--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I started acting because it was…" description: "\"I started acting because it was essentially the way I needed to survive and equalize my inner life.\" — Ari Graynor" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/217/ari-graynor-3380_acting_i-started-acting-because-it-was-essentia_646027.jpg" --- # I started acting because it was essentially the way I… ![“I started acting because it was essentially the way I needed to survive and equalize my inner life.” quote by Ari Graynor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/217/ari-graynor-3380_acting_i-started-acting-because-it-was-essentia_646027.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/217/ari-graynor-3380_acting_i-started-acting-because-it-was-essentia_646027.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/217/ari-graynor-3380_acting_i-started-acting-because-it-was-essentia_646027.jpg) > “I started acting because it was essentially the way I needed to survive and equalize my inner life.” [Ari Graynor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ari-graynor/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Acting became a means for her to cope and balance her inner emotional state. **In simple terms:** Acting helped her survive emotionally. Key Takeaway Use creative outlets to manage inner turmoil. Themes survival creativity self‑expression Mood reflective introspective Type personal motivational When to use this quote - personal crisis - emotional regulation - career start Key Concepts psychology performance art Questions to Reflect On - How can art serve as emotional survival? - What other outlets could balance inner life? A Different Perspective Creative work may not fully resolve deeper issues. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Acting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/acting/) [Acting Essentially](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/acting-essentially-5176717/) [Actor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actor/) [Inner life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inner-life/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Started](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/started/) [Started Acting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/started-acting/) [Survive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/survive/) [Survive Equalize](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/survive-equalize-5176718/) [Way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/way/) ## Related quotes > [I started acting when I was seven, so I've read my share.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ari-graynor/i-started-acting-when-i-was-seven-so-i-ve-read-my-share/) [Ari Graynor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ari-graynor/) > [When I first started acting, I knew that you have to learn different skills for different roles.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophia-lillis/when-i-first-started-acting-i-knew-that-you-have-to-learn-different/) [Sophia Lillis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophia-lillis/) > [Early on, when I first started acting professionally, it was really important for me to get my parents on board, because they were so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randall-park/early-on-when-i-first-started-acting-professionally-it-was-really/) [Randall Park](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randall-park/) > [I think when I first started acting there were different people who I thought, 'I want that person's career or that person's career.' And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carla-gugino/i-think-when-i-first-started-acting-there-were-different-people-who-i/) [Carla Gugino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carla-gugino/) > [When I started acting, my whole focus and intention was to work as a stage actor in a company where you're asked to different…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kyle-maclachlan/when-i-started-acting-my-whole-focus-and-intention-was-to-work-as-a/) [Kyle MacLachlan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kyle-maclachlan/) > [I started my acting career at around when I was getting stressed from my singing career.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seo-in-guk/i-started-my-acting-career-at-around-when-i-was-getting-stressed-from/) [Seo In-guk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seo-in-guk/) > [When I was at school, I wanted to join the army. At college, I started acting in college plays, and it became a kind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/om-puri/when-i-was-at-school-i-wanted-to-join-the-army-at-college-i-started/) [Om Puri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/om-puri/) > [When I initially started acting, all I wanted to do was to be in one movie. That's it. That was my goal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-beach/when-i-initially-started-acting-all-i-wanted-to-do-was-to-be-in-one/) [Adam Beach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-beach/) > [I started writing when I started acting professionally because, with acting, there's so much time when you're not working, and there's so much rejection…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/finn-wittrock/i-started-writing-when-i-started-acting-professionally-because-with/) [Finn Wittrock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/finn-wittrock/) > [I started acting as a child in Community Theatre but I didn't do any serious stuff. It was all musicals like 'Annie' and 'Wizard…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-williams/i-started-acting-as-a-child-in-community-theatre-but-i-didn-t-do-any/) [Michelle Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-williams/) > [Ever since I first started acting I've wanted to have a long career.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-hutcherson/ever-since-i-first-started-acting-i-ve-wanted-to-have-a-long-career/) [Josh Hutcherson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-hutcherson/) > [I started acting pretty much by accident. I was doing read-throughs for a playwright who I was assisting, and then an agency saw me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guy-burnet/i-started-acting-pretty-much-by-accident-i-was-doing-read-throughs/) [Guy Burnet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guy-burnet/) > [People always ask me if I'm going to stop modeling because I have started an acting career. I hope to continue to model for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tyra-banks/people-always-ask-me-if-i-m-going-to-stop-modeling-because-i-have/) [Tyra Banks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tyra-banks/) > [I didn't have a list of dos and don'ts when I started acting, but one thing was very clear that I would only work…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taapsee-pannu/i-didn-t-have-a-list-of-dos-and-don-ts-when-i-started-acting-but-one/) [Taapsee Pannu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taapsee-pannu/) > [Singing was my first love and I never even considered it after I started acting, but now I'm bringing it back into my life.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amanda-seyfried/singing-was-my-first-love-and-i-never-even-considered-it-after-i/) [Amanda Seyfried](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amanda-seyfried/) ## More by Ari Graynor > [Acting was the place where I could be free and feel confident.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ari-graynor/acting-was-the-place-where-i-could-be-free-and-feel-confident/) [Ari Graynor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ari-graynor/) > [When you're an actor, people talk a lot about how, at some point, you really have to take control of your career and what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ari-graynor/when-you-re-an-actor-people-talk-a-lot-about-how-at-some-point-you/) [Ari Graynor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ari-graynor/) > [Life is hard enough, so when you can get any joy out of it, whether it's something you do on a day-to-day basis, or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ari-graynor/life-is-hard-enough-so-when-you-can-get-any-joy-out-of-it-whether-it/) [Ari Graynor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ari-graynor/) > [Not one person has ever sent me a drink because I was Caroline in 'Nick and Norah.' People reference it; people say really nice…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ari-graynor/not-one-person-has-ever-sent-me-a-drink-because-i-was-caroline-in/) [Ari Graynor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ari-graynor/) > [There's pressure to come up with something genius every time. I feel like I keep letting myself down with my Twitter posts. I have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ari-graynor/there-s-pressure-to-come-up-with-something-genius-every-time-i-feel/) [Ari Graynor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ari-graynor/) > [I think casting a show is an art form in and of itself. We're all so different - the cast is made up partly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ari-graynor/i-think-casting-a-show-is-an-art-form-in-and-of-itself-we-re-all-so/) [Ari Graynor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ari-graynor/) > [Henry Winkler is the most lovable man. He is like everybody's favorite grandfather.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ari-graynor/henry-winkler-is-the-most-lovable-man-he-is-like-everybody-s-favorite/) [Ari Graynor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ari-graynor/) > [At 21, my career took a comedic turn when I was cast in a new Broadway play called 'Brooklyn Boy,' by Donald Margulies, which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ari-graynor/at-21-my-career-took-a-comedic-turn-when-i-was-cast-in-a-new-broadway/) [Ari Graynor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ari-graynor/) > [While I appreciate horror movies, I'd love the opportunity to do something transformative, especially because people see me as contemporary. There's a lot to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ari-graynor/while-i-appreciate-horror-movies-i-d-love-the-opportunity-to-do/) [Ari Graynor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ari-graynor/) > [The worst thing you can have as an actor is too big an ego. It just kills creativity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ari-graynor/the-worst-thing-you-can-have-as-an-actor-is-too-big-an-ego-it-just/) [Ari Graynor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ari-graynor/) > [When you look at all of the male characters on television and in film, it's not like every one of them are the people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ari-graynor/when-you-look-at-all-of-the-male-characters-on-television-and-in-film/) [Ari Graynor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ari-graynor/) > [I prefer situational or character-based humor to gross-out gags and comedic set pieces.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ari-graynor/i-prefer-situational-or-character-based-humor-to-gross-out-gags-and/) [Ari Graynor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ari-graynor/) > [Twitter's a lot of work! That's the first thing I would say. There's so much pressure to be funny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ari-graynor/twitter-s-a-lot-of-work-that-s-the-first-thing-i-would-say-there-s-so/) [Ari Graynor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ari-graynor/) > [As I've grown as a person and gotten to know myself more - the question of how someone becomes who they become has gotten…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ari-graynor/as-i-ve-grown-as-a-person-and-gotten-to-know-myself-more-the-question/) [Ari Graynor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ari-graynor/) > [Onstage was where I felt the most confident and in control and free, and as I've gotten older, it's gotten more and more daunting.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ari-graynor/onstage-was-where-i-felt-the-most-confident-and-in-control-and-free/) [Ari Graynor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ari-graynor/) [Explore all 132 Ari Graynor quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ari-graynor/) ## 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": "I started acting because it was essentially the way I needed to survive and equalize my inner life.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Ari Graynor" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ari-graynor/i-started-acting-because-it-was-essentially-the-way-i-needed-to/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Acting" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ari-graynor/i-started-acting-because-it-was-essentially-the-way-i-needed-to/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/217/ari-graynor-3380_acting_i-started-acting-because-it-was-essentia_646027.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/217/ari-graynor-3380_acting_i-started-acting-because-it-was-essentia_646027.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/217/ari-graynor-3380_acting_i-started-acting-because-it-was-essentia_646027.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I started acting because it was essentially the way I needed to survive and equalize my inner life.” — Ari Graynor", "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": "Ari Graynor", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ari-graynor/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I started acting because it was...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ari-graynor/i-started-acting-because-it-was-essentially-the-way-i-needed-to/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ari-graynor/i-started-acting-because-it-was-essentially-the-way-i-needed-to/#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 } } ] } ```