--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I've always considered myself an actor…" description: "\"I've always considered myself an actor, but I wasn't making a living as an actor.\" — Alan Arkin" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/69f/alan-arkin-5379_actor_i-ve-always-considered-myself-an-actor-b_1890189.png" --- # I've always considered myself an actor, but I wasn't… ![“I've always considered myself an actor, but I wasn't making a living as an actor.” quote by Alan Arkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/69f/alan-arkin-5379_actor_i-ve-always-considered-myself-an-actor-b_1890189.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/69f/alan-arkin-5379_actor_i-ve-always-considered-myself-an-actor-b_1890189.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/69f/alan-arkin-5379_actor_i-ve-always-considered-myself-an-actor-b_1890189.png) > “I've always considered myself an actor, but I wasn't making a living as an actor.” [Alan Arkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-arkin/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The actor acknowledges his identity as a performer despite not earning a living from it, underscoring passion over profession. **In simple terms:** Identifies as an actor even without income. Key Takeaway Pursue passions regardless of financial success. Themes identity passion career art Mood thoughtful inspirational Type reflective motivational When to use this quote - theatre auditions - side‑hustle planning - artistic development - financial budgeting Key Concepts self‑concept creativity economic reality Questions to Reflect On - How do you balance art and income? - What alternative paths support your creative goals? A Different Perspective Passion may not sustain livelihood without practical planning. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Actor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actor/) [Actors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actors/) [Burritos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/burritos/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Making a living](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/making-a-living/) [Theatre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/theatre/) ## Related quotes > [I played guitar. I've always considered myself an actor, but I wasn't making a living as an actor. So I was in a couple…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-arkin/i-played-guitar-i-ve-always-considered-myself-an-actor-but-i-wasn-t/) [Alan Arkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-arkin/) > [I don't believe in having to show anybody anything. I just do my work. You know, making a living as an actor is such…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-guttenberg/i-don-t-believe-in-having-to-show-anybody-anything-i-just-do-my-work/) [Steve Guttenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-guttenberg/) > [I honestly never considered myself an actor. An actor would be someone like Paul Muni or Spencer Tracy. I was more of a personality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-autry/i-honestly-never-considered-myself-an-actor-an-actor-would-be-someone/) [Gene Autry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-autry/) > [My drama instructor suggested I try comedy. I was resistant at first because I considered myself a serious actor, but of course I fell…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cecily-strong/my-drama-instructor-suggested-i-try-comedy-i-was-resistant-at-first/) [Cecily Strong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cecily-strong/) > [In order to be an actor you really have to be one of those types of people who are risk-takers and have what is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryan-cranston/in-order-to-be-an-actor-you-really-have-to-be-one-of-those-types-of/) [Bryan Cranston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryan-cranston/) > [I've never considered myself an actor; I get much more immediate satisfaction singing. If you sing good, people clap. On television, you never know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-nabors/i-ve-never-considered-myself-an-actor-i-get-much-more-immediate/) [Jim Nabors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-nabors/) > [I never really considered myself an actor because I never pursued it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-coppola-schwartzman/i-never-really-considered-myself-an-actor-because-i-never-pursued-it/) [Robert Coppola Schwartzman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-coppola-schwartzman/) > [If I was just considered a looker and wasn't considered an actor, where would I be in 10 or 20 years from now?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heather-matarazzo/if-i-was-just-considered-a-looker-and-wasn-t-considered-an-actor/) [Heather Matarazzo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heather-matarazzo/) > [I'm afraid to be considered an actor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/iko-uwais/i-m-afraid-to-be-considered-an-actor/) [Iko Uwais](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/iko-uwais/) > [It wasn't until 'Hamilton' that I began to be considered an actor of color, and I really don't know what to make of it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phillipa-soo/it-wasn-t-until-hamilton-that-i-began-to-be-considered-an-actor-of/) [Phillipa Soo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phillipa-soo/) > [I've always considered myself an actor first and foremost.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stanley-tucci/i-ve-always-considered-myself-an-actor-first-and-foremost/) [Stanley Tucci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stanley-tucci/) > [None of my heroes were big rock stars, and I thought, 'This isn't how it's meant to be.' It wasn't about making music so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-rea/none-of-my-heroes-were-big-rock-stars-and-i-thought-this-isn-t-how-it/) [Chris Rea](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-rea/) > [I was running around with two guns on my waist like I was Larry Fishburne or something. I wasn't making no money, I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-price/i-was-running-around-with-two-guns-on-my-waist-like-i-was-larry/) [Sean Price](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-price/) > [I recorded that because it happened to me. I wasn't making a point](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-mapplethorpe/i-recorded-that-because-it-happened-to-me-i-wasn-t-making-a-point/) [Robert Mapplethorpe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-mapplethorpe/) > [I wasn't making music for the sake of music but rather making music in the context of other music. At the same time, it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-shields/i-wasn-t-making-music-for-the-sake-of-music-but-rather-making-music/) [Kevin Shields](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-shields/) ## More by Alan Arkin > [I don't believe in competitions between artists. This is insane. Who has the authority to say someone is better?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-arkin/i-don-t-believe-in-competitions-between-artists-this-is-insane-who/) [Alan Arkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-arkin/) > [If I'm going to make a fake movie, it's going to be a fake hit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-arkin/if-i-m-going-to-make-a-fake-movie-it-s-going-to-be-a-fake-hit/) [Alan Arkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-arkin/) > [I don't mind watching plays once in a while, but as long as I don't have to be in them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-arkin/i-don-t-mind-watching-plays-once-in-a-while-but-as-long-as-i-don-t/) [Alan Arkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-arkin/) > [I had a hard time treating my field as if it's horse racing, putting actors in competition against each other. I see how the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-arkin/i-had-a-hard-time-treating-my-field-as-if-it-s-horse-racing-putting/) [Alan Arkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-arkin/) > [Creativity means learning where the rules exist, and then breaking them! Saying, "It's better this way." But you have to know the rules in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-arkin/creativity-means-learning-where-the-rules-exist-and-then-breaking/) [Alan Arkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-arkin/) > [Things have got to add up to 100 points. The script is part of it, the character is part of it, the people I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-arkin/things-have-got-to-add-up-to-100-points-the-script-is-part-of-it-the/) [Alan Arkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-arkin/) > [I don't sense that I am someone's hero, though I'm happy when people like my work. I've learned how to be gracious about it,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-arkin/i-don-t-sense-that-i-am-someone-s-hero-though-i-m-happy-when-people/) [Alan Arkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-arkin/) > [It's - everybody's looking at the bottom line all the time, and failure doesn't look good on the bottom line, and yet you don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-arkin/it-s-everybody-s-looking-at-the-bottom-line-all-the-time-and-failure/) [Alan Arkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-arkin/) > [That's the privilege of old age: You don't have to remember.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-arkin/that-s-the-privilege-of-old-age-you-don-t-have-to-remember/) [Alan Arkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-arkin/) > [Every physicist knows that things connect with each other. To isolate things is not the way the universe works - winning best actor is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-arkin/every-physicist-knows-that-things-connect-with-each-other-to-isolate/) [Alan Arkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-arkin/) > [I don't know why we have to put things in boxes of superlatives. That isolates them. Life is fluid, and the minute you start…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-arkin/i-don-t-know-why-we-have-to-put-things-in-boxes-of-superlatives-that/) [Alan Arkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-arkin/) > [People think that the people in Hollywood have some master plan. They just make the movies that people go to see. I think it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-arkin/people-think-that-the-people-in-hollywood-have-some-master-plan-they/) [Alan Arkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-arkin/) > [I'm very old. I haven't got time to be charming.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-arkin/i-m-very-old-i-haven-t-got-time-to-be-charming/) [Alan Arkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-arkin/) > [I'm an actor. My life as an actor depends on who sends me what. I'm just taking the best stuff that I can find…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-arkin/i-m-an-actor-my-life-as-an-actor-depends-on-who-sends-me-what-i-m/) [Alan Arkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-arkin/) > [Education does not mean jamming information into somebody's head. Rather, it's that ancient idea that all knowledge is within us; to teach is to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-arkin/education-does-not-mean-jamming-information-into-somebody-s-head/) [Alan Arkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-arkin/) [Explore all 101 Alan Arkin quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-arkin/) ## More Actor quotes > [I actually think acting is a form of self-hypnosis. You have to be hyper, hyper aware of what's going on around you. You have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julianne-moore/i-actually-think-acting-is-a-form-of-self-hypnosis-you-have-to-be/) [Julianne Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julianne-moore/) > [When you step out and do a song in a musical, the easier thing to do is make it funny. But when those transitions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelli-o-hara/when-you-step-out-and-do-a-song-in-a-musical-the-easier-thing-to-do/) [Kelli O'Hara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelli-o-hara/) > [I once told someone I could act. They totally bought it. 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Goyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-s-goyer/) > [I'm an actor, so I'm never going to feel like I've done enough.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/italia-ricci/i-m-an-actor-so-i-m-never-going-to-feel-like-i-ve-done-enough/) [Italia Ricci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/italia-ricci/) > [I am tired of our characters being so incomplete. When do we ever save the day in a film? When does a Latino actor…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/esai-morales/i-am-tired-of-our-characters-being-so-incomplete-when-do-we-ever-save/) [Esai Morales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/esai-morales/) > [When I was 13, I auditioned for the theater school, and I was there for four years. In the meantime, I did my first…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ana-de-armas/when-i-was-13-i-auditioned-for-the-theater-school-and-i-was-there-for/) [Ana de Armas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ana-de-armas/) > [If you stood me in a costume next to a computer graphic of the same-looking character, I think there would be a difference. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warwick-davis/if-you-stood-me-in-a-costume-next-to-a-computer-graphic-of-the-same/) [Warwick Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warwick-davis/) > [failure in the theater is more public, more brilliant, more unreal than in any other field.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lillian-hellman/failure-in-the-theater-is-more-public-more-brilliant-more-unreal-than/) [Lillian Hellman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lillian-hellman/) > [I'm a character actor - always have been, always will be - and historically, character actors don't come into their own until later in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annie-potts/i-m-a-character-actor-always-have-been-always-will-be-and/) [Annie Potts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annie-potts/) > [Actors don't hate acting. Most people don't hate acting! 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I was typecast.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/divine/i-never-planned-to-do-female-roles-it-just-happened-i-was-typecast/) [Divine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/divine/) > [Once I committed to acting, this has been it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernie-hudson/once-i-committed-to-acting-this-has-been-it/) [Ernie Hudson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernie-hudson/) [Browse all 21,590 Actor quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actor/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I've always considered myself an actor, but I wasn't making a living as an actor.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Alan Arkin" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-arkin/i-ve-always-considered-myself-an-actor-but-i-wasn-t-making-a-living/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Actor" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-arkin/i-ve-always-considered-myself-an-actor-but-i-wasn-t-making-a-living/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/69f/alan-arkin-5379_actor_i-ve-always-considered-myself-an-actor-b_1890189.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/69f/alan-arkin-5379_actor_i-ve-always-considered-myself-an-actor-b_1890189.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/69f/alan-arkin-5379_actor_i-ve-always-considered-myself-an-actor-b_1890189.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I've always considered myself an actor, but I wasn't making a living as an actor.” — Alan Arkin", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Alan Arkin", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-arkin/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I've always considered myself an actor,...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-arkin/i-ve-always-considered-myself-an-actor-but-i-wasn-t-making-a-living/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-arkin/i-ve-always-considered-myself-an-actor-but-i-wasn-t-making-a-living/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```