--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I just wanted to be an actress. It never…" description: "\"I just wanted to be an actress. It never occurred to me that I could become famous, because I'm not one of those people who's automatically going to be..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0a6/ashley-jensen-12050_actress_i-just-wanted-to-be-an-actress-it-never_248553.jpg" --- # I just wanted to be an actress. It never occurred to me… ![“I just wanted to be an actress. It never occurred to me that I could become famous, because I'm not one of those people who's automatically going to be the lead. I always saw myself as the mate.” quote by Ashley Jensen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0a6/ashley-jensen-12050_actress_i-just-wanted-to-be-an-actress-it-never_248553.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0a6/ashley-jensen-12050_actress_i-just-wanted-to-be-an-actress-it-never_248553.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0a6/ashley-jensen-12050_actress_i-just-wanted-to-be-an-actress-it-never_248553.jpg) > “I just wanted to be an actress. It never occurred to me that I could become famous, because I'm not one of those people who's automatically going to be the lead. I always saw myself as the mate.” [Ashley Jensen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashley-jensen/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. She saw herself as a supporting partner rather than a lead, highlighting how self‑image shapes career expectations. **In simple terms:** She imagined herself as a partner, not the star. Key Takeaway Recognize and expand your own potential. Themes career self‑image aspiration Mood thoughtful motivational Type career personal development When to use this quote - auditions - networking - self‑branding - career planning Key Concepts Identity role expectations industry dynamics Questions to Reflect On - What self‑beliefs limit your ambitions? - How can you reframe your role to aim higher? A Different Perspective Focusing only on a supporting role can limit opportunities for growth. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Actresses](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actresses/) [Leadership](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/leadership/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) ## Related quotes > [I'm astonished by my success. I wrote because I needed to and wanted to. It never occurred to me that I'd become famous.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danielle-steel/i-m-astonished-by-my-success-i-wrote-because-i-needed-to-and-wanted/) [Danielle Steel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danielle-steel/) > [I wrote because I needed to and wanted to. It never occurred to me that I'd become famous.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danielle-steel/i-wrote-because-i-needed-to-and-wanted-to-it-never-occurred-to-me/) [Danielle Steel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danielle-steel/) > [I was on my own, living in Los Angeles, and I didn't know my way around, so I thought I'd walk everywhere. Well, that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashley-jensen/i-was-on-my-own-living-in-los-angeles-and-i-didn-t-know-my-way-around/) [Ashley Jensen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashley-jensen/) > [I finally made up my mind I wanted to be an actress and I was not going to let my lack of confidence ruin…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilyn-monroe/i-finally-made-up-my-mind-i-wanted-to-be-an-actress-and-i-was-not/) [Marilyn Monroe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilyn-monroe/) > [Ever since I was a child, I wanted to be an actress. And ever since I became an actress, I wanted to make a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deepti-naval/ever-since-i-was-a-child-i-wanted-to-be-an-actress-and-ever-since-i/) [Deepti Naval](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deepti-naval/) > [When I wanted to be an actress, I never wanted really to be the kind of actress I became.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-ward/when-i-wanted-to-be-an-actress-i-never-wanted-really-to-be-the-kind/) [Rachel Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-ward/) > [I describe myself as someone who was always putting on a show, even when I was a little girl. I wanted to be an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-ziskin/i-describe-myself-as-someone-who-was-always-putting-on-a-show-even/) [Laura Ziskin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-ziskin/) > [I've never wanted to be an actress. I came into the industry to be a filmmaker, but let us say fate had other plans…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nithya-menen/i-ve-never-wanted-to-be-an-actress-i-came-into-the-industry-to-be-a/) [Nithya Menen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nithya-menen/) > [I never wanted to be an actress. I wanted to go into the medical professional. Acting was not important enough. That was a hobby…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/june-brown/i-never-wanted-to-be-an-actress-i-wanted-to-go-into-the-medical/) [June Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/june-brown/) > [I announced to my mother one day when I was 8 that I wanted to be a serious actress.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meredith-salenger/i-announced-to-my-mother-one-day-when-i-was-8-that-i-wanted-to-be-a/) Meredith Salenger > [I always wanted to become an actress.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tamannaah/i-always-wanted-to-become-an-actress/) [Tamannaah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tamannaah/) > [I always wanted to be an actress, ever since I was a little girl.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-karina/i-always-wanted-to-be-an-actress-ever-since-i-was-a-little-girl/) [Anna Karina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-karina/) > [I never not wanted to become an actress.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-roberts/i-never-not-wanted-to-become-an-actress/) [Emma Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-roberts/) > [I never ever had any plans of coming into films and never wanted to become an actress.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zareen-khan/i-never-ever-had-any-plans-of-coming-into-films-and-never-wanted-to/) [Zareen Khan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zareen-khan/) > [I knew I wanted to be an actress as soon as I popped out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dee-wallace/i-knew-i-wanted-to-be-an-actress-as-soon-as-i-popped-out/) [Dee Wallace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dee-wallace/) ## More by Ashley Jensen > [I've made this conscious decision to tell people on the street when I think they're wearing something great. If more people did that, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashley-jensen/i-ve-made-this-conscious-decision-to-tell-people-on-the-street-when-i/) [Ashley Jensen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashley-jensen/) > [Well, I'd never done an animated movie before, which is why I was so excited about doing it. It was one of the little…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashley-jensen/well-i-d-never-done-an-animated-movie-before-which-is-why-i-was-so/) [Ashley Jensen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashley-jensen/) > [Americans are so direct. They'd ask me, 'What's your five-year plan? Do you have a five-year plan?' I don't know what I'm having for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashley-jensen/americans-are-so-direct-they-d-ask-me-what-s-your-five-year-plan-do/) [Ashley Jensen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashley-jensen/) > [I always felt slightly grubbier than most American people. I was never quite as groomed as everyone else, never quite as fit as anyone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashley-jensen/i-always-felt-slightly-grubbier-than-most-american-people-i-was-never/) [Ashley Jensen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashley-jensen/) > [L.A. hasn't changed me that much - I've not forgotten where I'm from, you know. And I need to find a haggis, but no-one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashley-jensen/l-a-hasn-t-changed-me-that-much-i-ve-not-forgotten-where-i-m-from-you/) [Ashley Jensen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashley-jensen/) > [I did a lot of theatre when I started out. It was the Lyceum, the Citz, the Tron and the Traverse. I came to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashley-jensen/i-did-a-lot-of-theatre-when-i-started-out-it-was-the-lyceum-the-citz/) [Ashley Jensen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashley-jensen/) > [I've reached a point in my life where going to the supermarket is a day out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashley-jensen/i-ve-reached-a-point-in-my-life-where-going-to-the-supermarket-is-a/) [Ashley Jensen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashley-jensen/) > [In a world of iPads and emails, nothing has really changed in the theatre. You still get in an hour early, do your wardrobe,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashley-jensen/in-a-world-of-ipads-and-emails-nothing-has-really-changed-in-the/) [Ashley Jensen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashley-jensen/) > [I'm thinking of Mary Poppins, The Sound of Music... there are too many to name really. And all the old classic ones like Snow…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashley-jensen/i-m-thinking-of-mary-poppins-the-sound-of-music-there-are-too-many-to/) [Ashley Jensen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashley-jensen/) > [I know what I look like. I'm not a babe who's automatically going to be the leading-lady type. I think I would always be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashley-jensen/i-know-what-i-look-like-i-m-not-a-babe-who-s-automatically-going-to/) [Ashley Jensen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashley-jensen/) > [I get quite excited about things other people have worn. I went through a phase as a student when I wore a lot of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashley-jensen/i-get-quite-excited-about-things-other-people-have-worn-i-went/) [Ashley Jensen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashley-jensen/) > [We have a house in Umbria that we bought just before we went to America. That meant we couldn't go there as often as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashley-jensen/we-have-a-house-in-umbria-that-we-bought-just-before-we-went-to/) [Ashley Jensen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashley-jensen/) > [Mine would be Your Song, which is just one of his ones that I... I was actually glad the whole song wasn't played in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashley-jensen/mine-would-be-your-song-which-is-just-one-of-his-ones-that-i-i-was/) [Ashley Jensen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashley-jensen/) > [My mum Margaret was a single parent, but though life was a bit of a struggle she gave me every encouragement.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashley-jensen/my-mum-margaret-was-a-single-parent-but-though-life-was-a-bit-of-a/) [Ashley Jensen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashley-jensen/) > [I think that children that are acting are always pretty savvy anyway because you're conducting yourself around adults a lot of the time, aren't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashley-jensen/i-think-that-children-that-are-acting-are-always-pretty-savvy-anyway/) [Ashley Jensen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashley-jensen/) [Explore all 56 Ashley Jensen quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashley-jensen/) ## More Actress quotes > [Sigourney Weaver is a wonderful person. I was so lucky to have the opportunity to meet and work with such an amazing actress. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carrie-henn/sigourney-weaver-is-a-wonderful-person-i-was-so-lucky-to-have-the/) [Carrie Henn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carrie-henn/) > [People forget I'm an actress.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joey-heatherton/people-forget-i-m-an-actress/) [Joey Heatherton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joey-heatherton/) > [I adore Kelly Bishop as a human being and as an actress.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-gunn/i-adore-kelly-bishop-as-a-human-being-and-as-an-actress/) [Sean Gunn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-gunn/) > [I've been told before, and I tend to believe it, I'm not like most actresses out there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/moira-kelly/i-ve-been-told-before-and-i-tend-to-believe-it-i-m-not-like-most/) [Moira Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/moira-kelly/) > [Marilyn was a great actress, not a dumb blond bombshell. She was very smart, very astute and a good businesswoman.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-schiller/marilyn-was-a-great-actress-not-a-dumb-blond-bombshell-she-was-very/) [Lawrence Schiller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-schiller/) > [I'm an actress, not a pin-up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francesca-annis/i-m-an-actress-not-a-pin-up/) [Francesca Annis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francesca-annis/) > [My father was a GP; my mother was a teacher and amateur actress. My father was a bit of a storyteller, but the acting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ciaran-hinds/my-father-was-a-gp-my-mother-was-a-teacher-and-amateur-actress-my/) [Ciaran Hinds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ciaran-hinds/) > [I never wished that I was a superstar. Hell, I never even wished that I was an actress.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-lane/i-never-wished-that-i-was-a-superstar-hell-i-never-even-wished-that-i/) [Diane Lane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-lane/) > [Many of the heroines from outside Karnataka have worked in my films, but the attitude and adjusting nature of top South Indian actress Nayantara…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rockline-venkatesh/many-of-the-heroines-from-outside-karnataka-have-worked-in-my-films/) [Rockline Venkatesh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rockline-venkatesh/) > [There are a lot of great actresses out there. You learn to appreciate each one for what they offer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victoria-pratt/there-are-a-lot-of-great-actresses-out-there-you-learn-to-appreciate/) [Victoria Pratt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victoria-pratt/) > [There's certain things I try to avoid, as an actress, just to keep my world from being as narrow as it could be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/famke-janssen/there-s-certain-things-i-try-to-avoid-as-an-actress-just-to-keep-my/) [Famke Janssen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/famke-janssen/) > [I never wanted to be an opera singer. I wanted to be an actress, maybe a rock singer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristine-opolais/i-never-wanted-to-be-an-opera-singer-i-wanted-to-be-an-actress-maybe/) [Kristine Opolais](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristine-opolais/) > [When an actor charges high fees, nobody says anything. But when an actress does the same, it becomes news.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vijayashanti/when-an-actor-charges-high-fees-nobody-says-anything-but-when-an/) [Vijayashanti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vijayashanti/) > [I am going to be a great actress.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vivien-leigh/i-am-going-to-be-a-great-actress/) [Vivien Leigh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vivien-leigh/) > [As a black actress you've got to work doubly hard. But it doesn't ever get me to the point where I give up on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naturi-naughton/as-a-black-actress-you-ve-got-to-work-doubly-hard-but-it-doesn-t-ever/) [Naturi Naughton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naturi-naughton/) Browse all 2,244 Actress quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I just wanted to be an actress. It never occurred to me that I could become famous, because I'm not one of those people who's automatically going to be the lead. 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