---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: To be allowed for the first time in your…"
description: "\"To be allowed for the first time in your later career to play leading parts in extremely popular movies is not a situation to worry about.\" — Ian Mckellen"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bea/ian-mckellen-1396_about_to-be-allowed-for-the-first-time-in-your_945000.jpg"
---

#  To be allowed for the first time in your later career to…

![“To be allowed for the first time in your later career to play leading parts in extremely popular movies is not a situation to worry about.” quote by Ian Mckellen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bea/ian-mckellen-1396_about_to-be-allowed-for-the-first-time-in-your_945000.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bea/ian-mckellen-1396_about_to-be-allowed-for-the-first-time-in-your_945000.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bea/ian-mckellen-1396_about_to-be-allowed-for-the-first-time-in-your_945000.jpg)

> “To be allowed for the first time in your later career to play leading parts in extremely popular movies is not a situation to worry about.”

[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.

Playing leading roles late in a career is a rare honor, not a cause for anxiety.

**In simple terms:** Late career leading roles are a privilege.

Key Takeaway

Embrace the opportunity confidently.

Themes

career achievement confidence

Mood

proud optimistic

Type

inspirational reflective

When to use this quote

- accepting new projects
- managing expectations
- public speaking

Key Concepts

legacy public perception industry dynamics

Questions to Reflect On

- How does this role change your self‑image?
- What risks do you anticipate?

A Different Perspective

May face typecasting or age bias.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Career](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/career/) [Movies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/movies/) [Play](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/play/) [Popular Movies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/popular-movies/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Worry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/worry/)

## Related quotes

> [Sometimes there are people who don't know how to make action movies - and that situation isn't a good one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-statham/sometimes-there-are-people-who-don-t-know-how-to-make-action-movies/)

[Jason Statham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-statham/)

> [I don't get offered leading parts. I suppose I've become a kind of character actor or sideman. I think it had to do with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-shepard/i-don-t-get-offered-leading-parts-i-suppose-i-ve-become-a-kind-of/)

[Sam Shepard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-shepard/)

> [I had already played a lead on Broadway before I ever did a film. I had had three, four seasons of stock with good,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-lemmon/i-had-already-played-a-lead-on-broadway-before-i-ever-did-a-film-i/)

[Jack Lemmon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-lemmon/)

> [MLS is a great league and other players have gone later in their career.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reece-james/mls-is-a-great-league-and-other-players-have-gone-later-in-their/)

[Reece James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reece-james/)

> [It wasn't until later in my career that I really focused on the importance on making an entrance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/finn-balor/it-wasn-t-until-later-in-my-career-that-i-really-focused-on-the/)

[Finn Balor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/finn-balor/)

> [Producing albums is 100 per cent where I would love to be, later in my career.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shura/producing-albums-is-100-per-cent-where-i-would-love-to-be-later-in-my/)

Shura

> [I found ways to maintain my performance through working with professionals and doing things that other people weren't doing. Later in my career, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edwin-moses/i-found-ways-to-maintain-my-performance-through-working-with/)

[Edwin Moses](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edwin-moses/)

> [I've seen what can happen to an actor when he's just working for the sake of working. All of a sudden it's ten years…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-pine/i-ve-seen-what-can-happen-to-an-actor-when-he-s-just-working-for-the/)

[Chris Pine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-pine/)

> [One thing is for sure, for the rest of this career, I will play this game how I want to play it and, while…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danny-rose/one-thing-is-for-sure-for-the-rest-of-this-career-i-will-play-this/)

[Danny Rose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danny-rose/)

> [As a professional, you want to get as much as you can out of your career, play at the top level, and win trophies.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-milner/as-a-professional-you-want-to-get-as-much-as-you-can-out-of-your/)

[James Milner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-milner/)

> [I enjoy my solo career because I get to play smaller places like clubs and theaters, and the interaction with the audience is much…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-walsh/i-enjoy-my-solo-career-because-i-get-to-play-smaller-places-like/)

[Joe Walsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-walsh/)

> [I've been working hard a lot since the beginning of my career, and to play 10 years consecutively in big clubs is not easy,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-luiz/i-ve-been-working-hard-a-lot-since-the-beginning-of-my-career-and-to/)

[David Luiz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-luiz/)

> [It's something I have always tried to do in my career - play outside the box.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-mays/it-s-something-i-have-always-tried-to-do-in-my-career-play-outside/)

[Daniel Mays](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-mays/)

> [If I had my career to play over, one thing I'd do differently is swing more. Those 1,200 walks I got, nobody remembers them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pee-wee-reese/if-i-had-my-career-to-play-over-one-thing-i-d-do-differently-is-swing/)

[Pee Wee Reese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pee-wee-reese/)

> [I think I've proven with my career that I can play a wide variety of characters. Yet, I still get typecast as the crazy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judah-friedlander/i-think-i-ve-proven-with-my-career-that-i-can-play-a-wide-variety-of/)

[Judah Friedlander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judah-friedlander/)

## 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 About quotes

> [If you ask an introvert a question, wait until she thinks about it. Introverts think before speaking, not through speaking. If you want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-helgoe/if-you-ask-an-introvert-a-question-wait-until-she-thinks-about-it/)

[Laurie Helgoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-helgoe/)

> [Joking about violence is not funny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/perez-hilton/joking-about-violence-is-not-funny/)

[Perez Hilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/perez-hilton/)

> [I talk to my mates about our kids, being too tired and being worn out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/holly-willoughby/i-talk-to-my-mates-about-our-kids-being-too-tired-and-being-worn-out/)

[Holly Willoughby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/holly-willoughby/)

> [With 'Pretty Girls,' I saw the opportunity to talk not just about crime but what crime leaves behind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karin-slaughter/with-pretty-girls-i-saw-the-opportunity-to-talk-not-just-about-crime/)

[Karin Slaughter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karin-slaughter/)

> [I write about presidents. That means I write about guys - so far. I'm interested in the people closest to them, the people they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doris-kearns-goodwin/i-write-about-presidents-that-means-i-write-about-guys-so-far-i-m/)

[Doris Kearns Goodwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doris-kearns-goodwin/)

> [That's something a lot of folks don't know about me - I'm pretty darn funny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-jai-white/that-s-something-a-lot-of-folks-don-t-know-about-me-i-m-pretty-darn/)

[Michael Jai White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-jai-white/)

> [I learned a lot about myself at Oakmont.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shane-lowry/i-learned-a-lot-about-myself-at-oakmont/)

[Shane Lowry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shane-lowry/)

> [I don't think about the press or the crowds or the other leaders of the race. The focus is only on myself. As soon…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/magdalena-neuner/i-don-t-think-about-the-press-or-the-crowds-or-the-other-leaders-of/)

[Magdalena Neuner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/magdalena-neuner/)

> [Sport is not just about entertainment. It is equally about winning and losing, pooling and galvanising the energy of the youth, upgrading people's physical…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nita-ambani/sport-is-not-just-about-entertainment-it-is-equally-about-winning-and/)

[Nita Ambani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nita-ambani/)

> [One of the ways that I discovered my confidence and my ability to overpower is becoming a mother. Suddenly, my world wasn't about myself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lights/one-of-the-ways-that-i-discovered-my-confidence-and-my-ability-to/)

[Lights](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lights/)

> [I didn't want to do 'Fashion Police' because I thought, 'This is stupid, this is beneath me, who wants to talk about fashion?' It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-rivers/i-didn-t-want-to-do-fashion-police-because-i-thought-this-is-stupid/)

[Joan Rivers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-rivers/)

> [I just worried about my weight. Worried about my appearance and thought I wan't pretty enough to be a pop star. It was very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-durham/i-just-worried-about-my-weight-worried-about-my-appearance-and/)

[Judith Durham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-durham/)

> [I read a couple of books about neuroscience and the relationship between the mind and the body.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-kinnaman/i-read-a-couple-of-books-about-neuroscience-and-the-relationship/)

[Joel Kinnaman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-kinnaman/)

> [There are a lot of kids out there copying and distributing movies - not because they care about seeing the movies or sharing them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-perry-barlow/there-are-a-lot-of-kids-out-there-copying-and-distributing-movies-not/)

[John Perry Barlow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-perry-barlow/)

> [I have no physical genius about me. I can't dribble a ball and run at the same time, I can't do lay-ups - I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rich-mullins/i-have-no-physical-genius-about-me-i-can-t-dribble-a-ball-and-run-at/)

[Rich Mullins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rich-mullins/)

Browse all 26,122 About quotes

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "To be allowed for the first time in your later career to play leading parts in extremely popular movies is not a situation to worry about.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Ian Mckellen"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-mckellen/to-be-allowed-for-the-first-time-in-your-later-career-to-play-leading/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "About"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-mckellen/to-be-allowed-for-the-first-time-in-your-later-career-to-play-leading/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bea/ian-mckellen-1396_about_to-be-allowed-for-the-first-time-in-your_945000.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bea/ian-mckellen-1396_about_to-be-allowed-for-the-first-time-in-your_945000.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bea/ian-mckellen-1396_about_to-be-allowed-for-the-first-time-in-your_945000.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“To be allowed for the first time in your later career to play leading parts in extremely popular movies is…” — 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": "To be allowed for the first...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-mckellen/to-be-allowed-for-the-first-time-in-your-later-career-to-play-leading/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-mckellen/to-be-allowed-for-the-first-time-in-your-later-career-to-play-leading/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
