--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I fell into acting because I was really…" description: "\"I fell into acting because I was really shy, and so at night after work, I took public speaking and improv classes, and I started going to auditions so..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5f6/hong-chau-15027_acting_i-fell-into-acting-because-i-was-really_2296686.jpg" --- # I fell into acting because I was really shy, and so at… ![“I fell into acting because I was really shy, and so at night after work, I took public speaking and improv classes, and I started going to auditions sort of as a dare. That was my version of 'Fear Factor.'” quote by Hong Chau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5f6/hong-chau-15027_acting_i-fell-into-acting-because-i-was-really_2296686.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5f6/hong-chau-15027_acting_i-fell-into-acting-because-i-was-really_2296686.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5f6/hong-chau-15027_acting_i-fell-into-acting-because-i-was-really_2296686.jpg) > “I fell into acting because I was really shy, and so at night after work, I took public speaking and improv classes, and I started going to auditions sort of as a dare. That was my version of 'Fear Factor.'” [Hong Chau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hong-chau/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Shyness led her to acting; she used improv and auditions as a daring way to confront fear. **In simple terms:** She turned fear into growth. Key Takeaway Use challenges as opportunities to grow. Themes fear growth acting confidence self‑development Mood motivational encouraging Type inspirational personal When to use this quote - career transition - public speaking - personal development - team building Key Concepts courage self‑efficacy creative expression Questions to Reflect On - How can you turn a fear into a catalyst? - What small step can you take today? A Different Perspective Fear can also paralyze if not managed. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Acting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/acting/) [Fear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fear/) [Night](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/night/) [Public speaking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/public-speaking/) [Theatre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/theatre/) [Work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/work/) ## Related quotes > [You were shy to the night you drove me wild. And you crashed into me and I won't lie,I wish it lasted a lifetime.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-were-shy-to-the-night-you-drove-me-wild-and-you-crashed-into-me/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I was painfully shy, so my aunt suggested to my mum that me and my brother go to Stage 84, a performing arts school…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christian-cooke/i-was-painfully-shy-so-my-aunt-suggested-to-my-mum-that-me-and-my/) [Christian Cooke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christian-cooke/) > [I was a really shy, scared kid. I was really, really anxious to go on stage for the first five years that I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taylor-tomlinson/i-was-a-really-shy-scared-kid-i-was-really-really-anxious-to-go-on/) [Taylor Tomlinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taylor-tomlinson/) > [People think that I'm a really outgoing person because of how I am on stage. But I'm not. I'm really shy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-madden/people-think-that-i-m-a-really-outgoing-person-because-of-how-i-am-on/) [Joel Madden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-madden/) > [I'm definitely really shy on some level. But on another level, I'm all entertainer. It's a strange dichotomy, but it's true.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leigh-bingham-nash/i-m-definitely-really-shy-on-some-level-but-on-another-level-i-m-all/) Leigh Bingham Nash > [I've always been really shy. I was always afraid of any kind of confrontation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharon-van-etten/i-ve-always-been-really-shy-i-was-always-afraid-of-any-kind-of/) [Sharon Van Etten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharon-van-etten/) > [I am very shy - really shy - I even had a stutter as a kid, which I slowly got over, but I still…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicole-kidman/i-am-very-shy-really-shy-i-even-had-a-stutter-as-a-kid-which-i-slowly/) [Nicole Kidman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicole-kidman/) > [I'm really shy with my acting when it's off, because the camera gives me an excuse to be in character, whereas otherwise I would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brendan-fehr/i-m-really-shy-with-my-acting-when-it-s-off-because-the-camera-gives/) [Brendan Fehr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brendan-fehr/) > [I was really shy when I was a child, very self-conscious about taking up space or being an attention seeker. I was the kind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mickey-sumner/i-was-really-shy-when-i-was-a-child-very-self-conscious-about-taking/) [Mickey Sumner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mickey-sumner/) > [I'm a private person, I'm shy about people knowing things. And I'm really shy about my medical (care). It would be good if I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/farrah-fawcett/i-m-a-private-person-i-m-shy-about-people-knowing-things-and-i-m/) [Farrah Fawcett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/farrah-fawcett/) > [Women are sort of like motorcycle gangs with me. They get really shy and polite. I don't know why.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-nicholson/women-are-sort-of-like-motorcycle-gangs-with-me-they-get-really-shy/) [Jack Nicholson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-nicholson/) > [I'm really shy - I don't do karaoke.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-micucci/i-m-really-shy-i-don-t-do-karaoke/) [Kate Micucci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-micucci/) > [I am naturally pretty shy. I've come out of it a pretty good bit because I'm kind of a strange combination of being really…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leigh-bingham-nash/i-am-naturally-pretty-shy-i-ve-come-out-of-it-a-pretty-good-bit/) Leigh Bingham Nash > [“Fear is the very factor that keeps many of us from fleshing out the biblical reality that we can “do all things through Christ”…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beth-moore/fear-is-the-very-factor-that-keeps-many-of-us-from-fleshing-out-the/) [Beth Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beth-moore/) > [When you go against the best... a lot of series are won on fear factor or the non-belief. When you have that non-belief, then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-pierce/when-you-go-against-the-best-a-lot-of-series-are-won-on-fear-factor/) [Paul Pierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-pierce/) ## More by Hong Chau > [For me, I do my best work when I feel completely relaxed and not being judged.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hong-chau/for-me-i-do-my-best-work-when-i-feel-completely-relaxed-and-not-being/) [Hong Chau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hong-chau/) > [In Hollywood, there's not a ton of roles for Asian people. So a lot of it is waiting and waiting and waiting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hong-chau/in-hollywood-there-s-not-a-ton-of-roles-for-asian-people-so-a-lot-of/) [Hong Chau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hong-chau/) > [The first time I went to Chicago was on a family road trip. We had our dog with us, and when we hit Chicago,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hong-chau/the-first-time-i-went-to-chicago-was-on-a-family-road-trip-we-had-our/) [Hong Chau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hong-chau/) > [My parents are Vietnamese refugees; they left Vietnam after the war. They were part of the boat people, and they ended up in a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hong-chau/my-parents-are-vietnamese-refugees-they-left-vietnam-after-the-war/) [Hong Chau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hong-chau/) > [When you see something that needs to be done, you do it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hong-chau/when-you-see-something-that-needs-to-be-done-you-do-it/) [Hong Chau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hong-chau/) > [Growing up the way I did, being an actor in Hollywood was definitely never a plausible career choice at all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hong-chau/growing-up-the-way-i-did-being-an-actor-in-hollywood-was-definitely/) [Hong Chau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hong-chau/) > [I think that a lot of actors of color have said that it's a wonderful thing to play a role that doesn't have a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hong-chau/i-think-that-a-lot-of-actors-of-color-have-said-that-it-s-a-wonderful/) [Hong Chau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hong-chau/) > [Giving people the opportunity to sit in a dark theater together and have emotions in public, whether they're laughing or crying - that's what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hong-chau/giving-people-the-opportunity-to-sit-in-a-dark-theater-together-and/) [Hong Chau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hong-chau/) > [I like to be very simple in my lifestyle. My only extravagance is... I buy lots of toys and meats for my dog.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hong-chau/i-like-to-be-very-simple-in-my-lifestyle-my-only-extravagance-is-i/) [Hong Chau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hong-chau/) > [I love films that aren't just speaking to certain moments in the culture but are something that people can revisit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hong-chau/i-love-films-that-aren-t-just-speaking-to-certain-moments-in-the/) [Hong Chau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hong-chau/) > [For a good part of my childhood, we were super poor and lived in government housing. I don't characterize the American dream as being…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hong-chau/for-a-good-part-of-my-childhood-we-were-super-poor-and-lived-in/) [Hong Chau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hong-chau/) > [I think one in five Americans has a disability of some sort. That's 20% of the population, and yet we rarely ever see people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hong-chau/i-think-one-in-five-americans-has-a-disability-of-some-sort-that-s-20/) [Hong Chau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hong-chau/) > [I grew out of the habit of thinking or worrying about being seen as the typical Asian. I don't even know what that means…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hong-chau/i-grew-out-of-the-habit-of-thinking-or-worrying-about-being-seen-as/) [Hong Chau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hong-chau/) > [In life, we are all more than one thing, but for some reason in movies, you're either this or that. It reduces the complexity…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hong-chau/in-life-we-are-all-more-than-one-thing-but-for-some-reason-in-movies/) [Hong Chau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hong-chau/) > [My parents speak with an accent. A lot of people that I know speak with an accent. I have friends who speak with an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hong-chau/my-parents-speak-with-an-accent-a-lot-of-people-that-i-know-speak/) [Hong Chau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hong-chau/) [Explore all 44 Hong Chau quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hong-chau/) ## 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. 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 fell into acting because I was really shy, and so at night after work, I took public speaking and improv classes, and I started going to auditions sort of as a dare. 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