"I remember hearing someone say that good acting is more about taking off a mask than putting one on, and in movie acting, certainly that's true. With the camera so close, you can see right down into your soul, hopefully. So being able to do that in a way is terrifying, and in another way, truly liberating. And I like that about it"
About this Quote
The subtext is a quiet admission about control. Onstage, an actor can shape distance with voice and gesture; on camera, micro-expressions and involuntary tells become part of the performance whether you planned them or not. “Hopefully” is doing a lot of work here, signaling both aspiration and a little self-protective irony: the promise of authenticity is seductive, but never guaranteed. Film sells “truth,” yet it’s built from marks, lighting, edits, and a crew watching you breathe.
Her pairing of “terrifying” and “liberating” nails the paradox that makes movie stardom emotionally expensive. To be convincing, you have to risk being seen; to be seen, you have to surrender some of the armor that makes ordinary social life possible. The line “And I like that about it” lands as a seasoned professional’s consent to vulnerability - not as a spiritual mantra, but as a practical aesthetic: the thrill of letting the camera catch what you can’t fully fake.
Quote Details
| Topic | Movie |
|---|---|
| Source | Help us find the source |
| Cite |
Citation Formats
APA Style (7th ed.)
Bening, Annette. (2026, January 16). I remember hearing someone say that good acting is more about taking off a mask than putting one on, and in movie acting, certainly that's true. With the camera so close, you can see right down into your soul, hopefully. So being able to do that in a way is terrifying, and in another way, truly liberating. And I like that about it. FixQuotes. https://fixquotes.com/quotes/i-remember-hearing-someone-say-that-good-acting-110765/
Chicago Style
Bening, Annette. "I remember hearing someone say that good acting is more about taking off a mask than putting one on, and in movie acting, certainly that's true. With the camera so close, you can see right down into your soul, hopefully. So being able to do that in a way is terrifying, and in another way, truly liberating. And I like that about it." FixQuotes. January 16, 2026. https://fixquotes.com/quotes/i-remember-hearing-someone-say-that-good-acting-110765/.
MLA Style (9th ed.)
"I remember hearing someone say that good acting is more about taking off a mask than putting one on, and in movie acting, certainly that's true. With the camera so close, you can see right down into your soul, hopefully. So being able to do that in a way is terrifying, and in another way, truly liberating. And I like that about it." FixQuotes, 16 Jan. 2026, https://fixquotes.com/quotes/i-remember-hearing-someone-say-that-good-acting-110765/. Accessed 12 Feb. 2026.
