If you're going to be a zombie in a movie, you go big or go home.

When Jessica Lucas declared, “If you’re going to be a zombie in a movie, you go big or go home,” her words, though playful and lighthearted, carry the spirit of a timeless truth: that whatever role life casts you in, you must inhabit it fully, without hesitation or fear. Beneath the humor lies a creed of commitment, courage, and excellence — the ancient call to give one’s whole self to the task at hand, no matter how strange, humble, or grand. To “go big” is to rise above mediocrity, to embrace the absurd and the extraordinary alike with the same fervor. To “go home” is to retreat into timidity, to shrink from life’s stage before the curtain has even lifted.

In its origin, her quote comes from her work in cinema, a world where even fantasy demands authenticity. Playing a zombie, though a role wrapped in fiction and grotesque makeup, still requires truth — the kind of truth that comes from full-hearted immersion. For to act convincingly, even in the realm of the unreal, one must believe, must embody. Jessica Lucas’s words remind us that greatness is not measured by the size of the stage, but by the sincerity of the performance. The same spirit that drives an artist to lose herself in a role should drive every soul to live with passion and purpose, regardless of how small or strange their daily roles may seem.

To the ancients, this principle was sacred. The Stoic philosopher Epictetus once said, “Remember that you are an actor in a drama, of such a kind as the author chooses.” Whether the play is long or short, whether your role is humble or heroic, you must perform it with dignity. Jessica Lucas’s modern words echo this ancient wisdom — that we are all actors upon life’s stage, and that the true measure of one’s spirit is not what role we are given, but how fully we play it. The zombie, the worker, the parent, the artist — all are roles worthy of our best selves, if we dare to bring them to life with conviction.

Consider the example of Charlie Chaplin, the great silent actor, whose role as a tramp — a lowly, comic figure — became one of the most beloved in history. He played not a king nor a warrior, but a vagabond, yet through his total immersion in the role, he revealed profound truths about hope, sorrow, and the resilience of the human spirit. Chaplin “went big” even when his stage seemed small. Like Jessica Lucas, he understood that art — and by extension, life — demands wholehearted presence. To hold back, to play timidly, is to betray the gift of existence itself.

There is also a lesson here about fearlessness. To “go big” means to risk failure, to open oneself to ridicule or rejection. Yet the ancients taught that true mastery is found not in caution, but in daring. The painter Michelangelo, when asked how he created David, replied, “I saw the angel in the marble and carved until I set him free.” He might have hesitated, afraid of the flaws that could ruin his vision, but instead, he worked with divine boldness. In every act of creation — whether art, work, or relationship — the same rule applies: give yourself entirely, or do not begin at all.

Jessica Lucas’s quote, simple though it sounds, therefore becomes a manifesto for living. It tells us to meet our tasks — even the ridiculous ones — with the fire of passion and the grace of presence. If you sweep the floor, sweep it with the joy of creation. If you speak, speak as if your words could echo for generations. If you are called to play the “zombie,” play it so completely that you transform it into something unforgettable. In this way, every act, no matter how trivial, becomes sacred, every effort becomes art.

The lesson is clear and enduring: do nothing halfway. To live fully is to live boldly, without shame in your effort or fear of imperfection. Bring your whole heart to every moment — for even the smallest gesture, done with authenticity, can awaken greatness. The ancients would have called this areté — the excellence of the soul that manifests in every deed. So, remember the wisdom hidden in Jessica Lucas’s laughter: If you’re going to be a zombie in a movie, go big or go home. For in truth, she speaks to every mortal soul — if you are going to live, live completely, or not at all.