---
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/875/gary-oldman-3797_acting_at-23-it-was-all-about-acting-today-it-s_2555636.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.” quote by Gary Oldman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/875/gary-oldman-3797_acting_at-23-it-was-all-about-acting-today-it-s_2555636.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/875/gary-oldman-3797_acting_at-23-it-was-all-about-acting-today-it-s_2555636.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/875/gary-oldman-3797_acting_at-23-it-was-all-about-acting-today-it-s_2555636.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.”

[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.

Early focus on acting shifted to family responsibilities, feeling constrained by routine.

**In simple terms:** Acting gave way to family duties, feeling boxed in.

Key Takeaway

Balance passion with responsibility.

Themes

family career identity

Mood

introspective determined

Type

personal philosophical

When to use this quote

- parenting
- career change
- personal growth
- time management

Key Concepts

parenting work-life balance midlife transition

Questions to Reflect On

- How do you stay creative in routine?
- What new roles can you explore?

A Different Perspective

Feeling like a "square" may limit creativity.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[23 Acting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/23-acting-1559502/) [Acting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/acting/) [Acting Today](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/acting-today-970470/) [Actor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actor/) [Done](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/done/) [Homework](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/homework/) [Homework Fifties](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/homework-fifties-1559503/) [Kids](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kids/) [School](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/school/) [School Making](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/school-making-1559504/) [Squares](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/squares/) [Today](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/today/)

## 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-2/)

[Gary Oldman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-oldman/)

> [Parents teach in the toughest school in the world - The School for Making People. You are the board of education, the principal, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virginia-satir/parents-teach-in-the-toughest-school-in-the-world-the-school-for/)

[Virginia Satir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-satir/)

> [People say high school is about getting an education and getting into a good college to succeed in life. Well, to me, high school…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/people-say-high-school-is-about-getting-an-education-and-getting-into/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [Parents teach in the toughest school in the word: The School for Making People. You are the board of education, the principal, theclassroom teacher,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virginia-satir/parents-teach-in-the-toughest-school-in-the-word-the-school-for/)

[Virginia Satir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-satir/)

> [Only 10 percent of people who go to art school will still be making art in 10 years. To some extent, you have to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-brown/only-10-percent-of-people-who-go-to-art-school-will-still-be-making/)

[Jeffrey Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-brown/)

> [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/)

> [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/)

> [“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/)

> [A single woman should only marry a man she can follow: Ladies if you are single, be very, very careful who you date and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-driscoll/a-single-woman-should-only-marry-a-man-she-can-follow-ladies-if-you/)

[Mark Driscoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-driscoll/)

> [I was a very good student. Procrastinating gives me anxiety, and getting a B really ticked me off. Sure, I didn't always want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josie-loren/i-was-a-very-good-student-procrastinating-gives-me-anxiety-and/)

[Josie Loren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josie-loren/)

> [“To all the secret writers, late-night painters, would-be singers, lapsed and scared artists of every stripe, dig out your paintbrush, or your flute, or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shauna-niequist/to-all-the-secret-writers-late-night-painters-would-be-singers-lapsed/)

[Shauna Niequist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shauna-niequist/)

> [I forgot how much I loved going to class, actually. But I also forgot what having school homework feels like: stressful!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karlie-kloss/i-forgot-how-much-i-loved-going-to-class-actually-but-i-also-forgot/)

[Karlie Kloss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karlie-kloss/)

> [I think life is one class in the biggest classroom that assigns you one never-ending homework assignment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamaal-gardner/i-think-life-is-one-class-in-the-biggest-classroom-that-assigns-you/)

[Jamaal Gardner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamaal-gardner/)

> [I'm a mom, a full-time mom when I'm not taping. I do the carpool thing, and bake the cookies, and do the homework.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vanna-white/i-m-a-mom-a-full-time-mom-when-i-m-not-taping-i-do-the-carpool-thing/)

[Vanna White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vanna-white/)

## 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. Those are good reasons to want to be in 'Batman…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-oldman/i-want-my-weekends-off-and-i-want-to-put-my-kids-to-bed-those-are/)

[Gary Oldman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-oldman/)

> [I think filmmaking should be a wonderfully free collaborative process, and it so very rarely is. I often see directors as jailers of my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-oldman/i-think-filmmaking-should-be-a-wonderfully-free-collaborative-process/)

[Gary Oldman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-oldman/)

> [I had what AA calls 'a convincer' - which made me realize that I couldn't do it any more. 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. I would imagine that when it comes to romantic comedies, my name would be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-oldman/i-don-t-think-hollywood-knows-what-to-do-with-me-i-would-imagine-that/)

[Gary Oldman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-oldman/)

> [I enjoy playing characters where the silence is loud.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-oldman/i-enjoy-playing-characters-where-the-silence-is-loud/)

[Gary Oldman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-oldman/)

> [I like a cheese and pickle. Nice cheese and pickle on a real old-fashioned bread. Ploughman's lunch.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-oldman/i-like-a-cheese-and-pickle-nice-cheese-and-pickle-on-a-real-old/)

[Gary Oldman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-oldman/)

> [There will always be spies. We have to have them. 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](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/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. I do believe that young adults go to college to learn things, and that this process will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-weingarten/i-do-not-believe-in-public-shaming-i-do-believe-that-young-adults-go/)

[Gene Weingarten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-weingarten/)

> [Poetry has, in a way, been my bridge to my acting career.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/omari-hardwick/poetry-has-in-a-way-been-my-bridge-to-my-acting-career/)

[Omari Hardwick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/omari-hardwick/)

[Browse all 12,062 Acting quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/acting/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "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.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Gary Oldman"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-oldman/at-23-it-was-all-about-acting-today-it-s-getting-my-kids-to-school/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Acting"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-oldman/at-23-it-was-all-about-acting-today-it-s-getting-my-kids-to-school/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/875/gary-oldman-3797_acting_at-23-it-was-all-about-acting-today-it-s_2555636.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/875/gary-oldman-3797_acting_at-23-it-was-all-about-acting-today-it-s_2555636.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/875/gary-oldman-3797_acting_at-23-it-was-all-about-acting-today-it-s_2555636.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“At 23 it was all about acting. Today it's getting my kids to school, making sure that they've done their…” — Gary Oldman",
                "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": "Gary Oldman",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-oldman/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "At 23 it was all about...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-oldman/at-23-it-was-all-about-acting-today-it-s-getting-my-kids-to-school/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-oldman/at-23-it-was-all-about-acting-today-it-s-getting-my-kids-to-school/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
