--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I think it's an actor's gift to be as old…" description: "\"I think it's an actor's gift to be as old as people think you are.\" — Essie Davis" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1e3/essie-davis-11657_actor_i-think-it-s-an-actor-s-gift-to-be-as-ol_684098.jpg" --- # I think it's an actor's gift to be as old as people think… ![“I think it's an actor's gift to be as old as people think you are.” quote by Essie Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1e3/essie-davis-11657_actor_i-think-it-s-an-actor-s-gift-to-be-as-ol_684098.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1e3/essie-davis-11657_actor_i-think-it-s-an-actor-s-gift-to-be-as-ol_684098.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1e3/essie-davis-11657_actor_i-think-it-s-an-actor-s-gift-to-be-as-ol_684098.jpg) > “I think it's an actor's gift to be as old as people think you are.” [Essie Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/essie-davis/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Aging is perceived as a performance, and actors must embody the expectations placed upon them. **In simple terms:** Actors play the role of age as society expects. Key Takeaway Embrace authentic self beyond roles. Themes identity performance age perception Mood thoughtful contemplative Type cultural philosophical When to use this quote - casting auditions - career transitions - social media personas - public speaking Key Concepts theatre societal expectations self‑concept Questions to Reflect On - How does society shape our self‑image? - Can actors separate role from identity? A Different Perspective The quote may oversimplify the complexity of personal aging. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Actor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actor/) [Actor Gift](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actor-gift-509652/) [Gift](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gift/) [Gift Old](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gift-old-4683778/) [I think](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/i-think/) [Old](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/old/) [Old people](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/old-people/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Theatre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/theatre/) [Think Actor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/think-actor/) ## Related quotes > [“If a woman holds on to this gift of being old while she is young and young while she is old, she will always…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clarissa-pinkola-estes/if-a-woman-holds-on-to-this-gift-of-being-old-while-she-is-young-and/) [Clarissa Pinkola Estés](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clarissa-pinkola-estes/) > [You can't be upset for someone's loyalty to a character. As an actor, that's a gift to see fans care that much.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/juliana-harkavy/you-can-t-be-upset-for-someone-s-loyalty-to-a-character-as-an-actor/) [Juliana Harkavy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/juliana-harkavy/) > [The good thing about being an actor, and the gift of being an actor, is that you are beautifully forced to see the world…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/javier-bardem/the-good-thing-about-being-an-actor-and-the-gift-of-being-an-actor-is/) [Javier Bardem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/javier-bardem/) > [Creative work is not a selfish act or a bid for attention on the part of the actor. It's a gift to the world…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-pressfield/creative-work-is-not-a-selfish-act-or-a-bid-for-attention-on-the-part-2/) [Steven Pressfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-pressfield/) > [Creative work is not a selfish act or a bid for attention on the part of the actor. Its a gift to the world…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zhatsprincess/creative-work-is-not-a-selfish-act-or-a-bid-for-attention-on-the-part/) [ZhatsPrincess](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zhatsprincess/) > [As an actor, to get a gift of a part like that is unusual. And then, to have the prospect of another one is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brendan-gleeson/as-an-actor-to-get-a-gift-of-a-part-like-that-is-unusual-and-then-to/) [Brendan Gleeson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brendan-gleeson/) > [When you're young, you wonder what all these old people are droning on about, trying to impart their wisdom. It's not relevant to you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-mirren/when-you-re-young-you-wonder-what-all-these-old-people-are-droning-on/) [Helen Mirren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-mirren/) > [“Just because you're old doesn't mean you've matured.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tamerlan-kuzgov/just-because-you-re-old-doesn-t-mean-you-ve-matured/) [Tamerlan Kuzgov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tamerlan-kuzgov/) > [When I was young, I despised old people. I was provincial and narrow-minded. It's the reason I stayed stupid so long. If you only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edmund-white/when-i-was-young-i-despised-old-people-i-was-provincial-and-narrow/) [Edmund White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edmund-white/) > [Think about old people; think about young people, those with immune system problems. They can't really protect themselves well against the flu, so by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mikhail-varshavski/think-about-old-people-think-about-young-people-those-with-immune/) [Mikhail Varshavski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mikhail-varshavski/) > [I always had an affinity for older people. I had a job delivering newspapers, and one place I had to go was an old…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-prine/i-always-had-an-affinity-for-older-people-i-had-a-job-delivering/) [John Prine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-prine/) > [There's a convention in English stuff that if something is more than 100 years old, people have to say 'do not' instead of 'don't.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-knight/there-s-a-convention-in-english-stuff-that-if-something-is-more-than/) [Steven Knight](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-knight/) > [To be honest, I don't think I'm an actor. I'm a creator - or try to be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maximilian-schell/to-be-honest-i-don-t-think-i-m-an-actor-i-m-a-creator-or-try-to-be/) [Maximilian Schell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maximilian-schell/) > [I only want to exist as a character. I don't want people to think of the actor Lee Je-hoon when they see my roles.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-je-hoon/i-only-want-to-exist-as-a-character-i-don-t-want-people-to-think-of/) [Lee Je-hoon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-je-hoon/) > [I am ambitious to do more than what has been offered me. I want to be the best in whatever career I choose and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/uday-chopra/i-am-ambitious-to-do-more-than-what-has-been-offered-me-i-want-to-be/) [Uday Chopra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/uday-chopra/) ## More by Essie Davis > [It's nice being married to somebody who thinks you've got something better in you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/essie-davis/it-s-nice-being-married-to-somebody-who-thinks-you-ve-got-something/) [Essie Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/essie-davis/) > [I would love to get a job in France!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/essie-davis/i-would-love-to-get-a-job-in-france/) [Essie Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/essie-davis/) > [It's hard, but what's the point of having children unless you're there to raise them, I reckon.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/essie-davis/it-s-hard-but-what-s-the-point-of-having-children-unless-you-re-there/) [Essie Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/essie-davis/) > [Acting is embarrassing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/essie-davis/acting-is-embarrassing/) [Essie Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/essie-davis/) > [Sometimes it's easy to do brave things in front of a thousand people, but it's hard to do them in front of a handful.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/essie-davis/sometimes-it-s-easy-to-do-brave-things-in-front-of-a-thousand-people/) [Essie Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/essie-davis/) > [I'm incredibly ambitious, but I feel I've got a fantastic career, and I love the anonymity. I love that no one knows who I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/essie-davis/i-m-incredibly-ambitious-but-i-feel-i-ve-got-a-fantastic-career-and-i/) [Essie Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/essie-davis/) > [People who don't know how old I am can cast me as the woman in 'Girl with a Pearl Earring' and can cast me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/essie-davis/people-who-don-t-know-how-old-i-am-can-cast-me-as-the-woman-in-girl/) [Essie Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/essie-davis/) > [The news is so instantly available to us without delay, interpretation, or a filter. What is hot right now is streamed live without context…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/essie-davis/the-news-is-so-instantly-available-to-us-without-delay-interpretation/) [Essie Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/essie-davis/) > [I honestly do think that every character - you pick up the things, little things that you like about them in your life. Especially…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/essie-davis/i-honestly-do-think-that-every-character-you-pick-up-the-things/) [Essie Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/essie-davis/) > ['The Slap' is not like anything else. It's an incredibly well-written novel that has been turned into a great and intriguing series that reveals…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/essie-davis/the-slap-is-not-like-anything-else-it-s-an-incredibly-well-written/) [Essie Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/essie-davis/) > [I always knew I wanted to go to NIDA. I think I was very fortunate, and I do doubt myself often, but I didn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/essie-davis/i-always-knew-i-wanted-to-go-to-nida-i-think-i-was-very-fortunate-and/) [Essie Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/essie-davis/) > [I personally don't resent having my children.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/essie-davis/i-personally-don-t-resent-having-my-children/) [Essie Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/essie-davis/) > [As soon as you become a parent, everyone gives you their parenting advice. It's like an onslaught of information about how other people do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/essie-davis/as-soon-as-you-become-a-parent-everyone-gives-you-their-parenting/) [Essie Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/essie-davis/) > [Phryne Fisher could walk down the red carpet; Essie Davis is something else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/essie-davis/phryne-fisher-could-walk-down-the-red-carpet-essie-davis-is-something/) [Essie Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/essie-davis/) > [I've sung before, first in a band in high school and then in a band in Norway, but never in a musical.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/essie-davis/i-ve-sung-before-first-in-a-band-in-high-school-and-then-in-a-band-in/) [Essie Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/essie-davis/) [Explore all 58 Essie Davis quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/essie-davis/) ## 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": "I think it's an actor's gift to be as old as people think you are.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Essie Davis" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/essie-davis/i-think-it-s-an-actor-s-gift-to-be-as-old-as-people-think-you-are/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Actor" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/essie-davis/i-think-it-s-an-actor-s-gift-to-be-as-old-as-people-think-you-are/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1e3/essie-davis-11657_actor_i-think-it-s-an-actor-s-gift-to-be-as-ol_684098.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1e3/essie-davis-11657_actor_i-think-it-s-an-actor-s-gift-to-be-as-ol_684098.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1e3/essie-davis-11657_actor_i-think-it-s-an-actor-s-gift-to-be-as-ol_684098.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I think it's an actor's gift to be as old as people think you are.” — Essie Davis", "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": "Essie Davis", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/essie-davis/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I think it's an actor's gift...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/essie-davis/i-think-it-s-an-actor-s-gift-to-be-as-old-as-people-think-you-are/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/essie-davis/i-think-it-s-an-actor-s-gift-to-be-as-old-as-people-think-you-are/#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 } } ] } ```