--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Acting doesn't do very much for me. I put…" description: "\"Acting doesn't do very much for me. I put off school for it, but its not like it was a sacrifice or anything. I didnt really miss school until I went b..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d3a/james-franco-2025_acting_acting-doesn-t-do-very-much-for-me-i-put_471879.jpg" --- # Acting doesn't do very much for me. I put off school for… ![“Acting doesn't do very much for me. I put off school for it, but its not like it was a sacrifice or anything. I didnt really miss school until I went back. Or maybe I missed it and nobody believed that, not even me. The work of it and I have really great teachers, thats the stuff that adds up for…” quote by James Franco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d3a/james-franco-2025_acting_acting-doesn-t-do-very-much-for-me-i-put_471879.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d3a/james-franco-2025_acting_acting-doesn-t-do-very-much-for-me-i-put_471879.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d3a/james-franco-2025_acting_acting-doesn-t-do-very-much-for-me-i-put_471879.jpg) > “Acting doesn't do very much for me. I put off school for it, but its not like it was a sacrifice or anything. I didnt really miss school until I went back. Or maybe I missed it and nobody believed that, not even me. The work of it and I have really great teachers, thats the stuff that adds up for me in a way that acting doesnt.” [James Franco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-franco/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker reflects that acting felt less valuable than education, noting a lack of sacrifice and a delayed appreciation for school. **In simple terms:** Acting seemed less important than school, and the speaker missed school later. Key Takeaway Value education over fleeting pursuits. Themes education career self‑assessment priorities Mood reflective thoughtful Type personal reflective When to use this quote - college decision - career planning - personal reflection - evaluating passions Key Concepts identity sacrifice learning growth Questions to Reflect On - How do you measure the true value of a passion? - What long‑term benefits does education offer that acting does not? A Different Perspective Education may not provide immediate excitement like acting. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Acting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/acting/) [Actor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actor/) [Great teachers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/great-teachers/) ## Related quotes > [“You cannot think your way into a new way of acting, but you can act your way into a new way of thinking.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-cannot-think-your-way-into-a-new-way-of-acting-but-you-can-act/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Acting doesn't have anything to do with listening to the words. We never really listen, in general conversation, to what the other person is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-lemmon/acting-doesn-t-have-anything-to-do-with-listening-to-the-words-we/) [Jack Lemmon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-lemmon/) > [The only thing that seemed to me I could do in such a way that no one else could was acting. I thought, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcia-gay-harden/the-only-thing-that-seemed-to-me-i-could-do-in-such-a-way-that-no-one/) [Marcia Gay Harden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcia-gay-harden/) > [“It matters not how we were brought up. What determines our way of acting is the manner in which we administrate our will. A…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/it-matters-not-how-we-were-brought-up-what-determines-our-way-of/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [“It’s easier to act your way to a new way of thinking than to think your way to a new way of acting.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/it-s-easier-to-act-your-way-to-a-new-way-of-thinking-than-to-think/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [If you're acting, then there's a prescribed way to behave; whereas in life there's no prescribed way. So acting feels like a comfortable way…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesse-eisenberg/if-you-re-acting-then-there-s-a-prescribed-way-to-behave-whereas-in/) [Jesse Eisenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesse-eisenberg/) > [I've had probably way too many acting classes, and you try to sort of shed - I think over a period of time, you'll…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-gibson/i-ve-had-probably-way-too-many-acting-classes-and-you-try-to-sort-of/) [Thomas Gibson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-gibson/) > [“This is not how you were raised,” Glen said, “and I think that’s all I really need to say about the way you’re acting.”…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roxane-gay/this-is-not-how-you-were-raised-glen-said-and-i-think-that-s-all-i/) [Roxane Gay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roxane-gay/) > [You're seen a certain way in the acting world. To them, you're still a football player and not taken as seriously. They think you're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nnamdi-asomugha/you-re-seen-a-certain-way-in-the-acting-world-to-them-you-re-still-a/) [Nnamdi Asomugha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nnamdi-asomugha/) > [“It’s easier to act your way33 into a new way of thinking than to think your way into a new way of acting.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/it-s-easier-to-act-your-way33-into-a-new-way-of-thinking-than-to/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [God's chief way of acting is by persuasion and patience and long-suffering, not by coercion and stark confrontation. He acts by gentle solicitation and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-w-hunter/god-s-chief-way-of-acting-is-by-persuasion-and-patience-and-long/) [Howard W. Hunter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-w-hunter/) > [In a funny way, acting, to me, is all make-believe, even if the film has unicorns in it or is a normal movie that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elle-fanning/in-a-funny-way-acting-to-me-is-all-make-believe-even-if-the-film-has/) [Elle Fanning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elle-fanning/) > [You can't think your way into acting positively, but you can act your way into thinking positively.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nido-r-qubein/you-can-t-think-your-way-into-acting-positively-but-you-can-act-your/) [Nido R Qubein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nido-r-qubein/) > [It's fun being able to suit up and go and kick butt and not have to worry about memorizing dialogue. It's a whole different…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelly-hu/it-s-fun-being-able-to-suit-up-and-go-and-kick-butt-and-not-have-to/) [Kelly Hu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelly-hu/) > [TV is longer form, and that's sometimes a positive, and sometimes a more challenging thing. As an actor, you want to be able to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cameron-monaghan/tv-is-longer-form-and-that-s-sometimes-a-positive-and-sometimes-a/) [Cameron Monaghan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cameron-monaghan/) ## More by James Franco > [I love that the idea of examining memory, and the way memory is edited was made more interesting because it was being filtered through…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-franco/i-love-that-the-idea-of-examining-memory-and-the-way-memory-is-edited/) [James Franco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-franco/) > [Reviews about film acting are very... tricky, because movies are such a collaborative thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-franco/reviews-about-film-acting-are-very-tricky-because-movies-are-such-a/) [James Franco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-franco/) > [ I went to NYU graduate film school and met Pam \[Romanowsky\], and after doing a few things with her I thought she had the… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-franco/i-went-to-nyu-graduate-film-school-and-met-pam-romanowsky-and-after/) [James Franco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-franco/) > [I was a black center in the middle of all the nature. I was nothing, but I could do anything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-franco/i-was-a-black-center-in-the-middle-of-all-the-nature-i-was-nothing/) [James Franco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-franco/) > [I hate being an actor, they dress you and put on your makeup and you just feel like a little baby.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-franco/i-hate-being-an-actor-they-dress-you-and-put-on-your-makeup-and-you/) [James Franco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-franco/) > [Always have one artistic thing that is pure, at least one thing, where you don’t compromise. You can do other things to make money,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-franco/always-have-one-artistic-thing-that-is-pure-at-least-one-thing-where/) [James Franco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-franco/) > [I've been acting for many years now, and I find there's nothing I enjoy more than making films with my friends and people I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-franco/i-ve-been-acting-for-many-years-now-and-i-find-there-s-nothing-i/) [James Franco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-franco/) > [The wind came in languid gusts like whispered reminders.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-franco/the-wind-came-in-languid-gusts-like-whispered-reminders/) [James Franco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-franco/) > [In a movie, a book, or a play, a character doesn't live in a vacuum. She is subject to pressures from the world outside…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-franco/in-a-movie-a-book-or-a-play-a-character-doesn-t-live-in-a-vacuum-she/) [James Franco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-franco/) > [Anyone has outside influences. They are the results of the cosmic roll of the dice: this person is born Aragon the Ranger, this person…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-franco/anyone-has-outside-influences-they-are-the-results-of-the-cosmic-roll/) [James Franco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-franco/) > [I have high aspirations. I want to be an architect.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-franco/i-have-high-aspirations-i-want-to-be-an-architect/) [James Franco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-franco/) > [If you have a profession that depends on what you look like, you can't blame somebody for caring about that. It's part of their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-franco/if-you-have-a-profession-that-depends-on-what-you-look-like-you-can-t/) [James Franco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-franco/) > [Everyone pretends to be normal and be your best friend, but underneath, everyone is living some other life you don't know about, and if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-franco/everyone-pretends-to-be-normal-and-be-your-best-friend-but-underneath/) [James Franco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-franco/) > [I don't like sleeping in a bed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-franco/i-don-t-like-sleeping-in-a-bed/) [James Franco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-franco/) > [My favorite role ever was Alien in 'Spring Breakers'.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-franco/my-favorite-role-ever-was-alien-in-spring-breakers/) [James Franco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-franco/) [Explore all 191 James Franco quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-franco/) ## 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. 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