--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Then, at age 20, I discovered theater…" description: "\"Then, at age 20, I discovered theater sort of by accident. Quite quickly, theater became more important to me than music. I began to realize that maybe..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/42f/cillian-murphy-4370_accidents_then-at-age-20-i-discovered-theater-sort_2486567.jpg" --- # Then, at age 20, I discovered theater sort of by accident… ![“Then, at age 20, I discovered theater sort of by accident. Quite quickly, theater became more important to me than music. I began to realize that maybe my talents as a musician were quite limited, or had a ceiling to them, whereas acting seemed to sort of stretch before me. I got very passionate…” quote by Cillian Murphy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/42f/cillian-murphy-4370_accidents_then-at-age-20-i-discovered-theater-sort_2486567.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/42f/cillian-murphy-4370_accidents_then-at-age-20-i-discovered-theater-sort_2486567.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/42f/cillian-murphy-4370_accidents_then-at-age-20-i-discovered-theater-sort_2486567.jpg) > “Then, at age 20, I discovered theater sort of by accident. Quite quickly, theater became more important to me than music. I began to realize that maybe my talents as a musician were quite limited, or had a ceiling to them, whereas acting seemed to sort of stretch before me. I got very passionate about it very quickly.” [Cillian Murphy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cillian-murphy/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He realized theater offered broader creative possibilities than music, revealing his true passion and potential. **In simple terms:** Theater gave him more room to grow than music. Key Takeaway Explore new fields that stretch your abilities. Themes self‑discovery career creativity passion Mood reflective inspired Type motivational career‑development When to use this quote - choosing a career path - switching artistic mediums - identifying strengths - pursuing passion - overcoming self‑doubt Key Concepts artistic expression personal growth skill limits Questions to Reflect On - What medium best showcases your strengths? - How can you balance passion with practicality? A Different Perspective May overlook practical constraints like financial stability. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Accidents](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/accidents/) [Acting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/acting/) [Age](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/age/) [Music](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/music/) [Musician](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/musician/) [Passionate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/passionate/) [Talent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/talent/) [Theater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/theater/) [Theatre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/theatre/) ## Related quotes > [In terms of trying to improve as an actor, for me it's always important to return to the stage. After doing a piece of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cillian-murphy/in-terms-of-trying-to-improve-as-an-actor-for-me-it-s-always/) [Cillian Murphy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cillian-murphy/) > [I made theater very important in the beginning of my career.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcello-mastroianni/i-made-theater-very-important-in-the-beginning-of-my-career/) [Marcello Mastroianni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcello-mastroianni/) > [Theater is the most important thing in life for me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-grey/theater-is-the-most-important-thing-in-life-for-me/) [Joel Grey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-grey/) > [Theater has always been most important to my psyche.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-pullman/theater-has-always-been-most-important-to-my-psyche/) [Bill Pullman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-pullman/) > [I watched her and I watched the birds' shadows flit across her face, and I...wanted. I wanted more happy memories to hang up on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maggie-stiefvater/i-watched-her-and-i-watched-the-birds-shadows-flit-across-her-face/) [Maggie Stiefvater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maggie-stiefvater/) > [Whenever I got a new studio I made the largest possible painting, and since the ceiling was low, the painting became horizontal. As I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-rosenquist/whenever-i-got-a-new-studio-i-made-the-largest-possible-painting-and/) [James Rosenquist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-rosenquist/) > [I never thought I was breaking a glass ceiling. I just had to do what I had to do, and it never occurred to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marian-wright-edelman/i-never-thought-i-was-breaking-a-glass-ceiling-i-just-had-to-do-what/) [Marian Wright Edelman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marian-wright-edelman/) > [Your mind has a way of putting limitations on your goals. When you persevere, you develop character. Nobody knows their ceiling.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-molitor/your-mind-has-a-way-of-putting-limitations-on-your-goals-when-you/) Paul Molitor > [Lonliness evaporated off of them like the steam off dry ice, and by morning it was just a cloud on the ceiling of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-moore/lonliness-evaporated-off-of-them-like-the-steam-off-dry-ice-and-by/) [Christopher Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-moore/) > [I knew what I wanted to do when I was 13 and I had to go through four years of high school to get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mayer/i-knew-what-i-wanted-to-do-when-i-was-13-and-i-had-to-go-through-four/) [John Mayer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mayer/) > [Every NBA arena has six cameras in the ceiling. The question is what does the software do with video feeds? How to surface that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-ballmer/every-nba-arena-has-six-cameras-in-the-ceiling-the-question-is-what/) [Steve Ballmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-ballmer/) > [The trainee knew he should leave, but he was unable to look away. He'd never seen anything snap out so fast or strike so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-r-ward/the-trainee-knew-he-should-leave-but-he-was-unable-to-look-away-he-d/) [J.R. Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-r-ward/) > [For seven days she lay in bed looking sullenly at the ceiling as though resenting the death she had cultivated for so many years.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-s-burroughs/for-seven-days-she-lay-in-bed-looking-sullenly-at-the-ceiling-as/) [William S. Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-s-burroughs/) > [Maybe that was why she couldn't cry, she realized, staring dry-eyed at the ceiling. Because what was the point in crying when there was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/maybe-that-was-why-she-couldn-t-cry-she-realized-staring-dry-eyed-at/) [Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/) > [It was just the sort of yatch you'd expect a rock promoter to have. Mirrored ceilings, marble, Jacuzzis and leopard-skin everything, it made the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pamela-anderson/it-was-just-the-sort-of-yatch-you-d-expect-a-rock-promoter-to-have/) [Pamela Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pamela-anderson/) ## More by Cillian Murphy > [For me, it's about being at home and living a life. Taking the dog for a walk, doing the shopping, emptying the dishwasher, going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cillian-murphy/for-me-it-s-about-being-at-home-and-living-a-life-taking-the-dog-for/) [Cillian Murphy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cillian-murphy/) > [But television affords you, what you just described, to - over the course of 18 hours, now that we're doing a third season -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cillian-murphy/but-television-affords-you-what-you-just-described-to-over-the-course/) [Cillian Murphy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cillian-murphy/) > [I try not to think retrospectively. It's important, as an artist, to look forward, always. I do try to take work that involves some…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cillian-murphy/i-try-not-to-think-retrospectively-it-s-important-as-an-artist-to/) [Cillian Murphy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cillian-murphy/) > [I think there's such a thing, as a performance gene. If it's in your DNA it needs to come out. For me it originally…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cillian-murphy/i-think-there-s-such-a-thing-as-a-performance-gene-if-it-s-in-your/) [Cillian Murphy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cillian-murphy/) > [It seemed to work on camera. And there's very few films - because you make a lot of films and you meet people and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cillian-murphy/it-seemed-to-work-on-camera-and-there-s-very-few-films-because-you/) [Cillian Murphy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cillian-murphy/) > [I've said this before: myself and Tommy Shelby, he's the most unlike-me character I have ever played.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cillian-murphy/i-ve-said-this-before-myself-and-tommy-shelby-he-s-the-most-unlike-me/) [Cillian Murphy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cillian-murphy/) > [I like the little bit of distance that London affords me and I like living in a world capital. I like having the culture…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cillian-murphy/i-like-the-little-bit-of-distance-that-london-affords-me-and-i-like/) [Cillian Murphy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cillian-murphy/) > [ \[We were very lucky that Sean \[ Ellis \] researched the film \[Anthropoid \] for many years.\] We sort of piggybacked on his knowledge,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cillian-murphy/we-were-very-lucky-that-sean-ellis-researched-the-film-anthropoid-for/) [Cillian Murphy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cillian-murphy/) > [From a very young age I had an ambition to be a musician, and to do that professionally. That's what I pursued until I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cillian-murphy/from-a-very-young-age-i-had-an-ambition-to-be-a-musician-and-to-do/) [Cillian Murphy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cillian-murphy/) > [I've written my own music, and I play guitar.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cillian-murphy/i-ve-written-my-own-music-and-i-play-guitar/) [Cillian Murphy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cillian-murphy/) > [A director, I forget who, told me that it takes 30 years to make an actor. And I believe that. You have to learn…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cillian-murphy/a-director-i-forget-who-told-me-that-it-takes-30-years-to-make-an/) [Cillian Murphy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cillian-murphy/) > [It's embarrassing sometimes, the way actors or musicians sometimes get made untouchable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cillian-murphy/it-s-embarrassing-sometimes-the-way-actors-or-musicians-sometimes-get/) [Cillian Murphy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cillian-murphy/) > [Actors' careers are random with a capital "R."](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cillian-murphy/actors-careers-are-random-with-a-capital-r/) [Cillian Murphy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cillian-murphy/) > [I think you fall out of love with theater while you're doing your eighth show of your eighteenth week and your body is saying,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cillian-murphy/i-think-you-fall-out-of-love-with-theater-while-you-re-doing-your/) [Cillian Murphy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cillian-murphy/) > [I think for me with theater, I need to take a break and then fall in love with it again. And then go do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cillian-murphy/i-think-for-me-with-theater-i-need-to-take-a-break-and-then-fall-in/) [Cillian Murphy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cillian-murphy/) [Explore all 112 Cillian Murphy quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cillian-murphy/) ## More Accidents quotes > [Almost all accidents take place because of human distraction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sebastian-thrun/almost-all-accidents-take-place-because-of-human-distraction/) [Sebastian Thrun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sebastian-thrun/) > [It was no accident, no coincidence, that the seasons came round and round year after year. It was the Lord speaking to us all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francine-rivers/it-was-no-accident-no-coincidence-that-the-seasons-came-round-and/) [Francine Rivers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francine-rivers/) > [No, I think most astronauts recognize that the space shuttle program is very high-risk, and are prepared for accidents.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sally-ride/no-i-think-most-astronauts-recognize-that-the-space-shuttle-program/) [Sally Ride](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sally-ride/) > [In presenting a mathematical argument the great thing is to give the educated reader the chance to catch on at once to the momentary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-edensor-littlewood/in-presenting-a-mathematical-argument-the-great-thing-is-to-give-the/) [John Edensor Littlewood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-edensor-littlewood/) > [The only way to have a funeral is to invite everyone who ever knew the person and just wait for the accident to happen-somebody…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-roth/the-only-way-to-have-a-funeral-is-to-invite-everyone-who-ever-knew/) [Philip Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-roth/) > [Good films are not made by accident, nor is good photography. You can have good things happen, on occasion, by accident that can be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-willis/good-films-are-not-made-by-accident-nor-is-good-photography-you-can/) [Gordon Willis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-willis/) > [By education I am an Englishman, by views an internationalist, by culture a Muslim and a Hindu only by accident of birth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jawaharlal-nehru/by-education-i-am-an-englishman-by-views-an-internationalist-by/) [Jawaharlal Nehru](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jawaharlal-nehru/) > [I made out with a homeless guy by accident. I had no idea -- he was really tan, he had no shoes on. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-schumer/i-made-out-with-a-homeless-guy-by-accident-i-had-no-idea-he-was/) [Amy Schumer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-schumer/) > [Naturally I feel no shame in writing these things because of the time which separates the moment when they are written--when only I can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annie-ernaux/naturally-i-feel-no-shame-in-writing-these-things-because-of-the-time/) [Annie Ernaux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annie-ernaux/) > [In a city where you walk around, it's impossible to plan your day and your life as accidents will happen, you'll overhear things, bump…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-schwartzman/in-a-city-where-you-walk-around-it-s-impossible-to-plan-your-day-and/) [Jason Schwartzman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-schwartzman/) > [I don't think it's by accident that I was first attracted to translating two French women poets.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilyn-hacker/i-don-t-think-it-s-by-accident-that-i-was-first-attracted-to/) [Marilyn Hacker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilyn-hacker/) > [Despite my mentors advice that I would never go to heaven fishing with a weighted nymph and a float, I took it up. (As…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-bishop/despite-my-mentors-advice-that-i-would-never-go-to-heaven-fishing/) [Tony Bishop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-bishop/) > [Dont stand outside in a lightning shower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/padraig/dont-stand-outside-in-a-lightning-shower/) [Padraig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/padraig/) > [In the eyes of those lovers of perfection, a work is never finished a word that for them has no sense but abandoned; and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-valery/in-the-eyes-of-those-lovers-of-perfection-a-work-is-never-finished-a/) [Paul Valery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-valery/) > [My musical career was an accident.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sade-adu/my-musical-career-was-an-accident/) [Sade Adu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sade-adu/) [Browse all 1,971 Accidents quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/accidents/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Then, at age 20, I discovered theater sort of by accident. 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