--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: There's this notion that actors choose…" description: "\"There's this notion that actors choose their career. After a certain level, I think that that's true. I still take way more jobs than I turn down, and ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/905/dallas-roberts-19762_actor_there-s-this-notion-that-actors-choose-t_2313379.jpg" --- # There's this notion that actors choose their career. After… ![“There's this notion that actors choose their career. After a certain level, I think that that's true. I still take way more jobs than I turn down, and the reason that I turn down a job is that I just can't find anything in it that charges me or excites me or challenges me about moving to the next…” quote by Dallas Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/905/dallas-roberts-19762_actor_there-s-this-notion-that-actors-choose-t_2313379.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/905/dallas-roberts-19762_actor_there-s-this-notion-that-actors-choose-t_2313379.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/905/dallas-roberts-19762_actor_there-s-this-notion-that-actors-choose-t_2313379.jpg) > “There's this notion that actors choose their career. After a certain level, I think that that's true. I still take way more jobs than I turn down, and the reason that I turn down a job is that I just can't find anything in it that charges me or excites me or challenges me about moving to the next phase of where I'm headed.” [Dallas Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dallas-roberts/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Choosing roles should align with personal growth and excitement; rejecting uninspiring work is essential for progress. **In simple terms:** Accept only work that excites and challenges you. Key Takeaway Seek work that fuels growth. Themes career choice growth challenge passion Mood determined reflective ambitious Type professional motivational When to use this quote - job hunting - career transitions - project selection - skill development - goal setting Key Concepts career development personal fulfillment motivation Questions to Reflect On - What criteria define a truly challenging role for you? - How do you balance financial stability with passionate work? A Different Perspective It may limit exposure to diverse experiences that build resilience. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Actor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actor/) [Actors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actors/) [Career](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/career/) [Challenges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/challenges/) [Jobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/jobs/) [Reason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reason/) [Theatre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/theatre/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) ## Related quotes > [I can do whatever I want, because my career is a certain thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-n-ney/i-can-do-whatever-i-want-because-my-career-is-a-certain-thing/) Edward N. Ney > [Nothing is a matter of age. It's really in the person because you can publish book after book after book and still want that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lynne-tillman/nothing-is-a-matter-of-age-it-s-really-in-the-person-because-you-can/) [Lynne Tillman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lynne-tillman/) > [The poor show of a film can be crucial in an actor's career. Maybe that is why some actors choose to act in a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nivin-pauly/the-poor-show-of-a-film-can-be-crucial-in-an-actor-s-career-maybe/) [Nivin Pauly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nivin-pauly/) > [The more it happens, the easier it is for others, although I do understand why some actors choose not to come out. I have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cheyenne-jackson/the-more-it-happens-the-easier-it-is-for-others-although-i-do/) [Cheyenne Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cheyenne-jackson/) > [Actors cannot choose the manner in which they are born. Consequently, it is the one gesture in their lives completely devoid of self-consciousness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-hayes/actors-cannot-choose-the-manner-in-which-they-are-born-consequently/) [Helen Hayes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-hayes/) > [A lot of actors choose parts by the scripts, but I don't trust reading the scripts that much. I try to get some friends…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-pacino/a-lot-of-actors-choose-parts-by-the-scripts-but-i-don-t-trust-reading/) [Al Pacino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-pacino/) > [“When you choose a career that is aligned with your passion, the work becomes irrelevant because anticipation and fulfillment can outweigh everything.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-c-young/when-you-choose-a-career-that-is-aligned-with-your-passion-the-work/) [Susan C. Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-c-young/) > [Choose your career which quotes you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vino/choose-your-career-which-quotes-you/) Vino > [She didn't know then that life has a way of backing you into a corner. You make your choices when you're far too young…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-s-a-harrison/she-didn-t-know-then-that-life-has-a-way-of-backing-you-into-a-corner/) [A.S.A. Harrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-s-a-harrison/) > [As a woman WE THINK WE NEED TO choose between OUR career or our family ... OR YOU CHOOSE THAT YOU ARE SMARTER THAN THAT.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/livia-je-n-meth/as-a-woman-we-think-we-need-to-choose-between-our-career-or-our/) Livia JE Németh > [I encourage others to choose a career they are passionate about and can do for the rest of their lives.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ainsley-earhardt/i-encourage-others-to-choose-a-career-they-are-passionate-about-and/) [Ainsley Earhardt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ainsley-earhardt/) > [Super blessed to be in the position I'm in. To be able to inspire people to do what I'm doing and choose a career…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/murda-beatz/super-blessed-to-be-in-the-position-i-m-in-to-be-able-to-inspire/) [Murda Beatz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/murda-beatz/) > [“I believe that no one should ever have to choose between a career we love and living our lives with authenticity and integrity”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/selisse-berry/i-believe-that-no-one-should-ever-have-to-choose-between-a-career-we/) Selisse Berry > [What is the recipe for successful achievement? Choose a career you love. Give it the best there is in you. Seize your opportunities. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/what-is-the-recipe-for-successful-achievement-choose-a-career-you/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [If I were entering adulthood now instead of in the environment of fifty years ago, I would choose a career that kept me in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-lindbergh/if-i-were-entering-adulthood-now-instead-of-in-the-environment-of/) [Charles Lindbergh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-lindbergh/) ## More by Dallas Roberts > [I try my damnedest to quirk up anything that I'm in.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dallas-roberts/i-try-my-damnedest-to-quirk-up-anything-that-i-m-in/) [Dallas Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dallas-roberts/) > [I like computers as a tool. I like them as an instrument. I think they're just pretty.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dallas-roberts/i-like-computers-as-a-tool-i-like-them-as-an-instrument-i-think-they/) [Dallas Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dallas-roberts/) > [I still take way more jobs than I turn down, and the reason that I turn down a job is that I just can't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dallas-roberts/i-still-take-way-more-jobs-than-i-turn-down-and-the-reason-that-i/) [Dallas Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dallas-roberts/) > [In the acting community in New York we call 'Law & Order' 'grad school,' because everyone eventually does a 'Law & Order.' My first…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dallas-roberts/in-the-acting-community-in-new-york-we-call-law-order-grad-school/) [Dallas Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dallas-roberts/) > [I've been a fan since I was a kid of that sort of bump-in-the-night stuff. I don't tend to go in too much for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dallas-roberts/i-ve-been-a-fan-since-i-was-a-kid-of-that-sort-of-bump-in-the-night/) [Dallas Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dallas-roberts/) > [Like all kids who want to be in action movies, I want to jump out of a speeding car, shoot guns, slide out the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dallas-roberts/like-all-kids-who-want-to-be-in-action-movies-i-want-to-jump-out-of-a/) [Dallas Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dallas-roberts/) > [I enjoy playing someone who doesn't show up and say, 'This is what I am, and this is what I'm about,' but is someone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dallas-roberts/i-enjoy-playing-someone-who-doesn-t-show-up-and-say-this-is-what-i-am/) [Dallas Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dallas-roberts/) > [Luckily, what you trade off in not being part of the comic book canon and not having some literature that you can use to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dallas-roberts/luckily-what-you-trade-off-in-not-being-part-of-the-comic-book-canon/) [Dallas Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dallas-roberts/) > [Our emotions controls our mind(thoughts)…therefore what we think about determines how we feel…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dallas-roberts/our-emotions-controls-our-mind-thoughts-therefore-what-we-think-about/) [Dallas Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dallas-roberts/) > [I find that with any good run on a show with good writers, they put something on paper, and you put something back on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dallas-roberts/i-find-that-with-any-good-run-on-a-show-with-good-writers-they-put/) [Dallas Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dallas-roberts/) > [Once the audience has to use themselves to cross the distance to the character, that's what's really exciting. That's when it starts to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dallas-roberts/once-the-audience-has-to-use-themselves-to-cross-the-distance-to-the/) [Dallas Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dallas-roberts/) > [Letting go of toxic people in your life is a big step toward freeing yourself to have more quality time to love yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dallas-roberts/letting-go-of-toxic-people-in-your-life-is-a-big-step-toward-freeing/) [Dallas Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dallas-roberts/) > [If you're into a leather-jacketed crime fighter and his artificially intelligent robotic supercar, tune into 'The Good Wife.' If, on the other hand, you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dallas-roberts/if-you-re-into-a-leather-jacketed-crime-fighter-and-his-artificially/) [Dallas Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dallas-roberts/) > [It's funny, my kids and I live together, and I have a lot of actor friends. So my kids think everyone is on television…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dallas-roberts/it-s-funny-my-kids-and-i-live-together-and-i-have-a-lot-of-actor/) [Dallas Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dallas-roberts/) > [To try to create a character without a whole lot of information can be taxing. At the same time, it's fun to just stay…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dallas-roberts/to-try-to-create-a-character-without-a-whole-lot-of-information-can/) [Dallas Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dallas-roberts/) [Explore all 32 Dallas Roberts quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dallas-roberts/) ## 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": "There's this notion that actors choose their career. After a certain level, I think that that's true. I still take way more jobs than I turn down, and the reason that I turn down a job is that I just can't find anything in it that charges me or excites me or challenges me about moving to the next phase of where I'm headed.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Dallas Roberts" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dallas-roberts/there-s-this-notion-that-actors-choose-their-career-after-a-certain/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Actor" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dallas-roberts/there-s-this-notion-that-actors-choose-their-career-after-a-certain/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/905/dallas-roberts-19762_actor_there-s-this-notion-that-actors-choose-t_2313379.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/905/dallas-roberts-19762_actor_there-s-this-notion-that-actors-choose-t_2313379.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/905/dallas-roberts-19762_actor_there-s-this-notion-that-actors-choose-t_2313379.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“There's this notion that actors choose their career. After a certain level, I think that that's true. I…” — Dallas Roberts", "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": "Dallas Roberts", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dallas-roberts/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "There's this notion that actors choose...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dallas-roberts/there-s-this-notion-that-actors-choose-their-career-after-a-certain/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dallas-roberts/there-s-this-notion-that-actors-choose-their-career-after-a-certain/#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 } } ] } ```