--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I'd rather a young black actor read about…" description: "\"I'd rather a young black actor read about success as opposed to how tough it was. I get these roles because I can act and that's it. Hopefully that's i..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/63a/idris-elba-3366_actor_i-d-rather-a-young-black-actor-read-abou_1721084.png" --- # I'd rather a young black actor read about success as… ![“I'd rather a young black actor read about success as opposed to how tough it was. I get these roles because I can act and that's it. Hopefully that's it.” quote by Idris Elba](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/63a/idris-elba-3366_actor_i-d-rather-a-young-black-actor-read-abou_1721084.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/63a/idris-elba-3366_actor_i-d-rather-a-young-black-actor-read-abou_1721084.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/63a/idris-elba-3366_actor_i-d-rather-a-young-black-actor-read-abou_1721084.png) > “I'd rather a young black actor read about success as opposed to how tough it was. I get these roles because I can act and that's it. Hopefully that's it.” [Idris Elba](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/idris-elba/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He believes casting should focus on talent, not race, and that success stories are more valuable than hardship narratives. **In simple terms:** Focus on talent over race. Key Takeaway Prioritize skill, not background. Themes talent representation success race industry Mood reflective critical Type statement opinion When to use this quote - auditions - casting decisions - career advice - industry diversity - public perception Key Concepts colorblind casting meritocracy Questions to Reflect On - How can the industry balance talent with representation? - What impact does ignoring race have on opportunities? A Different Perspective May overlook systemic barriers faced by minorities. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Actor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actor/) [Actors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actors/) [Black Actor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/black-actor/) [Success](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/success/) [Theatre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/theatre/) ## Related quotes > [Im so bored of answering that. Are there differences between black actors opportunities and white actors opportunities? Yes, there are. Its been said. Id…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/idris-elba/im-so-bored-of-answering-that-are-there-differences-between-black/) [Idris Elba](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/idris-elba/) > [I dig those kinds of roles where I have to dig down and find some internal motivation. I like tough roles.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-rooker/i-dig-those-kinds-of-roles-where-i-have-to-dig-down-and-find-some/) [Michael Rooker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-rooker/) > [Most people say I look mean, and because I play so many tough roles and because of my size and my martial arts background,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-jai-white/most-people-say-i-look-mean-and-because-i-play-so-many-tough-roles/) [Michael Jai White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-jai-white/) > [Every actress has to face the facts there are younger, more beautiful girls right behind you. Once you've gone beyond the vanity of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-simmons/every-actress-has-to-face-the-facts-there-are-younger-more-beautiful/) [Jean Simmons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-simmons/) > [I think that's all you can hope for as an actor when you read a script; that after the first thirty pages it has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cary-elwes/i-think-that-s-all-you-can-hope-for-as-an-actor-when-you-read-a/) [Cary Elwes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cary-elwes/) > [Sitting down for the actor read when you first get together, it's like the Last Supper because you don't know who will be there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miranda-otto/sitting-down-for-the-actor-read-when-you-first-get-together-it-s-like/) [Miranda Otto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miranda-otto/) > [An actor must read a lot. Books not only make one a good actor but also a better human being.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pankaj-tripathi/an-actor-must-read-a-lot-books-not-only-make-one-a-good-actor-but/) [Pankaj Tripathi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pankaj-tripathi/) > [You're not actually being a good actor all the time. But people refer to me as a good actor because they read it someplace,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-siddig/you-re-not-actually-being-a-good-actor-all-the-time-but-people-refer/) [Alexander Siddig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-siddig/) > [You know you don't have to be an actor when you read a book to a child. All you need is to simply love…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-rogers/you-know-you-don-t-have-to-be-an-actor-when-you-read-a-book-to-a/) [Fred Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-rogers/) > [It's weird how an actor can read a script and think 'it's really good, it's really funny, that's going to be really dramatic...' and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-bell/it-s-weird-how-an-actor-can-read-a-script-and-think-it-s-really-good/) [Jamie Bell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-bell/) > [I barely read. I'm not a good reader at all. Rather than reading, I used to sit in front of the TV and watch…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-poulter/i-barely-read-i-m-not-a-good-reader-at-all-rather-than-reading-i-used/) [Will Poulter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-poulter/) > [I think there's something fun about television where, as an actor, when you read the script each week, it's like how the audience experiences…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-barr/i-think-there-s-something-fun-about-television-where-as-an-actor-when/) [Matt Barr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-barr/) > [You get into these executive offices, and people say, 'Oh, we have this project. Wait a minute, guys, we need diversity - let's choose…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aldis-hodge/you-get-into-these-executive-offices-and-people-say-oh-we-have-this/) [Aldis Hodge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aldis-hodge/) > [The pilots I did test for, I was the only black actor testing against white actors for parts that were written white.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-august-richards/the-pilots-i-did-test-for-i-was-the-only-black-actor-testing-against/) [J. August Richards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-august-richards/) > [You know what? I never really factor Hollywood into anything. I'm a black actor, so I can't really control what Hollywood thinks. I gotta…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-foxx/you-know-what-i-never-really-factor-hollywood-into-anything-i-m-a/) [Jamie Foxx](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-foxx/) ## More by Idris Elba > [Apparently, Daniel Craig said I'd be a great Bond. Daniel, why did you say that? Dropped me right in it! What an honor it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/idris-elba/apparently-daniel-craig-said-i-d-be-a-great-bond-daniel-why-did-you/) [Idris Elba](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/idris-elba/) > [It's weird because my parents don't really understand my business. I get fan mail all day long, but if a piece happens to get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/idris-elba/it-s-weird-because-my-parents-don-t-really-understand-my-business-i/) [Idris Elba](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/idris-elba/) > [As an actor, you're trained to do the right thing, be politically correct, say your lines, say the right thing about the people you're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/idris-elba/as-an-actor-you-re-trained-to-do-the-right-thing-be-politically/) [Idris Elba](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/idris-elba/) > [There's the argument that you can relate to someone who's completely unrelatable. In the way that a director shows you his imagination on a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/idris-elba/there-s-the-argument-that-you-can-relate-to-someone-who-s-completely/) [Idris Elba](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/idris-elba/) > [Why work so hard to have a life...But kill ourselves to earn a living?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/idris-elba/why-work-so-hard-to-have-a-life-but-kill-ourselves-to-earn-a-living/) [Idris Elba](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/idris-elba/) > [I just played indoor football for the first time since tearing my Achilles playing the same game...I'm HEELED!!! Get it!!??.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/idris-elba/i-just-played-indoor-football-for-the-first-time-since-tearing-my/) [Idris Elba](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/idris-elba/) > [I was really ambitious, so I was innovative. I was one of the first DJs to do live calls, 'cause I found this phone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/idris-elba/i-was-really-ambitious-so-i-was-innovative-i-was-one-of-the-first-djs/) [Idris Elba](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/idris-elba/) > [If I was gonna go to jail, I don't want to go to jail for stealing a bottle of water. I'll steal that $20…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/idris-elba/if-i-was-gonna-go-to-jail-i-don-t-want-to-go-to-jail-for-stealing-a/) [Idris Elba](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/idris-elba/) > [My Father always told me that a fool at 40 is a fool for life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/idris-elba/my-father-always-told-me-that-a-fool-at-40-is-a-fool-for-life/) [Idris Elba](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/idris-elba/) > [I'm rebelling against being handed a career, like, 'You're the next this; you're the next that.' I'm not the next anything, I'm the first…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/idris-elba/i-m-rebelling-against-being-handed-a-career-like-you-re-the-next-this/) [Idris Elba](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/idris-elba/) > [The people that matter to me don't mind who I am and the people that mind, don't matter.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/idris-elba/the-people-that-matter-to-me-don-t-mind-who-i-am-and-the-people-that/) [Idris Elba](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/idris-elba/) > [As much as it's nice to step into that massive world of Hollywood and be a big, famous actor, I prefer the career of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/idris-elba/as-much-as-it-s-nice-to-step-into-that-massive-world-of-hollywood-and/) [Idris Elba](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/idris-elba/) > [I've always had ambition, and the acting was successful and put my name on the map, but it was never the plan to stop…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/idris-elba/i-ve-always-had-ambition-and-the-acting-was-successful-and-put-my/) [Idris Elba](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/idris-elba/) > [It's actually quite criminal how 'The Wire' was systematically ignored.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/idris-elba/it-s-actually-quite-criminal-how-the-wire-was-systematically-ignored/) [Idris Elba](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/idris-elba/) > [I have one of these bodies. When I was younger, I could never put weight on, and now that I'm a little older, there's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/idris-elba/i-have-one-of-these-bodies-when-i-was-younger-i-could-never-put/) [Idris Elba](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/idris-elba/) [Explore all 132 Idris Elba quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/idris-elba/) ## 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'd rather a young black actor read about success as opposed to how tough it was. I get these roles because I can act and that's it. 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