It took me a long time not to judge myself through someone else's eyes.
Sally FieldRead
I find that’s one of the great things about acting-you have the opportunity to stand in somebody else’s shoes. Each character faces a dilemma in her life, and as an actor you’re able to step into that character’s skin, look through her eyes. You leave transformed, a different person, because once you live a little bit of someone’s life, it changes you.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Acting allows individuals to experience life from different perspectives, leading to personal transformation.
In this quote, Sally Field expresses the profound impact of acting on an individual's understanding of humanity. By stepping into the lives of various characters, actors are given the chance to empathize with their struggles and worldviews, resulting in a transformation not just in the portrayal of the character, but also within themselves. This process enriches their own life experiences and broadens their perspectives, illustrating how art can foster compassion and connectivity among people.
Themes
ActingEmpathyTransformationPerspectiveCharacters
In practice
Example use cases
In a speech at a drama school graduation, an instructor quoted this to inspire students.
More from Sally Field
All quotes →I've never had my heart broken. It's a very sad state of affairs. I think everybody should have their heart broken. I don't think it says anything good about me at all.
Sally FieldRead
But there isn't any second half of myself waiting to plug in and make me whole. It's there. I'm already whole.
Sally FieldRead
When I was born, the doctor looked at my mother and said, "Congratulations, you have an actor!"
Sally FieldRead
I was raised to sense what someone wanted me to be and be that kind of person. It took me a long time not to judge myself through someone else's eyes.
Sally FieldRead
I started to repeat to myself "If I'm not where I want to be, it's because I'm not good enough... yet." Which meant it was up to me.
Sally FieldRead
Similar quotes
In every culture, in every language, there is expressive play, expressive word play; there's language use to different purposes that we would call poetry.
Edward HirschRead
The entire world of art has reached such a low level, it has been commercialized to such a degree that art and everything related to it has become one of the most trivial activities of our epoch.
Marcel DuchampRead
I have never heard a dancer asking for advice about how to stay focused on her footwork, or a painter complaining about the dull day-to-day task of painting. What task worth doing isn't worth daily effort? Do you think Michelangelo was having fun the whole time he was on his back painting the Sistine Chapel's ceiling?
Ursula K. Le GuinRead
When the punk thing came along and I heard my friends saying, I hate these people with the pins in their ears. I said, Thank God, something got their attention.
Neil YoungRead
My life, my reading, everything about me revolves around the cinema. So for me, cinema is life, and vice-versa.
Sergio LeoneRead
As an artist I have always tried to be faithful to my vision of life, and I have frequently been in conflict with those who wanted me to paint not what I saw but what they wished me to see.
Diego RiveraRead