--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I'm no relation to Lillian or Dorothy…" description: "\"I'm no relation to Lillian or Dorothy Gish. Not even way back. But when I first became interested in acting, I wrote a letter to Lillian Gish. She wrot..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5b8/annabeth-gish-56734_acting_i-m-no-relation-to-lillian-or-dorothy-gi_2106186.jpg" --- # I'm no relation to Lillian or Dorothy Gish. Not even way… ![“I'm no relation to Lillian or Dorothy Gish. Not even way back. But when I first became interested in acting, I wrote a letter to Lillian Gish. She wrote back, discouraging me from entering the business.” quote by Annabeth Gish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5b8/annabeth-gish-56734_acting_i-m-no-relation-to-lillian-or-dorothy-gi_2106186.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5b8/annabeth-gish-56734_acting_i-m-no-relation-to-lillian-or-dorothy-gi_2106186.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5b8/annabeth-gish-56734_acting_i-m-no-relation-to-lillian-or-dorothy-gi_2106186.jpg) > “I'm no relation to Lillian or Dorothy Gish. Not even way back. But when I first became interested in acting, I wrote a letter to Lillian Gish. She wrote back, discouraging me from entering the business.” [Annabeth Gish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annabeth-gish/) ## 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 recounts early discouragement from a famous actress, illustrating that even iconic figures can be unsupportive, which can shape one's career path. **In simple terms:** Even famous mentors may discourage you. Key Takeaway Seek diverse perspectives, not just one voice. Themes career challenges mentorship resilience Mood reflective inspirational Type personal career When to use this quote - acting auditions - career decisions - creative pursuits Key Concepts discouragement industry gatekeeping personal growth Questions to Reflect On - How did the discouragement influence your choices? - What other sources of encouragement did you find? A Different Perspective The quote may not reflect that some mentors are supportive and nurturing. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Acting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/acting/) [Business](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/business/) [Dorothy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dorothy/) ## Related quotes > [Lillian Gish may be a charming person, but she is not Ophelia. She comes on stage as if she had been sent for to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mrs-patrick-campbell/lillian-gish-may-be-a-charming-person-but-she-is-not-ophelia-she/) [Mrs. Patrick Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mrs-patrick-campbell/) > [Lillian Gish thought that there should be a cabinet position for the arts and I think she was right. I think she was right.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fay-wray/lillian-gish-thought-that-there-should-be-a-cabinet-position-for-the/) [Fay Wray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fay-wray/) > [ Everything went downhill after Lillian \[Gish\] left me. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-w-griffith/everything-went-downhill-after-lillian-gish-left-me/) [D. W. Griffith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-w-griffith/) > [“...what happens when you return and find nothing but a hollowed shell, shingles and floor, walls and echoes and the light that lead you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kellie-elmore/what-happens-when-you-return-and-find-nothing-but-a-hollowed-shell/) [Kellie Elmore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kellie-elmore/) > [“Such places would not be special at all...if they appeared at regular times and in predictable ways.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-glick/such-places-would-not-be-special-at-all-if-they-appeared-at-regular/) Ron Glick > [We're not all called to be Dorothy Day.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/moira-kelly/we-re-not-all-called-to-be-dorothy-day/) [Moira Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/moira-kelly/) > [Hope and Crosby made seven 'Road' movies, starting in 1940 with 'Road to Singapore.' The movies were always about Crosby and Hope fleeing America…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-oz/hope-and-crosby-made-seven-road-movies-starting-in-1940-with-road-to/) [Frank Oz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-oz/) > [I think that my mother, Frances Dorothy Peck, modeled her whole life on that of Scarlett O'Hara.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-conroy/i-think-that-my-mother-frances-dorothy-peck-modeled-her-whole-life-on/) [Pat Conroy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-conroy/) > [“Beautiful was in the way that she moved and spoke. Beautiful was an action as well as a description.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danielle-paige/beautiful-was-in-the-way-that-she-moved-and-spoke-beautiful-was-an/) [Danielle Paige](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danielle-paige/) > [“And I wished myself back—back to the future or wherever home was supposed to be—clicking my heels together in a frantic ticking heart staccato…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-celebi/and-i-wished-myself-back-back-to-the-future-or-wherever-home-was/) [Shannon Celebi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-celebi/) > [“I think you are a very bad man," said Dorothy. "Oh, no, my dear; I'm really a very good man, but I'm a very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-frank-baum/i-think-you-are-a-very-bad-man-said-dorothy-oh-no-my-dear-i-m-really/) [L. Frank Baum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-frank-baum/) > [I truly believe that God brought this, Dorothy Day script to me, because for a long time up until I was in eight grade…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/moira-kelly/i-truly-believe-that-god-brought-this-dorothy-day-script-to-me/) [Moira Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/moira-kelly/) > [Some of our national heroines were defined by the fact that they never nested - they were peripatetic crusaders like Susan B. Anthony, Clara…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gail-collins/some-of-our-national-heroines-were-defined-by-the-fact-that-they/) [Gail Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gail-collins/) > [Phoebe Wolkind Ephron cracked wise like Dorothy Parker and looked like Katharine Hepburn.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hallie-ephron/phoebe-wolkind-ephron-cracked-wise-like-dorothy-parker-and-looked/) [Hallie Ephron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hallie-ephron/) > [“Staring at a world too horrible to comprehend, believing -- by dint of ignorance and innocence -- that beneath this unbearable contract of guilt…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-maguire/staring-at-a-world-too-horrible-to-comprehend-believing-by-dint-of/) [Gregory Maguire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-maguire/) ## More by Annabeth Gish > [A part of being an actress that is sort of frustrating is that the writers get to tell you about your character.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annabeth-gish/a-part-of-being-an-actress-that-is-sort-of-frustrating-is-that-the/) [Annabeth Gish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annabeth-gish/) > [Nothing about 'Brotherhood' is ever wrapped up in a nice package.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annabeth-gish/nothing-about-brotherhood-is-ever-wrapped-up-in-a-nice-package/) [Annabeth Gish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annabeth-gish/) > [My parents called me their wise little baby. I was mature when I was 4 or 5. My brother and sister were older, so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annabeth-gish/my-parents-called-me-their-wise-little-baby-i-was-mature-when-i-was-4/) [Annabeth Gish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annabeth-gish/) > [What scares me? I kind of believe in ghosts. I believe they can wander around, so that scares me. But the stuff that really…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annabeth-gish/what-scares-me-i-kind-of-believe-in-ghosts-i-believe-they-can-wander/) [Annabeth Gish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annabeth-gish/) > [I am pretty scare-able. I guess that is why I like doing horror because my imagination can take me places.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annabeth-gish/i-am-pretty-scare-able-i-guess-that-is-why-i-like-doing-horror/) [Annabeth Gish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annabeth-gish/) [Explore all 6 Annabeth Gish quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annabeth-gish/) ## 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 > [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": "I'm no relation to Lillian or Dorothy Gish. Not even way back. But when I first became interested in acting, I wrote a letter to Lillian Gish. 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