I am doomed to an eternity of compulsive work. No set goal achieved satisfies. Success only breeds a new goal. The golden apple devoured has seeds. It is endless.
Bette DavisRead
I have often seen an actor laugh off the stage, but I don't remember ever having seen one weep.
Interpretation
What this quote means
This quote reflects on the emotional contrast of actors' performances versus their real emotions.
Bette Davis's quote highlights the tendency of actors to project joy and laughter in their performances while rarely showing vulnerability or sadness in public. It suggests a deeper commentary on the nature of performance art, indicating that while actors may embody various characters' emotions on stage, their true feelings often remain hidden from the audience.
Themes
ActingEmotionPerformanceArtTheater
In practice
Example use cases
During a workshop on acting techniques, this quote can be used to discuss the difference between stage performance and real emotions.
More from Bette Davis
All quotes βI have been uncompromising, peppery, intractable, monomaniacal, tactless, volatile, and oftentimes disagreeable... I suppose I'm larger than life.
Bette DavisRead
Acting should be bigger than life. Scripts should be bigger than life. It should all be bigger than life.
Bette DavisRead
Today everyone is a star - they're all billed as 'starring' or 'also starring'. In my day, we earned that recognition.
Bette DavisRead
Once the love bug wears off, as it inevitably does, you are shocked to discover that you really didn't know the object of your affections at all. We know this to be so, even as we repeat the same mistake over and over and over.
Bette DavisRead
If everybody likes you, you're pretty dull.
Bette DavisRead
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