--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I'm not a person who romanticizes what…" description: "\"I'm not a person who romanticizes what being an actor should be.\" — Jason Butler Harner" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/130/jason-butler-harner-31510_actor_i-m-not-a-person-who-romanticizes-what-b_160102.jpg" --- # I'm not a person who romanticizes what being an actor… ![“I'm not a person who romanticizes what being an actor should be.” quote by Jason Butler Harner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/130/jason-butler-harner-31510_actor_i-m-not-a-person-who-romanticizes-what-b_160102.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/130/jason-butler-harner-31510_actor_i-m-not-a-person-who-romanticizes-what-b_160102.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/130/jason-butler-harner-31510_actor_i-m-not-a-person-who-romanticizes-what-b_160102.jpg) > “I'm not a person who romanticizes what being an actor should be.” [Jason Butler Harner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-butler-harner/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He rejects idealized notions of acting, focusing on realistic expectations of the profession. **In simple terms:** Rejects romanticizing acting, sees it realistically. Key Takeaway Accept realistic view of acting. Themes career realism expectations Mood pragmatic thoughtful Type professional inspirational When to use this quote - auditions - rehearsals - career planning Key Concepts professionalism self-awareness industry truth Questions to Reflect On - What realistic expectations guide your acting choices? - How do you stay grounded in a competitive field? A Different Perspective Idealism may overlook practical challenges. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Actor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actor/) [Being](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/being/) [Theatre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/theatre/) ## Related quotes > [“The ego romanticizes the past to avoid the true romance of the present.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-cohen/the-ego-romanticizes-the-past-to-avoid-the-true-romance-of-the-present/) [Alan Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-cohen/) > [Memory inevitably romanticizes, pressing reality to recede like pain.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-miller/memory-inevitably-romanticizes-pressing-reality-to-recede-like-pain/) [Arthur Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-miller/) > [Everyone romanticizes somebody.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zooey-deschanel/everyone-romanticizes-somebody/) [Zooey Deschanel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zooey-deschanel/) > [There's a lot of writing that breaks the mold of a veteran being one thing instead of every single person being their own full…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-hechinger/there-s-a-lot-of-writing-that-breaks-the-mold-of-a-veteran-being-one/) [Fred Hechinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-hechinger/) > [Being the smartest person in the room I think can be very lonely.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lindsey-morgan/being-the-smartest-person-in-the-room-i-think-can-be-very-lonely/) [Lindsey Morgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lindsey-morgan/) > [The thing about being an actor is that you turn into other people. You have to hide yourself a bit in order to let…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penelope-wilton/the-thing-about-being-an-actor-is-that-you-turn-into-other-people-you/) [Penelope Wilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penelope-wilton/) > [Everybody has a story and being a disabled person means you have a unique story.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liz-carr/everybody-has-a-story-and-being-a-disabled-person-means-you-have-a/) [Liz Carr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liz-carr/) > [I like being independent; I like doing things myself. I'm an instinctual person.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cathy-moriarty/i-like-being-independent-i-like-doing-things-myself-i-m-an/) [Cathy Moriarty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cathy-moriarty/) > [From facing a manager for the past 16 years to suddenly being the one person everyone is looking at is a daunting prospect. It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-neville/from-facing-a-manager-for-the-past-16-years-to-suddenly-being-the-one/) [Phil Neville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-neville/) > [I have to represent. I feel proud to have a culture that's different... and proud to be a Latina. We're not all categorized as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natalie-martinez/i-have-to-represent-i-feel-proud-to-have-a-culture-that-s-different/) [Natalie Martinez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natalie-martinez/) > [From being in Tibet and being around Tibetans, I feel like I've learned so much more about what brings a person happiness, about what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-yauch/from-being-in-tibet-and-being-around-tibetans-i-feel-like-i-ve/) [Adam Yauch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-yauch/) > [Being in service and being involved in something that is greater than you is what makes a person complete and whole. The very first…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rita-moreno/being-in-service-and-being-involved-in-something-that-is-greater-than/) [Rita Moreno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rita-moreno/) > [I thought being in the wheelchair might be kind of limiting for me as an actor. It turned out cool in a lot of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-beaver/i-thought-being-in-the-wheelchair-might-be-kind-of-limiting-for-me-as/) [Jim Beaver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-beaver/) > [I direct with energy. I believe in energy. I think energy is an electric thing in actors. I try to inspire, encourage, and make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-lillard/i-direct-with-energy-i-believe-in-energy-i-think-energy-is-an/) [Matthew Lillard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-lillard/) > [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/) ## More by Jason Butler Harner > [I am much closer to the Butler side of the family, which is on mother's side, from where I get my middle name. My…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-butler-harner/i-am-much-closer-to-the-butler-side-of-the-family-which-is-on-mother/) [Jason Butler Harner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-butler-harner/) > [I'm a constant waffler. I've said to anyone I've ever dated, 'Asking me to choose a restaurant is going to be a conversation that's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-butler-harner/i-m-a-constant-waffler-i-ve-said-to-anyone-i-ve-ever-dated-asking-me/) [Jason Butler Harner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-butler-harner/) > [I'm the kind of actor who truly believes that every play is a company play.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-butler-harner/i-m-the-kind-of-actor-who-truly-believes-that-every-play-is-a-company/) [Jason Butler Harner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-butler-harner/) > [I sometimes wish I had a good 'one syllable, one syllable' name, like Brad Pitt.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-butler-harner/i-sometimes-wish-i-had-a-good-one-syllable-one-syllable-name-like/) [Jason Butler Harner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-butler-harner/) > [In theater acting, you leave that night and what it was is what it was.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-butler-harner/in-theater-acting-you-leave-that-night-and-what-it-was-is-what-it-was/) [Jason Butler Harner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-butler-harner/) > [Now that I'm 40, I knew I wasn't going to pass for 25.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-butler-harner/now-that-i-m-40-i-knew-i-wasn-t-going-to-pass-for-25/) [Jason Butler Harner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-butler-harner/) > [The fact is as you get older you can't just change things or be quite as laissez-faire; you're conscious of the effort and time…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-butler-harner/the-fact-is-as-you-get-older-you-can-t-just-change-things-or-be-quite/) [Jason Butler Harner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-butler-harner/) > [You see these juicy roles, and 9 times out of 10, they'll go to a much more established actor. It's the nature of the business.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-butler-harner/you-see-these-juicy-roles-and-9-times-out-of-10-they-ll-go-to-a-much/) [Jason Butler Harner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-butler-harner/) > [When I did 'The Green' with Cheyenne Jackson, I was the lead of a film for the first time. That was really fun; I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-butler-harner/when-i-did-the-green-with-cheyenne-jackson-i-was-the-lead-of-a-film/) [Jason Butler Harner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-butler-harner/) > [Well, I won't say I'm cynical. I'd say I'm pragmatic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-butler-harner/well-i-won-t-say-i-m-cynical-i-d-say-i-m-pragmatic/) [Jason Butler Harner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-butler-harner/) > [I have to have sound in my ears for 10 minutes prior. I come to the theater early, two hours, just to calm down…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-butler-harner/i-have-to-have-sound-in-my-ears-for-10-minutes-prior-i-come-to-the/) [Jason Butler Harner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-butler-harner/) > [I remember when I got my Equity card doing the Scottish play at the Public Theater with Angela Bassett and Alec Baldwin. Alec thought…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-butler-harner/i-remember-when-i-got-my-equity-card-doing-the-scottish-play-at-the/) [Jason Butler Harner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-butler-harner/) > [I am blessed to have made my career as an actor for a decade now and I'm grateful for that. It could arguably have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-butler-harner/i-am-blessed-to-have-made-my-career-as-an-actor-for-a-decade-now-and/) [Jason Butler Harner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-butler-harner/) > [I have three lines in 'The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3' about having to go to the bathroom, and it's the most money…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-butler-harner/i-have-three-lines-in-the-taking-of-pelham-1-2-3-about-having-to-go/) [Jason Butler Harner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-butler-harner/) > [But I was a sensitive kid. A funny kid, and a perceptive one. There was a lot of time spent alone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-butler-harner/but-i-was-a-sensitive-kid-a-funny-kid-and-a-perceptive-one-there-was/) [Jason Butler Harner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-butler-harner/) [Explore all 16 Jason Butler Harner quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-butler-harner/) ## 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'm not a person who romanticizes what being an actor should be.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Jason Butler Harner" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-butler-harner/i-m-not-a-person-who-romanticizes-what-being-an-actor-should-be/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Actor" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-butler-harner/i-m-not-a-person-who-romanticizes-what-being-an-actor-should-be/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/130/jason-butler-harner-31510_actor_i-m-not-a-person-who-romanticizes-what-b_160102.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/130/jason-butler-harner-31510_actor_i-m-not-a-person-who-romanticizes-what-b_160102.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/130/jason-butler-harner-31510_actor_i-m-not-a-person-who-romanticizes-what-b_160102.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I'm not a person who romanticizes what being an actor should be.” — Jason Butler Harner", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Jason Butler Harner", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-butler-harner/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I'm not a person who romanticizes...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-butler-harner/i-m-not-a-person-who-romanticizes-what-being-an-actor-should-be/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-butler-harner/i-m-not-a-person-who-romanticizes-what-being-an-actor-should-be/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```