--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I wanted to be an actor, but only because…" description: "\"I wanted to be an actor, but only because I wanted to be everything, and that was the only way I could be a marine biologist as well.\" — Essie Davis" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e5f/essie-davis-11657_actor_i-wanted-to-be-an-actor-but-only-because_2011226.jpg" --- # I wanted to be an actor, but only because I wanted to be… ![“I wanted to be an actor, but only because I wanted to be everything, and that was the only way I could be a marine biologist as well.” quote by Essie Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e5f/essie-davis-11657_actor_i-wanted-to-be-an-actor-but-only-because_2011226.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e5f/essie-davis-11657_actor_i-wanted-to-be-an-actor-but-only-because_2011226.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e5f/essie-davis-11657_actor_i-wanted-to-be-an-actor-but-only-because_2011226.jpg) > “I wanted to be an actor, but only because I wanted to be everything, and that was the only way I could be a marine biologist as well.” [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. She pursued acting to fulfill multiple passions, using one career to enable another. **In simple terms:** Acting as a gateway to other dreams. Key Takeaway Find creative ways to combine interests. Themes career multidisciplinary passion Mood hopeful determined Type practical inspirational When to use this quote - career planning - creative projects - personal growth Key Concepts role integration identity synthesis Questions to Reflect On - How can you integrate diverse goals? - What compromises are acceptable? A Different Perspective Balancing multiple ambitions can dilute focus. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Actor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actor/) [Actor Wanted](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actor-wanted-901329/) [Biologist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/biologist/) [Could](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/could/) [Everything](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/everything/) [Marine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/marine/) [Marine biologist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/marine-biologist/) [Only](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/only/) [Theatre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/theatre/) [Wanted Actor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wanted-actor/) [Way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/way/) ## Related quotes > [I didn't become an actor because I wanted to act. Actually, I wanted to become a marine biologist. But most of all, I wanted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willie-aames/i-didn-t-become-an-actor-because-i-wanted-to-act-actually-i-wanted-to/) [Willie Aames](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willie-aames/) > [I grew up down in Florida, and in the Keys, there's this place called Sea Camp which was not unlike Space Camp, except you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-lo-truglio/i-grew-up-down-in-florida-and-in-the-keys-there-s-this-place-called/) [Joe Lo Truglio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-lo-truglio/) > [I just was mesmerized by all of this life everywhere I looked. And so I wanted to be a marine biologist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edith-widder/i-just-was-mesmerized-by-all-of-this-life-everywhere-i-looked-and-so/) [Edith Widder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edith-widder/) > [I've had kids come to me and say, 'Oh, I loved your movie when I was a kid, and I became a marine biologist.'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-james-richter/i-ve-had-kids-come-to-me-and-say-oh-i-loved-your-movie-when-i-was-a/) [Jason James Richter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-james-richter/) > [I didn't have toys and bikes; I'd go out and pick up rocks. I was into science and nature. It was my first love.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ricky-gervais/i-didn-t-have-toys-and-bikes-i-d-go-out-and-pick-up-rocks-i-was-into/) [Ricky Gervais](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ricky-gervais/) > [When I was little I had this notion of being a marine biologist. I grew up by the ocean so I was always in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victoria-justice/when-i-was-little-i-had-this-notion-of-being-a-marine-biologist-i/) [Victoria Justice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victoria-justice/) > [Their brilliant audio expert, who is a marine biologist, should really be looking after Flipper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-halford/their-brilliant-audio-expert-who-is-a-marine-biologist-should-really/) [Rob Halford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-halford/) > [I always thought I would be a marine biologist because I love the sea - but considering the fact that I've always loved acting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/renee-o-connor/i-always-thought-i-would-be-a-marine-biologist-because-i-love-the-sea/) [Renee O'Connor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/renee-o-connor/) > [I was very much into science when I was young - I wanted to be a marine biologist, then I wanted to be a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/freema-agyeman/i-was-very-much-into-science-when-i-was-young-i-wanted-to-be-a-marine/) [Freema Agyeman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/freema-agyeman/) > [As a young boy, I was very interested - as I still am - in all sorts of adventure and exploration. I thought about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-skerry/as-a-young-boy-i-was-very-interested-as-i-still-am-in-all-sorts-of/) [Brian Skerry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-skerry/) > [I wanted to be a marine biologist my whole life until I graduated high school. And even now, I'm still like, 'Maybe I'll just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cobie-smulders/i-wanted-to-be-a-marine-biologist-my-whole-life-until-i-graduated-2/) [Cobie Smulders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cobie-smulders/) > [If I wasn't a writer, I don't know what I'd be. Probably a marine biologist or something.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-vandermeer/if-i-wasn-t-a-writer-i-don-t-know-what-i-d-be-probably-a-marine/) [Jeff VanderMeer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-vandermeer/) > [I wanted to be a marine biologist my whole life until I graduated high school.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cobie-smulders/i-wanted-to-be-a-marine-biologist-my-whole-life-until-i-graduated/) [Cobie Smulders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cobie-smulders/) > [I was one of those kids who wanted to do everything, I wanted to be a marine biologist, an actress, a writer, an environmentalist,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristin-kreuk/i-was-one-of-those-kids-who-wanted-to-do-everything-i-wanted-to-be-a/) [Kristin Kreuk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristin-kreuk/) > [Did you know that the original title for War and Peace was War, What Is It Good For?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-seinfeld/did-you-know-that-the-original-title-for-war-and-peace-was-war-what/) [Jerry Seinfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-seinfeld/) ## 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 think it's an actor's gift to be as old as people think you are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/essie-davis/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/) > [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/) [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 wanted to be an actor, but only because I wanted to be everything, and that was the only way I could be a marine biologist as well.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Essie Davis" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/essie-davis/i-wanted-to-be-an-actor-but-only-because-i-wanted-to-be-everything/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Actor" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/essie-davis/i-wanted-to-be-an-actor-but-only-because-i-wanted-to-be-everything/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e5f/essie-davis-11657_actor_i-wanted-to-be-an-actor-but-only-because_2011226.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e5f/essie-davis-11657_actor_i-wanted-to-be-an-actor-but-only-because_2011226.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e5f/essie-davis-11657_actor_i-wanted-to-be-an-actor-but-only-because_2011226.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I wanted to be an actor, but only because I wanted to be everything, and that was the only way I could be a…” — 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 wanted to be an actor,...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/essie-davis/i-wanted-to-be-an-actor-but-only-because-i-wanted-to-be-everything/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/essie-davis/i-wanted-to-be-an-actor-but-only-because-i-wanted-to-be-everything/#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 } } ] } ```