--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: As an actor, and as you get to a certain…" description: "\"As an actor, and as you get to a certain level... and it's pilot season and you read the trades, you could have a nervous breakdown. 'So-and-so's signe..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/94e/fred-willard-4425_actor_as-an-actor-and-as-you-get-to-a-certain_3082574.jpg" --- # As an actor, and as you get to a certain level... and it's… ![“As an actor, and as you get to a certain level... and it's pilot season and you read the trades, you could have a nervous breakdown. 'So-and-so's signed for a pilot. Why aren't I?'” quote by Fred Willard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/94e/fred-willard-4425_actor_as-an-actor-and-as-you-get-to-a-certain_3082574.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/94e/fred-willard-4425_actor_as-an-actor-and-as-you-get-to-a-certain_3082574.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/94e/fred-willard-4425_actor_as-an-actor-and-as-you-get-to-a-certain_3082574.jpg) > “As an actor, and as you get to a certain level... and it's pilot season and you read the trades, you could have a nervous breakdown. 'So-and-so's signed for a pilot. Why aren't I?'” [Fred Willard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-willard/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Success in acting can feel elusive when peers get opportunities, leading to anxiety. **In simple terms:** Feeling left out can cause stress. Key Takeaway Focus on personal growth, not comparison. Themes career anxiety comparison industry pressure Mood empathetic encouraging Type advisory motivational When to use this quote - audition prep - networking - skill development Key Concepts impostor syndrome achievement self-worth Questions to Reflect On - How can you measure progress beyond external validation? - What strategies help manage industry stress? A Different Perspective Comparing to others can diminish confidence. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Actor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actor/) [Could](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/could/) [Nervous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nervous/) [Nervous breakdown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nervous-breakdown/) [Pilot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pilot/) [Pilot Season](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pilot-season/) [Signed Pilot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/signed-pilot-5264370/) [Television](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/television/) [Trades Nervous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trades-nervous-5264369/) [Why](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/why/) ## Related quotes > [I'd never properly done pilot season in America. I did it for just a couple of weeks, a couple of years ago. Usually, you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eoin-macken/i-d-never-properly-done-pilot-season-in-america-i-did-it-for-just-a/) [Eoin Macken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eoin-macken/) > [What the hell is pilot season? It's an artificial boundary that makes no sense, and it makes you do things under duress.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-reilly/what-the-hell-is-pilot-season-it-s-an-artificial-boundary-that-makes/) [Kevin Reilly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-reilly/) > [I was going to move to New York after college and had no interest in pilot season. I'd seen what happened on TV shows…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/troian-bellisario/i-was-going-to-move-to-new-york-after-college-and-had-no-interest-in/) [Troian Bellisario](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/troian-bellisario/) > [After 'Brothers & Sisters' ended, I was back to the old game as an actor. Doing pilot season, choosing a script and figuring out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-annable/after-brothers-sisters-ended-i-was-back-to-the-old-game-as-an-actor/) [Dave Annable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-annable/) > [We went down for pilot season, I got Full House, and we wound up never leaving.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marla-sokoloff/we-went-down-for-pilot-season-i-got-full-house-and-we-wound-up-never/) [Marla Sokoloff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marla-sokoloff/) > [I've not been distracted by a long-running TV show or visits to America for pilot season.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elliot-cowan/i-ve-not-been-distracted-by-a-long-running-tv-show-or-visits-to/) [Elliot Cowan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elliot-cowan/) > [You read a lot of pilots during pilot season, and not all of them really grab you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-jay-mclaren/you-read-a-lot-of-pilots-during-pilot-season-and-not-all-of-them/) [Brandon Jay McLaren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-jay-mclaren/) > [Pilot season in L.A. is just this blood bath. They make so many pilots, and such a small percentage are picked up. And then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michaela-conlin/pilot-season-in-l-a-is-just-this-blood-bath-they-make-so-many-pilots/) [Michaela Conlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michaela-conlin/) > [I'm actively looking at pilots in the very limited pilot season that is about to begin. Lots of work for my clothing line which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alyssa-milano/i-m-actively-looking-at-pilots-in-the-very-limited-pilot-season-that/) [Alyssa Milano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alyssa-milano/) > [With pilot season, you have to jump through so many hoops, there are so many people in the room, you end up doing four…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-cartwright/with-pilot-season-you-have-to-jump-through-so-many-hoops-there-are-so/) [Ryan Cartwright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-cartwright/) > [Pilot season is always crazy because you audition for a million things, and really, in the end, it's not up to you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janina-gavankar/pilot-season-is-always-crazy-because-you-audition-for-a-million/) [Janina Gavankar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janina-gavankar/) > [I was 14 or 15 when I moved to L.A. permanently, but I had been out for pilot season for a few years before that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/britt-robertson/i-was-14-or-15-when-i-moved-to-l-a-permanently-but-i-had-been-out-for/) [Britt Robertson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/britt-robertson/) > [Pilot season tends to be grueling, because you can be thrown all of these auditions at once - last-minute, always - and you're going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-dickens/pilot-season-tends-to-be-grueling-because-you-can-be-thrown-all-of/) [Kim Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-dickens/) > [I can't tell you how good it is to go from 'Homeland' to be lucky enough to find 'The Blacklist' at the right time.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diego-klattenhoff/i-can-t-tell-you-how-good-it-is-to-go-from-homeland-to-be-lucky/) [Diego Klattenhoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diego-klattenhoff/) > [When you're trying to look pretty, it's a lot easier to compare you to other people. I always felt intimidated in pilot season trying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marin-ireland/when-you-re-trying-to-look-pretty-it-s-a-lot-easier-to-compare-you-to/) [Marin Ireland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marin-ireland/) ## More by Fred Willard > [I remember Johnny Carson laughing effusively when I made my 'Tonight' show debut in the early 1970's as part of a sketch comedy group…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-willard/i-remember-johnny-carson-laughing-effusively-when-i-made-my-tonight/) [Fred Willard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-willard/) > [My daughter thinks I'm a little more on the straight and narrow than I actually am.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-willard/my-daughter-thinks-i-m-a-little-more-on-the-straight-and-narrow-than/) [Fred Willard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-willard/) > [I wish sex could last as long as love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-willard/i-wish-sex-could-last-as-long-as-love/) [Fred Willard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-willard/) > [I'll talk your ear off if you recognize me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-willard/i-ll-talk-your-ear-off-if-you-recognize-me/) [Fred Willard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-willard/) > [I once was in a project. They were going to do a remake. Somebody started a rumor I wanted more money. I said, 'This…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-willard/i-once-was-in-a-project-they-were-going-to-do-a-remake-somebody/) [Fred Willard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-willard/) > [I love working with Ty Burrell.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-willard/i-love-working-with-ty-burrell/) [Fred Willard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-willard/) > [Some of the Christopher Guest movies, when I'm not really like myself, when I have my hair dyed blonde or had a faux-hawk haircut.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-willard/some-of-the-christopher-guest-movies-when-i-m-not-really-like-myself/) [Fred Willard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-willard/) > [After working with Wayne Brady, Colin Mochrie, and Jonathan Mangum, I said, 'I am never going to talk about improv again.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-willard/after-working-with-wayne-brady-colin-mochrie-and-jonathan-mangum-i/) [Fred Willard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-willard/) > [Someone I've always admired is Catherine O'Hara... I think she's one of the best actresses in the country, not only comedy. I just think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-willard/someone-i-ve-always-admired-is-catherine-o-hara-i-think-she-s-one-of/) [Fred Willard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-willard/) > [I never got any advice in acting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-willard/i-never-got-any-advice-in-acting/) [Fred Willard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-willard/) > [I've found over the years that for some reason, people either are big fans and have to use me, or they don't quite understand…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-willard/i-ve-found-over-the-years-that-for-some-reason-people-either-are-big/) [Fred Willard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-willard/) > [Suddenly you're like a pirate, you're 65 years old and you've got an earring.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-willard/suddenly-you-re-like-a-pirate-you-re-65-years-old-and-you-ve-got-an/) [Fred Willard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-willard/) > [If you're going to take a risk as a comic, make sure it's surrounded by other things that you're certain are funny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-willard/if-you-re-going-to-take-a-risk-as-a-comic-make-sure-it-s-surrounded/) [Fred Willard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-willard/) > [It's not a bad typecast: the goofy guy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-willard/it-s-not-a-bad-typecast-the-goofy-guy/) [Fred Willard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-willard/) > [You think you want to be famous. Then you see twenty or thirty people with cameras running after somebody coming out of a restaurant.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-willard/you-think-you-want-to-be-famous-then-you-see-twenty-or-thirty-people/) [Fred Willard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-willard/) [Explore all 111 Fred Willard quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-willard/) ## 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": "As an actor, and as you get to a certain level... and it's pilot season and you read the trades, you could have a nervous breakdown. 'So-and-so's signed for a pilot. 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