Kinnaman has built his acting career around flawed male characters. He’s currently promoting that approach with a daily saying that captures it: “We all can relate to people’s weaknesses. We might put up a façade that everything is perfect but none of us are. When we see that weakness in somebody else, we understand or give ourselves a little bit of leeway.”
The quote comes from a 2011 interview with Vulture about his role in The Killing, one of those rare crime TV shows without a single bad season. There, Kinnaman played Detective Stephen Holder, an addict still working on himself while desperately trying to solve the murder of teenager Rosie Larsen (Katie Findlay).
Kinnaman’s Career So Far
Kinnaman comes from a Swedish-American background, and his career spans gritty television to major action films. He played Detective Holder in The Killing (2011), took on the role of Robocop, appeared in The Suicide Squad, led Altered Carbon for Netflix, and then took charge of For All Mankind for Apple TV. In his current project, he plays real-life CIA agent John Nixon, the man who questioned Saddam Hussein in 2003.
Holder’s troubled history makes him more relatable to viewers because no one is perfect. Good television frequently centers on flawed characters because it is entertaining to watch protagonists — and antagonists — overcome significant hardship.
What The Quote Actually Means
Imperfection is universal, according to Kinnaman, and most people try to put their best foot forward when presenting themselves to others. Social media is largely responsible for this phenomenon, since everyone wants to showcase their ideal selves to their friends, family, and followers.
The person we project on Instagram rarely matches who we actually are in real life. Kinnaman observes that everybody has a weakness of some kind — because that’s simply a part of being human — even though we often put on a “perfect” version of ourselves. We all know that everybody else is also flawed, and that weakness is relatable, yet it can still be hard to resist the performance of perfection.
More Quotes From Kinnaman
Across interviews with Collider, Cosmopolitan, and GQ, Kinnaman has opened up about his work, his approach, and his personal life. Some further lines from those conversations give more sense of how he thinks.
- “We retell our favorite stories. That’s what we’ve done since we were sitting around campfires. It’s a part of the human spirit. It doesn’t have to be negative to creativity. It can be completely opposite. That’s how you can break new ground: by rethinking something that’s already been done.” — from a 2012 interview with Collider
- “I think life takes place in the grey areas, or at least the interesting parts of life. I like to be a part of the stories that take place there. When it’s a moral grey zone, the audience has to think about what they feel and what they think is right or wrong. You want to affect your audience and make them think.” — from a 2012 interview with Collider
- “I’ve hurt people unnecessarily when it was about my own insecurities. But you have to make those mistakes to become a better person. I’ve learned to steer away from the wrong kind of woman for me.” — from a 2014 interview with Cosmopolitan (via Ace Showbiz)
- “My mother helped me form a language to talk about emotions, to understand that sometimes the emotions that you feel are a result of something else.” — from a 2021 interview with GQ
Why This Quote Matters Now
Kinnaman’s remarks about social media point to a common struggle between appearance and reality. The quote captures that strain, though the source does not state that pressure to put forth a flawless image is the principal cause.
Key Facts Box
- Quote comes from a 2011 Vulture interview about The Killing
- Kinnaman played Detective Stephen Holder in The Killing (2011)
- He played Robocop
- Current role: CIA agent John Nixon in High Value Target: The Hunt For Saddam
The Verdict On The Quote
Kinnaman’s remark is a plain statement about how we treat other people. It recognizes the distance between our actions and who we truly are.
The quote is simple, and it reflects a common experience.
Source material: “Quote Of The Day By Joel Kinnaman: 'We Might Put Up A Façade That Everything Is Perfect But None Of Us Are…',” TVLine.
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