If you're playing a good guy, you show some darkness. If you're playing a dark guy, you show something different, like humor, that will mix it up and hopefully surpass the audience's expectations. What I'm battling all the time is complacency in the audience. I try to bring a little mystery to what might happen because that engages people more.

In this quote, Campbell Scott discusses his approach to acting, explaining that in order to make his performances more engaging, he deliberately adds complexity to the characters he plays. He notes that when portraying a good guy, he incorporates elements of darkness to create depth, while playing a dark character calls for the addition of something unexpected, like humor, to surprise and captivate the audience. This approach, according to Scott, helps to keep his performances dynamic and prevents them from feeling predictable or one-dimensional.

Scott highlights the importance of subverting expectations in his work. By adding layers of complexity—whether it’s showing a good character’s darker side or injecting humor into a darker role—he aims to keep the audience on their toes. This strategy is designed to make the characters more multi-faceted and compelling, offering a more nuanced experience rather than relying on stereotypes or simple portrayals of good versus evil.

The quote also reveals Scott’s desire to challenge complacency in the audience. He believes that if viewers can predict what’s going to happen next, they will lose interest. To counteract this, Scott strives to bring an element of mystery into his roles, keeping audiences engaged by offering them something new and unpredictable. By doing so, he aims to ensure that the audience is emotionally invested and curious about the direction of the story.

Ultimately, Scott’s approach to acting reflects his commitment to creating engaging and complex characters that challenge the audience's expectations. His use of contradictory traits—like adding darkness to a good character or humor to a dark one—ensures that his performances remain fresh, dynamic, and capable of maintaining the audience's interest throughout.