"I'd much rather do one or two takes of one thing and then see how it goes"
About this Quote
The phrasing does a lot of cultural work. "Much rather" signals a personal boundary, not a universal rule. "One thing" keeps it concrete and modest, as if he's talking about a single beat, a line, a choice. Then the key turn: "and then see how it goes". That's a philosophy of risk. It privileges discovery and responsiveness, the idea that a take isn't a product but a probe. You do it, you watch it back, you learn what the scene wants. The subtext is that acting isn't a math problem you solve through repetition; it's closer to catching a mood before it evaporates.
Context matters: Strong came up as a recognizable face in the 90s, when TV schedules were tight and performances had to land without endless tinkering. That background can breed a kind of practical confidence: hit the mark, tell the truth, move on. In today's content ecosystem, where digital tools invite infinite refinement, his quote feels pointedly analog. It champions the human constraint that makes art feel human: you get a few tries, so you show up fully.
Quote Details
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Citation Formats
APA Style (7th ed.)
Strong, Rider. (2026, January 16). I'd much rather do one or two takes of one thing and then see how it goes. FixQuotes. https://fixquotes.com/quotes/id-much-rather-do-one-or-two-takes-of-one-thing-135856/
Chicago Style
Strong, Rider. "I'd much rather do one or two takes of one thing and then see how it goes." FixQuotes. January 16, 2026. https://fixquotes.com/quotes/id-much-rather-do-one-or-two-takes-of-one-thing-135856/.
MLA Style (9th ed.)
"I'd much rather do one or two takes of one thing and then see how it goes." FixQuotes, 16 Jan. 2026, https://fixquotes.com/quotes/id-much-rather-do-one-or-two-takes-of-one-thing-135856/. Accessed 4 Feb. 2026.








