fine acting and writing. Sometimes you have to go back to the basic principles which underpin great visual comedy.
John CleeseRead
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