Renowned actress Tilda Swinton is well-known for her captivating and multifaceted roles in movies such as "Doctor Strange," "Snowpiercer," and "The Grand Budapest Hotel." She frequently discusses the art of acting and the distinctive experiences that it offers performers. Her statement about the life of an actor and how various roles can feel so essential to one's identity that they overshadow other noteworthy moments is one of her most memorable quotes.

Consider a tree with numerous branches, each of which symbolizes a crucial aspect of Swinton's career. She might consider playing Charlie in a certain movie to be similar to planting a strong trunk for her acting career, offering a solid base from which she could develop and take on different roles. The quotation considers the period of time when she was developing this significant aspect of her identity while someone else was occupied with playing Donald.

Swinton is talking about how actors can develop strong emotional attachments to particular roles at various stages of their lives. Like a leaf marking its position in the tree's seasonal changes, each character an actor portrays makes an impression that lasts. Being "around with Charlie" during that time implies that she was actively creating and enhancing her artistic identity, which contrasts with another period when someone else played an equally important role.

Swinton thus emphasizes how every stage of an actor's career is distinct and priceless, adding to the whole fabric of their life. Similar to a painter applying strokes to a canvas, each brushstroke is unique and necessary, even if it blends in perfectly with the overall piece.