--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I always believed that I never wanted to…" description: "\"I always believed that I never wanted to be an actor. I only did it because I was allowed to do it and I had to do something.\" — James McAvoy" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/723/james-mcavoy-4316_actor_i-always-believed-that-i-never-wanted-to_1395061.jpg" --- # I always believed that I never wanted to be an actor. I… ![“I always believed that I never wanted to be an actor. I only did it because I was allowed to do it and I had to do something.” quote by James McAvoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/723/james-mcavoy-4316_actor_i-always-believed-that-i-never-wanted-to_1395061.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/723/james-mcavoy-4316_actor_i-always-believed-that-i-never-wanted-to_1395061.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/723/james-mcavoy-4316_actor_i-always-believed-that-i-never-wanted-to_1395061.jpg) > “I always believed that I never wanted to be an actor. I only did it because I was allowed to do it and I had to do something.” [James McAvoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-mcavoy/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Reveals he never wanted acting, but did it out of necessity and opportunity. **In simple terms:** Acting was a fallback. Key Takeaway Embrace unexpected paths. Themes career self-discovery necessity Mood contemplative thoughtful Type personal career When to use this quote - career transitions - skill development - life choices Key Concepts performing arts personal narrative Questions to Reflect On - What unexpected opportunities shaped you? - Do you feel acting aligns with your true self? A Different Perspective External pressures can limit authentic fulfillment. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Actor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actor/) [Actors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actors/) [Theatre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/theatre/) ## Related quotes > [People believed what they wanted to believe, no matter what was right in front of their eyes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-picoult/people-believed-what-they-wanted-to-believe-no-matter-what-was-right/) [Jodi Picoult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-picoult/) > [I always wanted to be an actor. 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I did a lot of musical…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bridget-regan/i-just-always-wanted-to-be-an-actor-i-don-t-remember-ever-not-wanting-2/) [Bridget Regan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bridget-regan/) > [It's not what he or she did to you-it's what you allowed that person to do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/veneice-fungchung/it-s-not-what-he-or-she-did-to-you-it-s-what-you-allowed-that-person/) Veneice FungChung > [If I had been white with the things I did, they never would have allowed me to get out of baseball.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jackie-robinson/if-i-had-been-white-with-the-things-i-did-they-never-would-have/) [Jackie Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jackie-robinson/) > [It's not what you did, but what you could have done if you allowed the Lord to work His will in your life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aiden-wilson-tozer/it-s-not-what-you-did-but-what-you-could-have-done-if-you-allowed-the/) [Aiden Wilson Tozer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aiden-wilson-tozer/) > [“That she lived a lie. That she wasn't the good girl everyone believed her to be, wanted her to be.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lacey-alexander/that-she-lived-a-lie-that-she-wasn-t-the-good-girl-everyone-believed/) [Lacey Alexander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lacey-alexander/) > [There were all these rumors about me... so I went indoors. No one saw me for years. And since I wasnt around, people believed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-black/there-were-all-these-rumors-about-me-so-i-went-indoors-no-one-saw-me/) [Karen Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-black/) > [“And I would like nothing more than to think I was some criminal mastermind, and was able to fool Marcus, but the truth is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellie-fox/and-i-would-like-nothing-more-than-to-think-i-was-some-criminal/) [Ellie Fox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellie-fox/) > [I ended up an actor, did my first professional union gig in 1974, and I've been doing it ever since.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-ironside/i-ended-up-an-actor-did-my-first-professional-union-gig-in-1974-and-i/) [Michael Ironside](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-ironside/) > [I wasn't sure I wanted to be an actor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/romain-duris/i-wasn-t-sure-i-wanted-to-be-an-actor/) [Romain Duris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/romain-duris/) > [Well, I knew I wanted to be an actor, and I didn't necessarily need or want to be famous or a celebrity actor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenna-fischer/well-i-knew-i-wanted-to-be-an-actor-and-i-didn-t-necessarily-need-or/) [Jenna Fischer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenna-fischer/) > [I come from Nova Scotia, and I'd never seen a theater or been inside of a theater. When I was 17, my dad asked…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-sutherland/i-come-from-nova-scotia-and-i-d-never-seen-a-theater-or-been-inside/) [Donald Sutherland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-sutherland/) ## More by James McAvoy > [I like cooking, but I don't think I could be a chef. Everyone from the ground up does terrible hours, whether you've just walked…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-mcavoy/i-like-cooking-but-i-don-t-think-i-could-be-a-chef-everyone-from-the/) [James McAvoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-mcavoy/) > [Shooting films in Britain is always difficult, because we've never got enough money to make them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-mcavoy/shooting-films-in-britain-is-always-difficult-because-we-ve-never-got/) [James McAvoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-mcavoy/) > [I'd like to keep work work and life life. It means you've got your life to come back to, somewhere to come home to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-mcavoy/i-d-like-to-keep-work-work-and-life-life-it-means-you-ve-got-your/) [James McAvoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-mcavoy/) > [I like playing sport, and I like doing physical stuff. I like hiking and I like climbing and I like playing sport. I do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-mcavoy/i-like-playing-sport-and-i-like-doing-physical-stuff-i-like-hiking/) [James McAvoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-mcavoy/) > [I wanted to join the navy to get some perspective on the world and explore.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-mcavoy/i-wanted-to-join-the-navy-to-get-some-perspective-on-the-world-and/) [James McAvoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-mcavoy/) > [I did undergo hypnotherapy, and it didn't work! The guy couldn't put me under. I was very disappointed. I was very keen to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-mcavoy/i-did-undergo-hypnotherapy-and-it-didn-t-work-the-guy-couldn-t-put-me/) [James McAvoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-mcavoy/) > [If a scene is three pages long, quite often people break it up and do a page, say 'cut' then move on to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-mcavoy/if-a-scene-is-three-pages-long-quite-often-people-break-it-up-and-do/) [James McAvoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-mcavoy/) > [In a love scene that's really advantageous because you don't have that horrible moment of: "We don't really know what we're supposed to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-mcavoy/in-a-love-scene-that-s-really-advantageous-because-you-don-t-have/) [James McAvoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-mcavoy/) > [That's the main thing that attracts me - characters who have big journeys. I like playing those people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-mcavoy/that-s-the-main-thing-that-attracts-me-characters-who-have-big/) [James McAvoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-mcavoy/) > [I think fear is one of the natural states of most actors, to be honest.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-mcavoy/i-think-fear-is-one-of-the-natural-states-of-most-actors-to-be-honest/) [James McAvoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-mcavoy/) > [I've been in a few fights and I know what it's like to get punched in the face.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-mcavoy/i-ve-been-in-a-few-fights-and-i-know-what-it-s-like-to-get-punched-in/) [James McAvoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-mcavoy/) > [I learned something from a string of failed relationships. You don't see a pattern quickly. You see it over time. I learned to stop…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-mcavoy/i-learned-something-from-a-string-of-failed-relationships-you-don-t/) [James McAvoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-mcavoy/) > [I don't mind playing somebody who's not likable, or makes the audience feel slightly conflicted.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-mcavoy/i-don-t-mind-playing-somebody-who-s-not-likable-or-makes-the-audience/) [James McAvoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-mcavoy/) > [I've spent a long time giving people the benefit of the doubt, and I'm tired of it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-mcavoy/i-ve-spent-a-long-time-giving-people-the-benefit-of-the-doubt-and-i-m/) [James McAvoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-mcavoy/) > [My favorite name of a fandom is Benedict Cumberbatch's - 'the Cumberbatches' is just the best name.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-mcavoy/my-favorite-name-of-a-fandom-is-benedict-cumberbatch-s-the/) [James McAvoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-mcavoy/) [Explore all 112 James McAvoy quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-mcavoy/) ## 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": "I always believed that I never wanted to be an actor. 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