--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Many actors want to play Hamlet and…" description: "\"Many actors want to play Hamlet and Macbeth. Ever since I became an actor, from the very beginning I just wanted to play a Shetland pony. I cannot expl..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/404/dustin-hoffman-4662_actors_many-actors-want-to-play-hamlet-and-macb_89262.jpg" --- # Many actors want to play Hamlet and Macbeth. Ever since I… ![“Many actors want to play Hamlet and Macbeth. Ever since I became an actor, from the very beginning I just wanted to play a Shetland pony. I cannot explain why” quote by Dustin Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/404/dustin-hoffman-4662_actors_many-actors-want-to-play-hamlet-and-macb_89262.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/404/dustin-hoffman-4662_actors_many-actors-want-to-play-hamlet-and-macb_89262.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/404/dustin-hoffman-4662_actors_many-actors-want-to-play-hamlet-and-macb_89262.jpg) > “Many actors want to play Hamlet and Macbeth. Ever since I became an actor, from the very beginning I just wanted to play a Shetland pony. I cannot explain why” [Dustin Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dustin-hoffman/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Despite the prestige of classic roles, the speaker’s personal artistic drive is toward simple, perhaps whimsical, performances that feel authentic to his own sensibilities. **In simple terms:** He prefers modest, personal roles over classic tragedy. Key Takeaway Authentic fulfillment can outweigh fame. Themes acting creativity identity artistic choice Mood playful introspective Type personal artistic When to use this quote - audition choices - indie film projects - personal theater productions Key Concepts personal authenticity artistic agency Practical Applications - choose roles aligning with personal values - support projects that prioritize artistic integrity Questions to Reflect On - Why might an actor reject traditionally acclaimed roles? - How does personal taste shape a career trajectory? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Actors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actors/) [Play](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/play/) [Theatre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/theatre/) ## Related quotes > [Hamlet is to Macbeth somewhat as the Ghost is to the Witches. Revenge, or ambition, in its inception may have a lofty, even a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harold-clarke-goddard/hamlet-is-to-macbeth-somewhat-as-the-ghost-is-to-the-witches-revenge/) [Harold Clarke Goddard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-clarke-goddard/) > [When you are at the right age to play Hamlet you are still to young and immature to play it. It is much later,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-hopkins/when-you-are-at-the-right-age-to-play-hamlet-you-are-still-to-young/) [Anthony Hopkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-hopkins/) > [I never dreamed of being an actor, but I'm beginning to love it more and more because I like challenging myself. When I feel…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristin-kreuk/i-never-dreamed-of-being-an-actor-but-i-m-beginning-to-love-it-more/) [Kristin Kreuk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristin-kreuk/) > [I really challenge every actor at the beginning of a process, and I always say, 'I have an idea that I'm going to bring…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-paulus/i-really-challenge-every-actor-at-the-beginning-of-a-process-and-i/) [Diane Paulus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-paulus/) > [I never really wanted to be an actor. And that was the beginning of it, I began to write things down and eventually became…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-levinson/i-never-really-wanted-to-be-an-actor-and-that-was-the-beginning-of-it/) [Barry Levinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-levinson/) > [Contrary to popular belief, you don't make money as an actor in the beginning. Your publicist might cost $5000 a month, so you're losing money.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diana-silvers/contrary-to-popular-belief-you-don-t-make-money-as-an-actor-in-the/) [Diana Silvers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diana-silvers/) > [As actors, we want more people to love and appreciate us. We want more fans.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aditi-rao-hydari/as-actors-we-want-more-people-to-love-and-appreciate-us-we-want-more/) [Aditi Rao Hydari](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aditi-rao-hydari/) > [Actors want to show off and dance in front of you and get your love, because they don't think they're worthy of it in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-langella/actors-want-to-show-off-and-dance-in-front-of-you-and-get-your-love/) [Frank Langella](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-langella/) > [The comic is today's western, so many movies, and I think that if actors want to optimize their longevity, it's important for them to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erin-gray/the-comic-is-today-s-western-so-many-movies-and-i-think-that-if/) [Erin Gray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erin-gray/) > [People become actors because they want to hide, and it's not easy to talk about myself. I accept that a certain responsibility goes with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-smits/people-become-actors-because-they-want-to-hide-and-it-s-not-easy-to/) [Jimmy Smits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-smits/) > [As actors, we want to go find the humanity and make it more nuanced and fill in the colors, rather than just being suit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/juliette-lewis/as-actors-we-want-to-go-find-the-humanity-and-make-it-more-nuanced/) [Juliette Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/juliette-lewis/) > [It's just an impulse, in some actors. You want to make the audience like you. That's the aim of the exercise.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ethan-coen/it-s-just-an-impulse-in-some-actors-you-want-to-make-the-audience/) [Ethan Coen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ethan-coen/) > [I think all Latino actors want to be storytellers first. I want to be an actor first, and then I want to be Latina.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gina-rodriguez/i-think-all-latino-actors-want-to-be-storytellers-first-i-want-to-be/) [Gina Rodriguez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gina-rodriguez/) > [Audiences want Burt, John Wayne and others to go on doing the same thing forever. It's critics and the actors themselves who want actors…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hal-needham/audiences-want-burt-john-wayne-and-others-to-go-on-doing-the-same/) [Hal Needham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hal-needham/) > [What I say about actors is you always want to find an actor you can play ball with. You throw the ball at them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-knepper/what-i-say-about-actors-is-you-always-want-to-find-an-actor-you-can/) [Robert Knepper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-knepper/) ## More by Dustin Hoffman > [Well this is aptly called a junket, for both of us. I have never been to a house of prostitution, but I understand that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dustin-hoffman/well-this-is-aptly-called-a-junket-for-both-of-us-i-have-never-been/) [Dustin Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dustin-hoffman/) > [I think the most insulting thing you can do to a director is to challenge when he or she is satisfied with your interpretation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dustin-hoffman/i-think-the-most-insulting-thing-you-can-do-to-a-director-is-to/) [Dustin Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dustin-hoffman/) > [A "take" is an opportunity to fail ... and we think that we have to get it right all the time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dustin-hoffman/a-take-is-an-opportunity-to-fail-and-we-think-that-we-have-to-get-it/) [Dustin Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dustin-hoffman/) > [“(In response to the question: What is your least favorite word?) It's three words that we usually use as one: woulda, shoulda, coulda. That…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dustin-hoffman/in-response-to-the-question-what-is-your-least-favorite-word-it-s/) [Dustin Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dustin-hoffman/) > [Blame is for God and small children.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dustin-hoffman/blame-is-for-god-and-small-children/) [Dustin Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dustin-hoffman/) > [The truth is, the older you get, the less variety of parts you are offered. If you're a star and you've spent most of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dustin-hoffman/the-truth-is-the-older-you-get-the-less-variety-of-parts-you-are/) [Dustin Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dustin-hoffman/) > [“I say go, go, be led. particularly If you're in your twenties, which I suspect a lot of you are in. I tell my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dustin-hoffman/i-say-go-go-be-led-particularly-if-you-re-in-your-twenties-which-i/) [Dustin Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dustin-hoffman/) > [I walked out of the theater and started crying. My wife asked me, 'Why are you crying?' I said, 'Because I can't do that.'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dustin-hoffman/i-walked-out-of-the-theater-and-started-crying-my-wife-asked-me-why/) [Dustin Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dustin-hoffman/) > [Acting didn't solve much! If it did, I would have ended up much less crazy than I am today, but I'm not. At least…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dustin-hoffman/acting-didn-t-solve-much-if-it-did-i-would-have-ended-up-much-less/) [Dustin Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dustin-hoffman/) > [I don't like the fact that I have to get older so fast, but I like the fact that I'm aging so well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dustin-hoffman/i-don-t-like-the-fact-that-i-have-to-get-older-so-fast-but-i-like-the/) [Dustin Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dustin-hoffman/) > [We need to band together as a unit every day, especially to conquer the strength of the AIDS virus.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dustin-hoffman/we-need-to-band-together-as-a-unit-every-day-especially-to-conquer/) [Dustin Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dustin-hoffman/) > [There were a few things that went into it. When you're doing something you're trying to be your audience at the same time, so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dustin-hoffman/there-were-a-few-things-that-went-into-it-when-you-re-doing-something/) [Dustin Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dustin-hoffman/) > [You spend so much of your life basing yourself on what you think other people think of you. Then you realise that maybe one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dustin-hoffman/you-spend-so-much-of-your-life-basing-yourself-on-what-you-think/) [Dustin Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dustin-hoffman/) > [My wife always says that I will be stuck with this forever: I am the difficult one. With Jack Nicholson they always said it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dustin-hoffman/my-wife-always-says-that-i-will-be-stuck-with-this-forever-i-am-the/) [Dustin Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dustin-hoffman/) > [It's true what they say about failure. You don't learn from success.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dustin-hoffman/it-s-true-what-they-say-about-failure-you-don-t-learn-from-success/) [Dustin Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dustin-hoffman/) [Explore all 107 Dustin Hoffman quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dustin-hoffman/) ## More Actors quotes > [Women still, when they have breast cancer, go to work; they still lead their lives. They have to. I just did what I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/monica-potter/women-still-when-they-have-breast-cancer-go-to-work-they-still-lead/) [Monica Potter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/monica-potter/) > [I'm trying to write a film with my friend. I'd love to get the thrill of speaking actors making my work even funnier.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-howard/i-m-trying-to-write-a-film-with-my-friend-i-d-love-to-get-the-thrill/) [Russell Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-howard/) > [A lesser complaint: hair extensions. 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It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kangana-ranaut/forget-the-credit-they-male-actors-take-all-the-money-as-well-we-don/) [Kangana Ranaut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kangana-ranaut/) > [I love film people and actors and I am in the right world because I am one of those people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ewan-mcgregor/i-love-film-people-and-actors-and-i-am-in-the-right-world-because-i/) [Ewan McGregor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ewan-mcgregor/) > [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/) > [What we're supposed to do as actors is be able to portray real human beings and emotions. And if you grow up in this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-browning/what-we-re-supposed-to-do-as-actors-is-be-able-to-portray-real-human/) [Emily Browning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-browning/) > [When we watch a film as actors, you have to understand that we always see much more than what's on screen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kunal-khemu/when-we-watch-a-film-as-actors-you-have-to-understand-that-we-always/) [Kunal Khemu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kunal-khemu/) > [As actors, you become an expert at starting over.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lupita-nyong-o/as-actors-you-become-an-expert-at-starting-over/) [Lupita Nyong'o](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lupita-nyong-o/) > [The whole concept of stage fright is fascinating. Actors get stage fright, but they wouldn't be on the stage in the first place if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-greene/the-whole-concept-of-stage-fright-is-fascinating-actors-get-stage/) [Robert Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-greene/) > [No actor wants to choose - they just want all of the options available to them all the time; we tend to be pretty…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gillian-jacobs/no-actor-wants-to-choose-they-just-want-all-of-the-options-available/) [Gillian Jacobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gillian-jacobs/) > [A rapper is about being completely true to yourself. Being an actor is about changing who you are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-smith/a-rapper-is-about-being-completely-true-to-yourself-being-an-actor-is/) [Will Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-smith/) > [I've been a professional actor for almost 40 years.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-perlman/i-ve-been-a-professional-actor-for-almost-40-years/) [Ron Perlman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-perlman/) > [American actors are coy. We all have pricks and cunts, or are you different from the rest of us?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-greenaway/american-actors-are-coy-we-all-have-pricks-and-cunts-or-are-you/) [Peter Greenaway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-greenaway/) [Browse all 11,394 Actors quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actors/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Many actors want to play Hamlet and Macbeth. 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