--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It was only in the second year of my…" description: "\"It was only in the second year of my Ph.D. that I started acting. I wasn't in school plays or anything; I was in bands, but I wasn't cool. There's no s..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/056/ben-miller-4821_acting_it-was-only-in-the-second-year-of-my-ph_1236877.jpg" --- # It was only in the second year of my Ph.D. that I started… ![“It was only in the second year of my Ph.D. that I started acting. I wasn't in school plays or anything; I was in bands, but I wasn't cool. There's no such thing as a cool physics person, is there?” quote by Ben Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/056/ben-miller-4821_acting_it-was-only-in-the-second-year-of-my-ph_1236877.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/056/ben-miller-4821_acting_it-was-only-in-the-second-year-of-my-ph_1236877.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/056/ben-miller-4821_acting_it-was-only-in-the-second-year-of-my-ph_1236877.jpg) > “It was only in the second year of my Ph.D. that I started acting. I wasn't in school plays or anything; I was in bands, but I wasn't cool. There's no such thing as a cool physics person, is there?” [Ben Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-miller/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He humorously reflects on feeling uncool in physics, highlighting the stereotype that scientists lack social flair. **In simple terms:** Physicists are seen as uncool. Key Takeaway Embrace your unique identity despite stereotypes. Themes science identity stereotypes Mood lighthearted self‑deprecating Type humorous conversational When to use this quote - college life - career choices - team collaboration Key Concepts social perception self‑acceptance Questions to Reflect On - How do you define “cool” in your field? - Can stereotypes be reshaped? A Different Perspective Stereotypes can limit confidence. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Acting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/acting/) [Acting Wasn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/acting-wasn-1562501/) [Cool](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cool/) [Cool Physics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cool-physics-3846528/) [Person](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/person/) [Physics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/physics/) [Physics Person](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/physics-person-3846527/) [School](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/school/) [Started Acting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/started-acting/) ## Related quotes > [I approach every film I do in the same way, whether it's an action film or not an action film. I guess if a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vin-diesel/i-approach-every-film-i-do-in-the-same-way-whether-it-s-an-action/) [Vin Diesel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vin-diesel/) > [I consider myself fortunate that in my home, acting or the creative arts were a good option. This was a respected tour of duty…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-penn/i-consider-myself-fortunate-that-in-my-home-acting-or-the-creative/) [Sean Penn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-penn/) > [I think, ultimately, looking back now, acting wasn't satisfying me 100%.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joey-lauren-adams/i-think-ultimately-looking-back-now-acting-wasn-t-satisfying-me-100/) [Joey Lauren Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joey-lauren-adams/) > [I did a film called 'Floating' early on that had a scene which was similar to a real-life situation I was in at the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-reedus/i-did-a-film-called-floating-early-on-that-had-a-scene-which-was/) [Norman Reedus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-reedus/) > [I quit acting because i wasn't enjoying it anymore.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shobana/i-quit-acting-because-i-wasn-t-enjoying-it-anymore/) [Shobana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shobana/) > [I had dreams, but always told myself, 'Nah, that would never happen.' For a poor Latina, (acting) wasn't a reality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-guerrero/i-had-dreams-but-always-told-myself-nah-that-would-never-happen-for-a/) [Diane Guerrero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-guerrero/) > [My acting wasn't the best. But damn, my ass looked tight.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-hathaway/my-acting-wasn-t-the-best-but-damn-my-ass-looked-tight/) [Anne Hathaway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-hathaway/) > [Personally, I have nothing to fall back on, and that creates a weird ambition that you have to be good at acting because you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/holly-marie-combs/personally-i-have-nothing-to-fall-back-on-and-that-creates-a-weird/) [Holly Marie Combs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/holly-marie-combs/) > [I think sometimes soap acting gets an unfair label for being bad and over the top. The lessons I learned there were so valuable.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dylan-bruce/i-think-sometimes-soap-acting-gets-an-unfair-label-for-being-bad-and/) [Dylan Bruce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dylan-bruce/) > [I realized that acting was something I wasn't going to be lazy about. You feel good when you do it well. It is something…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alison-elliott/i-realized-that-acting-was-something-i-wasn-t-going-to-be-lazy-about/) [Alison Elliott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alison-elliott/) > [Acting wasn't some long-held dream, and it still isn't, really. I'm just trying to make some money and pay the bills.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/travis-fimmel/acting-wasn-t-some-long-held-dream-and-it-still-isn-t-really-i-m-just/) [Travis Fimmel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/travis-fimmel/) > [I've always been business-minded. I worked in corporate America before becoming an actress and knew that acting wasn't the end but a means to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eva-longoria/i-ve-always-been-business-minded-i-worked-in-corporate-america-before/) [Eva Longoria](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eva-longoria/) > [I found at this point that effective acting wasn't what I wanted to do, that I didn't want to make effects, that I wanted,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-scofield/i-found-at-this-point-that-effective-acting-wasn-t-what-i-wanted-to/) [Paul Scofield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-scofield/) > [Knowing that my granddad was a highly respected actor wasn't necessarily intimidating, but it definitely meant there was always a pressure to live up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-r-mcqueen/knowing-that-my-granddad-was-a-highly-respected-actor-wasn-t/) [Steven R. McQueen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-r-mcqueen/) > [Music was my first love; acting was something that wasn't important to me early on.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joanna-kulig/music-was-my-first-love-acting-was-something-that-wasn-t-important-to/) [Joanna Kulig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joanna-kulig/) ## More by Ben Miller > [Nobody wants to get divorced.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-miller/nobody-wants-to-get-divorced/) [Ben Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-miller/) > [It's my theory that comedy is going to die out in the year 6000.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-miller/it-s-my-theory-that-comedy-is-going-to-die-out-in-the-year-6000/) [Ben Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-miller/) > [I'd like to see the argument made for greater worldwide federalism, not just the European Union.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-miller/i-d-like-to-see-the-argument-made-for-greater-worldwide-federalism/) [Ben Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-miller/) > [Whatever happens in life can happen on the stage, but as a comedian you should always be clear what your target is. It's fine…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-miller/whatever-happens-in-life-can-happen-on-the-stage-but-as-a-comedian/) [Ben Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-miller/) > [I was on holiday in Ibiza, having a lovely time, writing a book and looking at the stars every night and generally not having…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-miller/i-was-on-holiday-in-ibiza-having-a-lovely-time-writing-a-book-and/) [Ben Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-miller/) > [I did play a romantic part once - Orsino in 'Twelfth Night.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-miller/i-did-play-a-romantic-part-once-orsino-in-twelfth-night/) [Ben Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-miller/) > [Every meal is so important and colours the rest of your day - my whole day can go into a spin if I make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-miller/every-meal-is-so-important-and-colours-the-rest-of-your-day-my-whole/) [Ben Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-miller/) > ['Death In Paradise' is my dream job - a fascinating character, great scripts, superb cast, and shooting in the Caribbean with French catering.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-miller/death-in-paradise-is-my-dream-job-a-fascinating-character-great/) [Ben Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-miller/) > [I used to fantasise about being able to stay up all night; now I fantasise about how early I can go to bed. Tragic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-miller/i-used-to-fantasise-about-being-able-to-stay-up-all-night-now-i/) [Ben Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-miller/) > [Probably one of the reasons I became a comedian is that you get a chance to control when people laugh at you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-miller/probably-one-of-the-reasons-i-became-a-comedian-is-that-you-get-a/) [Ben Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-miller/) > [I'm obsessed with coffee.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-miller/i-m-obsessed-with-coffee/) [Ben Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-miller/) > [I took my son to an exhibition about inventing things, and he was so inspired he started collecting toilet rolls and empty bottles for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-miller/i-took-my-son-to-an-exhibition-about-inventing-things-and-he-was-so/) [Ben Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-miller/) > [It's great to do stuff that 'gets you out of the house' in a way - that gets you to meet other people!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-miller/it-s-great-to-do-stuff-that-gets-you-out-of-the-house-in-a-way-that/) [Ben Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-miller/) > [I'm a huge fan of French comedy. The French play comedy in a slightly different way than we do: they play it with a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-miller/i-m-a-huge-fan-of-french-comedy-the-french-play-comedy-in-a-slightly/) [Ben Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-miller/) > [This is a shameful thing to say, but I've never really got that 'grown-up' mind-set. I have to buy forks? Why?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-miller/this-is-a-shameful-thing-to-say-but-i-ve-never-really-got-that-grown/) [Ben Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-miller/) [Explore all 106 Ben Miller quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-miller/) ## 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. 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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. 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