---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Will Truman will be on my epitaph, but as…"
description: "\"Will Truman will be on my epitaph, but as an actor, I have to challenge myself.\" — Eric McCormack"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ab2/eric-mccormack-2915_actor_will-truman-will-be-on-my-epitaph-but-as_1804460.jpg"
---

#  Will Truman will be on my epitaph, but as an actor, I have…

![“Will Truman will be on my epitaph, but as an actor, I have to challenge myself.” quote by Eric McCormack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ab2/eric-mccormack-2915_actor_will-truman-will-be-on-my-epitaph-but-as_1804460.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ab2/eric-mccormack-2915_actor_will-truman-will-be-on-my-epitaph-but-as_1804460.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ab2/eric-mccormack-2915_actor_will-truman-will-be-on-my-epitaph-but-as_1804460.jpg)

> “Will Truman will be on my epitaph, but as an actor, I have to challenge myself.”

[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.

I must challenge myself as an actor, even if my epitaph mentions a famous role, to keep growing artistically.

**In simple terms:** I need artistic challenges beyond my famous role.

Key Takeaway

Seek continual growth.

Themes

career self‑development creativity

Mood

motivated reflective

Type

professional personal

When to use this quote

- theatre auditions
- new character study
- professional workshops

Key Concepts

role diversification skill expansion

Questions to Reflect On

- What new skill will you pursue?
- How do you balance legacy with evolution?

A Different Perspective

Famous roles can typecast and limit opportunities.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Actor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actor/) [Actor Challenge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actor-challenge-1351934/) [Challenge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/challenge/) [Epitaph](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/epitaph/) [Epitaph Actor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/epitaph-actor-2060725/) [Myself](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/myself/) [Theatre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/theatre/) [Truman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/truman/) [Truman Epitaph](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/truman-epitaph-2060726/) [Will](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/will/)

## Related quotes

> [Know your job and don't fake it. It looks easy, but the ones that make it look easy know what the hell they're doing.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dustin-diamond/know-your-job-and-don-t-fake-it-it-looks-easy-but-the-ones-that-make/)

[Dustin Diamond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dustin-diamond/)

> [It's increasingly rare for me to find things that challenge me as an actor because the challenge of my personal life, and how fulfilling…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-roberts/it-s-increasingly-rare-for-me-to-find-things-that-challenge-me-as-an/)

[Julia Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-roberts/)

> [I'm new to this TV thing, at least as an actor. It's a challenge. The thing I have to adjust to is the changing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-bacon/i-m-new-to-this-tv-thing-at-least-as-an-actor-it-s-a-challenge-the/)

[Kevin Bacon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-bacon/)

> [I think as an actor it's always a challenge to experiment and play something that you're not. What's the point if I play Shefali…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shefali-shah/i-think-as-an-actor-it-s-always-a-challenge-to-experiment-and-play/)

[Shefali Shah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shefali-shah/)

> [I became an actor to challenge myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-vaughan/i-became-an-actor-to-challenge-myself/)

[Greg Vaughan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-vaughan/)

> [For me, as an actor, the challenge is mostly before the film starts when you have to get into the psychology of the character.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barun-sobti/for-me-as-an-actor-the-challenge-is-mostly-before-the-film-starts/)

[Barun Sobti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barun-sobti/)

> [Playing Batman is an actor's challenge. First, it's different; then, you have to reach a multi-level audience. The kids take it straight, but for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-west/playing-batman-is-an-actor-s-challenge-first-it-s-different-then-you/)

[Adam West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-west/)

> [The only President who clearly died of overwork was Polk, and that was a long time ago. Hoover, who worked intensely and humorlessly as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-m-schlesinger-jr/the-only-president-who-clearly-died-of-overwork-was-polk-and-that-was/)

[Arthur M. Schlesinger, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-m-schlesinger-jr/)

> [“What turns an honest, good-looking guy like you into a theif?" Scott couldn't help but smirk. "I blame chocolate.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geoffrey-knight/what-turns-an-honest-good-looking-guy-like-you-into-a-theif-scott/)

[Geoffrey Knight](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geoffrey-knight/)

> [During his presidency, Truman and the Republicans were locked in a series of furious assaults on each other that outraged him and made Truman…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-dallek/during-his-presidency-truman-and-the-republicans-were-locked-in-a/)

[Robert Dallek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-dallek/)

> [“I made the only decision I ever knew how to make,' Truman famously asserted in one of his carefully scripted reminiscences. What does that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-morrow/i-made-the-only-decision-i-ever-knew-how-to-make-truman-famously/)

[James Morrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-morrow/)

> [ Leo Crowley, Harry \[Truman\]'s Foreign Economic Administrator, tells Congressmen the theory...: 'If you create good governments in foreign countries, automatically you will have better… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/leo-crowley-harry-truman-s-foreign-economic-administrator-tells/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [Harry Truman wrote scathing letters, but he almost never sent them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-dallek/harry-truman-wrote-scathing-letters-but-he-almost-never-sent-them/)

[Robert Dallek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-dallek/)

> [With the Truman book, I wrote the entire account of his experiences in World War I before going over to Europe to follow his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-mccullough/with-the-truman-book-i-wrote-the-entire-account-of-his-experiences-in/)

[David McCullough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-mccullough/)

> [“September 24, 1947, when President Truman signed a memo to the Secretary of Defense James Forrestal, authorizing the creation of “Operation Majestic Twelve.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-e-salla/september-24-1947-when-president-truman-signed-a-memo-to-the/)

[Michael E. Salla](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-e-salla/)

## 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 &amp; 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 &amp; 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. But you can know everything and still be tripped up by the… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-mccormack/they-the-travelers-know-everything-about-the-year-that-they-re-coming/)

[Eric McCormack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-mccormack/)

> [I've had to take roles that on purpose were not Will-like so that someone like 'The Hollywood Reporter' would write, 'McCormack shows great range;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-mccormack/i-ve-had-to-take-roles-that-on-purpose-were-not-will-like-so-that/)

[Eric McCormack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-mccormack/)

> [Certainly 'Lonesome Dove' would be way hard now, because, I mean, back then I wasn't married. 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 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": "Will Truman will be on my epitaph, but as an actor, I have to challenge myself.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Eric McCormack"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-mccormack/will-truman-will-be-on-my-epitaph-but-as-an-actor-i-have-to-challenge/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Actor"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-mccormack/will-truman-will-be-on-my-epitaph-but-as-an-actor-i-have-to-challenge/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ab2/eric-mccormack-2915_actor_will-truman-will-be-on-my-epitaph-but-as_1804460.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ab2/eric-mccormack-2915_actor_will-truman-will-be-on-my-epitaph-but-as_1804460.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ab2/eric-mccormack-2915_actor_will-truman-will-be-on-my-epitaph-but-as_1804460.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“Will Truman will be on my epitaph, but as an actor, I have to challenge myself.” — Eric McCormack",
                "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": "Eric McCormack",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-mccormack/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "Will Truman will be on my...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-mccormack/will-truman-will-be-on-my-epitaph-but-as-an-actor-i-have-to-challenge/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-mccormack/will-truman-will-be-on-my-epitaph-but-as-an-actor-i-have-to-challenge/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
