"I like people trying to do two things at once"
About this Quote
The intent is quietly anti-snob. In a culture that fetishizes mastery and "effortless" talent, Janney is endorsing the opposite: visible trying. Two things at once suggests multitasking, sure, but it also hints at double consciousness - being present while performing, being competent while still learning, holding poise and panic in the same body. Actors live there. Great screen work often depends on playing one emotion while leaking another, delivering a line while betraying it with posture, breath, timing. "Two things" is basically subtext.
Context matters: Janney has spent decades toggling between comedy and drama, prestige and network, lead and scene-stealer. That range isn't just résumé variety; it's a philosophy of attention. She's praising people who don't wait to become finished products before they act. The subtext is permission: try the hard thing before you feel ready, take on contradiction, risk looking messy. It's also an audience note. We don't fall for perfection; we fall for the strain, the split focus, the little tremor that proves something real is happening.
Quote Details
| Topic | Witty One-Liners |
|---|---|
| Source | Help us find the source |
| Cite |
Citation Formats
APA Style (7th ed.)
Janney, Allison. (2026, January 17). I like people trying to do two things at once. FixQuotes. https://fixquotes.com/quotes/i-like-people-trying-to-do-two-things-at-once-40100/
Chicago Style
Janney, Allison. "I like people trying to do two things at once." FixQuotes. January 17, 2026. https://fixquotes.com/quotes/i-like-people-trying-to-do-two-things-at-once-40100/.
MLA Style (9th ed.)
"I like people trying to do two things at once." FixQuotes, 17 Jan. 2026, https://fixquotes.com/quotes/i-like-people-trying-to-do-two-things-at-once-40100/. Accessed 13 Feb. 2026.





