--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I could have been a lot more famous and…" description: "\"I could have been a lot more famous and played leading men and everything. For whatever reason, I didn't go for it.\" — Harry Dean Stanton" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8b6/harry-dean-stanton-4043_famous_i-could-have-been-a-lot-more-famous-and_1884159.jpg" --- # I could have been a lot more famous and played leading men… ![“I could have been a lot more famous and played leading men and everything. For whatever reason, I didn't go for it.” quote by Harry Dean Stanton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8b6/harry-dean-stanton-4043_famous_i-could-have-been-a-lot-more-famous-and_1884159.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8b6/harry-dean-stanton-4043_famous_i-could-have-been-a-lot-more-famous-and_1884159.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8b6/harry-dean-stanton-4043_famous_i-could-have-been-a-lot-more-famous-and_1884159.jpg) > “I could have been a lot more famous and played leading men and everything. For whatever reason, I didn't go for it.” [Harry Dean Stanton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-dean-stanton/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He reflects on missed opportunities for fame, acknowledging personal choices that limited his career trajectory. **In simple terms:** He chose not to pursue stardom. Key Takeaway Accept past choices, focus on present. Themes regret career choices humility Mood reflective nostalgic Type personal career When to use this quote - career planning - personal fulfillment - creative projects Key Concepts self‑reflection industry dynamics Questions to Reflect On - What does success mean to you? - Do you feel content with your path? A Different Perspective May romanticize fame over personal values. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Reason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reason/) ## Related quotes > [I've certainly played those leading man or male juvenile roles, where you're not supposed to make people laugh.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-rannells/i-ve-certainly-played-those-leading-man-or-male-juvenile-roles-where/) [Andrew Rannells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-rannells/) > [I have played some wonderful leading roles on stage and had the whole 'China Beach' years where I really played a leading man on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-picardo/i-have-played-some-wonderful-leading-roles-on-stage-and-had-the-whole/) [Robert Picardo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-picardo/) > [I still haven't played a leading role in cinema or in TV, and that's something that I long for.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sofia-vergara/i-still-haven-t-played-a-leading-role-in-cinema-or-in-tv-and-that-s/) [Sofia Vergara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sofia-vergara/) > [“The reason why you left in the first place will always be there, so then why do you come back whilst you know that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angel-phetheni/the-reason-why-you-left-in-the-first-place-will-always-be-there-so/) [Angel Phetheni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angel-phetheni/) > [“You can’t reason someone out of something they didn’t reason themselves into.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-ferriss/you-can-t-reason-someone-out-of-something-they-didn-t-reason/) [Timothy Ferriss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-ferriss/) > [“2:22. I made so many wishes. I wish I wasn't the reason they didn't come true.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mr-joshua-shaw/2-22-i-made-so-many-wishes-i-wish-i-wasn-t-the-reason-they-didn-t/) [Mr. Joshua Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mr-joshua-shaw/) > [“panicked people didn't listen to reason and didn't want to hear the truth.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-goodkind/panicked-people-didn-t-listen-to-reason-and-didn-t-want-to-hear-the/) [Terry Goodkind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-goodkind/) > [I've come to the conclusion that the reason why we didn't work out isn't because I'm not good enough for you, but because I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-ve-come-to-the-conclusion-that-the-reason-why-we-didn-t-work-out/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Yo can’t reason someone out of something he didn’t reason himself into.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-raymond/yo-can-t-reason-someone-out-of-something-he-didn-t-reason-himself-into/) [Jonathan Raymond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-raymond/) > [Never stress over people in your past...There's a reason why they didn't make it to your future.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/never-stress-over-people-in-your-past-there-s-a-reason-why-they-didn/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Movies are full of leading men, most of whom aren't working. It's much harder to find a good villain.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-van-cleef/movies-are-full-of-leading-men-most-of-whom-aren-t-working-it-s-much/) [Lee Van Cleef](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-van-cleef/) > [When I was growing up, it was Clint Eastwood, it was Harrison Ford and Steve McQueen - these guys were tough. They were leading…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-manganiello/when-i-was-growing-up-it-was-clint-eastwood-it-was-harrison-ford-and/) [Joe Manganiello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-manganiello/) > [Character actors aren't a brand in the same way that high-profile leading men are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-molina/character-actors-aren-t-a-brand-in-the-same-way-that-high-profile/) [Alfred Molina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-molina/) > [Our leading men are not of much account and never have been, but the average of the people is immense, beyond all history. Sometimes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walt-whitman/our-leading-men-are-not-of-much-account-and-never-have-been-but-the/) [Walt Whitman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walt-whitman/) > [You can have Asians being leading men that are sex symbols. You can have leading women powering through.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-golding/you-can-have-asians-being-leading-men-that-are-sex-symbols-you-can/) [Henry Golding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-golding/) ## More by Harry Dean Stanton > [Fame in itself is, you know... It involves a whole discussion on just that word, 'fame.' It's a power; it's another degree of power,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-dean-stanton/fame-in-itself-is-you-know-it-involves-a-whole-discussion-on-just/) [Harry Dean Stanton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-dean-stanton/) > [I watch television. Game shows - I hate the hosts and the people on them, and I love the questions and the answers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-dean-stanton/i-watch-television-game-shows-i-hate-the-hosts-and-the-people-on-them/) [Harry Dean Stanton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-dean-stanton/) > [I was singing the blues when I was six. Kind of sad, eh?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-dean-stanton/i-was-singing-the-blues-when-i-was-six-kind-of-sad-eh/) [Harry Dean Stanton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-dean-stanton/) > [I never liked being ordered around - which, of course, was an overreaction. I eventually found out that I didn't mind being ordered around…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-dean-stanton/i-never-liked-being-ordered-around-which-of-course-was-an/) [Harry Dean Stanton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-dean-stanton/) > [I've never been ambitious about recording](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-dean-stanton/i-ve-never-been-ambitious-about-recording/) [Harry Dean Stanton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-dean-stanton/) > [I know little stories that happen to people around me, and I can repeat that in a way that has some color.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-dean-stanton/i-know-little-stories-that-happen-to-people-around-me-and-i-can/) [Harry Dean Stanton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-dean-stanton/) > [I worked with the best directors - Martin Scorsese, John Huston, David Lynch, Alfred Hitchcock. Alfred Hitchcock was great.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-dean-stanton/i-worked-with-the-best-directors-martin-scorsese-john-huston-david/) [Harry Dean Stanton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-dean-stanton/) > [The first film I ever remember - I think my mother took me to it - was called 'She Married Her Boss' with Melvyn…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-dean-stanton/the-first-film-i-ever-remember-i-think-my-mother-took-me-to-it-was/) [Harry Dean Stanton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-dean-stanton/) > [The band I've played with for 10 or 12 years now, we've been all over, but we mostly play in LA](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-dean-stanton/the-band-i-ve-played-with-for-10-or-12-years-now-we-ve-been-all-over/) [Harry Dean Stanton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-dean-stanton/) > [When man began to think he was a separate person with a separate soul, it created a violent situation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-dean-stanton/when-man-began-to-think-he-was-a-separate-person-with-a-separate-soul/) [Harry Dean Stanton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-dean-stanton/) > [I was the classic killer. I always played an angry man. I think it was because I used to really be like that -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-dean-stanton/i-was-the-classic-killer-i-always-played-an-angry-man-i-think-it-was/) [Harry Dean Stanton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-dean-stanton/) > [I like to watch 'Paris, Texas,' but I have no desire to see it. I did it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-dean-stanton/i-like-to-watch-paris-texas-but-i-have-no-desire-to-see-it-i-did-it/) [Harry Dean Stanton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-dean-stanton/) > [I would've preferred to blossom earlier in life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-dean-stanton/i-would-ve-preferred-to-blossom-earlier-in-life/) [Harry Dean Stanton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-dean-stanton/) > [I do the same series of five exercises 21 times each day - an ancient Tibetan practice that stimulates your chakras.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-dean-stanton/i-do-the-same-series-of-five-exercises-21-times-each-day-an-ancient/) [Harry Dean Stanton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-dean-stanton/) > [I've never seen a Western that was really truthful. Most are just morality plays. Good guys and bad guys - and the good guys…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-dean-stanton/i-ve-never-seen-a-western-that-was-really-truthful-most-are-just/) [Harry Dean Stanton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-dean-stanton/) [Explore all 116 Harry Dean Stanton quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-dean-stanton/) ## More Famous quotes > [I think the most famous person I've ever met is Brad Pitt.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ira-glass/i-think-the-most-famous-person-i-ve-ever-met-is-brad-pitt/) [Ira Glass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ira-glass/) > [I don't want to be famous famous. I'm happy on the second tier, where I have autonomy on a professional level but I can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabrielle-reece/i-don-t-want-to-be-famous-famous-i-m-happy-on-the-second-tier-where-i/) [Gabrielle Reece](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabrielle-reece/) > [I love mi haters they make me famous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chabrina/i-love-mi-haters-they-make-me-famous/) Chabrina > [The News of the World made me more famous than being in Atomic Kitten.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kerry-katona/the-news-of-the-world-made-me-more-famous-than-being-in-atomic-kitten/) [Kerry Katona](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kerry-katona/) > [I have been famous for a long time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-beatty/i-have-been-famous-for-a-long-time/) [Warren Beatty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-beatty/) > [Becoming famous is a really shocking thing, especially when you don't have aspirations to it. It got to the point where I would try…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alison-moyet/becoming-famous-is-a-really-shocking-thing-especially-when-you-don-t/) [Alison Moyet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alison-moyet/) > [When Americans, who have no idea who I am, laugh at my jokes, it's exactly the same if someone loves you even if you're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gad-elmaleh/when-americans-who-have-no-idea-who-i-am-laugh-at-my-jokes-it-s/) [Gad Elmaleh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gad-elmaleh/) > [And I want to do it the right way, like everybody else, not just a famous figurehead that gets a job because he is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shaquille-o-neal/and-i-want-to-do-it-the-right-way-like-everybody-else-not-just-a/) [Shaquille O'Neal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shaquille-o-neal/) > [I was fascinated by the story of FW Murnau, one of the most famous directors in Germany, where I come from.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/udo-kier/i-was-fascinated-by-the-story-of-fw-murnau-one-of-the-most-famous/) [Udo Kier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/udo-kier/) > [If I had never gotten famous or rich, I think I'd be equally neurotic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-romano/if-i-had-never-gotten-famous-or-rich-i-think-i-d-be-equally-neurotic/) [Ray Romano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-romano/) > [The caricature of science is that we hold tight to the theories we have, and shun challenges to them. That's just not true. In…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-degrasse-tyson/the-caricature-of-science-is-that-we-hold-tight-to-the-theories-we/) [Neil deGrasse Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-degrasse-tyson/) > [I wanted to have money; I wanted to be special; I wanted people to like me; I wanted to be famous.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-degeneres/i-wanted-to-have-money-i-wanted-to-be-special-i-wanted-people-to-like/) [Ellen DeGeneres](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-degeneres/) > [People just assume that if you're famous, you're in Hollywood.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/megan-fox/people-just-assume-that-if-you-re-famous-you-re-in-hollywood/) [Megan Fox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/megan-fox/) > [“The human eye is restricted to see the useen, because there’s a price to be paid to the rulers of this image and if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-bassey-johnson/the-human-eye-is-restricted-to-see-the-useen-because-there-s-a-price/) [Michael Bassey Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-bassey-johnson/) > [It amazes me when I hear people say, 'I want to go out and find out who I am.' 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