--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: To be honest, I don't necessarily think…" description: "\"To be honest, I don't necessarily think you have to be an actor to act. You don't have to be a musician to make great music. If it comes along and you ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/231/andre-benjamin-13360_actor_to-be-honest-i-don-t-necessarily-think-y_2104215.jpg" --- # To be honest, I don't necessarily think you have to be an… ![“To be honest, I don't necessarily think you have to be an actor to act. You don't have to be a musician to make great music. If it comes along and you put your all into it, the outcome is what's important.” quote by Andre Benjamin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/231/andre-benjamin-13360_actor_to-be-honest-i-don-t-necessarily-think-y_2104215.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/231/andre-benjamin-13360_actor_to-be-honest-i-don-t-necessarily-think-y_2104215.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/231/andre-benjamin-13360_actor_to-be-honest-i-don-t-necessarily-think-y_2104215.jpg) > “To be honest, I don't necessarily think you have to be an actor to act. You don't have to be a musician to make great music. If it comes along and you put your all into it, the outcome is what's important.” [Andre Benjamin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-benjamin/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Acting and music require passion, not formal titles; effort determines quality. **In simple terms:** You can create great art without being a professional. Key Takeaway Put full effort into any creative act. Themes creativity effort identity performance Mood motivational determined Type inspirational practical When to use this quote - songwriting - acting workshops - DIY projects Key Concepts self‑expression skill acquisition discipline Questions to Reflect On - What project would you start if you ignored labels? - How does effort outweigh expertise? A Different Perspective Skill alone may not guarantee success without talent. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Actor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actor/) [Actors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actors/) [Being honest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/being-honest/) [Great music](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/great-music/) [Honest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/honest/) [Music](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/music/) [Musician](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/musician/) [Theatre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/theatre/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) ## Related quotes > [If you're going to call yourself a musician, you have to go out and make music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paolo-nutini/if-you-re-going-to-call-yourself-a-musician-you-have-to-go-out-and/) [Paolo Nutini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paolo-nutini/) > [“A musician must make music, an artist must paint, a poet must write, if he is to be ultimately at peace with himself. What…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-maslow/a-musician-must-make-music-an-artist-must-paint-a-poet-must-write-if-2/) [Abraham Maslow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-maslow/) > [If you wanna make money in music, you're better off being on the business end of it a lot of the time. And also…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-cornell/if-you-wanna-make-money-in-music-you-re-better-off-being-on-the/) [Chris Cornell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-cornell/) > [A musician must make music, an artist must paint, a poet must write, if he is to be ultimately at peace with himself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-maslow/a-musician-must-make-music-an-artist-must-paint-a-poet-must-write-if/) [Abraham Maslow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-maslow/) > [I never thought being a musician would be something I could make a career out of.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vidya-vox/i-never-thought-being-a-musician-would-be-something-i-could-make-a/) [Vidya Vox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vidya-vox/) > [I spent two years figuring out how I could turn it into something that would satisfy me as a musician but also make some…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/damon-albarn/i-spent-two-years-figuring-out-how-i-could-turn-it-into-something/) [Damon Albarn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/damon-albarn/) > [Politics and music should only mix to a point. Me, I think my job as a musician is to make people try to forget…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hank-williams-iii/politics-and-music-should-only-mix-to-a-point-me-i-think-my-job-as-a/) [Hank Williams III](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hank-williams-iii/) > [I don't really class myself as a musician, I can make music but I'm not the greatest technically. There were other people who were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dizzee-rascal/i-don-t-really-class-myself-as-a-musician-i-can-make-music-but-i-m/) [Dizzee Rascal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dizzee-rascal/) > [ \[on whether he harbored any resentment at his forced retirement from the stage after he was fired by Britain's National Theater\] I should be… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurence-olivier/on-whether-he-harbored-any-resentment-at-his-forced-retirement-from/) [Laurence Olivier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurence-olivier/) > [Great actors are so easy to direct. It's like they're big 747s that you just have to move left and right, and I don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-leterrier/great-actors-are-so-easy-to-direct-it-s-like-they-re-big-747s-that/) [Louis Leterrier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-leterrier/) > [I can act with either eye, but you've got to be twice as good as an actor to act with one eye. You need…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-barratt/i-can-act-with-either-eye-but-you-ve-got-to-be-twice-as-good-as-an/) [Julian Barratt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-barratt/) > [If you're working opposite an actor who can act, then all you have to do is listen and respond.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gaby-hoffmann/if-you-re-working-opposite-an-actor-who-can-act-then-all-you-have-to/) [Gaby Hoffmann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gaby-hoffmann/) > [As an actor, you act in order to make a living. Then, when you can make a living, you start acting because you want…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ty-simpkins/as-an-actor-you-act-in-order-to-make-a-living-then-when-you-can-make/) [Ty Simpkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ty-simpkins/) > [An actor has to act irrespective of the camera or location.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barun-sobti/an-actor-has-to-act-irrespective-of-the-camera-or-location/) [Barun Sobti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barun-sobti/) > [A fool cannot be an actor, though an actor may act a fool's part.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophocles/a-fool-cannot-be-an-actor-though-an-actor-may-act-a-fool-s-part/) [Sophocles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophocles/) ## More by Andre Benjamin > [People see you on screen and they like you, but they never really get a chance to meet you. When you're doing music, you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-benjamin/people-see-you-on-screen-and-they-like-you-but-they-never-really-get/) [Andre Benjamin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-benjamin/) > [SAD, BUT ONE DAY OUR KIDS WILL HAVE TO VISIT MUSEUMS TO SEE WHAT A LADY LOOKS LIKE.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-benjamin/sad-but-one-day-our-kids-will-have-to-visit-museums-to-see-what-a/) [Andre Benjamin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-benjamin/) > [Whatever floats your boat...or finds your lost remote...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-benjamin/whatever-floats-your-boat-or-finds-your-lost-remote/) [Andre Benjamin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-benjamin/) > [As a rapper, your verses are like a window in to who you are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-benjamin/as-a-rapper-your-verses-are-like-a-window-in-to-who-you-are/) [Andre Benjamin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-benjamin/) > [I think a lot of African-American kids don't have fathers to teach them how to dress, so you end up being taught by pictures…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-benjamin/i-think-a-lot-of-african-american-kids-don-t-have-fathers-to-teach/) [Andre Benjamin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-benjamin/) > [Sometimes your fans are way deeper than you are. They think you meant something like this big power-of-the-world thing that you said, but really…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-benjamin/sometimes-your-fans-are-way-deeper-than-you-are-they-think-you-meant/) [Andre Benjamin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-benjamin/) > [I said, 'What you wanna be?' She said, 'Alive.' It made me think for a minute, then looked in her eyes ...I coulda died.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-benjamin/i-said-what-you-wanna-be-she-said-alive-it-made-me-think-for-a-minute/) [Andre Benjamin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-benjamin/) > [Cool is not just one type of cool. Cool is confidence and knowing, i guess, what you are and being fine with it. Some…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-benjamin/cool-is-not-just-one-type-of-cool-cool-is-confidence-and-knowing-i/) [Andre Benjamin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-benjamin/) > [Nothing lasts forever, so what makes love the exception.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-benjamin/nothing-lasts-forever-so-what-makes-love-the-exception/) [Andre Benjamin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-benjamin/) > [I'm a fan of making things that I've seen but couldn't purchase, or things I bought that didn't fit the way I like.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-benjamin/i-m-a-fan-of-making-things-that-i-ve-seen-but-couldn-t-purchase-or/) [Andre Benjamin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-benjamin/) > [Your white tee, well to me, looks like a nightgown; Make your mama proud, take that thing two sizes down.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-benjamin/your-white-tee-well-to-me-looks-like-a-nightgown-make-your-mama-proud/) [Andre Benjamin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-benjamin/) > [I don't freestyle, but when I'm writing and thinking, sometimes things pop up - that's basically a freestyle.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-benjamin/i-don-t-freestyle-but-when-i-m-writing-and-thinking-sometimes-things/) [Andre Benjamin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-benjamin/) > [I'm a thinker; I think too much. So for me to freestyle rap, it's like I'm thinking three, four time steps ahead, and I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-benjamin/i-m-a-thinker-i-think-too-much-so-for-me-to-freestyle-rap-it-s-like-i/) [Andre Benjamin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-benjamin/) > [I've learned that I'm most powerful when I'm doing my art.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-benjamin/i-ve-learned-that-i-m-most-powerful-when-i-m-doing-my-art/) [Andre Benjamin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-benjamin/) > [The rap game has to save itself. Everybody's saving it. People like Lil Wayne is saving it. He's bringing energy to it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-benjamin/the-rap-game-has-to-save-itself-everybody-s-saving-it-people-like-lil/) [Andre Benjamin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-benjamin/) [Explore all 50 Andre Benjamin quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-benjamin/) ## 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. I've been getting away with it ever since.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/akshay-kumar/i-once-told-someone-i-could-act-they-totally-bought-it-i-ve-been/) [Akshay Kumar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/akshay-kumar/) > [There has got to be a way for me to have a role on TV or in film that is just as normal as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adeel-akhtar/there-has-got-to-be-a-way-for-me-to-have-a-role-on-tv-or-in-film-that/) [Adeel Akhtar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adeel-akhtar/) > [I love casting against type and doing things you wouldn't expect, because I think you get more interesting performances that way. Hollywood loves to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-s-goyer/i-love-casting-against-type-and-doing-things-you-wouldn-t-expect/) [David S. 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! Whether you're a child mucking around with your friends or a grown up being paid…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liv-hewson/actors-don-t-hate-acting-most-people-don-t-hate-acting-whether-you-re/) [Liv Hewson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liv-hewson/) > [It was only when I went to acting school that I was like, "You are absolutely such a pigheaded freak show that you thought…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giles-matthey/it-was-only-when-i-went-to-acting-school-that-i-was-like-you-are/) [Giles Matthey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giles-matthey/) > [I never planned to do female roles. It just happened. 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": "To be honest, I don't necessarily think you have to be an actor to act. You don't have to be a musician to make great music. 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