--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The first role I ever played I had the…" description: "\"The first role I ever played I had the lead and it's pretty much stayed that way, though people take great relish in calling me a character actor, whic..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fd7/jack-nicholson-1283_actor_the-first-role-i-ever-played-i-had-the-l_611190.jpg" --- # The first role I ever played I had the lead and it's… ![“The first role I ever played I had the lead and it's pretty much stayed that way, though people take great relish in calling me a character actor, which I am. There are a lot of short parts I could play, but I only do them when they are like this ("A Few Good Men"), central to the idea of the movie.” quote by Jack Nicholson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fd7/jack-nicholson-1283_actor_the-first-role-i-ever-played-i-had-the-l_611190.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fd7/jack-nicholson-1283_actor_the-first-role-i-ever-played-i-had-the-l_611190.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fd7/jack-nicholson-1283_actor_the-first-role-i-ever-played-i-had-the-l_611190.jpg) > “The first role I ever played I had the lead and it's pretty much stayed that way, though people take great relish in calling me a character actor, which I am. There are a lot of short parts I could play, but I only do them when they are like this ("A Few Good Men"), central to the idea of the movie.” [Jack Nicholson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-nicholson/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He prefers leading roles and only accepts supporting parts that are central to a story, despite being labeled a character actor. **In simple terms:** He chooses big, essential roles over many small ones. Key Takeaway Focus on impactful roles. Themes career choices typecasting artistic integrity Mood reflective determined Type professional artistic When to use this quote - film auditions - script selection - career planning - role negotiation Key Concepts method acting story centrality Questions to Reflect On - How do you balance artistic fulfillment with career longevity? - Can you accept a smaller role if it offers growth? A Different Perspective May limit variety and type of roles. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Actor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actor/) [Actors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actors/) [Character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character/) [Character actor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character-actor/) [Character actors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character-actors/) [Ideas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ideas/) [Leadership](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/leadership/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Play](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/play/) [Theatre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/theatre/) ## Related quotes > [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/) > [I always wanted to be a character actor. I love watching movies where you dont recognize someone because theyre so lost in the part.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alison-elliott/i-always-wanted-to-be-a-character-actor-i-love-watching-movies-where/) [Alison Elliott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alison-elliott/) > [I like Edward G. Robinson - he started as a character actor and became a lead, which is probably why I like him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-sanderson/i-like-edward-g-robinson-he-started-as-a-character-actor-and-became-a/) [William Sanderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-sanderson/) > [I'm a character actor and that's what I do. All the roles that I've had have been mainly support roles, because character actors don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-l-jackson/i-m-a-character-actor-and-that-s-what-i-do-all-the-roles-that-i-ve/) [Samuel L. Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-l-jackson/) > [Yeah, I am a character actor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-gaffigan/yeah-i-am-a-character-actor/) [Jim Gaffigan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-gaffigan/) > [I was always a character actress and never a sex symbol. Even when I was the leading lady, I was a character actor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shirley-maclaine/i-was-always-a-character-actress-and-never-a-sex-symbol-even-when-i/) [Shirley MacLaine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shirley-maclaine/) > [I really am a character actor, in my heart of hearts, because I really do like developing characters and painting a past for them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dylan-mcdermott/i-really-am-a-character-actor-in-my-heart-of-hearts-because-i-really/) [Dylan McDermott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dylan-mcdermott/) > [I really love being a character actor. I have to say I wish it were a little easier. There are still a lot of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/missi-pyle/i-really-love-being-a-character-actor-i-have-to-say-i-wish-it-were-a/) [Missi Pyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/missi-pyle/) > [As a character actor, I've learned that you have to watch yourself because nobody else is watching. Nobody is concerned with you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-cromwell/as-a-character-actor-i-ve-learned-that-you-have-to-watch-yourself/) [James Cromwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-cromwell/) > [Well, I'm a character actor, and actually throughout my life I've... 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I just loved the way he handled growing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-clooney/the-people-i-ve-respected-most-in-the-industry-over-the-years-paul/) [George Clooney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-clooney/) > [Well, Ive always been a character actor, you know, and you always get your share of character actors who are bad guys.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colm-meaney/well-ive-always-been-a-character-actor-you-know-and-you-always-get/) [Colm Meaney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colm-meaney/) > [Dustin Hoffman said this one time, that if he hadn't made it as a film star, he would still be happy as a character…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denis-leary/dustin-hoffman-said-this-one-time-that-if-he-hadn-t-made-it-as-a-film/) [Denis Leary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denis-leary/) ## More by Jack Nicholson > [Freedom in every sense but primarily political sense, a rise in repression that stems from a repression of sexuality. It's AIDS, it's herpes, it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-nicholson/freedom-in-every-sense-but-primarily-political-sense-a-rise-in/) [Jack Nicholson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-nicholson/) > [Women are sort of like motorcycle gangs with me. They get really shy and polite. I don't know why.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-nicholson/women-are-sort-of-like-motorcycle-gangs-with-me-they-get-really-shy/) [Jack Nicholson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-nicholson/) > [I love writing, but I stopped because I felt I was more effective approaching filmmaking from a different vantage point.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-nicholson/i-love-writing-but-i-stopped-because-i-felt-i-was-more-effective/) [Jack Nicholson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-nicholson/) > [I've been too many places. I'm like the bad penny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-nicholson/i-ve-been-too-many-places-i-m-like-the-bad-penny/) [Jack Nicholson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-nicholson/) > [I was invited to join the MGM cartoon department. But if I'd started work in animation I'd have had to take a cut in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-nicholson/i-was-invited-to-join-the-mgm-cartoon-department-but-if-i-d-started/) [Jack Nicholson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-nicholson/) > [I don't play golf competitively. I tell everybody that I cheat so they won't gamble with me. That's why you can't watch football. Everybody's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-nicholson/i-don-t-play-golf-competitively-i-tell-everybody-that-i-cheat-so-they/) [Jack Nicholson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-nicholson/) > [I'm such a perfectionist. I always feel overpraised or whatever. In the abstract, I know I'm a good person, a good professional. 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I'm a fair man, but this -- heat is making me absolutely crazy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-nicholson/take-caution-in-your-tone-commander-i-m-a-fair-man-but-this-heat-is/) [Jack Nicholson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-nicholson/) > [The stage has a certain discipline. But the ultimate standard is more exacting in film, because you have to see yourself and you are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-nicholson/the-stage-has-a-certain-discipline-but-the-ultimate-standard-is-more/) [Jack Nicholson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-nicholson/) > [Comedy is much harder, it's a lot more exacting. You can't just be real and you can't just use the same kind of techniques…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-nicholson/comedy-is-much-harder-it-s-a-lot-more-exacting-you-can-t-just-be-real/) [Jack Nicholson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-nicholson/) [Explore all 261 Jack Nicholson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-nicholson/) ## 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. 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