--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Sometimes with people I know, they're…" description: "\"Sometimes with people I know, they're playing the hunky action guy and there's resistance to them coming out because it's so connected to straight masc..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5f6/alan-cumming-9179_action_sometimes-with-people-i-know-they-re-pla_29410.jpg" --- # Sometimes with people I know, they're playing the hunky… ![“Sometimes with people I know, they're playing the hunky action guy and there's resistance to them coming out because it's so connected to straight masculinity. There's a plastic kind of movie star who has a very short shelf with very small kind of ambition. I see that but I still don't agree with…” quote by Alan Cumming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5f6/alan-cumming-9179_action_sometimes-with-people-i-know-they-re-pla_29410.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5f6/alan-cumming-9179_action_sometimes-with-people-i-know-they-re-pla_29410.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5f6/alan-cumming-9179_action_sometimes-with-people-i-know-they-re-pla_29410.jpg) > “Sometimes with people I know, they're playing the hunky action guy and there's resistance to them coming out because it's so connected to straight masculinity. There's a plastic kind of movie star who has a very short shelf with very small kind of ambition. I see that but I still don't agree with it.” [Alan Cumming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-cumming/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker critiques how certain men adopt hyper‑masculine, action‑hero personas, which are constrained by narrow expectations of straight masculinity and limited ambition, and expresses disagreement with that model. **In simple terms:** Critique of shallow masculine archetype Key Takeaway Reject limiting gender scripts Themes gender roles masculinity authenticity media representation identity ambition Mood critical thoughtful skeptical Type observation critique When to use this quote - film casting decisions - career advice for actors - discussions on toxic masculinity - personal branding Key Concepts performance social expectations self‑presentation Practical Applications - rethink casting diversity - encourage authentic self‑expression Questions to Reflect On - How does media shape our view of masculinity? - What alternatives exist to the action‑hero stereotype? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Action](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/action/) [Ambition](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ambition/) [Masculinity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/masculinity/) [Movie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/movie/) [Movie star](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/movie-star/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Resistance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/resistance/) [Star](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/star/) ## Related quotes > [No one to talk with, all by myself. No one to walk with, but I'm happy on the shelf.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fats-waller/no-one-to-talk-with-all-by-myself-no-one-to-walk-with-but-i-m-happy/) [Fats Waller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fats-waller/) > [Don't ask me to put up a shelf, but I love engineering.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-dickinson/don-t-ask-me-to-put-up-a-shelf-but-i-love-engineering/) [Bruce Dickinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-dickinson/) > [Many retail stores have consumer trackers that study how long your eyes linger on one product, whether you follow it through by touch, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jan-chipchase/many-retail-stores-have-consumer-trackers-that-study-how-long-your/) [Jan Chipchase](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jan-chipchase/) > [On a shelf above my computer are five letters that spell out W-R-I-T-E. Just in case I forget why I'm there. I also have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-picoult/on-a-shelf-above-my-computer-are-five-letters-that-spell-out-w-r-i-t/) [Jodi Picoult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-picoult/) > [“A book fell on my head. I can only blame my shelf.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-connery/a-book-fell-on-my-head-i-can-only-blame-my-shelf/) [Sean Connery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-connery/) > [When I was growing up, if there was a Young Adult section of my town's library, I missed it. I wandered right from 'The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erin-morgenstern/when-i-was-growing-up-if-there-was-a-young-adult-section-of-my-town-s/) [Erin Morgenstern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erin-morgenstern/) > [A couple trophies on my shelf so what else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mac-miller/a-couple-trophies-on-my-shelf-so-what-else/) [Mac Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mac-miller/) > [Every relationship comes with a shelf life; that duration could be a minute or even a lifetime. If, for whatever reasons, a relationship cannot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kabir-bedi/every-relationship-comes-with-a-shelf-life-that-duration-could-be-a/) [Kabir Bedi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kabir-bedi/) > [Let's put the jam on the lower shelf so the little people can reach it](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-yarborough/let-s-put-the-jam-on-the-lower-shelf-so-the-little-people-can-reach-it/) Ralph Yarborough > [Man what's the point of living if I'm living for myself Lord empty out my life before I put you on the shelf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lecrae/man-what-s-the-point-of-living-if-i-m-living-for-myself-lord-empty/) [LeCrae](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lecrae/) > [“Write the book you wish you could find on the shelf but can't.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maggie-stiefvater/write-the-book-you-wish-you-could-find-on-the-shelf-but-can-t/) [Maggie Stiefvater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maggie-stiefvater/) > [“No one who can read, ever looks at a book, even unopened on a shelf, like one who cannot. 'Were”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/no-one-who-can-read-ever-looks-at-a-book-even-unopened-on-a-shelf/) [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) > [One could get a first-class education from a shelf of books five feet long.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-william-eliot/one-could-get-a-first-class-education-from-a-shelf-of-books-five-feet/) [Charles William Eliot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-william-eliot/) > [People are best on records and books because you can turn them off or put them back on the shelf.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-rollins/people-are-best-on-records-and-books-because-you-can-turn-them-off-or/) [Henry Rollins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-rollins/) > [The last thing you want to see is your record sit on a shelf.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/uncle-kracker/the-last-thing-you-want-to-see-is-your-record-sit-on-a-shelf/) [Uncle Kracker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/uncle-kracker/) ## More by Alan Cumming > [Finally, the scariest thing about abuse of any shape or form, is, in my opinion, not the abuse itself, but that if it continues…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-cumming/finally-the-scariest-thing-about-abuse-of-any-shape-or-form-is-in-my/) [Alan Cumming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-cumming/) > [I'm not a fan of Twitter.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-cumming/i-m-not-a-fan-of-twitter/) [Alan Cumming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-cumming/) > [I don't feel I'm a compulsive person. I multitask. I'm really well-organised, and I have lots of people to help me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-cumming/i-don-t-feel-i-m-a-compulsive-person-i-multitask-i-m-really-well/) [Alan Cumming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-cumming/) > [For example, Americans seem reluctant to take on Shakespeare because you don't think you're very good at it - which is rubbish. You're missing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-cumming/for-example-americans-seem-reluctant-to-take-on-shakespeare-because/) [Alan Cumming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-cumming/) > [It's exciting to be with really, really good people. Some people make you feel like you've got to up your game. Working with good…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-cumming/it-s-exciting-to-be-with-really-really-good-people-some-people-make/) [Alan Cumming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-cumming/) > [“I really wanted to show that it wasn’t all bad in my family. I tried so hard to think of happy times we all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-cumming/i-really-wanted-to-show-that-it-wasn-t-all-bad-in-my-family-i-tried/) [Alan Cumming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-cumming/) > [My feeling about work is it's much more about the experience of doing it than the end product. Sometimes things that are really great…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-cumming/my-feeling-about-work-is-it-s-much-more-about-the-experience-of-doing/) [Alan Cumming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-cumming/) > [It's interesting, for me sappy means sentimental and something that gets you in your heart, gets you emotional. That's what I mean. Also, of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-cumming/it-s-interesting-for-me-sappy-means-sentimental-and-something-that/) [Alan Cumming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-cumming/) > [If you are a cabaret artist and you are mostly singing other people's songs, you're asking them to rethink a song, listen to it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-cumming/if-you-are-a-cabaret-artist-and-you-are-mostly-singing-other-people-s/) [Alan Cumming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-cumming/) > [“You know what I hate most of all in the whole wide world?...More than people who think that if you're bisexual it means you'll…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-cumming/you-know-what-i-hate-most-of-all-in-the-whole-wide-world-more-than/) [Alan Cumming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-cumming/) > [I usually can find a way to do a character to make it real and work. But sometimes it's a struggle sustaining that, because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-cumming/i-usually-can-find-a-way-to-do-a-character-to-make-it-real-and-work/) [Alan Cumming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-cumming/) > [A sweaty Macbeth with blood on his arms coming in fresh from the battle doesn't interest me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-cumming/a-sweaty-macbeth-with-blood-on-his-arms-coming-in-fresh-from-the/) [Alan Cumming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-cumming/) > ['Macbeth' was the first play I ever read. In fact, I remember my brother Tom, who is six years older than me, coming home…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-cumming/macbeth-was-the-first-play-i-ever-read-in-fact-i-remember-my-brother/) [Alan Cumming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-cumming/) > [Usually, there's a story I've told that leads up to why I'm singing the song. The whole concept of the show was about being…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-cumming/usually-there-s-a-story-i-ve-told-that-leads-up-to-why-i-m-singing/) [Alan Cumming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-cumming/) > [I like the tragedies way more than the comedies because they're so universal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-cumming/i-like-the-tragedies-way-more-than-the-comedies-because-they-re-so/) [Alan Cumming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-cumming/) [Explore all 73 Alan Cumming quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-cumming/) ## More Action quotes > [I always say there are two things to be successful. The first is decide exactly what you want - set your goals - and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-tracy/i-always-say-there-are-two-things-to-be-successful-the-first-is/) [Brian Tracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-tracy/) > [You'd be surprised how hard it can often be to translate an action into an idea.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-kraus/you-d-be-surprised-how-hard-it-can-often-be-to-translate-an-action/) [Karl Kraus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-kraus/) > [Gratitude isn't just a feeling, it's an action. Expressing gratitude by writing in a journal, taking a photo, or shooting a video creates a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janice-kaplan/gratitude-isn-t-just-a-feeling-it-s-an-action-expressing-gratitude-by/) [Janice Kaplan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janice-kaplan/) > [Nothing is so powerful as an insight into human nature... what compulsions drive a man, what instincts dominate his action. If you know these…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-bernbach/nothing-is-so-powerful-as-an-insight-into-human-nature-what/) [William Bernbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-bernbach/) > [Every thought I have imprisioned in expression I must free by my deeds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kahlil-gibran/every-thought-i-have-imprisioned-in-expression-i-must-free-by-my-deeds/) [Kahlil Gibran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kahlil-gibran/) > [It took me 20 years to buy an electric typewriter, because I was afraid it would be too sensitive. I like to bang the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elmore-leonard/it-took-me-20-years-to-buy-an-electric-typewriter-because-i-was/) [Elmore Leonard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elmore-leonard/) > [Every action that helps us manifest our divine nature more and more is good; every action that retards it is evil.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/every-action-that-helps-us-manifest-our-divine-nature-more-and-more/) [Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/) > [As you begin changing your thinking, start immediately to change your behaviour. Begin to act the part of the person you would like to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/as-you-begin-changing-your-thinking-start-immediately-to-change-your/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [It's easy to say, let's go in and get the bad guys. But you have a divided country of Sunnis and Shias. The United…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tulsi-gabbard/it-s-easy-to-say-let-s-go-in-and-get-the-bad-guys-but-you-have-a/) [Tulsi Gabbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tulsi-gabbard/) > [For comedy action, I must know the language.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sammo-hung/for-comedy-action-i-must-know-the-language/) [Sammo Hung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sammo-hung/) > [Believing with you that religion is a matter which lies solely between man and his God, that he owes account to none other for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/believing-with-you-that-religion-is-a-matter-which-lies-solely/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [“Action is a powerful thing. When you smile through your sadness, it can completely change your outlook. Try it! Smile :) Now hold onto…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leticia-rae/action-is-a-powerful-thing-when-you-smile-through-your-sadness-it-can/) [Leticia Rae](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leticia-rae/) > [I reject criticism because the last thing I wanted was to sit there and look at people talking. I think people are conditioned to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-tyrnauer/i-reject-criticism-because-the-last-thing-i-wanted-was-to-sit-there/) [Matt Tyrnauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-tyrnauer/) > [“I take my actions because of my passion not because of compulsion.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amit-kalantri/i-take-my-actions-because-of-my-passion-not-because-of-compulsion/) [Amit Kalantri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amit-kalantri/) > [When the first Superman movie came out I was frequently asked "What is a hero?" ...My answer was that a hero is someone who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-reeve/when-the-first-superman-movie-came-out-i-was-frequently-asked-what-is/) [Christopher Reeve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-reeve/) [Browse all 14,940 Action quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/action/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Sometimes with people I know, they're playing the hunky action guy and there's resistance to them coming out because it's so connected to straight masculinity. 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