--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: You can either be a movie star or an…" description: "\"You can either be a movie star or an actor. I'm an actor.\" — James Avery" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/949/james-avery-28387_actor_you-can-either-be-a-movie-star-or-an-act_1708544.jpg" --- # You can either be a movie star or an actor. I'm an actor. ![“You can either be a movie star or an actor. I'm an actor.” quote by James Avery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/949/james-avery-28387_actor_you-can-either-be-a-movie-star-or-an-act_1708544.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/949/james-avery-28387_actor_you-can-either-be-a-movie-star-or-an-act_1708544.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/949/james-avery-28387_actor_you-can-either-be-a-movie-star-or-an-act_1708544.jpg) > “You can either be a movie star or an actor. I'm an actor.” [James Avery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-avery/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. An actor distinguishes between fame and the craft, emphasizing dedication to the profession over celebrity status. **In simple terms:** Focus on craft, not fame. Key Takeaway Prioritize skill development over fame. Themes art career identity Mood thoughtful motivational Type personal philosophical When to use this quote - theatre work - film auditions - personal branding Key Concepts craftsmanship authenticity Questions to Reflect On - How do you stay grounded in your art? - What defines success for you? A Different Perspective Celebrity focus can distract from artistic growth. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Actor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actor/) [Astronomy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/astronomy/) [Movie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/movie/) [Movie star](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/movie-star/) [Star](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/star/) [Theatre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/theatre/) ## Related quotes > [Look, I'm not odd. I'm just trying to be an actor; not a movie star, an actor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/montgomery-clift/look-i-m-not-odd-i-m-just-trying-to-be-an-actor-not-a-movie-star-an/) [Montgomery Clift](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/montgomery-clift/) > [What’s the difference between and actor and a movie star. An actor is someone who pretends to be somebody else. A movie star is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-meyer/what-s-the-difference-between-and-actor-and-a-movie-star-an-actor-is/) [Nicholas Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-meyer/) > [There's a difference between being a star and an actor. If you feed off from being in the public eye, this is the unfortunate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rasika-dugal/there-s-a-difference-between-being-a-star-and-an-actor-if-you-feed/) [Rasika Dugal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rasika-dugal/) > [I never wanted to be a movie star.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/radha-mitchell/i-never-wanted-to-be-a-movie-star/) [Radha Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/radha-mitchell/) > [I'm not a star, I'm an actor - there's a difference!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-pryce/i-m-not-a-star-i-m-an-actor-there-s-a-difference/) [Jonathan Pryce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-pryce/) > [When I'm shooting, I don't care who the star is. I have an actor playing a part, and I'm serving the script, not serving…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-payne/when-i-m-shooting-i-don-t-care-who-the-star-is-i-have-an-actor/) [Alexander Payne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-payne/) > [I am not a star. I am an actor. I have been fighting for years to make people forget that I am just a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alain-delon/i-am-not-a-star-i-am-an-actor-i-have-been-fighting-for-years-to-make/) [Alain Delon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alain-delon/) > [I'm not a star, I'm an actor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shia-labeouf/i-m-not-a-star-i-m-an-actor/) [Shia LaBeouf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shia-labeouf/) > [I don't represent myself as a star, but an actor who wants to make movies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-dujardin/i-don-t-represent-myself-as-a-star-but-an-actor-who-wants-to-make/) [Jean Dujardin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-dujardin/) > [Vijay Mallya is a star, not an actor. Anybody who lives a lifestyle of that kind, is a star.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kay-kay-menon/vijay-mallya-is-a-star-not-an-actor-anybody-who-lives-a-lifestyle-of/) [Kay Kay Menon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kay-kay-menon/) > [Before a celeb or a star, I am an actor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karan-wahi/before-a-celeb-or-a-star-i-am-an-actor/) [Karan Wahi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karan-wahi/) > [There'll always be a difference between a star and an actor. I've nothing against stars. They've earned it and deserve it. I'm happy being…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashish-sharma/there-ll-always-be-a-difference-between-a-star-and-an-actor-i-ve/) [Ashish Sharma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashish-sharma/) > [I always figure hey, look, I'm not a rock star, I'm an actor. I'm somebody who's meant to be other people and I'm not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christian-bale/i-always-figure-hey-look-i-m-not-a-rock-star-i-m-an-actor-i-m/) [Christian Bale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christian-bale/) > [That's the reason you want to become a star as an actor, to be able to have more control of your destiny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryan-cranston/that-s-the-reason-you-want-to-become-a-star-as-an-actor-to-be-able-to/) [Bryan Cranston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryan-cranston/) > [There is no comparison between the life of a rock star and an actor. If I could now, I would be a rock star…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fawad-khan/there-is-no-comparison-between-the-life-of-a-rock-star-and-an-actor/) [Fawad Khan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fawad-khan/) ## More by James Avery > [Growth will continue. To what degree, we don't know until it's here.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-avery/growth-will-continue-to-what-degree-we-don-t-know-until-it-s-here/) [James Avery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-avery/) > [There's a specificity of language that's required in Shakespeare that most drama students in England deal with - a specificity of language that is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-avery/there-s-a-specificity-of-language-that-s-required-in-shakespeare-that/) [James Avery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-avery/) > [On one show before a live audience, I had to look out the door and call for Will Smith to come in. The audience…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-avery/on-one-show-before-a-live-audience-i-had-to-look-out-the-door-and/) [James Avery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-avery/) > [You make a decision about how you want to live your life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-avery/you-make-a-decision-about-how-you-want-to-live-your-life/) [James Avery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-avery/) > [Doing Shakespeare certainly makes you a better actor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-avery/doing-shakespeare-certainly-makes-you-a-better-actor/) [James Avery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-avery/) > [Monetary success is not success. Career success is not success. Life, someone that loves you, giving to others, doing something that makes you feel…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-avery/monetary-success-is-not-success-career-success-is-not-success-life/) [James Avery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-avery/) > [See, the thing that bothers me with young actors, young actors of color specifically, is that they see movies and television, and they figure…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-avery/see-the-thing-that-bothers-me-with-young-actors-young-actors-of-color/) [James Avery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-avery/) > [Writing is such a singular and lonely occupation. And it's interesting; all of the work that you create is so singular.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-avery/writing-is-such-a-singular-and-lonely-occupation-and-it-s-interesting/) [James Avery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-avery/) > [I wanted to leave home, and I didn't know where I was going or what I was going to do or what would happen.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-avery/i-wanted-to-leave-home-and-i-didn-t-know-where-i-was-going-or-what-i/) [James Avery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-avery/) > [I have wandered many roads that I have never traveled; touched many things that my eyes have never seen. It is through stories that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-avery/i-have-wandered-many-roads-that-i-have-never-traveled-touched-many/) [James Avery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-avery/) > [You couldn't get mad. You always had to remain calm no matter what, because they wanted you to get mad. And you had to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-avery/you-couldn-t-get-mad-you-always-had-to-remain-calm-no-matter-what/) [James Avery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-avery/) > [The name of the show was 'The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air,' not 'Philip and Viv of Bel-Air.' If you didn't want to walk away…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-avery/the-name-of-the-show-was-the-fresh-prince-of-bel-air-not-philip-and/) [James Avery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-avery/) > [What you find in the theatre is that if you're good, no matter what color you are, the audience will buy that - whoever…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-avery/what-you-find-in-the-theatre-is-that-if-you-re-good-no-matter-what/) [James Avery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-avery/) > [You are only an actor if you absolutely love it and can not do anything else. Starving for your art is great in your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-avery/you-are-only-an-actor-if-you-absolutely-love-it-and-can-not-do/) [James Avery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-avery/) > [There are too many African-Americans with too much money for us to have to go to anybody else for anything in terms of schools,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-avery/there-are-too-many-african-americans-with-too-much-money-for-us-to/) [James Avery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-avery/) [Explore all 19 James Avery quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-avery/) ## 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": "You can either be a movie star or an actor. 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