"I'm trying to eliminate every vestige of my own personality, style, approach and get into somebody else's skin. Sometimes I feel I've accomplished it. But when I don't, I'm nobody at all, having left myself at home"

Judy Holliday's quote provides an introspective glimpse into the complex process of embodying a character, clarifying her devotion to the art of acting. At its core, the quote encapsulates the actor's paradox: the battle to transcend one's own personality in pursuit of authentically living in another's. Holliday talks to the ultimate objective of an actor-- to totally immerse oneself into the character being represented, thus forsaking personal inclinations and idiosyncrasies to breathe life into an entirely brand-new entity.

The phrase "get rid of every vestige of my own character, style, method" highlights the discipline and rigor associated with acting. It involves a mindful effort to strip away inherent reactions in favor of those dictated by the character's story and psychology. The undertaking is both an individual and expert obstacle, requiring the star to confront and briefly abandon their own identity, a task that looks into the realm of mental improvement.

Holliday's mention of getting "into somebody else's skin" evokes imagery of an actor's complete transformation. It means the extensive compassion and deep understanding required to precisely show the emotions, motivations, and experiences of another person. Achieving this level of embodiment is not merely an intellectual exercise but an affective shift, allowing the actor to view the world through the character's eyes.

Nevertheless, when Holliday notes, "But when I do not, I'm nobody at all, having left myself in the house", she acknowledges an intrinsic danger in this undertaking. There is an unsettling void that can manifest when an actor fails to fully get in touch with the new personality. Having discarded their own identity in pursuit of another, the actor can feel disoriented and detached-- a 'nobody' without the grounding of their own self or the effective adoption of a character's identity.

Therefore, Hollliday's reflection acts as a testimony to both the vulnerability and the victory inherent in the acting profession, showing how the line between self and other is navigated with precision, often leaving the performer in a state of transient identity loss in the middle of their innovative expedition.