--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Acting is a cruel enough business. One…" description: "\"Acting is a cruel enough business. One minute everyones going Hey! and the next theyre going Who?. You certainly dont need people knowing your private ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7c4/jack-davenport-25440_acting_acting-is-a-cruel-enough-business-one-mi_3073388.jpg" --- # Acting is a cruel enough business. One minute everyones… ![“Acting is a cruel enough business. One minute everyones going Hey! and the next theyre going Who?. You certainly dont need people knowing your private business, especially if you want to come out with your head still attached.” quote by Jack Davenport](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7c4/jack-davenport-25440_acting_acting-is-a-cruel-enough-business-one-mi_3073388.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7c4/jack-davenport-25440_acting_acting-is-a-cruel-enough-business-one-mi_3073388.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7c4/jack-davenport-25440_acting_acting-is-a-cruel-enough-business-one-mi_3073388.jpg) > “Acting is a cruel enough business. One minute everyones going Hey! and the next theyre going Who?. You certainly dont need people knowing your private business, especially if you want to come out with your head still attached.” [Jack Davenport](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-davenport/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Acting demands constant self‑protection and secrecy; fame can quickly turn hostile. **In simple terms:** Acting is risky and private. Key Takeaway Guard your personal life. Themes privacy celebrity trust vulnerability Mood cautious reflective Type advice observational When to use this quote - film sets - celebrity interviews - social media - public appearances Key Concepts image management public perception psychological resilience Questions to Reflect On - How do you maintain authenticity under scrutiny? - What boundaries protect you? A Different Perspective The industry can also offer supportive networks and mentorship. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Acting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/acting/) [Actor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actor/) [Business](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/business/) [One minute](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/one-minute/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) ## Related quotes > [Acting is a cruel enough business. One minute everyone's going 'Hey!' and the next they're going 'Who?'. You certainly don't need people knowing your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-davenport/acting-is-a-cruel-enough-business-one-minute-everyone-s-going-hey-and/) [Jack Davenport](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-davenport/) > [War is a grim, cruel business, a business justified only as a means of sustaining the forces of good against those of evil.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwight-d-eisenhower/war-is-a-grim-cruel-business-a-business-justified-only-as-a-means-of/) [Dwight D. Eisenhower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwight-d-eisenhower/) > [You can't expect to draw people into your life who are kind, confident, and generous if you're thinking and acting in cruel, weak, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-dyer/you-can-t-expect-to-draw-people-into-your-life-who-are-kind-confident/) [Wayne Dyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wayne-dyer/) > [Acting can be a very cruel mistress. It's not a meritocracy. In other walks of life, by being good at what you do, you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-strong/acting-can-be-a-very-cruel-mistress-it-s-not-a-meritocracy-in-other/) [Mark Strong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-strong/) > [Oh, you think you're so cool. Going around and acting very cruel. You know what? While you've been hurting people who you actually love,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/oh-you-think-you-re-so-cool-going-around-and-acting-very-cruel-you/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Most of my songs have names of people I've met or are dear to me. There are people who have privacy issues and about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taylor-swift/most-of-my-songs-have-names-of-people-i-ve-met-or-are-dear-to-me/) [Taylor Swift](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taylor-swift/) > [I've grown up knowing that you put as much of your private life out there as you feel comfortable with.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lily-collins/i-ve-grown-up-knowing-that-you-put-as-much-of-your-private-life-out/) [Lily Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lily-collins/) > [I do not Tweet, I do not social network, I try to stay out of it. For me, I complain enough about people knowing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miley-cyrus/i-do-not-tweet-i-do-not-social-network-i-try-to-stay-out-of-it-for-me/) [Miley Cyrus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miley-cyrus/) > [“She wasn’t comfortable with the term boyfriend even when she did have one, and she hated everybody knowing her private business.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-brashares/she-wasn-t-comfortable-with-the-term-boyfriend-even-when-she-did-have/) [Ann Brashares](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-brashares/) > [If someone's performance is down we do not say, 'Hey pick up your things here.' We do not yell and scream at them, we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-sinek/if-someone-s-performance-is-down-we-do-not-say-hey-pick-up-your/) [Simon Sinek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-sinek/) > [I've been through so much in my life. I've seen so much. I know how fast things can change. I know someone can be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-marie-presley/i-ve-been-through-so-much-in-my-life-i-ve-seen-so-much-i-know-how/) [Lisa Marie Presley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-marie-presley/) > [from one minute to the next the present is merely an honorary past. It must be filled unceasingly anew to dissemble the curse it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simone-de-beauvoir/from-one-minute-to-the-next-the-present-is-merely-an-honorary-past-it/) [Simone de Beauvoir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simone-de-beauvoir/) > [An hour and thirty-one minutes after launch, my pressure altimeter halts at 103,300 feet. At ground control the radar altimeters also have stopped-on readings…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-kittinger/an-hour-and-thirty-one-minutes-after-launch-my-pressure-altimeter/) Joseph Kittinger > [One of the Canadian customs guards got suspicious and said 'Haven't you been coming and going across the border a lot lately?' I finally…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hugh-jackman/one-of-the-canadian-customs-guards-got-suspicious-and-said-haven-t/) [Hugh Jackman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hugh-jackman/) > [All Germany was in turmoil. Revolutionaries seized power in the cities of Munich, Hanover and Cologne. One regional German government after another was toppled…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-cross-giblin/all-germany-was-in-turmoil-revolutionaries-seized-power-in-the-cities/) James Cross Giblin ## More by Jack Davenport > [People tell me that Hollywood loves new faces, but I don't know. They're probably just being nice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-davenport/people-tell-me-that-hollywood-loves-new-faces-but-i-don-t-know-they/) [Jack Davenport](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-davenport/) > [If you do something and it proves to be a success, then people go 'get him to do that type of thing again, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-davenport/if-you-do-something-and-it-proves-to-be-a-success-then-people-go-get/) [Jack Davenport](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-davenport/) > [When you look to the past, don't sit and dwell on your regrets. Instead, focus on the things you learned from each experience and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-davenport/when-you-look-to-the-past-don-t-sit-and-dwell-on-your-regrets-instead/) [Jack Davenport](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-davenport/) > [During my childhood, I was surrounded by actors and all I remember is they were fun to be around. That kind of sticks.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-davenport/during-my-childhood-i-was-surrounded-by-actors-and-all-i-remember-is/) [Jack Davenport](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-davenport/) > [I don't get recognised that much in the street.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-davenport/i-don-t-get-recognised-that-much-in-the-street/) [Jack Davenport](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-davenport/) > [Adult actors are really childish, and thats nice to be around when youre a kid. 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So the big reason I wanted to be an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-davenport/adult-actors-are-really-childish-and-that-s-nice-to-be-around-when/) [Jack Davenport](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-davenport/) > [Ask Mother for advice on breaking into show business.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-davenport/ask-mother-for-advice-on-breaking-into-show-business/) [Jack Davenport](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-davenport/) > [My maternal grandmother, Penelope, was a very big figure in my life. She was a child of the Raj, born in India, a debutante…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-davenport/my-maternal-grandmother-penelope-was-a-very-big-figure-in-my-life-she/) [Jack Davenport](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-davenport/) > [Cue actor platitude, but I've been very fortunate and worked pretty consistently and have felt rather annoyingly grateful that I got to do what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-davenport/cue-actor-platitude-but-i-ve-been-very-fortunate-and-worked-pretty/) [Jack Davenport](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-davenport/) [Explore all 23 Jack Davenport quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-davenport/) ## 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 > [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": "Acting is a cruel enough business. One minute everyones going Hey! and the next theyre going Who?. 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