--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I never felt cool growing up. I was a bit…" description: "\"I never felt cool growing up. I was a bit of an outsider, but I discovered theatre very early on, which got me through.\" — Eric McCormack" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/10d/eric-mccormack-2915_cool_i-never-felt-cool-growing-up-i-was-a-bit_522562.jpg" --- # I never felt cool growing up. I was a bit of an outsider… ![“I never felt cool growing up. I was a bit of an outsider, but I discovered theatre very early on, which got me through.” quote by Eric McCormack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/10d/eric-mccormack-2915_cool_i-never-felt-cool-growing-up-i-was-a-bit_522562.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/10d/eric-mccormack-2915_cool_i-never-felt-cool-growing-up-i-was-a-bit_522562.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/10d/eric-mccormack-2915_cool_i-never-felt-cool-growing-up-i-was-a-bit_522562.jpg) > “I never felt cool growing up. I was a bit of an outsider, but I discovered theatre very early on, which got me through.” [Eric McCormack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-mccormack/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He felt alienated in youth but found belonging and purpose through theatre. **In simple terms:** Theatre saved him. Key Takeaway Seek creative outlets when feeling isolated. Themes belonging theatre self‑discovery resilience outsider Mood hopeful determined Type motivational reflective When to use this quote - school drama clubs - community theater - online acting classes Key Concepts artistic expression personal growth community building Questions to Reflect On - What role does performance play in your life? - How can you support others feeling like outsiders? A Different Perspective Creative pursuits may not be accessible to everyone. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Growing up](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/growing-up/) [Outsider](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/outsider/) [Outsiders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/outsiders/) [Theatre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/theatre/) ## Related quotes > [It was in England that I discovered theatre. 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I've been in the cool place, but I wasn't really cool…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marc-jacobs/awkwardness-gives-me-great-comfort-i-ve-never-been-cool-but-i-ve-felt/) [Marc Jacobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marc-jacobs/) > [“what do you want?” I was trying so hard to stay calm, and failing miserably. Rrrrrrip. I felt cool air on my navel.  “To…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jasinda-wilder/what-do-you-want-i-was-trying-so-hard-to-stay-calm-and-failing/) [Jasinda Wilder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jasinda-wilder/) > [“I dropped to my knees beside him, touching his cheek.It was felt cool and clammy under my hand. "This is...what I get...for coming early,"…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-hawkins/i-dropped-to-my-knees-beside-him-touching-his-cheek-it-was-felt-cool/) [Rachel Hawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-hawkins/) > [“The fever, I realized, had gone. Beneath my feet, the hardwood floor felt cool on my feet, the air gentle against my itching legs.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glen-hirshberg/the-fever-i-realized-had-gone-beneath-my-feet-the-hardwood-floor-felt/) [Glen Hirshberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glen-hirshberg/) > [When I was working on pictures with my father, there were a couple leading ladies to whom I wish I'd expressed how I felt…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-douglas/when-i-was-working-on-pictures-with-my-father-there-were-a-couple/) [Michael Douglas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-douglas/) > [I've just been lucky to work on things that I felt would be cool to see. It's not that I had a strategy or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-j-abrams/i-ve-just-been-lucky-to-work-on-things-that-i-felt-would-be-cool-to/) [J. J. Abrams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-j-abrams/) > [I felt that it was cool to even get to the point where I was able to audition on the actual 'SNL' stage. Looking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vanessa-bayer/i-felt-that-it-was-cool-to-even-get-to-the-point-where-i-was-able-to/) [Vanessa Bayer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vanessa-bayer/) > [“There was a roar from the shadow-tiger mask around the Harley, and Murphy swept up alongside the boat. I leapt down onto the back…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-butcher/there-was-a-roar-from-the-shadow-tiger-mask-around-the-harley-and/) [Jim Butcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-butcher/) > [I've always - and not always happily - considered myself an outsider. Certainly at Fettes. And then the Scots are always outsiders in England.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angus-deaton/i-ve-always-and-not-always-happily-considered-myself-an-outsider/) [Angus Deaton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angus-deaton/) > [I was always an outsider, proud of being an outsider. I always reveled in the outsiders.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-zorn/i-was-always-an-outsider-proud-of-being-an-outsider-i-always-reveled/) [John Zorn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-zorn/) > [I've always been an outsider kid. But I had always wanted to be in a group - growing up, I loved bands like the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dawn-angelique/i-ve-always-been-an-outsider-kid-but-i-had-always-wanted-to-be-in-a/) [Dawn Angelique](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dawn-angelique/) > [I know always that I am an outsider; a stranger in this century and among those who are still men.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-know-always-that-i-am-an-outsider-a-stranger-in-this-century-and/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by Eric McCormack > [I got Michael Caine's book, Acting In Film, and I read it on the plane, desperately trying to glean information from him about how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-mccormack/i-got-michael-caine-s-book-acting-in-film-and-i-read-it-on-the-plane/) [Eric McCormack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-mccormack/) > [ \[Townies\] was a great springboard, obviously, because Jenna \[Elfman\] went from that to Dharma & Greg, and a few years later, Lauren \[Graham\] went… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-mccormack/townies-was-a-great-springboard-obviously-because-jenna-elfman-went/) [Eric McCormack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-mccormack/) > [The Trevor Project provides crisis-intervention and suicide-prevention services to lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and questioning teens and young adults. It's truly a lifeline to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-mccormack/the-trevor-project-provides-crisis-intervention-and-suicide/) [Eric McCormack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-mccormack/) > [We didn't, with 'Will & Grace,' set out to change the gay world. We just set out to be funny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-mccormack/we-didn-t-with-will-grace-set-out-to-change-the-gay-world-we-just-set/) [Eric McCormack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-mccormack/) > [ I think because the show \["Grant MacLaren"\] is essentially a hopeful show. The show says that as bleak as the future is, the one… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-mccormack/i-think-because-the-show-grant-maclaren-is-essentially-a-hopeful-show/) [Eric McCormack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-mccormack/) > [ \[Townies\] was a huge cast. It was a bit ungainly, I think with 12 regular characters they had to keep writing for. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-mccormack/townies-was-a-huge-cast-it-was-a-bit-ungainly-i-think-with-12-regular/) [Eric McCormack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-mccormack/) > [It's very strange - several years ago, I was in the running for the 'Young Frankenstein' musical. Kristin Chenoweth was going to do it,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-mccormack/it-s-very-strange-several-years-ago-i-was-in-the-running-for-the/) [Eric McCormack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-mccormack/) > [But I was ready for it and I knew I could do it. I've just turned 40, I have a son and I feel…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-mccormack/but-i-was-ready-for-it-and-i-knew-i-could-do-it-i-ve-just-turned-40-i/) [Eric McCormack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-mccormack/) > [As I got older, I realized that my life experience, what I really had, was always going to be more valuable than what I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-mccormack/as-i-got-older-i-realized-that-my-life-experience-what-i-really-had/) [Eric McCormack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-mccormack/) > [ It was a film \[The Lost World\], and it's a sequel at the same time. The first shot on the first day was from… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-mccormack/it-was-a-film-the-lost-world-and-it-s-a-sequel-at-the-same-time-the/) [Eric McCormack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-mccormack/) > [I started to realise that it wasn't for me. Perhaps I didn't have to give my Hamlet before I died, that the world might…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-mccormack/i-started-to-realise-that-it-wasn-t-for-me-perhaps-i-didn-t-have-to/) [Eric McCormack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-mccormack/) > [ They \[the Travelers\] know everything about the year that they're coming into. 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I didn't have kids.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-mccormack/certainly-lonesome-dove-would-be-way-hard-now-because-i-mean-back/) [Eric McCormack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-mccormack/) > [My most romantic job: I was a manager at Baskin-Robbins.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-mccormack/my-most-romantic-job-i-was-a-manager-at-baskin-robbins/) [Eric McCormack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-mccormack/) [Explore all 145 Eric McCormack quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-mccormack/) ## More Cool quotes > [Hats off to starting a franchise younger than we all did in 'Twilight' and keeping your cool. The 'Harry Potter' men and women had,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kellan-lutz/hats-off-to-starting-a-franchise-younger-than-we-all-did-in-twilight/) [Kellan Lutz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kellan-lutz/) > [I love being in Malibu. It's so cool there, and the water is just, it's nice and, and I love the beach. And I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jackie-evancho/i-love-being-in-malibu-it-s-so-cool-there-and-the-water-is-just-it-s/) [Jackie Evancho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jackie-evancho/) > [When you're in your twenties and starting out, the problem is that you care about being cool. Being older, I can care less about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-righton/when-you-re-in-your-twenties-and-starting-out-the-problem-is-that-you/) [James Righton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-righton/) > [Vo5C0y Muchos Gracias for your article.Really looking forward to read more. Really Cool.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/serivce/vo5c0y-muchos-gracias-for-your-article-really-looking-forward-to-read/) Serivce > [What a cool job to be part of - whether it's doing lighting or acting or serving food on set. You're part of telling…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-dern/what-a-cool-job-to-be-part-of-whether-it-s-doing-lighting-or-acting/) [Laura Dern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-dern/) > [Jail is definitely not cool. Education is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ja-rule/jail-is-definitely-not-cool-education-is/) [Ja Rule](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ja-rule/) > [It's been really fun to see with each album when I change to see the fans of the show emulate my style and with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/avril-lavigne/it-s-been-really-fun-to-see-with-each-album-when-i-change-to-see-the/) [Avril Lavigne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/avril-lavigne/) > [My family environment wasn't cool.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keyshia-cole/my-family-environment-wasn-t-cool/) [Keyshia Cole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keyshia-cole/) > [It would be really cool to have my dad here to witness this, to see his grandchildren, to see this woman that I chose…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sterling-k-brown/it-would-be-really-cool-to-have-my-dad-here-to-witness-this-to-see/) [Sterling K. 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