--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I had interest in acting. I started as a…" description: "\"I had interest in acting. I started as a drama major in college. I got to school and said, \"What am I going to do with this?\" But I didn't know anybody..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c04/greg-kinnear-9920_acting_i-had-interest-in-acting-i-started-as-a_2725134.jpg" --- # I had interest in acting. I started as a drama major in… ![“I had interest in acting. I started as a drama major in college. I got to school and said, "What am I going to do with this?" But I didn't know anybody in the business, and it seemed like - I don't know. I had a teacher who said "Less than 1 percent of you will ever make a living being an actor."…” quote by Greg Kinnear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c04/greg-kinnear-9920_acting_i-had-interest-in-acting-i-started-as-a_2725134.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c04/greg-kinnear-9920_acting_i-had-interest-in-acting-i-started-as-a_2725134.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c04/greg-kinnear-9920_acting_i-had-interest-in-acting-i-started-as-a_2725134.jpg) > “I had interest in acting. I started as a drama major in college. I got to school and said, "What am I going to do with this?" But I didn't know anybody in the business, and it seemed like - I don't know. I had a teacher who said "Less than 1 percent of you will ever make a living being an actor." That was how we opened the semester.” [Greg Kinnear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-kinnear/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Acting is a rare, competitive field; realistic expectations are essential. **In simple terms:** Acting is highly competitive. Key Takeaway Set realistic goals. Themes career realism expectations Mood candid practical Type advice motivational When to use this quote - acting auditions - career counseling - education choices - networking Key Concepts Probability industry barriers career planning Questions to Reflect On - What alternative paths can you pursue? - How can you balance optimism with realism? A Different Perspective Focusing on odds may discourage perseverance. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Acting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/acting/) [Acting Started](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/acting-started-596104/) [Actor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actor/) [Actor Opened](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actor-opened-2912543/) [Actors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actors/) [Business](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/business/) [College](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/college/) [Drama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/drama/) [Drama Major](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/drama-major-2006072/) [Interest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/interest/) [Knows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knows/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Majors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/majors/) [Percent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/percent/) [Said](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/said/) [School](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/school/) [Semester](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/semester/) [Started Drama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/started-drama-2912542/) [Teacher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/teacher/) [Theatre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/theatre/) ## Related quotes > [First I went to C.W. Post and I was a psychology and theater major and then I transferred to NYU's Tisch School of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-leguizamo/first-i-went-to-c-w-post-and-i-was-a-psychology-and-theater-major-and/) [John Leguizamo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-leguizamo/) > [Being an actor opened doors for me to explore my emotions as different people and characters, and expand my own inner soul.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-bakula/being-an-actor-opened-doors-for-me-to-explore-my-emotions-as/) [Scott Bakula](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-bakula/) > [Being a celebrity has taught me to hide, but being an actor has opened my soul.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meryl-streep/being-a-celebrity-has-taught-me-to-hide-but-being-an-actor-has-opened/) [Meryl Streep](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meryl-streep/) > [I started drama in high school.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-cudmore/i-started-drama-in-high-school/) [Daniel Cudmore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-cudmore/) > [I HAD A FRIEND THAT WAS REALLY COOL,HONEST,TRUSTED,AND EVERYTHING ELSE YOU CAN THINK OF BUT ONE I WAS TALKIN TO A FRIEND ON THE…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antoinette-hendon/i-had-a-friend-that-was-really-cool-honest-trusted-and-everything/) [Antoinette Hendon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antoinette-hendon/) > [When I started drama school, theatre was the main draw. I never had any movie star notions. Not that there were family ties to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-marie-duff/when-i-started-drama-school-theatre-was-the-main-draw-i-never-had-any/) [Anne-Marie Duff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-marie-duff/) > [The career I chose was a drama major in college, at Yale, when I played a 90-year-old woman. One of my most celebrated roles.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meryl-streep/the-career-i-chose-was-a-drama-major-in-college-at-yale-when-i-played/) [Meryl Streep](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meryl-streep/) > [I was a drama major also so it's cool to cuss for meaning, but for no apparent reason, no.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kel-mitchell/i-was-a-drama-major-also-so-it-s-cool-to-cuss-for-meaning-but-for-no/) [Kel Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kel-mitchell/) > [I had done plays in high school. It was something I always wanted to do since I was little. I was a drama major…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-lovitz/i-had-done-plays-in-high-school-it-was-something-i-always-wanted-to/) [Jon Lovitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-lovitz/) > [I was a drama major through college.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/creed-bratton/i-was-a-drama-major-through-college/) [Creed Bratton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/creed-bratton/) > [I had always done theater in extracurricular ways. I'd never been a drama major.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sigourney-weaver/i-had-always-done-theater-in-extracurricular-ways-i-d-never-been-a/) [Sigourney Weaver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sigourney-weaver/) > [My path to acting started with watching a lot of movies, because I grew up in a very rural place, that was snowed in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lily-gladstone/my-path-to-acting-started-with-watching-a-lot-of-movies-because-i/) [Lily Gladstone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lily-gladstone/) > [My acting started with musicals in elementary school, so singing is something I've always done, never done professionally - so you're not going to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clayton-snyder/my-acting-started-with-musicals-in-elementary-school-so-singing-is/) [Clayton Snyder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clayton-snyder/) > [I grew up near the University of Michigan, so we'd sneak into college parties. That's where my acting started - lying about the professors…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mircea-monroe/i-grew-up-near-the-university-of-michigan-so-we-d-sneak-into-college/) [Mircea Monroe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mircea-monroe/) > [I was ashamed to admit I was hipped to the idea of acting. That's why I started in with the props.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wayne/i-was-ashamed-to-admit-i-was-hipped-to-the-idea-of-acting-that-s-why/) [John Wayne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-wayne/) ## More by Greg Kinnear > [I don't consider a lot of actors that I really admire movie stars.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-kinnear/i-don-t-consider-a-lot-of-actors-that-i-really-admire-movie-stars/) [Greg Kinnear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-kinnear/) > [Audiences don't ever disappoint me, in the sense that movies I feel really good about, they usually feel really good about too.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-kinnear/audiences-don-t-ever-disappoint-me-in-the-sense-that-movies-i-feel/) [Greg Kinnear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-kinnear/) > [Ultimately, I'm not so sure that, as a person, I'm all that interesting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-kinnear/ultimately-i-m-not-so-sure-that-as-a-person-i-m-all-that-interesting/) [Greg Kinnear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-kinnear/) > [The irony is that you can't use real rain to make movies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-kinnear/the-irony-is-that-you-can-t-use-real-rain-to-make-movies/) [Greg Kinnear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-kinnear/) > [My adolescence was all tits and champagne. I'm downplaying the magic of it all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-kinnear/my-adolescence-was-all-tits-and-champagne-i-m-downplaying-the-magic/) [Greg Kinnear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-kinnear/) > [I'm happy to report that everybody whose face I've wanted to punch on Earth has already been punched.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-kinnear/i-m-happy-to-report-that-everybody-whose-face-i-ve-wanted-to-punch-on/) [Greg Kinnear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-kinnear/) > [There's times when I'll see a show, or something cooking on TV, and think, 'That can really be fun when it's working.' But it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-kinnear/there-s-times-when-i-ll-see-a-show-or-something-cooking-on-tv-and/) [Greg Kinnear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-kinnear/) > [I was 12 when my parents told me we were moving to Lebanon. I remember thinking, 'Leba-who?' I had absolutely no concept of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-kinnear/i-was-12-when-my-parents-told-me-we-were-moving-to-lebanon-i-remember/) [Greg Kinnear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-kinnear/) > [You don't get to pick your partners in families; you get assigned a seat at the table.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-kinnear/you-don-t-get-to-pick-your-partners-in-families-you-get-assigned-a/) [Greg Kinnear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-kinnear/) > [I really don't make a concerted effort to try to find a type of role.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-kinnear/i-really-don-t-make-a-concerted-effort-to-try-to-find-a-type-of-role/) [Greg Kinnear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-kinnear/) > ['Little Miss Sunshine' was one of those small movies that you don't hold out huge hope for. It's usually found in small pockets. But,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-kinnear/little-miss-sunshine-was-one-of-those-small-movies-that-you-don-t/) [Greg Kinnear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-kinnear/) > ['Little Miss Sunshine' snowballed. It was a tiny movie. We shot it in 30 days, and it was really fun to do, but it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-kinnear/little-miss-sunshine-snowballed-it-was-a-tiny-movie-we-shot-it-in-30/) [Greg Kinnear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-kinnear/) > [Regardless of the weight of the role, I feel like the job is always kind of the same. Who is this person? What's this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-kinnear/regardless-of-the-weight-of-the-role-i-feel-like-the-job-is-always/) [Greg Kinnear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-kinnear/) > [The tragic element of a character is always intriguing I think.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-kinnear/the-tragic-element-of-a-character-is-always-intriguing-i-think/) [Greg Kinnear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-kinnear/) > [I went door-to-door selling cable television subscriptions when I was in college. Not to date myself, but cable was just coming on. I had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-kinnear/i-went-door-to-door-selling-cable-television-subscriptions-when-i-was/) [Greg Kinnear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-kinnear/) [Explore all 69 Greg Kinnear quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-kinnear/) ## 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": "I had interest in acting. I started as a drama major in college. I got to school and said, \"What am I going to do with this?\" But I didn't know anybody in the business, and it seemed like - I don't know. 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