"I don't come in with any preconceived ideas, and although I will have done some preparation, I can go which way the director wants"
About this Quote
The line also smuggles in a crucial qualifier: "although I will have done some preparation". That’s the tell. She’s not advocating winging it; she’s describing a two-part method: arrive ready, then stay porous. Preparation is private; adaptability is public. The subtext is professional diplomacy, the kind that keeps you employed across decades and temperaments. She’s reassuring directors that she won’t be a battlefield, while quietly reminding everyone she’s not unprepared or malleable in a cheap way.
"I can go which way the director wants" frames acting as interpretation inside someone else’s architecture. It acknowledges the power center on set without sounding resentful. For a veteran actress, it also lands as a strategy for navigating a historically male-directed system: collaboration becomes both artistry and self-preservation. Bisset’s intent feels pragmatic and a little idealistic: the best performances happen when control loosens, when the actor stops protecting a preplanned "choice" and starts listening to the room.
Quote Details
| Topic | Movie |
|---|---|
| Source | Help us find the source |
| Cite |
Citation Formats
APA Style (7th ed.)
Bisset, Jacqueline. (2026, January 18). I don't come in with any preconceived ideas, and although I will have done some preparation, I can go which way the director wants. FixQuotes. https://fixquotes.com/quotes/i-dont-come-in-with-any-preconceived-ideas-and-23421/
Chicago Style
Bisset, Jacqueline. "I don't come in with any preconceived ideas, and although I will have done some preparation, I can go which way the director wants." FixQuotes. January 18, 2026. https://fixquotes.com/quotes/i-dont-come-in-with-any-preconceived-ideas-and-23421/.
MLA Style (9th ed.)
"I don't come in with any preconceived ideas, and although I will have done some preparation, I can go which way the director wants." FixQuotes, 18 Jan. 2026, https://fixquotes.com/quotes/i-dont-come-in-with-any-preconceived-ideas-and-23421/. Accessed 12 Feb. 2026.


