--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I never played a woman who was smarter…" description: "\"I never played a woman who was smarter than me.\" — Ava Gardner" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c17/ava-gardner-8168_me_i-never-played-a-woman-who-was-smarter-t_2873250.jpg" --- # I never played a woman who was smarter than me. ![“I never played a woman who was smarter than me.” quote by Ava Gardner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c17/ava-gardner-8168_me_i-never-played-a-woman-who-was-smarter-t_2873250.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c17/ava-gardner-8168_me_i-never-played-a-woman-who-was-smarter-t_2873250.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c17/ava-gardner-8168_me_i-never-played-a-woman-who-was-smarter-t_2873250.jpg) > “I never played a woman who was smarter than me.” [Ava Gardner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ava-gardner/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. She claims never to have played a smarter female role than herself. **In simple terms:** She never portrayed a smarter woman than she. Key Takeaway Seek roles that challenge and expand perspectives. Themes gender roles self‑perception acting Mood reflective critical Type commentary industry When to use this quote - film casting - script selection - career choices Key Concepts character depth industry stereotypes Questions to Reflect On - How can actors push for richer roles? - What impact does casting have on audience perception? A Different Perspective May reflect limited opportunities for complex female characters. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Me](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/me/) [Never](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/never/) [Played](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/played/) [Played Woman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/played-woman-745846/) [Smarter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/smarter/) [Than](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/than/) [Who](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/who/) [Woman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/woman/) [Woman Smarter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/woman-smarter-3150076/) ## Related quotes > [“Several things ran through my head as I watched this silent ballet: First, I was running low on pears, my favorite morning fruit. Second,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-r-smith/several-things-ran-through-my-head-as-i-watched-this-silent-ballet/) [Benjamin R. Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-r-smith/) > [You have to carry yourself with respect, care about your reputation. And unfortunately, as a woman, you have to be smarter and better and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joy-taylor/you-have-to-carry-yourself-with-respect-care-about-your-reputation/) [Joy Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joy-taylor/) > [In 1983, when I did 'Sindhu Bhairavi' and played the other woman, many men came up to me and said it opened up a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suhasini-maniratnam/in-1983-when-i-did-sindhu-bhairavi-and-played-the-other-woman-many/) [Suhasini Maniratnam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suhasini-maniratnam/) > [“Her (Beverly Powers) face was round and sweet, but her eyes were another matter. Whatever sport she’d played, this woman had been a ferocious…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlaine-harris/her-beverly-powers-face-was-round-and-sweet-but-her-eyes-were-another/) [Charlaine Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlaine-harris/) > [There's always male roles I want to play. I'm so annoyed when I watch movies and go, "That could have been played by a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-lawrence/there-s-always-male-roles-i-want-to-play-i-m-so-annoyed-when-i-watch/) [Jennifer Lawrence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-lawrence/) > [I like to think I'm a bit smarter than I sometimes let on.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-whitehall/i-like-to-think-i-m-a-bit-smarter-than-i-sometimes-let-on/) [Jack Whitehall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-whitehall/) > [I still feel there are much smarter self-promoters out there than me. 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When I played Guy of Gisborne, a woman crocheted a mini-version of me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-armitage/some-of-the-mail-i-ve-had-has-been-weird-when-i-played-guy-of/) [Richard Armitage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-armitage/) > [There's no better feeling in the world than knowing that my show played a role in stopping animal abuse or alleviating animal suffering.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-velez-mitchell/there-s-no-better-feeling-in-the-world-than-knowing-that-my-show/) [Jane Velez-Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-velez-mitchell/) > [Whether it's a blessing or a curse, I have always played someone like 10 years younger. When I was 23 or 24, I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elisabeth-harnois/whether-it-s-a-blessing-or-a-curse-i-have-always-played-someone-like/) [Elisabeth Harnois](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elisabeth-harnois/) > [It goes way, way back when we were under Sweden's rule. We always think they are better than us. We played against them so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saku-koivu/it-goes-way-way-back-when-we-were-under-sweden-s-rule-we-always-think/) [Saku Koivu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saku-koivu/) > [We played for the love of the game; there were few holdouts. We wanted to pitch every day; to win more games than the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kid-nichols/we-played-for-the-love-of-the-game-there-were-few-holdouts-we-wanted/) [Kid Nichols](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kid-nichols/) > [I've definitely learned that if you want to have power as a woman in Shakespeare's time, and it's still relevant today, that you have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-barnett/i-ve-definitely-learned-that-if-you-want-to-have-power-as-a-woman-in/) [Samuel Barnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-barnett/) > [Nothing is more private than a woman's body; it is her physical, emotional, and moral citadel. She cannot be free at all if she…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-b-smedes/nothing-is-more-private-than-a-woman-s-body-it-is-her-physical/) [Lewis B. Smedes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-b-smedes/) ## More by Ava Gardner > [It's a shame that it didn't work out with Mick. I was hopelessly in love with him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ava-gardner/it-s-a-shame-that-it-didn-t-work-out-with-mick-i-was-hopelessly-in/) [Ava Gardner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ava-gardner/) > [“Then, aided by the booze, like a fool I tossed off one of those throwaway lines that would have been better thrown away. "Ah,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ava-gardner/then-aided-by-the-booze-like-a-fool-i-tossed-off-one-of-those/) [Ava Gardner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ava-gardner/) > [“Great idea," I said. "Call the police. Call the fucking police.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ava-gardner/great-idea-i-said-call-the-police-call-the-fucking-police/) [Ava Gardner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ava-gardner/) > [I was born with good health and a strong body and spent years abusing them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ava-gardner/i-was-born-with-good-health-and-a-strong-body-and-spent-years-abusing/) [Ava Gardner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ava-gardner/) > [Elizabeth Taylor is not beautiful, she is pretty—I was beautiful.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ava-gardner/elizabeth-taylor-is-not-beautiful-she-is-pretty-i-was-beautiful/) [Ava Gardner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ava-gardner/) > [I either write the book or sell the jewels. And I'm kinda sentimental about the jewels.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ava-gardner/i-either-write-the-book-or-sell-the-jewels-and-i-m-kinda-sentimental/) [Ava Gardner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ava-gardner/) > [Mickey - the smallest husband I ever had and the biggest mistake I ever made - well, that year, it was.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ava-gardner/mickey-the-smallest-husband-i-ever-had-and-the-biggest-mistake-i-ever/) [Ava Gardner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ava-gardner/) > [God knows I've got so many frailties myself, I ought to be able to understand and forgive them in others. But I don't.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ava-gardner/god-knows-i-ve-got-so-many-frailties-myself-i-ought-to-be-able-to/) [Ava Gardner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ava-gardner/) > [Our phone bills were astronomical, and when I found the letters Frank wrote me the other day, the total could fill a suitcase. Every…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ava-gardner/our-phone-bills-were-astronomical-and-when-i-found-the-letters-frank/) [Ava Gardner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ava-gardner/) > [Maybe, in the final analysis, they saw me as something I wasn't and I tried to turn them into something they could never be.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ava-gardner/maybe-in-the-final-analysis-they-saw-me-as-something-i-wasn-t-and-i/) [Ava Gardner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ava-gardner/) > [After my screen test, the director clapped his hands gleefully and yelled: “She can't talk! She can't act! She's sensational!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ava-gardner/after-my-screen-test-the-director-clapped-his-hands-gleefully-and/) [Ava Gardner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ava-gardner/) > [Don't think for a minute that bad publicity and endless criticism don't leave their claw marks on everyone concerned. Your friends try to cheer…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ava-gardner/don-t-think-for-a-minute-that-bad-publicity-and-endless-criticism-don/) [Ava Gardner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ava-gardner/) > [I'm not saying my own looks don't give the game away. Nothing I can do about that anymore. A nip and tuck ain't gonna…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ava-gardner/i-m-not-saying-my-own-looks-don-t-give-the-game-away-nothing-i-can-do/) [Ava Gardner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ava-gardner/) > [I do owe Mickey one thing: he taught me how much I enjoyed sex.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ava-gardner/i-do-owe-mickey-one-thing-he-taught-me-how-much-i-enjoyed-sex/) [Ava Gardner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ava-gardner/) > [“In one scene, when I was supposed to say, "In a pig's eye you are," what came out was, "In a pig's ass you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ava-gardner/in-one-scene-when-i-was-supposed-to-say-in-a-pig-s-eye-you-are-what/) [Ava Gardner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ava-gardner/) [Explore all 83 Ava Gardner quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ava-gardner/) ## More Me quotes > [I think performing has pretty much always been a part of me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isa-briones/i-think-performing-has-pretty-much-always-been-a-part-of-me/) [Isa Briones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isa-briones/) > [When you step out and do a song in a musical, the easier thing to do is make it funny. 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I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-schwartz/at-the-very-beginning-i-was-a-page-at-letterman-and-i-freelanced-for/) [Ben Schwartz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-schwartz/) > [I feel as though I've fooled the world into thinking I'm an adult and now they're letting me procreate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-murray/i-feel-as-though-i-ve-fooled-the-world-into-thinking-i-m-an-adult-and/) [George Murray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-murray/) > [It took me 20 years to buy an electric typewriter, because I was afraid it would be too sensitive. I like to bang the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elmore-leonard/it-took-me-20-years-to-buy-an-electric-typewriter-because-i-was/) [Elmore Leonard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elmore-leonard/) > [If you've got some to say to Ric Flair, you come say it to me, and I'll make the translation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roddy-piper/if-you-ve-got-some-to-say-to-ric-flair-you-come-say-it-to-me-and-i-ll/) [Roddy Piper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roddy-piper/) > [It's very easy to fool yourself that you're working, you know, when you're really not working very hard. I mean, I'm very lazy. So…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-caro/it-s-very-easy-to-fool-yourself-that-you-re-working-you-know-when-you/) [Robert Caro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-caro/) > [That's something a lot of folks don't know about me - I'm pretty darn funny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-jai-white/that-s-something-a-lot-of-folks-don-t-know-about-me-i-m-pretty-darn/) [Michael Jai White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-jai-white/) > [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/) > [I do whatever entertains me. 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I understand perfectly well why certain musicians were unhappy with me. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cecil-taylor/the-first-record-i-made-when-i-listen-to-it-i-understand-i-understand/) [Cecil Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cecil-taylor/) > [As a family, we all loved the Flyers. To me, rooting for the Flyers were how I bonded with my dad especially.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-f-goldberg/as-a-family-we-all-loved-the-flyers-to-me-rooting-for-the-flyers-were/) [Adam F. Goldberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-f-goldberg/) [Browse all 36,324 Me quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/me/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I never played a woman who was smarter than me.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Ava Gardner" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ava-gardner/i-never-played-a-woman-who-was-smarter-than-me/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Me" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ava-gardner/i-never-played-a-woman-who-was-smarter-than-me/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c17/ava-gardner-8168_me_i-never-played-a-woman-who-was-smarter-t_2873250.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c17/ava-gardner-8168_me_i-never-played-a-woman-who-was-smarter-t_2873250.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c17/ava-gardner-8168_me_i-never-played-a-woman-who-was-smarter-t_2873250.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I never played a woman who was smarter than me.” — Ava Gardner", "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": "Ava Gardner", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ava-gardner/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I never played a woman who...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ava-gardner/i-never-played-a-woman-who-was-smarter-than-me/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ava-gardner/i-never-played-a-woman-who-was-smarter-than-me/#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 } } ] } ```