"You have to get the audience invested even if you're doing something that they think is dumb, it's kind of what these movies are all about"
About this Quote
The word “invested” is doing heavy lifting. It frames attention as a transaction: viewers are spending time, money, and social currency, and the performer has to make that spend feel justified. Berry’s subtext is pragmatic, almost defensive in a way that’s familiar to actors who’ve worked in franchise machinery: don’t confuse the silliness of the setup with the seriousness of the craft. The audience can laugh at the concept and still be moved by the stakes, but only if someone on-screen commits hard enough to anchor the spectacle.
There’s also a quiet class politics in “they think is dumb.” It nods to the cultural gatekeeping that separates “serious” cinema from pop entertainment, as if intelligence is measured by how little fun you’re allowed to have. Berry flips the hierarchy: the challenge isn’t making a tasteful film; it’s making an untasteful one land. These movies are “all about” the conversion moment - turning skepticism into participation. The real special effect is sincerity.
Quote Details
| Topic | Movie |
|---|---|
| Source | Help us find the source |
| Cite |
Citation Formats
APA Style (7th ed.)
Berry, Halle. (2026, January 15). You have to get the audience invested even if you're doing something that they think is dumb, it's kind of what these movies are all about. FixQuotes. https://fixquotes.com/quotes/you-have-to-get-the-audience-invested-even-if-154503/
Chicago Style
Berry, Halle. "You have to get the audience invested even if you're doing something that they think is dumb, it's kind of what these movies are all about." FixQuotes. January 15, 2026. https://fixquotes.com/quotes/you-have-to-get-the-audience-invested-even-if-154503/.
MLA Style (9th ed.)
"You have to get the audience invested even if you're doing something that they think is dumb, it's kind of what these movies are all about." FixQuotes, 15 Jan. 2026, https://fixquotes.com/quotes/you-have-to-get-the-audience-invested-even-if-154503/. Accessed 22 Feb. 2026.

