--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I thought I was going to be doing Chekhov…" description: "\"I thought I was going to be doing Chekhov plays.\" — Chloe Fineman" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cee/chloe-fineman-9900_chekhov_i-thought-i-was-going-to-be-doing-chekho_2453998.jpg" --- # I thought I was going to be doing Chekhov plays. ![“I thought I was going to be doing Chekhov plays.” quote by Chloe Fineman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cee/chloe-fineman-9900_chekhov_i-thought-i-was-going-to-be-doing-chekho_2453998.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cee/chloe-fineman-9900_chekhov_i-thought-i-was-going-to-be-doing-chekho_2453998.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cee/chloe-fineman-9900_chekhov_i-thought-i-was-going-to-be-doing-chekho_2453998.jpg) > “I thought I was going to be doing Chekhov plays.” [Chloe Fineman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chloe-fineman/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. An actress expected to perform classic theater ends up in unexpected roles, reflecting career shifts and adaptability. **In simple terms:** Expectations vs reality in career. Key Takeaway Embrace flexibility. Themes career expectation adaptability humor Mood humorous reflective Type television satire When to use this quote - auditions - role changes - skill diversification - networking Key Concepts theatre media industry career development Questions to Reflect On - How do you handle unexpected career turns? - What skills help you adapt? A Different Perspective Rigid expectations limit growth. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Plays](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/plays/) [Thought](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thought/) ## Related quotes > [My favorite author is Anton Chekhov, not so much for the plays but for his short stories, and I think he was really my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-wilder/my-favorite-author-is-anton-chekhov-not-so-much-for-the-plays-but-for/) [Gene Wilder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-wilder/) > [I really like the stuff that is very absurd and very real at the same time. I think Anton Chekhov is the greatest comedy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rainn-wilson/i-really-like-the-stuff-that-is-very-absurd-and-very-real-at-the-same/) [Rainn Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rainn-wilson/) > [I thought I would spent my career doing Chekhov and Ibsen in regional theaters, so the fact that I started doing new plays was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zeljko-ivanek/i-thought-i-would-spent-my-career-doing-chekhov-and-ibsen-in-regional/) [Zeljko Ivanek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zeljko-ivanek/) > [I don't think my looks are modern. I always imagined I'd end up doing Chekhov, Ibsen and Shakespeare all my life and never play…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-kingston/i-don-t-think-my-looks-are-modern-i-always-imagined-i-d-end-up-doing/) [Alex Kingston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-kingston/) > [I come from the theatre where there are no boundaries to the style you're doing; you're doing Molière, then you're doing Chekhov and then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-ruffalo/i-come-from-the-theatre-where-there-are-no-boundaries-to-the-style/) [Mark Ruffalo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-ruffalo/) > [If you're sitting around and doing Chekhov and the cat walks in, you must pay attention to the cat. You cannot continue the dialogue…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-matthau/if-you-re-sitting-around-and-doing-chekhov-and-the-cat-walks-in-you/) [Walter Matthau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-matthau/) > [Because when you're in drama school, you're playing multiple characters at once. You know, in the morning you're doing a Chekhov play, and then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-majors/because-when-you-re-in-drama-school-you-re-playing-multiple/) [Jonathan Majors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-majors/) > [When I started in the theater, I'd do plays by Shakespeare or Ibsen or Chekhov, and they all created great women's roles.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annette-bening/when-i-started-in-the-theater-i-d-do-plays-by-shakespeare-or-ibsen-or/) [Annette Bening](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annette-bening/) > [Chekhov directors and Chekhov actors love working on his plays because there seems to be no end to what you can find out about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-stoppard/chekhov-directors-and-chekhov-actors-love-working-on-his-plays/) [Tom Stoppard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-stoppard/) > [When assumptions were made that I was going to bail out there was a little part of my brain that thought 'I am going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-stevens/when-assumptions-were-made-that-i-was-going-to-bail-out-there-was-a/) [Craig Stevens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-stevens/) > [“I thought I was going nowhere, but now I see there was a pattern.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-dicamillo/i-thought-i-was-going-nowhere-but-now-i-see-there-was-a-pattern/) [Kate DiCamillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-dicamillo/) > [I always thought I was going to be a professional dancer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/esther-povitsky/i-always-thought-i-was-going-to-be-a-professional-dancer/) [Esther Povitsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/esther-povitsky/) > [I no longer think in terms of, Ooh, this is a great role and what is it going to do for - actually, I've…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-chastain/i-no-longer-think-in-terms-of-ooh-this-is-a-great-role-and-what-is-it/) [Jessica Chastain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-chastain/) > [I never thought I was going to be an actor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-minchin/i-never-thought-i-was-going-to-be-an-actor/) [Tim Minchin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-minchin/) > [You don't know whether he's thought through how this is going to affect the Middle East.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-matthews/you-don-t-know-whether-he-s-thought-through-how-this-is-going-to/) [Chris Matthews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-matthews/) ## More by Chloe Fineman > [I went to NYU and we had to wear stage black every day, so I'd add a bright lipstick to feel a little bit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chloe-fineman/i-went-to-nyu-and-we-had-to-wear-stage-black-every-day-so-i-d-add-a/) [Chloe Fineman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chloe-fineman/) > [I had some Uggs that turned like... crunchy?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chloe-fineman/i-had-some-uggs-that-turned-like-crunchy/) [Chloe Fineman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chloe-fineman/) > [I am passionate about design - I always say that I want to have a hotel, called the Chlotel, full of beautiful plush rugs,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chloe-fineman/i-am-passionate-about-design-i-always-say-that-i-want-to-have-a-hotel/) [Chloe Fineman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chloe-fineman/) > [I grew up with a lot of really, really funny girls. We were encouraged to be funny. Our parents didn't filter us. We were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chloe-fineman/i-grew-up-with-a-lot-of-really-really-funny-girls-we-were-encouraged/) [Chloe Fineman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chloe-fineman/) > [My mom is really good at cake decorating and she learned how to take gumdrops and melt them and turn them into flowers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chloe-fineman/my-mom-is-really-good-at-cake-decorating-and-she-learned-how-to-take/) [Chloe Fineman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chloe-fineman/) > [Everyone at 'SNL' has inspired me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chloe-fineman/everyone-at-snl-has-inspired-me/) [Chloe Fineman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chloe-fineman/) > [I think any Republican probably wants to slap me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chloe-fineman/i-think-any-republican-probably-wants-to-slap-me/) [Chloe Fineman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chloe-fineman/) > [I'm from San Francisco.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chloe-fineman/i-m-from-san-francisco/) [Chloe Fineman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chloe-fineman/) > [I try to be a hair mask person, but I'm not good at it. So, I keep my conditioner in for way too long…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chloe-fineman/i-try-to-be-a-hair-mask-person-but-i-m-not-good-at-it-so-i-keep-my/) [Chloe Fineman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chloe-fineman/) > [I'm very much a girl in comedy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chloe-fineman/i-m-very-much-a-girl-in-comedy/) [Chloe Fineman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chloe-fineman/) > [I found out I was born at 6:45 in the morning, and maybe I'm making this up, but I get up at that time…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chloe-fineman/i-found-out-i-was-born-at-6-45-in-the-morning-and-maybe-i-m-making/) [Chloe Fineman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chloe-fineman/) > [At NYU, I went by Chloe Rose, which is so embarrassing. And then I reclaimed my Judaism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chloe-fineman/at-nyu-i-went-by-chloe-rose-which-is-so-embarrassing-and-then-i/) [Chloe Fineman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chloe-fineman/) > [I'm the queen of 'Chloe put the scissors down.' When I was in college, I was on vacation on a tiny boat, I took…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chloe-fineman/i-m-the-queen-of-chloe-put-the-scissors-down-when-i-was-in-college-i/) [Chloe Fineman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chloe-fineman/) > [My family is very 'Royal Tenenbaums'-y in the sense that we've all taken an activity and gone extreme with it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chloe-fineman/my-family-is-very-royal-tenenbaums-y-in-the-sense-that-we-ve-all/) [Chloe Fineman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chloe-fineman/) > [I still worship Molly Shannon.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chloe-fineman/i-still-worship-molly-shannon/) [Chloe Fineman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chloe-fineman/) [Explore all 69 Chloe Fineman quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chloe-fineman/) ## More Chekhov quotes > [“Art, science, love, inspiration, ideals—choose out all the words with which humanity is wont, or has been in the past, to be consoled or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lev-shestov/art-science-love-inspiration-ideals-choose-out-all-the-words-with/) [Lev Shestov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lev-shestov/) > [There are no whys in a person's life, and very few hows. In the end, in search of useful wisdom, you could only come…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chad-harbach/there-are-no-whys-in-a-person-s-life-and-very-few-hows-in-the-end-in/) [Chad Harbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chad-harbach/) > [“He did not want to be original; he made superhuman efforts to be like everybody else: but there is no escaping one's destiny.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lev-shestov/he-did-not-want-to-be-original-he-made-superhuman-efforts-to-be-like/) [Lev Shestov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lev-shestov/) > [Chekhov is this poet of melancholy and isolation and of wishing you were somewhere else than where you are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/salman-rushdie/chekhov-is-this-poet-of-melancholy-and-isolation-and-of-wishing-you/) [Salman Rushdie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/salman-rushdie/) > [“He keeps going, going, going on; his people groan and fall one after the other, but he keeps on going, going and in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anton-chekhov/he-keeps-going-going-going-on-his-people-groan-and-fall-one-after-the/) [Anton Chekhov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anton-chekhov/) > [I don't think my looks are modern. I always imagined I'd end up doing Chekhov, Ibsen and Shakespeare all my life and never play…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-kingston/i-don-t-think-my-looks-are-modern-i-always-imagined-i-d-end-up-doing/) [Alex Kingston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-kingston/) > [“Any idiot can face a crisis, it is day to day living that wears you out. —Anton Chekhov”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/any-idiot-can-face-a-crisis-it-is-day-to-day-living-that-wears-you/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Chekhov will seek out the key situation in the life of a cabman or a charwoman, and make them glow for a brief moment…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-wilson-lynd/chekhov-will-seek-out-the-key-situation-in-the-life-of-a-cabman-or-a/) [Robert Wilson Lynd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-wilson-lynd/) > [As Michael (Chekhov)'s pupil, I learned more about acting. I learned psychology, history, and the good manners of art - taste.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilyn-monroe/as-michael-chekhov-s-pupil-i-learned-more-about-acting-i-learned/) [Marilyn Monroe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilyn-monroe/) > [If we're lucky, writer and reader alike, we'll finish the last line or two of a short story and then just sit for a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raymond-carver/if-we-re-lucky-writer-and-reader-alike-we-ll-finish-the-last-line-or/) [Raymond Carver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raymond-carver/) > [Chekhov said: let's put God - and all these grand progressive ideas - to one side. Let's begin with man; let's be kind and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vasily-grossman/chekhov-said-let-s-put-god-and-all-these-grand-progressive-ideas-to/) [Vasily Grossman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vasily-grossman/) > [Reading Chekhov was just like the angels singing to me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eudora-welty/reading-chekhov-was-just-like-the-angels-singing-to-me/) [Eudora Welty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eudora-welty/) > [When we remove the snowdrift piled up over Chekhov in recent years, we uncover a man profoundly agitated by social problems; a writer whose…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yevgeny-zamyatin/when-we-remove-the-snowdrift-piled-up-over-chekhov-in-recent-years-we/) [Yevgeny Zamyatin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yevgeny-zamyatin/) > [Read the great stuff, but read the stuff that isn't so great, too. Great stuff is very discouraging. If you read only Beckett and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-albee/read-the-great-stuff-but-read-the-stuff-that-isn-t-so-great-too-great/) [Edward Albee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-albee/) > [I'll never forget reading Chekhov's "A Doctor's Visit" on a train to Hawthorne, New York, and I got to the end - the scene…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-ross/i-ll-never-forget-reading-chekhov-s-a-doctor-s-visit-on-a-train-to/) [Adam Ross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-ross/) Browse all 132 Chekhov quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I thought I was going to be doing Chekhov plays.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Chloe Fineman" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chloe-fineman/i-thought-i-was-going-to-be-doing-chekhov-plays/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Chekhov" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chloe-fineman/i-thought-i-was-going-to-be-doing-chekhov-plays/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cee/chloe-fineman-9900_chekhov_i-thought-i-was-going-to-be-doing-chekho_2453998.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cee/chloe-fineman-9900_chekhov_i-thought-i-was-going-to-be-doing-chekho_2453998.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cee/chloe-fineman-9900_chekhov_i-thought-i-was-going-to-be-doing-chekho_2453998.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I thought I was going to be doing Chekhov plays.” — Chloe Fineman", "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": "Chloe Fineman", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chloe-fineman/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I thought I was going to...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chloe-fineman/i-thought-i-was-going-to-be-doing-chekhov-plays/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chloe-fineman/i-thought-i-was-going-to-be-doing-chekhov-plays/#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 } } ] } ```