--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Before acting, I wanted to become a…" description: "\"Before acting, I wanted to become a journalist. I also toyed with the idea of being a chef - but that's only when people asked me what I wanted to be. ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/546/ian-mckellen-1396_acting_before-acting-i-wanted-to-become-a-journ_132146.jpg" --- # Before acting, I wanted to become a journalist. I also… ![“Before acting, I wanted to become a journalist. I also toyed with the idea of being a chef - but that's only when people asked me what I wanted to be. In fact, I always used to say I wanted to be an actor, but I didn't ever believe that I was good enough to be come one.” quote by Ian Mckellen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/546/ian-mckellen-1396_acting_before-acting-i-wanted-to-become-a-journ_132146.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/546/ian-mckellen-1396_acting_before-acting-i-wanted-to-become-a-journ_132146.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/546/ian-mckellen-1396_acting_before-acting-i-wanted-to-become-a-journ_132146.jpg) > “Before acting, I wanted to become a journalist. I also toyed with the idea of being a chef - but that's only when people asked me what I wanted to be. In fact, I always used to say I wanted to be an actor, but I didn't ever believe that I was good enough to be come one.” [Ian Mckellen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-mckellen/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He explored journalism, cooking, and acting, doubting his acting talent. **In simple terms:** He tried many paths, unsure of acting. Key Takeaway Embrace uncertainty in career exploration. Themes career self‑doubt exploration Mood introspective encouraging Type personal motivational When to use this quote - media work - culinary arts - theatre Key Concepts Identity formation skill development Questions to Reflect On - What holds you back from a dream? - How can you test your abilities? A Different Perspective Self‑doubt can limit potential. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Acting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/acting/) [Acting Wanted](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/acting-wanted-686720/) [Actor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actor/) [Actor Didn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actor-didn/) [Believe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/believe/) [Chef](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/chef/) [Enough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/enough/) [Good enough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-enough/) [Journalist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/journalist/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Theatre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/theatre/) [Used](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/used/) [Wanted](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wanted/) [Wanted Actor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wanted-actor/) ## Related quotes > [I knew that I wanted to be an actor. Then it became about whether acting wanted me.So, I gave it a shot. It hasn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-san-giacomo/i-knew-that-i-wanted-to-be-an-actor-then-it-became-about-whether/) [Laura San Giacomo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-san-giacomo/) > [I come from Nova Scotia, and I'd never seen a theater or been inside of a theater. When I was 17, my dad asked…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-sutherland/i-come-from-nova-scotia-and-i-d-never-seen-a-theater-or-been-inside/) [Donald Sutherland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-sutherland/) > [I definitely wanted to be an actor. I didn't want to be on TV, I didn't want to be famous, I didn't want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-graham/i-definitely-wanted-to-be-an-actor-i-didn-t-want-to-be-on-tv-i-didn-t/) [Lauren Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-graham/) > [I wanted to be a doctor when I was young. I also wanted to be a paramedic, but I always wanted to be an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-parker/i-wanted-to-be-a-doctor-when-i-was-young-i-also-wanted-to-be-a/) [Christopher Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-parker/) > [I went to my school careers counselors and said I wanted to be an actor, and they didn't know what to do. They showed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-mcdormand/i-went-to-my-school-careers-counselors-and-said-i-wanted-to-be-an/) [Frances McDormand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-mcdormand/) > [Cook with Comali' was a rebirth of sorts for me. I never wanted to be on television because I wanted to be an actor.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashwin-kumar/cook-with-comali-was-a-rebirth-of-sorts-for-me-i-never-wanted-to-be/) [Ashwin Kumar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashwin-kumar/) > [I've always wanted to be an actor, but I didn't know how to become one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/poorna-jagannathan/i-ve-always-wanted-to-be-an-actor-but-i-didn-t-know-how-to-become-one/) [Poorna Jagannathan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/poorna-jagannathan/) > [I knew I wanted to be an actor but didn't know how to go about it. That's why my ambition, initially, was not to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mithila-palkar/i-knew-i-wanted-to-be-an-actor-but-didn-t-know-how-to-go-about-it/) [Mithila Palkar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mithila-palkar/) > [I wanted to become an actor so I didn't have to put on a suit and sell insurance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-winters/i-wanted-to-become-an-actor-so-i-didn-t-have-to-put-on-a-suit-and/) [Dean Winters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-winters/) > [I had been nine years in the theatre and hadn't had massive success. My only thing was I wanted to be an actor and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-caine/i-had-been-nine-years-in-the-theatre-and-hadn-t-had-massive-success/) [Michael Caine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-caine/) > [Well, I knew I wanted to be an actor, and I didn't necessarily need or want to be famous or a celebrity actor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenna-fischer/well-i-knew-i-wanted-to-be-an-actor-and-i-didn-t-necessarily-need-or/) [Jenna Fischer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenna-fischer/) > [There were reports that my elder daughter Ashwami was in 'Dabangg 3,' but she is a chef, and never wanted to be an actor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahesh-manjrekar/there-were-reports-that-my-elder-daughter-ashwami-was-in-dabangg-3/) [Mahesh Manjrekar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahesh-manjrekar/) > [When I initially started acting, all I wanted to do was to be in one movie. That's it. That was my goal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-beach/when-i-initially-started-acting-all-i-wanted-to-do-was-to-be-in-one/) [Adam Beach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-beach/) > [Acting is something I always wanted to try after wrestling, and I felt like this was a perfect fit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shawn-michaels/acting-is-something-i-always-wanted-to-try-after-wrestling-and-i-felt/) [Shawn Michaels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shawn-michaels/) > [I'd always wanted to act, but it was a question of whether acting wanted me and whether the movies wanted me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anjelica-huston/i-d-always-wanted-to-act-but-it-was-a-question-of-whether-acting/) [Anjelica Huston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anjelica-huston/) ## More by Ian Mckellen > [I've always longed for the theatre and acting to be popular. No actor wants to play to an empty house. We only do it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-mckellen/i-ve-always-longed-for-the-theatre-and-acting-to-be-popular-no-actor/) [Ian Mckellen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-mckellen/) > [It's my impression that I've done every job that I've been asked to do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-mckellen/it-s-my-impression-that-i-ve-done-every-job-that-i-ve-been-asked-to-do/) [Ian Mckellen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-mckellen/) > [I'm fortunate to be famous for two rather imposing characters like Magneto and Gandalf.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-mckellen/i-m-fortunate-to-be-famous-for-two-rather-imposing-characters-like/) [Ian Mckellen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-mckellen/) > [Tolkien is as good as Dickens at sketching a scene.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-mckellen/tolkien-is-as-good-as-dickens-at-sketching-a-scene/) [Ian Mckellen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-mckellen/) > [If you are playing King Lear you are the centre of attention anyway. You don't need to draw attention to yourself. It's all laid…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-mckellen/if-you-are-playing-king-lear-you-are-the-centre-of-attention-anyway/) [Ian Mckellen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-mckellen/) > [Godot is whatever it is in life that you are waiting for: 'I'm waiting to win the lottery. I'm waiting to fall in love'.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-mckellen/godot-is-whatever-it-is-in-life-that-you-are-waiting-for-i-m-waiting/) [Ian Mckellen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-mckellen/) > [I'm only an actor. I'm not a writer. I'm not going to leave any legacy. All I've ever done is learn the lines and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-mckellen/i-m-only-an-actor-i-m-not-a-writer-i-m-not-going-to-leave-any-legacy/) [Ian Mckellen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-mckellen/) > [I'd never read 'Lord of the Rings' until I was asked to play Gandalf, so I didn't really know it was a frightfully famous…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-mckellen/i-d-never-read-lord-of-the-rings-until-i-was-asked-to-play-gandalf-so/) [Ian Mckellen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-mckellen/) > [You might be surprised by how interested young people are in older people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-mckellen/you-might-be-surprised-by-how-interested-young-people-are-in-older/) [Ian Mckellen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-mckellen/) > [The strength of British theatre should be that these actors in their middle years know what they're doing and are good at it. Not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-mckellen/the-strength-of-british-theatre-should-be-that-these-actors-in-their/) [Ian Mckellen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-mckellen/) > [Until I came out, my acting was all about disguise, and thereafter it became about telling the truth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-mckellen/until-i-came-out-my-acting-was-all-about-disguise-and-thereafter-it/) [Ian Mckellen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-mckellen/) > [Elijah looks angelic but his beauty of spirit is what makes his Frodo leap out of the screen. Unalloyed goodness is one of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-mckellen/elijah-looks-angelic-but-his-beauty-of-spirit-is-what-makes-his-frodo/) [Ian Mckellen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-mckellen/) > ['The Lego Movie?' I've never heard of it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-mckellen/the-lego-movie-i-ve-never-heard-of-it/) [Ian Mckellen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-mckellen/) > [When I appeared in 'Coronation Street,' I lived in Manchester and enjoyed it very much.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-mckellen/when-i-appeared-in-coronation-street-i-lived-in-manchester-and/) [Ian Mckellen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-mckellen/) > [Doing some of the 'Lord Of The Rings' press junkets got a bit claustrophobic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-mckellen/doing-some-of-the-lord-of-the-rings-press-junkets-got-a-bit/) [Ian Mckellen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-mckellen/) [Explore all 247 Ian Mckellen quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-mckellen/) ## 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": "Before acting, I wanted to become a journalist. I also toyed with the idea of being a chef - but that's only when people asked me what I wanted to be. In fact, I always used to say I wanted to be an actor, but I didn't ever believe that I was good enough to be come one.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Ian Mckellen" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-mckellen/before-acting-i-wanted-to-become-a-journalist-i-also-toyed-with-the/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Acting" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-mckellen/before-acting-i-wanted-to-become-a-journalist-i-also-toyed-with-the/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/546/ian-mckellen-1396_acting_before-acting-i-wanted-to-become-a-journ_132146.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/546/ian-mckellen-1396_acting_before-acting-i-wanted-to-become-a-journ_132146.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/546/ian-mckellen-1396_acting_before-acting-i-wanted-to-become-a-journ_132146.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Before acting, I wanted to become a journalist. I also toyed with the idea of being a chef - but that's only…” — Ian Mckellen", "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": "Ian Mckellen", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-mckellen/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Before acting, I wanted to become...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-mckellen/before-acting-i-wanted-to-become-a-journalist-i-also-toyed-with-the/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-mckellen/before-acting-i-wanted-to-become-a-journalist-i-also-toyed-with-the/#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 } } ] } ```