---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I don't pick roles based on how famous…"
description: "\"I don't pick roles based on how famous they are going to make me; I pick roles based on how they're going to inspire me intellectually.\" — Erin Daniels"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e2d/erin-daniels-24969_based_i-don-t-pick-roles-based-on-how-famous-t_1184973.png"
---

#  I don't pick roles based on how famous they are going to…

![“I don't pick roles based on how famous they are going to make me; I pick roles based on how they're going to inspire me intellectually.” quote by Erin Daniels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e2d/erin-daniels-24969_based_i-don-t-pick-roles-based-on-how-famous-t_1184973.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e2d/erin-daniels-24969_based_i-don-t-pick-roles-based-on-how-famous-t_1184973.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e2d/erin-daniels-24969_based_i-don-t-pick-roles-based-on-how-famous-t_1184973.png)

> “I don't pick roles based on how famous they are going to make me; I pick roles based on how they're going to inspire me intellectually.”

[Erin Daniels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erin-daniels/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

The actor chooses projects that stimulate intellectually rather than boost fame.

**In simple terms:** Choose intellectually rewarding work.

Key Takeaway

Prioritize intellectual inspiration.

Themes

career intellect values

Mood

reflective ambitious

Type

career inspirational

When to use this quote

- acting
- script selection
- career planning
- personal fulfillment

Key Concepts

artistic integrity motivation

Questions to Reflect On

- What intellectual needs guide your choices?
- Can fame coexist with intellectual growth?

A Different Perspective

Fame can bring resources but not fulfillment.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

## Related quotes

> [No, Not even remotely...Because I don't care. I don't pick roles based on how famous they are going to make me, I pick roles…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erin-daniels/no-not-even-remotely-because-i-don-t-care-i-don-t-pick-roles-based-on/)

[Erin Daniels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erin-daniels/)

> [I always believe leaders are readers, so you've got to read 30 minutes a day of something that's going to inspire you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-robbins/i-always-believe-leaders-are-readers-so-you-ve-got-to-read-30-minutes/)

[Tony Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-robbins/)

> [It's hard to control the things that are going to inspire you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pete-holmes/it-s-hard-to-control-the-things-that-are-going-to-inspire-you/)

[Pete Holmes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pete-holmes/)

> [Throughout my career, I wouldn't say my roles have been based on my being considered eye candy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lamman-rucker/throughout-my-career-i-wouldn-t-say-my-roles-have-been-based-on-my/)

[Lamman Rucker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lamman-rucker/)

> [I look to challenge myself with a character that's not like myself or anything I've done before, but I certainly don't reject roles based…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-gallagher/i-look-to-challenge-myself-with-a-character-that-s-not-like-myself-or/)

[David Gallagher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-gallagher/)

> [Basically, my deal is that I choose roles based on three criteria. One is the role, obviously, if it's something that speaks to me.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brent-spiner/basically-my-deal-is-that-i-choose-roles-based-on-three-criteria-one/)

[Brent Spiner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brent-spiner/)

> [I don't pick my roles by genre; that's kind of silly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-shannon/i-don-t-pick-my-roles-by-genre-that-s-kind-of-silly/)

[Michael Shannon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-shannon/)

> [I have a repertoire of songs that I'm proud of, that I've written for my own band. When I do a cover, something that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hugh-dillon/i-have-a-repertoire-of-songs-that-i-m-proud-of-that-i-ve-written-for/)

[Hugh Dillon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hugh-dillon/)

> [I don't pick my roles based on what clothes I have to wear. I pick roles because of the character I have to portray,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonakshi-sinha/i-don-t-pick-my-roles-based-on-what-clothes-i-have-to-wear-i-pick/)

[Sonakshi Sinha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonakshi-sinha/)

> [I will make a conscious effort to pick up roles which give a social message besides being entertaining.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pankaj-tripathi/i-will-make-a-conscious-effort-to-pick-up-roles-which-give-a-social/)

[Pankaj Tripathi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pankaj-tripathi/)

> [Why people pick me for the roles that they do is a bit of a mystery.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-c-reilly/why-people-pick-me-for-the-roles-that-they-do-is-a-bit-of-a-mystery/)

[John C. Reilly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-c-reilly/)

> [You can not make me pick between my roles! That is like making me pick between my children!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-rush/you-can-not-make-me-pick-between-my-roles-that-is-like-making-me-pick/)

[Joshua Rush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-rush/)

> [I am trying to pick roles that are interesting to me and are different so that I can continue to do good work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richa-chadha/i-am-trying-to-pick-roles-that-are-interesting-to-me-and-are/)

[Richa Chadha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richa-chadha/)

> [You can't be in the industry without your share of heartbreaks, disappointments, and frustrations also. But as long as you're able to stick to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deepti-naval/you-can-t-be-in-the-industry-without-your-share-of-heartbreaks/)

[Deepti Naval](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deepti-naval/)

> [I haven't been in a position to have the luxury to pick roles for most of my career, so I'm not practiced in that.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-leung/i-haven-t-been-in-a-position-to-have-the-luxury-to-pick-roles-for/)

[Ken Leung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-leung/)

## More by Erin Daniels

> [Having Dana have breast cancer has been the biggest challenge I've ever had as an actor but also one of the most rewarding, because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erin-daniels/having-dana-have-breast-cancer-has-been-the-biggest-challenge-i-ve/)

[Erin Daniels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erin-daniels/)

> [I'm going to auditions, working on my writing, hoping to direct a short I just wrote. Fixing up my house, just being a sort-of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erin-daniels/i-m-going-to-auditions-working-on-my-writing-hoping-to-direct-a-short/)

[Erin Daniels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erin-daniels/)

> [No, Not even remotely...Because I don't care. I don't pick roles based on how famous they are going to make me, I pick roles…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erin-daniels/no-not-even-remotely-because-i-don-t-care-i-don-t-pick-roles-based-on/)

[Erin Daniels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erin-daniels/)

> [One of the scenes that I'm most proud of is the scene with Jenny and Dana at Jenny's shack. That I'm proud of because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erin-daniels/one-of-the-scenes-that-i-m-most-proud-of-is-the-scene-with-jenny-and/)

[Erin Daniels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erin-daniels/)

> [One of my dogs is allergic to something. We don't know what it is, but every once in a while he gets into whatever…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erin-daniels/one-of-my-dogs-is-allergic-to-something-we-don-t-know-what-it-is-but/)

[Erin Daniels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erin-daniels/)

> [I mostly hung out with boys, as girls in high school aren't nice people. There's just so much social pressure, it's just...God, it's so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erin-daniels/i-mostly-hung-out-with-boys-as-girls-in-high-school-aren-t-nice/)

[Erin Daniels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erin-daniels/)

> [Vancouver is beautiful, to begin with. The summer there is unbelievable. The people are so nice. People actually obey traffic signals, it's unreal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erin-daniels/vancouver-is-beautiful-to-begin-with-the-summer-there-is-unbelievable/)

[Erin Daniels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erin-daniels/)

> [Every time I push my acting career away, it comes back to me twofold, sort of like love. I guess you CAN call this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erin-daniels/every-time-i-push-my-acting-career-away-it-comes-back-to-me-twofold/)

[Erin Daniels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erin-daniels/)

> [I love a good steak with a great glass of red wine. But for the TV watching, laying around doing nothing kinds of days,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erin-daniels/i-love-a-good-steak-with-a-great-glass-of-red-wine-but-for-the-tv/)

[Erin Daniels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erin-daniels/)

> [As an actor, I change from role to role, I don't look the same ever. After I finished shooting, for example, I died my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erin-daniels/as-an-actor-i-change-from-role-to-role-i-don-t-look-the-same-ever/)

[Erin Daniels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erin-daniels/)

> [I'm a hardcore Midwestern girl, no question about it. I like fancy French food, but I'll also have my steak and potatoes, thank you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erin-daniels/i-m-a-hardcore-midwestern-girl-no-question-about-it-i-like-fancy/)

[Erin Daniels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erin-daniels/)

> [I moved to L.A. and did a couple of pilots and a couple of series, and I was frustrated at the time, because it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erin-daniels/i-moved-to-l-a-and-did-a-couple-of-pilots-and-a-couple-of-series-and/)

[Erin Daniels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erin-daniels/)

> [I had friends in college who were from Manhattan and they'd say, 'You're from Missouri? Do you live on a farm?' I was like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erin-daniels/i-had-friends-in-college-who-were-from-manhattan-and-they-d-say-you/)

[Erin Daniels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erin-daniels/)

> [I love characters that are awkward and flawed, I think we're all kind of like that no matter how together we tend to be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erin-daniels/i-love-characters-that-are-awkward-and-flawed-i-think-we-re-all-kind/)

[Erin Daniels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erin-daniels/)

> [Everyone goes through their 20s trying to figure out who they are. Sexuality included. Whether you're gay or straight or wherever you fall on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erin-daniels/everyone-goes-through-their-20s-trying-to-figure-out-who-they-are/)

[Erin Daniels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erin-daniels/)

[Explore all 23 Erin Daniels quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erin-daniels/)

## More Based quotes

> [Like in nature, I like things which are based on a few simple principles, even though their manifestation can be very rich.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fabiola-gianotti/like-in-nature-i-like-things-which-are-based-on-a-few-simple/)

[Fabiola Gianotti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fabiola-gianotti/)

> [The shelves of many evangelicals are full of books that point out the flaws in evolution, discuss it only as a theory, and almost…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-collins/the-shelves-of-many-evangelicals-are-full-of-books-that-point-out-the/)

[Francis Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-collins/)

> [Because there is actually something very interesting in Goodfellas, how the style of the film changes as time goes by and based on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-cox/because-there-is-actually-something-very-interesting-in-goodfellas/)

[Alex Cox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-cox/)

> [An art which isn't based on feeling isn't an art at all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-cezanne/an-art-which-isn-t-based-on-feeling-isn-t-an-art-at-all/)

[Paul Cezanne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-cezanne/)

> [I'd always wanted the show to be more reality based science fiction, something along the lines of The Day the Earth Stood Still, which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gil-gerard/i-d-always-wanted-the-show-to-be-more-reality-based-science-fiction/)

[Gil Gerard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gil-gerard/)

> [I'm a fact-based leader.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/london-breed/i-m-a-fact-based-leader/)

[London Breed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/london-breed/)

> [At Inter, I earned my wages based on the results on the field.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roberto-mancini/at-inter-i-earned-my-wages-based-on-the-results-on-the-field/)

[Roberto Mancini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roberto-mancini/)

> [I used to be a columnist for 'Golf Monthly' and have contributed articles for national newspapers based on the humour that is in abundance…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jasper-carrott/i-used-to-be-a-columnist-for-golf-monthly-and-have-contributed/)

[Jasper Carrott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jasper-carrott/)

> [I've always made my decisions based on two factors: intellectual analysis and my gut. And when they meet, that's a go from me. That's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-ovitz/i-ve-always-made-my-decisions-based-on-two-factors-intellectual/)

[Michael Ovitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-ovitz/)

> [Pro-lifers have long been castigated for bringing private values into the public square. But actually it is the pro-abortion position that is based on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-pearcey/pro-lifers-have-long-been-castigated-for-bringing-private-values-into/)

[Nancy Pearcey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-pearcey/)

> [Christianity is based on a book. It centers in a Person. It expresses itself in a message. It authenticates itself in an experience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-sidlow-baxter/christianity-is-based-on-a-book-it-centers-in-a-person-it-expresses/)

[J. Sidlow Baxter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-sidlow-baxter/)

> [“Teach me about some taxes. Why didn't nobody teach me about taxes on TV? Why don't nobody teach us about none of that man?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-mccartney/teach-me-about-some-taxes-why-didn-t-nobody-teach-me-about-taxes-on/)

[Brandon McCartney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-mccartney/)

> [Conservatism is about the basic rights of individuals. God created us. As far as the government goes, the Founding Fathers based the Constitution off…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-wurzelbacher/conservatism-is-about-the-basic-rights-of-individuals-god-created-us/)

[Joe Wurzelbacher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-wurzelbacher/)

> [Style is based on limitations.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hartford/style-is-based-on-limitations/)

[John Hartford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hartford/)

> [Pacifism as a mass movement aims to avoid suffering; pacifists often say that no cause is worth suffering or dying for. The ethos of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-michnik/pacifism-as-a-mass-movement-aims-to-avoid-suffering-pacifists-often/)

[Adam Michnik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-michnik/)

Browse all 830 Based quotes

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "I don't pick roles based on how famous they are going to make me; I pick roles based on how they're going to inspire me intellectually.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Erin Daniels"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erin-daniels/i-don-t-pick-roles-based-on-how-famous-they-are-going-to-make-me-i/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Based"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erin-daniels/i-don-t-pick-roles-based-on-how-famous-they-are-going-to-make-me-i/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e2d/erin-daniels-24969_based_i-don-t-pick-roles-based-on-how-famous-t_1184973.png",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e2d/erin-daniels-24969_based_i-don-t-pick-roles-based-on-how-famous-t_1184973.png",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e2d/erin-daniels-24969_based_i-don-t-pick-roles-based-on-how-famous-t_1184973.png",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“I don't pick roles based on how famous they are going to make me; I pick roles based on how they're going to…” — Erin Daniels",
                "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": "Erin Daniels",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erin-daniels/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "I don't pick roles based on...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erin-daniels/i-don-t-pick-roles-based-on-how-famous-they-are-going-to-make-me-i/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erin-daniels/i-don-t-pick-roles-based-on-how-famous-they-are-going-to-make-me-i/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
