--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: You don't need qualifications as an actor…" description: "\"You don't need qualifications as an actor or a politician. And I didn't want to be a politician.\" — James Garner" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/086/james-garner-13604_actor_you-don-t-need-qualifications-as-an-acto_801915.jpg" --- # You don't need qualifications as an actor or a politician… ![“You don't need qualifications as an actor or a politician. And I didn't want to be a politician.” quote by James Garner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/086/james-garner-13604_actor_you-don-t-need-qualifications-as-an-acto_801915.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/086/james-garner-13604_actor_you-don-t-need-qualifications-as-an-acto_801915.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/086/james-garner-13604_actor_you-don-t-need-qualifications-as-an-acto_801915.jpg) > “You don't need qualifications as an actor or a politician. And I didn't want to be a politician.” [James Garner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-garner/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Qualifications aren't necessary for acting or politics; personal desire matters more. **In simple terms:** Passion trumps formal credentials. Key Takeaway Follow passion over credentials. Themes career politics personal growth Mood reflective inspirational Type career motivational When to use this quote - acting auditions - political campaigns - career changes Key Concepts talent experience motivation Questions to Reflect On - Is formal training ever essential? - How to develop skills without credentials? A Different Perspective Lack of training can limit effectiveness. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Actor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actor/) [Actors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actors/) [Politician](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politician/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) [Theatre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/theatre/) ## Related quotes > [What was I qualified to do to make a living? Nothing. You don't need qualifications as an actor or a politician. And I didn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-garner/what-was-i-qualified-to-do-to-make-a-living-nothing-you-don-t-need/) [James Garner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-garner/) > [My only qualifications to be an actor were that I'm daring, and I'm a quick learner. I've always learnt by watching what other people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colman-domingo/my-only-qualifications-to-be-an-actor-were-that-i-m-daring-and-i-m-a/) [Colman Domingo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colman-domingo/) > [“I've never met a politician who didn't deserve to be tossed into a pit full of Kallin," Beranabus grunts.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darren-shan/i-ve-never-met-a-politician-who-didn-t-deserve-to-be-tossed-into-a/) [Darren Shan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darren-shan/) > [I shake hands very gladly politically. I don't think you could be a politician if you didn't shake hands.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/i-shake-hands-very-gladly-politically-i-don-t-think-you-could-be-a/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [For any politician who didn't enter office a wealthy man, nothing says 'I take bribes' like a Rolex watch.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-noah/for-any-politician-who-didn-t-enter-office-a-wealthy-man-nothing-says/) [Timothy Noah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-noah/) > [I never met a politician who didn't want to be a guitar player in a rock band. I've got the opportunity to say what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-bragg/i-never-met-a-politician-who-didn-t-want-to-be-a-guitar-player-in-a/) [Billy Bragg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-bragg/) > [ It was fascinating what a total interest he \[John F. Kennedy\] had in his tradecraft of being a politician. I didn't realize before that… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-matthews/it-was-fascinating-what-a-total-interest-he-john-f-kennedy-had-in-his/) [Chris Matthews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-matthews/) > [Is there any fixed qualification for becoming a journalist who can ask questions? There is no such thing, then why a film actor can't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nagma/is-there-any-fixed-qualification-for-becoming-a-journalist-who-can/) [Nagma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nagma/) > [Celebrity stalkers also are not necessarily fixated on one person as the public thinks. Rather, they tend to switch targets, going from, say, an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/park-dietz/celebrity-stalkers-also-are-not-necessarily-fixated-on-one-person-as/) [Park Dietz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/park-dietz/) > [I'm an actor, I'm not a politician.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-m-an-actor-i-m-not-a-politician/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The unfortunate part of being an actor-politician is that people feel an actor will not take her political commitments seriously.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/smriti-irani/the-unfortunate-part-of-being-an-actor-politician-is-that-people-feel/) [Smriti Irani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/smriti-irani/) > [I'm an actor I'm not a politician. I always kick myself when I talk too much about family, or personal things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christian-bale/i-m-an-actor-i-m-not-a-politician-i-always-kick-myself-when-i-talk/) [Christian Bale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christian-bale/) > [Anyone that chooses to be an actor or politician is making a choice to lead their life in the public eye.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/perez-hilton/anyone-that-chooses-to-be-an-actor-or-politician-is-making-a-choice/) [Perez Hilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/perez-hilton/) > [We moved around a lot when I was growing up. I was always the new kid in class, but I was good at making…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lithgow/we-moved-around-a-lot-when-i-was-growing-up-i-was-always-the-new-kid/) [John Lithgow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lithgow/) > [Look, I'm an actor, I'm not a politician. I'm not a statistician. I'm not a legislator.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-hanks/look-i-m-an-actor-i-m-not-a-politician-i-m-not-a-statistician-i-m-not/) [Tom Hanks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-hanks/) ## More by James Garner > [I've been on the wrong end of violence, and I've done violence myself... I refuse to glorify violence in my movie and television roles.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-garner/i-ve-been-on-the-wrong-end-of-violence-and-i-ve-done-violence-myself/) [James Garner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-garner/) > [With the exception of my wife and children, there's nothing I value more than my Oklahoma heritage.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-garner/with-the-exception-of-my-wife-and-children-there-s-nothing-i-value/) [James Garner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-garner/) > [I'm working out every day. I'm in very good shape.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-garner/i-m-working-out-every-day-i-m-in-very-good-shape/) [James Garner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-garner/) > [Learning is a gift, even if pain is the teacher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-garner/learning-is-a-gift-even-if-pain-is-the-teacher/) [James Garner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-garner/) > [I've had to work hard at that easy-going manner you see on screen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-garner/i-ve-had-to-work-hard-at-that-easy-going-manner-you-see-on-screen/) [James Garner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-garner/) > [Yeah, I don't have a whole lot of problems.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-garner/yeah-i-don-t-have-a-whole-lot-of-problems/) [James Garner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-garner/) > [Even my stuntman is old.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-garner/even-my-stuntman-is-old/) [James Garner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-garner/) > [When I started working, I didn't have a clue what I was doing, in that I was just wandering around, hoping that I could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-garner/when-i-started-working-i-didn-t-have-a-clue-what-i-was-doing-in-that/) [James Garner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-garner/) > [I'm a 'bleeding-heart liberal,' one of those card-carrying Democrats that Rush Limbaugh thinks is a communist. And I'm proud of it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-garner/i-m-a-bleeding-heart-liberal-one-of-those-card-carrying-democrats/) [James Garner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-garner/) > [My goal has always been longevity. Not fame and fortune, just get a job and keep it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-garner/my-goal-has-always-been-longevity-not-fame-and-fortune-just-get-a-job/) [James Garner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-garner/) > [I did a little bit of cocaine in the Eighties, courtesy of John Belushi, but fortunately I didn’t like it. But I smoked marijuana…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-garner/i-did-a-little-bit-of-cocaine-in-the-eighties-courtesy-of-john/) [James Garner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-garner/) > [There's one difference between me and them: I know I'm not qualified. In my opinion, Arnold Schwarzenegger wasn't qualified to be governor of California.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-garner/there-s-one-difference-between-me-and-them-i-know-i-m-not-qualified/) [James Garner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-garner/) > [I don't want to know what's good, or bad, or true. I let God worry about the truth. I just want to know the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-garner/i-don-t-want-to-know-what-s-good-or-bad-or-true-i-let-god-worry-about/) [James Garner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-garner/) > [I was a Depression kid, growing up in Oklahoma.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-garner/i-was-a-depression-kid-growing-up-in-oklahoma/) [James Garner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-garner/) > [Marriage is a lot like the army, everyone complains, but you'd be surprise at the large number that re-enlist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-garner/marriage-is-a-lot-like-the-army-everyone-complains-but-you-d-be/) [James Garner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-garner/) [Explore all 50 James Garner quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-garner/) ## 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 don't need qualifications as an actor or a politician. 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