--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I knew I wanted to be an actor when I was…" description: "\"I knew I wanted to be an actor when I was growing up, really. So when I decided to go to university instead of drama school, it was with the intention ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/540/hugh-dancy-20398_actor_i-knew-i-wanted-to-be-an-actor-when-i-wa_1278146.png" --- # I knew I wanted to be an actor when I was growing up… ![“I knew I wanted to be an actor when I was growing up, really. So when I decided to go to university instead of drama school, it was with the intention of becoming an actor afterwards.” quote by Hugh Dancy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/540/hugh-dancy-20398_actor_i-knew-i-wanted-to-be-an-actor-when-i-wa_1278146.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/540/hugh-dancy-20398_actor_i-knew-i-wanted-to-be-an-actor-when-i-wa_1278146.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/540/hugh-dancy-20398_actor_i-knew-i-wanted-to-be-an-actor-when-i-wa_1278146.png) > “I knew I wanted to be an actor when I was growing up, really. So when I decided to go to university instead of drama school, it was with the intention of becoming an actor afterwards.” [Hugh Dancy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hugh-dancy/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He realized his passion early and chose university over drama school, intending to act later. **In simple terms:** Early passion guided his education choice. Key Takeaway Follow your passion even if path seems indirect. Themes career ambition education Mood reflective determined Type advice personal narrative When to use this quote - college decisions - career planning - acting auditions - skill development Key Concepts self‑discovery long‑term planning Questions to Reflect On - How do you balance practical education with artistic goals? - What risks are worth taking for a dream? A Different Perspective University may not provide acting training directly. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Actor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actor/) [Actor Growing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actor-growing-1354819/) [Actors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actors/) [Becoming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/becoming/) [Decided](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/decided/) [Decided University](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/decided-university-4120472/) [Drama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/drama/) [Drama school](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/drama-school/) [Growing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/growing/) [Growing up](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/growing-up/) [Intention](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/intention/) [Intention Actor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/intention-actor-371442/) [School](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/school/) [Theatre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/theatre/) [University](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/university/) [University Instead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/university-instead-1708122/) [Wanted](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wanted/) ## Related quotes > [I got expelled from high school, and then did my exams from home. I decided, through that experience, that I was going to expediate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-hunnam/i-got-expelled-from-high-school-and-then-did-my-exams-from-home-i/) [Charlie Hunnam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-hunnam/) > [I had no intention of being an actor in the first place. But it all started when I was 20, and by the time…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arvind-swami/i-had-no-intention-of-being-an-actor-in-the-first-place-but-it-all/) [Arvind Swami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arvind-swami/) > [I had no intention of becoming an actor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-hammond/i-had-no-intention-of-becoming-an-actor/) [Nicholas Hammond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-hammond/) > [My dream as an actor growing up was always to challenge myself to different genres, different roles, and it's actually rare that an actor's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taylor-lautner/my-dream-as-an-actor-growing-up-was-always-to-challenge-myself-to/) [Taylor Lautner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taylor-lautner/) > [I feel like everything you learn as an actor growing up is wrong. You're supposed to hit your mark, find your light and know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joaquin-phoenix/i-feel-like-everything-you-learn-as-an-actor-growing-up-is-wrong-you/) [Joaquin Phoenix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joaquin-phoenix/) > [One of the coolest things about being an actor is growing, and changing with everything, and never making the same decision twice because you've…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-stone/one-of-the-coolest-things-about-being-an-actor-is-growing-and/) [Emma Stone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-stone/) > [I didn't really want to be an actor when I was growing up - I wanted to be whatever I was reading about or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-sudeikis/i-didn-t-really-want-to-be-an-actor-when-i-was-growing-up-i-wanted-to/) [Jason Sudeikis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-sudeikis/) > [I had no intention of being an actor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelsan-ellis/i-had-no-intention-of-being-an-actor/) [Nelsan Ellis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelsan-ellis/) > [It was never my intention to be an actor, and I don't know if I'll ever call myself an actor because I've always said…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edge/it-was-never-my-intention-to-be-an-actor-and-i-don-t-know-if-i-ll/) [Edge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edge/) > [I had no intention of being an actor, ever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-dean-morgan/i-had-no-intention-of-being-an-actor-ever/) [Jeffrey Dean Morgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-dean-morgan/) > [I had no intention of being an actor. I was quite good at it. I was pretty capable at other things but never any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-bean/i-had-no-intention-of-being-an-actor-i-was-quite-good-at-it-i-was/) [Sean Bean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-bean/) > [As an actor, the first thing you learn in drama school is you never judge.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-clarke/as-an-actor-the-first-thing-you-learn-in-drama-school-is-you-never/) [Jason Clarke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-clarke/) > [All the craft skills that I have, I feel like I developed and honed in drama school. It's the most important thing for me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-holland/all-the-craft-skills-that-i-have-i-feel-like-i-developed-and-honed-in/) [Andre Holland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-holland/) > [I hadn't been to drama school. I hadn't been to university and acted there. I had no qualifications behind me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-jason/i-hadn-t-been-to-drama-school-i-hadn-t-been-to-university-and-acted/) [David Jason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-jason/) > [I never did drama at school. I did it for one term, when it was compulsory, and I hated it. Tennis was the main…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luke-mitchell/i-never-did-drama-at-school-i-did-it-for-one-term-when-it-was/) [Luke Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luke-mitchell/) ## More by Hugh Dancy > [But no, I don't think I'm particularly drawn to the period roles or the medieval roles.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hugh-dancy/but-no-i-don-t-think-i-m-particularly-drawn-to-the-period-roles-or/) [Hugh Dancy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hugh-dancy/) > [No one has ever mistaken me for someone who should be giving fashion advice, but I will say I'm always impressed by women who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hugh-dancy/no-one-has-ever-mistaken-me-for-someone-who-should-be-giving-fashion/) [Hugh Dancy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hugh-dancy/) > [Acting is not very good for relationships - but very good for when they are over.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hugh-dancy/acting-is-not-very-good-for-relationships-but-very-good-for-when-they/) [Hugh Dancy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hugh-dancy/) > [In reality, for me every role is completely different.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hugh-dancy/in-reality-for-me-every-role-is-completely-different/) [Hugh Dancy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hugh-dancy/) > [I've not as yet found one hobby that would absorb me completely when I'm not working, but I have just bought a new apartment…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hugh-dancy/i-ve-not-as-yet-found-one-hobby-that-would-absorb-me-completely-when/) [Hugh Dancy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hugh-dancy/) > [No, I'm not a lager lout either. I think you have to be a massive football fan to be a lager lout.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hugh-dancy/no-i-m-not-a-lager-lout-either-i-think-you-have-to-be-a-massive/) [Hugh Dancy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hugh-dancy/) > [In real life, I try to be honest but not overshare. There are people that turn every conversation into a therapy session and you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hugh-dancy/in-real-life-i-try-to-be-honest-but-not-overshare-there-are-people/) [Hugh Dancy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hugh-dancy/) > [Besides, most of the books I like involve people I could never play in a million years.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hugh-dancy/besides-most-of-the-books-i-like-involve-people-i-could-never-play-in/) [Hugh Dancy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hugh-dancy/) > [There's a saying within the Asperger community: if you've met one person with Asperger's syndrome, you've met one person with Asperger's syndrome ... Within…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hugh-dancy/there-s-a-saying-within-the-asperger-community-if-you-ve-met-one/) [Hugh Dancy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hugh-dancy/) > [I think for anybody reading the book they're going to get an idea in their heads of all those characters, and I think that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hugh-dancy/i-think-for-anybody-reading-the-book-they-re-going-to-get-an-idea-in/) [Hugh Dancy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hugh-dancy/) > [I think that women don't bother disguising their desire and pleasure in dressing up, and that men, for whatever reason, tend to be a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hugh-dancy/i-think-that-women-don-t-bother-disguising-their-desire-and-pleasure/) [Hugh Dancy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hugh-dancy/) > [When I got back I found myself being very emotional about the time spent in Rwanda in a way that I hadn't been able…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hugh-dancy/when-i-got-back-i-found-myself-being-very-emotional-about-the-time/) [Hugh Dancy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hugh-dancy/) > [Ireland. Great for the spirit - very bad for the body.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hugh-dancy/ireland-great-for-the-spirit-very-bad-for-the-body/) [Hugh Dancy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hugh-dancy/) > [So to answer your question, Im not entirely sure how I ended up where I am today, in the sense that nobody in my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hugh-dancy/so-to-answer-your-question-im-not-entirely-sure-how-i-ended-up-where/) [Hugh Dancy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hugh-dancy/) > [There's no one actor in particular that I want to model my career after, except for the people who have been able to keep…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hugh-dancy/there-s-no-one-actor-in-particular-that-i-want-to-model-my-career/) [Hugh Dancy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hugh-dancy/) [Explore all 31 Hugh Dancy quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hugh-dancy/) ## More Actor 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/) > [When you step out and do a song in a musical, the easier thing to do is make it funny. But when those transitions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelli-o-hara/when-you-step-out-and-do-a-song-in-a-musical-the-easier-thing-to-do/) [Kelli O'Hara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelli-o-hara/) > [I once told someone I could act. They totally bought it. I've been getting away with it ever since.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/akshay-kumar/i-once-told-someone-i-could-act-they-totally-bought-it-i-ve-been/) [Akshay Kumar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/akshay-kumar/) > [There has got to be a way for me to have a role on TV or in film that is just as normal as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adeel-akhtar/there-has-got-to-be-a-way-for-me-to-have-a-role-on-tv-or-in-film-that/) [Adeel Akhtar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adeel-akhtar/) > [I love casting against type and doing things you wouldn't expect, because I think you get more interesting performances that way. Hollywood loves to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-s-goyer/i-love-casting-against-type-and-doing-things-you-wouldn-t-expect/) [David S. Goyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-s-goyer/) > [I'm an actor, so I'm never going to feel like I've done enough.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/italia-ricci/i-m-an-actor-so-i-m-never-going-to-feel-like-i-ve-done-enough/) [Italia Ricci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/italia-ricci/) > [I am tired of our characters being so incomplete. When do we ever save the day in a film? When does a Latino actor…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/esai-morales/i-am-tired-of-our-characters-being-so-incomplete-when-do-we-ever-save/) [Esai Morales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/esai-morales/) > [When I was 13, I auditioned for the theater school, and I was there for four years. In the meantime, I did my first…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ana-de-armas/when-i-was-13-i-auditioned-for-the-theater-school-and-i-was-there-for/) [Ana de Armas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ana-de-armas/) > [If you stood me in a costume next to a computer graphic of the same-looking character, I think there would be a difference. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warwick-davis/if-you-stood-me-in-a-costume-next-to-a-computer-graphic-of-the-same/) [Warwick Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warwick-davis/) > [failure in the theater is more public, more brilliant, more unreal than in any other field.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lillian-hellman/failure-in-the-theater-is-more-public-more-brilliant-more-unreal-than/) [Lillian Hellman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lillian-hellman/) > [I'm a character actor - always have been, always will be - and historically, character actors don't come into their own until later in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annie-potts/i-m-a-character-actor-always-have-been-always-will-be-and/) [Annie Potts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annie-potts/) > [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/) > [I never planned to do female roles. It just happened. I was typecast.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/divine/i-never-planned-to-do-female-roles-it-just-happened-i-was-typecast/) [Divine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/divine/) > [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/) [Browse all 21,590 Actor quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actor/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I knew I wanted to be an actor when I was growing up, really. 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