--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: What would I have done if I wasn't an…" description: "\"What would I have done if I wasn't an actor? Probably rob banks.\" — Bob Hoskins" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0b8/bob-hoskins-24796_actor_what-would-i-have-done-if-i-wasn-t-an-ac_272620.png" --- # What would I have done if I wasn't an actor? Probably rob… ![“What would I have done if I wasn't an actor? Probably rob banks.” quote by Bob Hoskins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0b8/bob-hoskins-24796_actor_what-would-i-have-done-if-i-wasn-t-an-ac_272620.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0b8/bob-hoskins-24796_actor_what-would-i-have-done-if-i-wasn-t-an-ac_272620.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0b8/bob-hoskins-24796_actor_what-would-i-have-done-if-i-wasn-t-an-ac_272620.png) > “What would I have done if I wasn't an actor? Probably rob banks.” [Bob Hoskins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-hoskins/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. If not an actor, the speaker imagines turning to crime, highlighting a dramatic self‑image. **In simple terms:** He jokes he'd rob banks if not acting. Key Takeaway Question how identity shapes choices. Themes identity career humor Mood playful self‑deprecating Type humorous reflective When to use this quote - career counseling - creative writing - comedy routines Key Concepts self‑concept role theory Questions to Reflect On - What does this say about his view of acting? - Do you ever imagine a wildly different life? A Different Perspective Humor may mask deeper dissatisfaction. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Actor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actor/) [Actors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actors/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Theatre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/theatre/) ## Related quotes > [If I wasn't an actor, I would probably be writing or doing something with psychology.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maddie-hasson/if-i-wasn-t-an-actor-i-would-probably-be-writing-or-doing-something/) [Maddie Hasson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maddie-hasson/) > [Shah Rukh himself, if he wasn't an actor, would probably have liked to become an architect or interior designer. He's totally into buying property,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gauri-khan/shah-rukh-himself-if-he-wasn-t-an-actor-would-probably-have-liked-to/) [Gauri Khan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gauri-khan/) > [If I wasn't an actor, I'd probably be working in journalism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophia-bush/if-i-wasn-t-an-actor-i-d-probably-be-working-in-journalism/) [Sophia Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophia-bush/) > [If I wasn't an actor, I probably would've tried to get a job with the Braves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-lanter/if-i-wasn-t-an-actor-i-probably-would-ve-tried-to-get-a-job-with-the/) [Matt Lanter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-lanter/) > [“(Why do you rob banks, Willie?) Because that's where the money is.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willie-sutton/why-do-you-rob-banks-willie-because-that-s-where-the-money-is/) [Willie Sutton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willie-sutton/) > [I rob banks for a living. What do you do?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dillinger/i-rob-banks-for-a-living-what-do-you-do/) [John Dillinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dillinger/) > [I rob banks because that's where the money is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willie-sutton/i-rob-banks-because-that-s-where-the-money-is/) [Willie Sutton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willie-sutton/) > [If your only arbiter of anything is money, really you should... go and rob banks.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-dickinson/if-your-only-arbiter-of-anything-is-money-really-you-should-go-and/) [Bruce Dickinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-dickinson/) > [I think that anybody who says 'This is the one way to go about being an actor' has probably not done a lot of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-gordon-levitt/i-think-that-anybody-who-says-this-is-the-one-way-to-go-about-being/) [Joseph Gordon-Levitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-gordon-levitt/) > [If I hadn't been an actor, I probably would have been a social worker.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierce-brosnan/if-i-hadn-t-been-an-actor-i-probably-would-have-been-a-social-worker/) [Pierce Brosnan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierce-brosnan/) > [I think that the reason I became an actor, probably, underneath it, was that I spent my life acting normal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dash-mihok/i-think-that-the-reason-i-became-an-actor-probably-underneath-it-was/) [Dash Mihok](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dash-mihok/) > [Stage actors are usually much more conscious of speaking up and making sure that everyone can hear in the back of the theatre; a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clint-eastwood/stage-actors-are-usually-much-more-conscious-of-speaking-up-and/) [Clint Eastwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clint-eastwood/) > [If you are the most successful actor, probably every good script that has been written will go to you first.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arshad-warsi/if-you-are-the-most-successful-actor-probably-every-good-script-that/) [Arshad Warsi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arshad-warsi/) > [Anyone who has that weird volition to become an actor probably has a weird volition to do lots of other creative things - to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/minnie-driver/anyone-who-has-that-weird-volition-to-become-an-actor-probably-has-a/) [Minnie Driver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/minnie-driver/) > [What part of people is resistant to an artist doing more than one thing? Is it somehow perceived as greedy? Anyone who has that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/minnie-driver/what-part-of-people-is-resistant-to-an-artist-doing-more-than-one/) [Minnie Driver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/minnie-driver/) ## More by Bob Hoskins > [You have to learn to hallucinate,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-hoskins/you-have-to-learn-to-hallucinate/) [Bob Hoskins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-hoskins/) > [I'm Winnie the Pooh - that's as sexy as I am. I meet ladies and they talk about their family and I talk about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-hoskins/i-m-winnie-the-pooh-that-s-as-sexy-as-i-am-i-meet-ladies-and-they/) [Bob Hoskins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-hoskins/) > [I've played so many historical characters because most horrible dictators are short, fat, middle-aged men.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-hoskins/i-ve-played-so-many-historical-characters-because-most-horrible/) [Bob Hoskins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-hoskins/) > [Acting is the best job in the world. Look at the way they treat you when you turn up for work. They give you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-hoskins/acting-is-the-best-job-in-the-world-look-at-the-way-they-treat-you/) [Bob Hoskins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-hoskins/) > [I've watched films and even forgotten I'm in them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-hoskins/i-ve-watched-films-and-even-forgotten-i-m-in-them/) [Bob Hoskins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-hoskins/) > [I realised one day that men are emotional cripples. We can't express ourselves emotionally, we can only do it with anger and humour. Emotional…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-hoskins/i-realised-one-day-that-men-are-emotional-cripples-we-can-t-express/) [Bob Hoskins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-hoskins/) > [I started my career by becoming a stalker, watching women in the street, the way they greet each other. I thought if I could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-hoskins/i-started-my-career-by-becoming-a-stalker-watching-women-in-the/) [Bob Hoskins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-hoskins/) > [I'd say I am partial to women.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-hoskins/i-d-say-i-am-partial-to-women/) [Bob Hoskins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-hoskins/) > [It's your life, live it your way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-hoskins/it-s-your-life-live-it-your-way/) [Bob Hoskins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-hoskins/) > [I'm very romantic. I've emptied flower shops.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-hoskins/i-m-very-romantic-i-ve-emptied-flower-shops/) [Bob Hoskins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-hoskins/) > [What we do does not define who we are. What defines us is how well we rise after falling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-hoskins/what-we-do-does-not-define-who-we-are-what-defines-us-is-how-well-we/) [Bob Hoskins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-hoskins/) > [I am fairly rich. Money's very handy, let's face it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-hoskins/i-am-fairly-rich-money-s-very-handy-let-s-face-it/) [Bob Hoskins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-hoskins/) > [Actors are just entertainers, even the serious ones. That's all an actor is. He's like a serious Bruce Forsyth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-hoskins/actors-are-just-entertainers-even-the-serious-ones-that-s-all-an/) [Bob Hoskins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-hoskins/) > [Quantum physics is a bit of a passion of mine. It's extraordinary. There's a branch of mathematics that is based on lunacy, and that's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-hoskins/quantum-physics-is-a-bit-of-a-passion-of-mine-it-s-extraordinary/) [Bob Hoskins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-hoskins/) > [I realized one day that men are emotional cripples. We can't express ourselves emotionally, we can only do it with anger and humor. Emotional…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-hoskins/i-realized-one-day-that-men-are-emotional-cripples-we-can-t-express/) [Bob Hoskins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-hoskins/) [Explore all 24 Bob Hoskins quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-hoskins/) ## More Actor 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/) > [When you step out and do a song in a musical, the easier thing to do is make it funny. But when those transitions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelli-o-hara/when-you-step-out-and-do-a-song-in-a-musical-the-easier-thing-to-do/) [Kelli O'Hara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelli-o-hara/) > [I once told someone I could act. They totally bought it. I've been getting away with it ever since.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/akshay-kumar/i-once-told-someone-i-could-act-they-totally-bought-it-i-ve-been/) [Akshay Kumar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/akshay-kumar/) > [There has got to be a way for me to have a role on TV or in film that is just as normal as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adeel-akhtar/there-has-got-to-be-a-way-for-me-to-have-a-role-on-tv-or-in-film-that/) [Adeel Akhtar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adeel-akhtar/) > [I love casting against type and doing things you wouldn't expect, because I think you get more interesting performances that way. Hollywood loves to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-s-goyer/i-love-casting-against-type-and-doing-things-you-wouldn-t-expect/) [David S. Goyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-s-goyer/) > [I'm an actor, so I'm never going to feel like I've done enough.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/italia-ricci/i-m-an-actor-so-i-m-never-going-to-feel-like-i-ve-done-enough/) [Italia Ricci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/italia-ricci/) > [I am tired of our characters being so incomplete. When do we ever save the day in a film? When does a Latino actor…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/esai-morales/i-am-tired-of-our-characters-being-so-incomplete-when-do-we-ever-save/) [Esai Morales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/esai-morales/) > [When I was 13, I auditioned for the theater school, and I was there for four years. In the meantime, I did my first…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ana-de-armas/when-i-was-13-i-auditioned-for-the-theater-school-and-i-was-there-for/) [Ana de Armas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ana-de-armas/) > [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/) > [failure in the theater is more public, more brilliant, more unreal than in any other field.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lillian-hellman/failure-in-the-theater-is-more-public-more-brilliant-more-unreal-than/) [Lillian Hellman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lillian-hellman/) > [I'm a character actor - always have been, always will be - and historically, character actors don't come into their own until later in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annie-potts/i-m-a-character-actor-always-have-been-always-will-be-and/) [Annie Potts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annie-potts/) > [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/) > [I never planned to do female roles. It just happened. I was typecast.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/divine/i-never-planned-to-do-female-roles-it-just-happened-i-was-typecast/) [Divine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/divine/) > [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/) [Browse all 21,590 Actor quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actor/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "What would I have done if I wasn't an actor? 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