--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Not taboo - it's just that straight…" description: "\"Not taboo - it's just that straight actors still risk their careers commercially and economically. They have to please the crowd - they're movie stars;..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c2f/ang-lee-2496_acting_not-taboo-it-s-just-that-straight-actors_1744083.png" --- # Not taboo - it's just that straight actors still risk… ![“Not taboo - it's just that straight actors still risk their careers commercially and economically. They have to please the crowd - they're movie stars; their image is their industry. It goes beyond acting.” quote by Ang Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c2f/ang-lee-2496_acting_not-taboo-it-s-just-that-straight-actors_1744083.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c2f/ang-lee-2496_acting_not-taboo-it-s-just-that-straight-actors_1744083.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c2f/ang-lee-2496_acting_not-taboo-it-s-just-that-straight-actors_1744083.png) > “Not taboo - it's just that straight actors still risk their careers commercially and economically. They have to please the crowd - they're movie stars; their image is their industry. It goes beyond acting.” [Ang Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ang-lee/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Actors must balance artistic integrity with commercial pressures, as their public image directly impacts career viability. **In simple terms:** Actors juggle art and market demands. Key Takeaway Find ways to stay authentic while meeting audience expectations. Themes career art commercialism image risk Mood thoughtful pragmatic Type analytical cautionary When to use this quote - film industry - career planning - public relations - creative negotiations Key Concepts media studies ethics branding Questions to Reflect On - How can actors protect their art? - What strategies help maintain personal brand integrity? A Different Perspective Commercial demands may force artistic compromise. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Acting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/acting/) [Actors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actors/) [Actors Risk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actors-risk-846574/) [Careers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/careers/) [Crowds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/crowds/) [Industry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/industry/) [Movie star](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/movie-star/) [Please](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/please/) [Risk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/risk/) [Stars](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stars/) [Stills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stills/) [Straight Actors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/straight-actors-1203437/) [Taboo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/taboo/) [Taboo Just](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/taboo-just-1544758/) ## Related quotes > [I think there is a natural thing that you feel when you've written something taboo because you just don't want to expose the people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irvine-welsh/i-think-there-is-a-natural-thing-that-you-feel-when-you-ve-written/) [Irvine Welsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irvine-welsh/) > [The taboo for straight actors playing gay is gone... My mother was squirming a bit in the theater because she comes from a different…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-cain/the-taboo-for-straight-actors-playing-gay-is-gone-my-mother-was/) [Dean Cain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-cain/) > [“And making a fool of yourself is something all actors have to risk doing. That’s part of our business. And that too is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-bacall/and-making-a-fool-of-yourself-is-something-all-actors-have-to-risk/) [Lauren Bacall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-bacall/) > [It's amazing that for actors mostly, it's a risk to attach yourself to a film that you don't know whether or not it's going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/it-s-amazing-that-for-actors-mostly-it-s-a-risk-to-attach-yourself-to/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I think as far as straight actors playing gay roles, "Brokeback Mountain" was a big breakthrough. I'm pretty sure when they were casting that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-franco/i-think-as-far-as-straight-actors-playing-gay-roles-brokeback/) [James Franco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-franco/) > [I feel an obligation to set the record straight. Actors that say they're affected by something, that it changes their life, that they take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joaquin-phoenix/i-feel-an-obligation-to-set-the-record-straight-actors-that-say-they/) [Joaquin Phoenix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joaquin-phoenix/) > [I think, in general, straight actors should be able to play queer roles just as much as queer actors should be able to play…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keiynan-lonsdale/i-think-in-general-straight-actors-should-be-able-to-play-queer-roles/) [Keiynan Lonsdale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keiynan-lonsdale/) > [I feel like Hollywood likes to use gay people to tell either really sad gay stories starring straight actors, or everything's about a struggle.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tommy-dorfman/i-feel-like-hollywood-likes-to-use-gay-people-to-tell-either-really/) [Tommy Dorfman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tommy-dorfman/) > [If you're at the Oscars, there's not a man on that red carpet who is not wearing make-up. Most straight actors I know get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-ford/if-you-re-at-the-oscars-there-s-not-a-man-on-that-red-carpet-who-is/) [Tom Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-ford/) > [I feel like because I've done more gay characters, gay scenes, or gay projects than most straight actors, people see it as some sort…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-franco/i-feel-like-because-i-ve-done-more-gay-characters-gay-scenes-or-gay/) [James Franco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-franco/) > [A lot of straight actors are actively searching for gay roles because it is something different to do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rupert-everett/a-lot-of-straight-actors-are-actively-searching-for-gay-roles-because/) [Rupert Everett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rupert-everett/) > [I wasn't part of the Taboo crowd the same way I was part of the New Romantics. I suppose I was seen more as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/boy-george/i-wasn-t-part-of-the-taboo-crowd-the-same-way-i-was-part-of-the-new/) [Boy George](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/boy-george/) > [Art is all about doing what you shouldn't.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nobuyoshi-araki/art-is-all-about-doing-what-you-shouldn-t/) [Nobuyoshi Araki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nobuyoshi-araki/) > [I remember being a kid and seeing the 'National Inquirer' at the grocery store checkout line. When somebody actually picked up a copy, it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rashida-jones/i-remember-being-a-kid-and-seeing-the-national-inquirer-at-the/) [Rashida Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rashida-jones/) > [I'm the daughter of a sister whose the mother of a brother who's the brother of another.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/queen-latifah/i-m-the-daughter-of-a-sister-whose-the-mother-of-a-brother-who-s-the/) [Queen Latifah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/queen-latifah/) ## More by Ang Lee > [When I'm not working, I get very down, but when I am working, I get very immersed in it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ang-lee/when-i-m-not-working-i-get-very-down-but-when-i-am-working-i-get-very/) [Ang Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ang-lee/) > [I am not particularly religious. But I think we do face the question of where God is, why we are created and where does…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ang-lee/i-am-not-particularly-religious-but-i-think-we-do-face-the-question/) [Ang Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ang-lee/) > [I'm not a romantic. In life I didn't have much experience with romance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ang-lee/i-m-not-a-romantic-in-life-i-didn-t-have-much-experience-with-romance/) [Ang Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ang-lee/) > [When I see something I like, that's all that counts. What they use, how they get there, I never bother them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ang-lee/when-i-see-something-i-like-that-s-all-that-counts-what-they-use-how/) [Ang Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ang-lee/) > [Mostly it's like, I get inspired by something and I want to learn that part of filmmaking, I want to delve into that kind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ang-lee/mostly-it-s-like-i-get-inspired-by-something-and-i-want-to-learn-that/) [Ang Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ang-lee/) > [Film study was considered disgraceful by my father.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ang-lee/film-study-was-considered-disgraceful-by-my-father/) [Ang Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ang-lee/) > [I hope people don't compare 2D and 3D because 3D's new, it's unfair to compare to 2D which is really sophisticated, even when we're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ang-lee/i-hope-people-don-t-compare-2d-and-3d-because-3d-s-new-it-s-unfair-to/) [Ang Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ang-lee/) > [On a Chinese film you just give orders, no one questions you. Here, you have to convince people, you have to tell them why…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ang-lee/on-a-chinese-film-you-just-give-orders-no-one-questions-you-here-you/) [Ang Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ang-lee/) > [I had to test a new terror in myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ang-lee/i-had-to-test-a-new-terror-in-myself/) [Ang Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ang-lee/) > [My cultural roots are something illusive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ang-lee/my-cultural-roots-are-something-illusive/) [Ang Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ang-lee/) > [Kids don't even read comic books anymore. They've got more important things to do - like video games.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ang-lee/kids-don-t-even-read-comic-books-anymore-they-ve-got-more-important/) [Ang Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ang-lee/) > [I don't care about writing really.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ang-lee/i-don-t-care-about-writing-really/) [Ang Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ang-lee/) > [I don't have incredible knowledge about films or of filmmaking history; I'm not that kind of person.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ang-lee/i-don-t-have-incredible-knowledge-about-films-or-of-filmmaking/) [Ang Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ang-lee/) > [I don't think the Hulk is a superhero. He's the first Marvel character who is a tragic monster. Really an anti-hero.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ang-lee/i-don-t-think-the-hulk-is-a-superhero-he-s-the-first-marvel-character/) [Ang Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ang-lee/) > [A lot of people will think I changed the book: ‘so you’re the tiger instead, you’re the tiger who ate the cook.’ That’d be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ang-lee/a-lot-of-people-will-think-i-changed-the-book-so-you-re-the-tiger/) [Ang Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ang-lee/) [Explore all 163 Ang Lee quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ang-lee/) ## More Acting 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/) > [Many Republicans have always reminded me of professional WWF wrestlers. They come into the ring all pumped up and acting like they're invincible and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-feig/many-republicans-have-always-reminded-me-of-professional-wwf/) [Paul Feig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-feig/) > [I'm a big fan of all the Boston guys that are acting - Matt Damon , Ben Affleck, Mark Wahlberg - they made a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenny-wormald/i-m-a-big-fan-of-all-the-boston-guys-that-are-acting-matt-damon-ben/) [Kenny Wormald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenny-wormald/) > [Acting is a grind, just like music is a grind. Sometimes it takes longer than what you can give.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/big-sean/acting-is-a-grind-just-like-music-is-a-grind-sometimes-it-takes/) [Big Sean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/big-sean/) > [It was only when I started making short films in college and I was looking for girls to play the me-ish parts that I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lena-dunham/it-was-only-when-i-started-making-short-films-in-college-and-i-was/) [Lena Dunham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lena-dunham/) > [Writing is something I took up rather than anything I had an inclination toward. I like acting -delivering someone else's message - but writing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-martin/writing-is-something-i-took-up-rather-than-anything-i-had-an/) [Steve Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-martin/) > [I can still function when I don't have that balance I crave. I had a tendency to be precious about acting, thinking of it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-regan/i-can-still-function-when-i-don-t-have-that-balance-i-crave-i-had-a/) [Laura Regan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-regan/) > [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/) > [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/) > [It definitely helps to have the acting experience going into singing, because when you're singing, you have to portray the emotion you were feeling…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-newman/it-definitely-helps-to-have-the-acting-experience-going-into-singing/) [Ryan Newman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-newman/) > [The show was number one in the ratings, Gordon Russell was our head writer, the story lines were magnificent and the acting most exciting.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-storm/the-show-was-number-one-in-the-ratings-gordon-russell-was-our-head/) [Michael Storm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-storm/) > [I've done so many other projects where you're in a room with a reader and you're acting your lines out: 'We have to get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-cummings/i-ve-done-so-many-other-projects-where-you-re-in-a-room-with-a-reader/) [Jim Cummings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-cummings/) > [I do not believe in public shaming. I do believe that young adults go to college to learn things, and that this process will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-weingarten/i-do-not-believe-in-public-shaming-i-do-believe-that-young-adults-go/) [Gene Weingarten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-weingarten/) > [Poetry has, in a way, been my bridge to my acting career.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/omari-hardwick/poetry-has-in-a-way-been-my-bridge-to-my-acting-career/) [Omari Hardwick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/omari-hardwick/) [Browse all 12,062 Acting quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/acting/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Not taboo - it's just that straight actors still risk their careers commercially and economically. They have to please the crowd - they're movie stars; their image is their industry. 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