--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When you envy actors, only envy them for…" description: "\"When you envy actors, only envy them for their good roles. Keep in mind they have to do a lot of roles to make a living, and not all of them are good. ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/997/bob-odenkirk-8987_actor_when-you-envy-actors-only-envy-them-for_2597992.jpg" --- # When you envy actors, only envy them for their good roles… ![“When you envy actors, only envy them for their good roles. Keep in mind they have to do a lot of roles to make a living, and not all of them are good. When they're doing a stupid role in a bad production, it's kind of a dumb thing to do when you're an adult. When you're doing a great role that's…” quote by Bob Odenkirk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/997/bob-odenkirk-8987_actor_when-you-envy-actors-only-envy-them-for_2597992.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/997/bob-odenkirk-8987_actor_when-you-envy-actors-only-envy-them-for_2597992.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/997/bob-odenkirk-8987_actor_when-you-envy-actors-only-envy-them-for_2597992.jpg) > “When you envy actors, only envy them for their good roles. Keep in mind they have to do a lot of roles to make a living, and not all of them are good. When they're doing a stupid role in a bad production, it's kind of a dumb thing to do when you're an adult. When you're doing a great role that's well-written, it's an enviable job.” [Bob Odenkirk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-odenkirk/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Envy actors should focus on the craft, not the fame; roles vary in quality and impact. **In simple terms:** Admire actors for their work, not just fame. Key Takeaway Appreciate the effort behind each performance. Themes career art humility Mood reflective analytical Type inspirational philosophical When to use this quote - career planning - media criticism - personal growth Key Concepts career development acting media studies Questions to Reflect On - How do you measure success in creative fields? - What role does perseverance play? A Different Perspective Not all roles are equal; success depends on many factors. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Actor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actor/) [Actors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actors/) [Adults](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/adults/) [Envy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/envy/) [Jobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/jobs/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mind/) [Psychology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/psychology/) [Things to do](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/things-to-do/) ## Related quotes > [I never quite understood these actors - though I envy them sometimes - who can lie out for a year or two. I feel…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvester-stallone/i-never-quite-understood-these-actors-though-i-envy-them-sometimes/) [Sylvester Stallone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvester-stallone/) > [I have a learning disability when it comes to languages, I envy actors like Prakash Raj and my kids who do it with such…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arvind-swami/i-have-a-learning-disability-when-it-comes-to-languages-i-envy-actors/) [Arvind Swami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arvind-swami/) > [I'd much rather turn down a starring role in a bad picture and do a small role in a very good picture.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rod-taylor/i-d-much-rather-turn-down-a-starring-role-in-a-bad-picture-and-do-a/) [Rod Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rod-taylor/) > [I was really good at being a bad guy; I like that role. Not being bad to people - just talking bad.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ric-flair/i-was-really-good-at-being-a-bad-guy-i-like-that-role-not-being-bad/) [Ric Flair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ric-flair/) > [I know my role as a bad guy is to get everyone to hate me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carmella/i-know-my-role-as-a-bad-guy-is-to-get-everyone-to-hate-me/) [Carmella](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carmella/) > [Sometimes I lie awake at night thinking about all the dumb things I do every day... If I live to be eighty and I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-m-schulz/sometimes-i-lie-awake-at-night-thinking-about-all-the-dumb-things-i/) [Charles M. Schulz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-m-schulz/) > [“It is wrong that we associate the word 'dumb', especially pertaining to animals, with the inability to communicate in a common communal 'tongue' -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stafford-samuel-lakay/it-is-wrong-that-we-associate-the-word-dumb-especially-pertaining-to/) Stafford Samuel Lakay > [ \[I made in army\] all sorts of dumb things, but it did teach me a lot about the silk-screen process. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-mackenzie/i-made-in-army-all-sorts-of-dumb-things-but-it-did-teach-me-a-lot/) [Warren MacKenzie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-mackenzie/) > [We have Democrats saying dumb things every single day, and Republicans as well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emanuel-cleaver/we-have-democrats-saying-dumb-things-every-single-day-and-republicans/) [Emanuel Cleaver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emanuel-cleaver/) > [I've done a lot of dumb things in my life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-momoa/i-ve-done-a-lot-of-dumb-things-in-my-life/) [Jason Momoa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-momoa/) > [I have a skeptical and cranky side, and I'm forever puzzled why people believe the, seeming to me, dumb things that they choose to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terence-mckenna/i-have-a-skeptical-and-cranky-side-and-i-m-forever-puzzled-why-people/) [Terence McKenna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terence-mckenna/) > [“When smart people do dumb things it’s usually due to one of two things. The two things are greed and fear. They want something…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cormac-mccarthy/when-smart-people-do-dumb-things-it-s-usually-due-to-one-of-two/) [Cormac McCarthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cormac-mccarthy/) > [There is nothing Modern about doing dumb things for dumb reasons.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hunter-s-thompson/there-is-nothing-modern-about-doing-dumb-things-for-dumb-reasons/) [Hunter S. Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hunter-s-thompson/) > [And sometimes it happened, for a time. That kind of love comes and goes and is hard to remember afterwards, like pain. You would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-atwood/and-sometimes-it-happened-for-a-time-that-kind-of-love-comes-and-goes/) [Margaret Atwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-atwood/) > [Our nation honors its unbroken line of fallen heroes and I see many of them in the audience here today.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/our-nation-honors-its-unbroken-line-of-fallen-heroes-and-i-see-many/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) ## More by Bob Odenkirk > [I felt my personal life was not what it should be. It had nothing to do with Mr. Show - I'm monstrously appreciative and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-odenkirk/i-felt-my-personal-life-was-not-what-it-should-be-it-had-nothing-to/) [Bob Odenkirk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-odenkirk/) > [I learn things in a backward way. I learn all those limitations, and slowly my brain soaks them up, and if things go right,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-odenkirk/i-learn-things-in-a-backward-way-i-learn-all-those-limitations-and/) [Bob Odenkirk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-odenkirk/) > [“Whenever someone says, 'I love writing,' I always think, 'You probably suck at writing.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-odenkirk/whenever-someone-says-i-love-writing-i-always-think-you-probably-suck/) [Bob Odenkirk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-odenkirk/) > [The world needs less destruction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-odenkirk/the-world-needs-less-destruction/) [Bob Odenkirk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-odenkirk/) > [I've spent most of my career in ensembles, and I'm good with that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-odenkirk/i-ve-spent-most-of-my-career-in-ensembles-and-i-m-good-with-that/) [Bob Odenkirk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-odenkirk/) > [Humans are ridiculous. 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