---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: My friends are my family."
description: "\"My friends are my family.\" — Ian Mckellen"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/af4/ian-mckellen-1396_family_my-friends-are-my-family-686147_686147.jpg"
---

#  My friends are my family.

![“My friends are my family.” quote by Ian Mckellen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/af4/ian-mckellen-1396_family_my-friends-are-my-family-686147_686147.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/af4/ian-mckellen-1396_family_my-friends-are-my-family-686147_686147.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/af4/ian-mckellen-1396_family_my-friends-are-my-family-686147_686147.jpg)

> “My friends are my family.”

[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.

Friends provide deep emotional support and shared experiences akin to family bonds.

**In simple terms:** Friends are like family.

Key Takeaway

Cherish and nurture close friendships.

Themes

relationships support family

Mood

warm reflective

Type

personal inspirational

When to use this quote

- life milestones
- daily life
- times crises

Key Concepts

social bonds emotional intimacy

Questions to Reflect On

- How do you show appreciation for close friends?
- What makes a friend feel like family?

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Family](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/family/) [Friends](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/friends/) [Friends Family](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/friends-family/) [Friendship](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/friendship/)

## Related quotes

> [I have friends and family that identify as LGBTQ.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-mace/i-have-friends-and-family-that-identify-as-lgbtq/)

[Nancy Mace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-mace/)

> [Family over friends, because real friends are family](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/family-over-friends-because-real-friends-are-family/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [I really miss the Australian lifestyle and being around my friends and family.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathaniel-buzolic/i-really-miss-the-australian-lifestyle-and-being-around-my-friends/)

[Nathaniel Buzolic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathaniel-buzolic/)

> [“I had no one before Rose. No true friends. No family, not really. Now I have her. I have people I care about. People…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/krista-ritchie/i-had-no-one-before-rose-no-true-friends-no-family-not-really-now-i/)

[Krista Ritchie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/krista-ritchie/)

> [My friends and family are my support system. They tell me what I need to hear, not what I want to hear and they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelly-clarkson/my-friends-and-family-are-my-support-system-they-tell-me-what-i-need/)

[Kelly Clarkson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelly-clarkson/)

> [My mom is real passionate and a family-first woman. She always told me that just because I can shoot a basketball better than someone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/derrick-rose/my-mom-is-real-passionate-and-a-family-first-woman-she-always-told-me/)

[Derrick Rose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/derrick-rose/)

> [Nice people hate saying 'no' to their friends and family, that's why they get used and taken advantage of.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonya-parker/nice-people-hate-saying-no-to-their-friends-and-family-that-s-why/)

[Sonya Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonya-parker/)

> [I am not somebody who likes to give advice, or anything like that, unless it's my closest friends or family.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penelope-cruz/i-am-not-somebody-who-likes-to-give-advice-or-anything-like-that/)

[Penelope Cruz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penelope-cruz/)

> [As we progress and become more like the Savior, we can strengthen every group with whom we associate, including families and friends.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-b-wirthlin/as-we-progress-and-become-more-like-the-savior-we-can-strengthen/)

[Joseph B. Wirthlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-b-wirthlin/)

> [Strangers can become friends and friends can become best friends and best friends can become family but it sucks when your best friend becomes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/strangers-can-become-friends-and-friends-can-become-best-friends-and/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [LoveLoud isn't just for the youth, but also their families and friends. They can attend and become educated on how to truly love and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-reynolds/loveloud-isn-t-just-for-the-youth-but-also-their-families-and-friends/)

[Dan Reynolds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-reynolds/)

> [It's very important for me to spend time with my family and my friends and disconnect.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-cooper/it-s-very-important-for-me-to-spend-time-with-my-family-and-my/)

[Alex Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-cooper/)

> [When you share a meal with friends and family, remember that their company is more important than the location, the food... or your phone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritu-ghatourey/when-you-share-a-meal-with-friends-and-family-remember-that-their/)

[Ritu Ghatourey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ritu-ghatourey/)

> [“The thought of friends or family enjoying themselves in my absence gives me the heebie-jeebies.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/connor-franta/the-thought-of-friends-or-family-enjoying-themselves-in-my-absence/)

[Connor Franta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/connor-franta/)

> [I am in love with myself, with my friends, with my family, with kids, with life and my movies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hansika-motwani/i-am-in-love-with-myself-with-my-friends-with-my-family-with-kids/)

[Hansika Motwani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hansika-motwani/)

## 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/)

> [Before acting, I wanted to become a journalist. I also toyed with the idea of being a chef - but that's only when people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-mckellen/before-acting-i-wanted-to-become-a-journalist-i-also-toyed-with-the/)

[Ian Mckellen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-mckellen/)

[Explore all 247 Ian Mckellen quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-mckellen/)

## More Family quotes

> [I was 3-years-old - to this day it is a vivid memory. My family and I were on a boat, catching fish. As one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joaquin-phoenix/i-was-3-years-old-to-this-day-it-is-a-vivid-memory-my-family-and-i/)

[Joaquin Phoenix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joaquin-phoenix/)

> [One can put some trust in the gratitude of a sovereign, and also in that of his family; under certain conditions, one can even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/otto-von-bismarck/one-can-put-some-trust-in-the-gratitude-of-a-sovereign-and-also-in/)

[Otto von Bismarck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/otto-von-bismarck/)

> [Social responsibility above the level of family, or at most of tribe, requires imagination-- devotion, loyalty, all the higher virtues -- which a man…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-heinlein/social-responsibility-above-the-level-of-family-or-at-most-of-tribe/)

[Robert A. Heinlein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-heinlein/)

> [“ever day Maureen is Selfish To her friend and Family One she get mad at her friend and family and She need to Grad…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maureen-andeson/ever-day-maureen-is-selfish-to-her-friend-and-family-one-she-get-mad/)

[Maureen Andeson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maureen-andeson/)

> [Our concept of a family holiday was going to a guest house in the Lake district or Wales where walking was part of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-bannister/our-concept-of-a-family-holiday-was-going-to-a-guest-house-in-the/)

[Roger Bannister](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-bannister/)

> [“So Jace is my actual family," Kit said. "But I can't go live with him, because him and his hot girlfriend are going off…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/so-jace-is-my-actual-family-kit-said-but-i-can-t-go-live-with-him/)

[Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/)

> [I have friends and family that identify as LGBTQ.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-mace/i-have-friends-and-family-that-identify-as-lgbtq/)

[Nancy Mace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-mace/)

> [Her dignity consists in being unknown to the world; her glory is in the esteem of her husband; her pleasures in the happiness of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-jacques-rousseau/her-dignity-consists-in-being-unknown-to-the-world-her-glory-is-in/)

[Jean-Jacques Rousseau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-jacques-rousseau/)

> [It's not just that families can't buy a home or start a business without some savings tucked away.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-cooper/it-s-not-just-that-families-can-t-buy-a-home-or-start-a-business/)

[Jim Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-cooper/)

> [“She knew how to play him so very well. He slipped his hand around hers. "Friends," he repeated roughly. Her smile was bright enough…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathryn-smith/she-knew-how-to-play-him-so-very-well-he-slipped-his-hand-around-hers/)

[Kathryn Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathryn-smith/)

> [As a family, we all loved the Flyers. To me, rooting for the Flyers were how I bonded with my dad especially.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-f-goldberg/as-a-family-we-all-loved-the-flyers-to-me-rooting-for-the-flyers-were/)

[Adam F. Goldberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-f-goldberg/)

> [The people have always been family to me here in Las Vegas. The people have always been very, very kind to me, and it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randall-cunningham/the-people-have-always-been-family-to-me-here-in-las-vegas-the-people/)

[Randall Cunningham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randall-cunningham/)

> [“Your relationship with your brother will be, in many ways, the most complex and bewildering of all the interpersonal connections you will form. An…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-currie-jr/your-relationship-with-your-brother-will-be-in-many-ways-the-most/)

[Ron Currie Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-currie-jr/)

> [I've long believed one of the mainsprings of our own liberty has been the widespread ownership of property among our people and the expectation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/i-ve-long-believed-one-of-the-mainsprings-of-our-own-liberty-has-been/)

[Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/)

> [Family over friends, because real friends are family](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/family-over-friends-because-real-friends-are-family/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

[Browse all 36,913 Family quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/family/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "My friends are my family.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Ian Mckellen"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-mckellen/my-friends-are-my-family/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Family"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-mckellen/my-friends-are-my-family/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/af4/ian-mckellen-1396_family_my-friends-are-my-family-686147_686147.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/af4/ian-mckellen-1396_family_my-friends-are-my-family-686147_686147.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/af4/ian-mckellen-1396_family_my-friends-are-my-family-686147_686147.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“My friends are my family.” — 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": "My friends are my family.",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-mckellen/my-friends-are-my-family/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-mckellen/my-friends-are-my-family/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
