"People think they know who I am, because I've played so many very, very out gay men on stage, and they think that's me"

Nathan Lane's quote speaks with the idea that individuals frequently make assumptions about a person based on the functions they play. In this case, Lane has played many "really, really out gay men" on phase, and people presume that this is who he is in real life. This quote suggests that Lane is not necessarily the same person in real life as he is on stage, which individuals should not make presumptions about him based upon the roles he plays. It also talks to the idea that individuals must not evaluate a person based upon their efficiency, but rather on who they are as an individual. Lane's quote is a tip that people should not make assumptions about somebody based on their performance, which everyone needs to be evaluated on their own merits.