--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: At 23 it was all about acting. Today it's…" description: "\"At 23 it was all about acting. Today it's getting my kids to school, making sure that they've done their homework. I'm in my fifties, and I'm turning i..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/327/gary-oldman-3797_acting_at-23-it-was-all-about-acting-today-it-s_2658123.jpg" --- # At 23 it was all about acting. Today it's getting my kids… ![“At 23 it was all about acting. Today it's getting my kids to school, making sure that they've done their homework. I'm in my fifties, and I'm turning into a square. I saw a kid walk into a restaurant the other day and his belt was below his backside. I would have turned him away.” quote by Gary Oldman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/327/gary-oldman-3797_acting_at-23-it-was-all-about-acting-today-it-s_2658123.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/327/gary-oldman-3797_acting_at-23-it-was-all-about-acting-today-it-s_2658123.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/327/gary-oldman-3797_acting_at-23-it-was-all-about-acting-today-it-s_2658123.jpg) > “At 23 it was all about acting. Today it's getting my kids to school, making sure that they've done their homework. I'm in my fifties, and I'm turning into a square. I saw a kid walk into a restaurant the other day and his belt was below his backside. I would have turned him away.” [Gary Oldman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-oldman/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Aging shifts focus from personal ambition to family responsibilities, revealing changing priorities over life stages. **In simple terms:** Aging changes priorities to family. Key Takeaway Embrace evolving life roles. Themes aging family responsibility Mood nostalgic contemplative Type personal reflective When to use this quote - parenting - career transition - midlife reflection Key Concepts life stages parenting identity Questions to Reflect On - How have your priorities shifted with age? - What new purpose do you find now? A Different Perspective Resistance to change can cause inner conflict. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Acting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/acting/) [Actor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actor/) ## Related quotes > [At 23 it was all about acting. Today it's getting my kids to school, making sure that they've done their homework. I'm in my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-oldman/at-23-it-was-all-about-acting-today-it-s-getting-my-kids-to-school/) [Gary Oldman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-oldman/) > [What I'm saying not a lot of people say: What is considered good acting today isn't necessarily good acting, because everybody knows what they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-landau/what-i-m-saying-not-a-lot-of-people-say-what-is-considered-good/) [Martin Landau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-landau/) > [“Start acting today if you want to be successful tomorrow.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eraldo-banovac/start-acting-today-if-you-want-to-be-successful-tomorrow/) [Eraldo Banovac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eraldo-banovac/) > [Actors used to concentrate on acting, but today they are businessmen, too, and think about the numbers game as well. They multi-task very well.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dimple-kapadia/actors-used-to-concentrate-on-acting-but-today-they-are-businessmen/) [Dimple Kapadia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dimple-kapadia/) > [Most acting today on television is like a locomotive on a track. Everybody knows what they are doing. The problem of writing today is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-landau/most-acting-today-on-television-is-like-a-locomotive-on-a-track/) [Martin Landau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-landau/) > [“The whole system was based upon getting kids to a certain standard and packing their minds with information so they could go on to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-bryson/the-whole-system-was-based-upon-getting-kids-to-a-certain-standard/) [Bill Bryson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-bryson/) > [The biggest challenge in my life is getting all these kids raised. I've helped with nieces, stepchildren and my own son, so the biggest…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reba-mcentire/the-biggest-challenge-in-my-life-is-getting-all-these-kids-raised-i/) [Reba McEntire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reba-mcentire/) > [As parents, grandparents, uncles and aunts we need to start getting out into nature with the young people in our lives. Families play a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-suzuki/as-parents-grandparents-uncles-and-aunts-we-need-to-start-getting-out/) [David Suzuki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-suzuki/) > [If getting our kids out into nature is a search for perfection, or is one more chore, then the belief in perfection and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-louv/if-getting-our-kids-out-into-nature-is-a-search-for-perfection-or-is/) [Richard Louv](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-louv/) > [“There was a time when the one singular thing that held a marriage together was the threat of getting the kids.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erma-bombeck/there-was-a-time-when-the-one-singular-thing-that-held-a-marriage/) [Erma Bombeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erma-bombeck/) > [Sounds so silly, but I want to accomplish getting my kids through college.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/treat-williams/sounds-so-silly-but-i-want-to-accomplish-getting-my-kids-through/) [Treat Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/treat-williams/) > [Getting kids moving is a key factor in tackling obesity and health problems among the young.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/getting-kids-moving-is-a-key-factor-in-tackling-obesity-and-health/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Being on the road and doing events is like getting kids ready for school for most families.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-wolfe/being-on-the-road-and-doing-events-is-like-getting-kids-ready-for/) [David Wolfe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-wolfe/) > [The new upper class devotes incredible amounts of effort to raising their kids but that also includes incredible amounts of effort in getting their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-murray/the-new-upper-class-devotes-incredible-amounts-of-effort-to-raising/) [Charles Murray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-murray/) > [The most important element of the foster care system is getting kids out of foster care and into a permanent placement so they don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rhea-perlman/the-most-important-element-of-the-foster-care-system-is-getting-kids/) [Rhea Perlman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rhea-perlman/) ## More by Gary Oldman > [If one could have a wish, or an alternative life, I would've liked to have been John Lennon.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-oldman/if-one-could-have-a-wish-or-an-alternative-life-i-would-ve-liked-to/) [Gary Oldman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-oldman/) > [The script is your map of the world, isn't it? And if someone knows that if it's well-written, you get all of the beats,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-oldman/the-script-is-your-map-of-the-world-isn-t-it-and-if-someone-knows/) [Gary Oldman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-oldman/) > [There are roles that you chase sometimes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-oldman/there-are-roles-that-you-chase-sometimes/) [Gary Oldman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-oldman/) > [Well, I needed the work - that's the honest answer. I haven't worked for a while, a couple of years. So I thought it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-oldman/well-i-needed-the-work-that-s-the-honest-answer-i-haven-t-worked-for/) [Gary Oldman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-oldman/) > [I want my weekends off and I want to put my kids to bed. 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I went out drinking for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-oldman/i-had-what-aa-calls-a-convincer-which-made-me-realize-that-i-couldn-t/) [Gary Oldman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-oldman/) > [You always hope that the cloak of inspiration will fall, and you'll be O.K.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-oldman/you-always-hope-that-the-cloak-of-inspiration-will-fall-and-you-ll-be/) [Gary Oldman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-oldman/) > [I still don't have a publicist. If I'm in a film, you have an obligation to promote it, I'll do as much as I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-oldman/i-still-don-t-have-a-publicist-if-i-m-in-a-film-you-have-an/) [Gary Oldman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-oldman/) > [I don't think Hollywood knows what to do with me. 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Without them we wouldn't have got Osama bin Laden - it took us years,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-oldman/there-will-always-be-spies-we-have-to-have-them-without-them-we/) [Gary Oldman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-oldman/) > [On set I keep myself to myself; I'd rather the director speak up. I'm not gonna direct a younger actor. I think the power…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-oldman/on-set-i-keep-myself-to-myself-i-d-rather-the-director-speak-up-i-m/) [Gary Oldman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-oldman/) > [I've got kids of my own now, and they love me being in the Harry Potter films. I'm now part of a phenomenon. You…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-oldman/i-ve-got-kids-of-my-own-now-and-they-love-me-being-in-the-harry/) [Gary Oldman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-oldman/) [Explore all 122 Gary Oldman quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-oldman/) ## More Acting 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/) > [Many Republicans have always reminded me of professional WWF wrestlers. They come into the ring all pumped up and acting like they're invincible and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-feig/many-republicans-have-always-reminded-me-of-professional-wwf/) [Paul Feig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-feig/) > [I'm a big fan of all the Boston guys that are acting - Matt Damon , Ben Affleck, Mark Wahlberg - they made a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenny-wormald/i-m-a-big-fan-of-all-the-boston-guys-that-are-acting-matt-damon-ben/) [Kenny Wormald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenny-wormald/) > [Acting is a grind, just like music is a grind. Sometimes it takes longer than what you can give.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/big-sean/acting-is-a-grind-just-like-music-is-a-grind-sometimes-it-takes/) [Big Sean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/big-sean/) > [It was only when I started making short films in college and I was looking for girls to play the me-ish parts that I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lena-dunham/it-was-only-when-i-started-making-short-films-in-college-and-i-was/) [Lena Dunham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lena-dunham/) > [Writing is something I took up rather than anything I had an inclination toward. I like acting -delivering someone else's message - but writing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-martin/writing-is-something-i-took-up-rather-than-anything-i-had-an/) [Steve Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-martin/) > [I can still function when I don't have that balance I crave. I had a tendency to be precious about acting, thinking of it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-regan/i-can-still-function-when-i-don-t-have-that-balance-i-crave-i-had-a/) [Laura Regan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-regan/) > [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/) > [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/) > [It definitely helps to have the acting experience going into singing, because when you're singing, you have to portray the emotion you were feeling…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-newman/it-definitely-helps-to-have-the-acting-experience-going-into-singing/) Ryan Newman > [The show was number one in the ratings, Gordon Russell was our head writer, the story lines were magnificent and the acting most exciting.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-storm/the-show-was-number-one-in-the-ratings-gordon-russell-was-our-head/) [Michael Storm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-storm/) > [I've done so many other projects where you're in a room with a reader and you're acting your lines out: 'We have to get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-cummings/i-ve-done-so-many-other-projects-where-you-re-in-a-room-with-a-reader/) [Jim Cummings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-cummings/) > [I do not believe in public shaming. 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