--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: At 9, I started taking classes at Sylvia…" description: "\"At 9, I started taking classes at Sylvia Young Theatre School. One day, they asked if I wanted to join their agency. You get in if you're cute, I guess..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fbb/ella-purnell-15442_actor_at-9-i-started-taking-classes-at-sylvia_3230050.jpg" --- # At 9, I started taking classes at Sylvia Young Theatre… ![“At 9, I started taking classes at Sylvia Young Theatre School. One day, they asked if I wanted to join their agency. You get in if you're cute, I guess.” quote by Ella Purnell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fbb/ella-purnell-15442_actor_at-9-i-started-taking-classes-at-sylvia_3230050.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fbb/ella-purnell-15442_actor_at-9-i-started-taking-classes-at-sylvia_3230050.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fbb/ella-purnell-15442_actor_at-9-i-started-taking-classes-at-sylvia_3230050.jpg) > “At 9, I started taking classes at Sylvia Young Theatre School. One day, they asked if I wanted to join their agency. You get in if you're cute, I guess.” [Ella Purnell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ella-purnell/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Early artistic opportunities often hinge on appearance and networking, not just talent. **In simple terms:** Success early on can depend on looks and connections. Key Takeaway Cultivate skill and authenticity beyond looks. Themes career art beauty networking talent Mood optimistic realistic Type motivational cautionary When to use this quote - auditions - modeling - acting workshops - social media presence Key Concepts industry dynamics self‑esteem media perception Questions to Reflect On - How can you balance talent with image? - What role does confidence play? A Different Perspective Reliance on appearance can marginalize talented individuals. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Actor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actor/) [Day](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/day/) [School](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/school/) [Theatre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/theatre/) ## Related quotes > [My mum put me into the Sylvia Young Theatre School aged four, and I'd go there at weekends.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashley-walters/my-mum-put-me-into-the-sylvia-young-theatre-school-aged-four-and-i-d/) [Ashley Walters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashley-walters/) > [I left school at 12 for a theatre school where the focus was on dance. I had to educate myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-marsh/i-left-school-at-12-for-a-theatre-school-where-the-focus-was-on-dance/) [Jean Marsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-marsh/) > [Do as much theatre as you can while you're at school.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phyllida-lloyd/do-as-much-theatre-as-you-can-while-you-re-at-school/) [Phyllida Lloyd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phyllida-lloyd/) > [I used to do theatre in school and college. When I started working on television, only the camera was new. Theatre experience really helps…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sriti-jha/i-used-to-do-theatre-in-school-and-college-when-i-started-working-on/) [Sriti Jha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sriti-jha/) > [Mum got me involved in every activity under the sun - singing, dancing and drama classes at the Anna Scher theatre school.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zawe-ashton/mum-got-me-involved-in-every-activity-under-the-sun-singing-dancing/) [Zawe Ashton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zawe-ashton/) > [I was not one of those children hanging on Ma's coat-tails following her round sets. I'd go to the theatre after school if she…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachael-stirling/i-was-not-one-of-those-children-hanging-on-ma-s-coat-tails-following/) [Rachael Stirling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachael-stirling/) > [I grew up in a very small town and didn't realise till later that I had an adventurous side. When I went to theatre…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-mcadams/i-grew-up-in-a-very-small-town-and-didn-t-realise-till-later-that-i/) [Rachel McAdams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-mcadams/) > [I got a grant for the Old Vic Theatre School in London, which had just started. It was only five terms; they used to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/june-brown/i-got-a-grant-for-the-old-vic-theatre-school-in-london-which-had-just/) [June Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/june-brown/) > [I had to leave school at 14 because my father got injured in the mines and I had to support my family. I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-blessed/i-had-to-leave-school-at-14-because-my-father-got-injured-in-the/) [Brian Blessed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-blessed/) > [I didn't go to film school. My Grampa always says just watch a lot of movies. He didn't go to film school; he went…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gia-coppola/i-didn-t-go-to-film-school-my-grampa-always-says-just-watch-a-lot-of/) [Gia Coppola](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gia-coppola/) > [I studied at the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School, which was founded by Laurence Olivier and has alumni like Jeremy Irons and Daniel Day…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-strong/i-studied-at-the-bristol-old-vic-theatre-school-which-was-founded-by/) [Mark Strong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-strong/) > [My parents were so proud when I got a scholarship to go to theatre school - it was unheard of that a coal-miner's son…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-blessed/my-parents-were-so-proud-when-i-got-a-scholarship-to-go-to-theatre/) [Brian Blessed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-blessed/) > [I did a lot of theatre in school and loved performing in front of people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/athiya-shetty/i-did-a-lot-of-theatre-in-school-and-loved-performing-in-front-of/) [Athiya Shetty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/athiya-shetty/) > [I went to theatre school for four years and just wanted to do theatre. I had no ambition to be on TV or to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sasha-roiz/i-went-to-theatre-school-for-four-years-and-just-wanted-to-do-theatre/) [Sasha Roiz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sasha-roiz/) > [I'm at the National Theatre School, which is like the Juilliard of Canada.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jake-epstein/i-m-at-the-national-theatre-school-which-is-like-the-juilliard-of/) [Jake Epstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jake-epstein/) ## More by Ella Purnell > [I've acted for as long as I can remember, really.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ella-purnell/i-ve-acted-for-as-long-as-i-can-remember-really/) [Ella Purnell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ella-purnell/) > [What I use when I'm acting comes from what I learn about myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ella-purnell/what-i-use-when-i-m-acting-comes-from-what-i-learn-about-myself/) [Ella Purnell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ella-purnell/) > [I always feel like sugar cubes aren't big enough.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ella-purnell/i-always-feel-like-sugar-cubes-aren-t-big-enough/) [Ella Purnell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ella-purnell/) > [I don't know any 21-year-old who's not having an existential crisis.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ella-purnell/i-don-t-know-any-21-year-old-who-s-not-having-an-existential-crisis/) [Ella Purnell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ella-purnell/) > [There's a joke in my family that I'm going to make a career out of playing other people's younger selves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ella-purnell/there-s-a-joke-in-my-family-that-i-m-going-to-make-a-career-out-of/) [Ella Purnell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ella-purnell/) > [Amy Winehouse is one of my biggest inspirations.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ella-purnell/amy-winehouse-is-one-of-my-biggest-inspirations/) [Ella Purnell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ella-purnell/) > [I love movies where you can tell who's directed it even before the credits roll in, like Wes Anderson or Quentin Tarantino. People who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ella-purnell/i-love-movies-where-you-can-tell-who-s-directed-it-even-before-the/) [Ella Purnell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ella-purnell/) > [I can do a really good animal impression! I'm great at ducks, cats, dogs, and occasionally dolphins.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ella-purnell/i-can-do-a-really-good-animal-impression-i-m-great-at-ducks-cats-dogs/) [Ella Purnell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ella-purnell/) > [I didn't really have idols growing up, but some of my friends were huge fangirls.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ella-purnell/i-didn-t-really-have-idols-growing-up-but-some-of-my-friends-were/) [Ella Purnell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ella-purnell/) > [I love pasta. It's something in the water. The pasta and the bread in New York are so good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ella-purnell/i-love-pasta-it-s-something-in-the-water-the-pasta-and-the-bread-in/) [Ella Purnell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ella-purnell/) > [Social media can be so damaging.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ella-purnell/social-media-can-be-so-damaging/) [Ella Purnell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ella-purnell/) > [Whenever anybody asked me, 'Who is your number one director to work with?' I would always say Tim Burton.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ella-purnell/whenever-anybody-asked-me-who-is-your-number-one-director-to-work/) [Ella Purnell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ella-purnell/) > [I think it's really hard for filmmakers to adapt books.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ella-purnell/i-think-it-s-really-hard-for-filmmakers-to-adapt-books/) [Ella Purnell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ella-purnell/) > [I think passion in a physical way goes hand in hand with taste and smell.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ella-purnell/i-think-passion-in-a-physical-way-goes-hand-in-hand-with-taste-and/) [Ella Purnell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ella-purnell/) > [The world is changing, and you have to keep up with the way the world is changing as well as your own expectations that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ella-purnell/the-world-is-changing-and-you-have-to-keep-up-with-the-way-the-world/) [Ella Purnell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ella-purnell/) [Explore all 43 Ella Purnell quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ella-purnell/) ## 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": "At 9, I started taking classes at Sylvia Young Theatre School. One day, they asked if I wanted to join their agency. 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