"What does it mean for an actor to make a part his own? It means that he takes on what you had intended and starts to put in his own stuff so that it becomes something that could only happen if he played it"

In this quote, James L. Brooks is going over the idea of an actor making a role their own. He explains that when an actor truly handles a function, they not just comprehend the intents of the author or director, but they also include their own special elements to the character. This enables the character to end up being more dynamic and authentic, as it is a combination of the actor's interpretation and the original vision. Brooks recommends that this process is what really brings a character to life, as it ends up being something that could only occur with that specific star in the function. Basically, making a part their own means that the star has completely embodied the character and made it their own.