---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I thought I was gonna do Lear, but I'm…"
description: "\"I thought I was gonna do Lear, but I'm gonna do Maura.\" — Jeffrey Tambor"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3e7/jeffrey-tambor-2977_gonna_i-thought-i-was-gonna-do-lear-but-i-m-go_432582.jpg"
---

#  I thought I was gonna do Lear, but I'm gonna do Maura.

![“I thought I was gonna do Lear, but I'm gonna do Maura.” quote by Jeffrey Tambor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3e7/jeffrey-tambor-2977_gonna_i-thought-i-was-gonna-do-lear-but-i-m-go_432582.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3e7/jeffrey-tambor-2977_gonna_i-thought-i-was-gonna-do-lear-but-i-m-go_432582.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3e7/jeffrey-tambor-2977_gonna_i-thought-i-was-gonna-do-lear-but-i-m-go_432582.jpg)

> “I thought I was gonna do Lear, but I'm gonna do Maura.”

[Jeffrey Tambor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-tambor/)

## 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 can shift focus from one role to another, reflecting personal growth and new challenges.

**In simple terms:** Changing roles shows personal and professional evolution.

Key Takeaway

Embrace new opportunities.

Themes

career growth adaptability

Mood

inspirational thoughtful

Type

motivational career

When to use this quote

- auditioning
- career planning
- networking
- skill diversification

Key Concepts

acting role selection personal development

Questions to Reflect On

- What motivates you to pursue a new character?
- How do you prepare for a drastically different role?

A Different Perspective

Switching roles may risk typecasting or audience loss.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Gonna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gonna/) [Gonna Lear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gonna-lear-3809664/) [Lear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lear/) [Lear Gonna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lear-gonna-3809663/) [Thought](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thought/) [Thought Gonna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thought-gonna-662245/)

## Related quotes

> [There's nothing I'm doing these days that I ever thought I was gonna do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meg-white/there-s-nothing-i-m-doing-these-days-that-i-ever-thought-i-was-gonna/)

[Meg White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meg-white/)

> [I thought I was gonna be a farmer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brock-lesnar/i-thought-i-was-gonna-be-a-farmer/)

[Brock Lesnar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brock-lesnar/)

> [I never thought I was gonna live to 30.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patti-smith/i-never-thought-i-was-gonna-live-to-30/)

[Patti Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patti-smith/)

> [I thought I was gonna be in the minimum-wage working world all my life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-rollins/i-thought-i-was-gonna-be-in-the-minimum-wage-working-world-all-my-life/)

[Henry Rollins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-rollins/)

> [So this is my apo-lo-lo-lo-lo-lo-lo-gy-gy. You thought that you was gonna getting with me, me. So this is my apo-lo-lo-lo-lo-lo-lo-gy cause I'm already in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-fresh/so-this-is-my-apo-lo-lo-lo-lo-lo-lo-gy-gy-you-thought-that-you-was/)

[Aaron Fresh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-fresh/)

> [If u thought I was gonna fall 4 u, U thought wrong. If u thought I was gonna like u, U thought right cuz…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/killa/if-u-thought-i-was-gonna-fall-4-u-u-thought-wrong-if-u-thought-i-was/)

[Killa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/killa/)

> [I thought, "Well if I'm gonna react might as well overreact!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-moore/i-thought-well-if-i-m-gonna-react-might-as-well-overreact/)

[Alan Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-moore/)

> [You can't always think negative; I always thought, I'm gonna get that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caleb-mclaughlin/you-can-t-always-think-negative-i-always-thought-i-m-gonna-get-that/)

[Caleb McLaughlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caleb-mclaughlin/)

> [At first, I didn't realize it was gonna be a character. I just thought I was gonna be doing me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-david/at-first-i-didn-t-realize-it-was-gonna-be-a-character-i-just-thought/)

[Larry David](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-david/)

> [I see your face in my mind as I drive away, cause none of us thought it was gonna end that way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taylor-swift/i-see-your-face-in-my-mind-as-i-drive-away-cause-none-of-us-thought-2/)

[Taylor Swift](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taylor-swift/)

> [I wanted alot of tattoos but I never thought I was gonna be this rediculous.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/synyster-gates/i-wanted-alot-of-tattoos-but-i-never-thought-i-was-gonna-be-this/)

[Synyster Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/synyster-gates/)

> [Dont worry, you may think you'll never get over him but hey you also thought it was gonna last forever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ana/dont-worry-you-may-think-you-ll-never-get-over-him-but-hey-you-also/)

[Ana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ana/)

> [Moreano thought that the full back was gonna come up behind and give him one really hard.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-atkinson/moreano-thought-that-the-full-back-was-gonna-come-up-behind-and-give/)

[Ron Atkinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-atkinson/)

> [I did not know that you had to learn makeup. I just thought you went, 'Oh, I'm gonna put on some makeup.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-tambor/i-did-not-know-that-you-had-to-learn-makeup-i-just-thought-you-went/)

[Jeffrey Tambor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-tambor/)

> [If you gonna challenge my ways, know my history. Don't put nobody in my face that don't know about me, or they here to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raekwon/if-you-gonna-challenge-my-ways-know-my-history-don-t-put-nobody-in-my/)

[Raekwon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raekwon/)

## More by Jeffrey Tambor

> [I think I made $55 a week, and it was bliss... I was doing theater. It was all I ever wanted to do. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-tambor/i-think-i-made-55-a-week-and-it-was-bliss-i-was-doing-theater-it-was/)

[Jeffrey Tambor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-tambor/)

> [I'm the voice of a Chipotle Burrito. The world has changed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-tambor/i-m-the-voice-of-a-chipotle-burrito-the-world-has-changed/)

[Jeffrey Tambor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-tambor/)

> [I had a bilateral lisp, and I was overweight. I was the kid who played with the flowers on the ground in the outfield…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-tambor/i-had-a-bilateral-lisp-and-i-was-overweight-i-was-the-kid-who-played/)

[Jeffrey Tambor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-tambor/)

> [I think Maura'is funnier than I am, wittier than I am, more intelligent than I am, and I think she's just floating me at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-tambor/i-think-maura-is-funnier-than-i-am-wittier-than-i-am-more-intelligent/)

[Jeffrey Tambor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-tambor/)

> [There are secrets in families. That is the definition of a family.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-tambor/there-are-secrets-in-families-that-is-the-definition-of-a-family/)

[Jeffrey Tambor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-tambor/)

> [I can't say enough about the guts and the talents of Amazon. They're so agile, they're so nimble; they picked us up two weeks…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-tambor/i-can-t-say-enough-about-the-guts-and-the-talents-of-amazon-they-re/)

[Jeffrey Tambor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-tambor/)

> [I think shows being sent out this way - pressing a button and 10 episodes can go out to the U.S.A., and the U.K.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-tambor/i-think-shows-being-sent-out-this-way-pressing-a-button-and-10/)

[Jeffrey Tambor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-tambor/)

> [We are part of the zeitgeist, and we are communicating in a human, real way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-tambor/we-are-part-of-the-zeitgeist-and-we-are-communicating-in-a-human-real/)

[Jeffrey Tambor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-tambor/)

> [The Tambors were conservative Jews, and we attended Temple Beth Shalom at 14th Avenue and Clement Street in San Francisco. We were the only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-tambor/the-tambors-were-conservative-jews-and-we-attended-temple-beth-shalom/)

[Jeffrey Tambor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-tambor/)

> [Usually when you act, you know where you're going, where the point is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-tambor/usually-when-you-act-you-know-where-you-re-going-where-the-point-is/)

[Jeffrey Tambor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-tambor/)

> [At the beginning of the Larry Sanders show, you know, we were grateful to get guests. At the end, it was as if we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-tambor/at-the-beginning-of-the-larry-sanders-show-you-know-we-were-grateful/)

[Jeffrey Tambor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-tambor/)

> [I don't like show business. I don't like the business. I love acting. I love this. I love talking to people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-tambor/i-don-t-like-show-business-i-don-t-like-the-business-i-love-acting-i/)

[Jeffrey Tambor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-tambor/)

> [Families are families are families are families.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-tambor/families-are-families-are-families-are-families/)

[Jeffrey Tambor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-tambor/)

> [The 'Hey now's' are delivered as people pass me. As I just get near ear range, I hear, 'Hey now!' and that's very funny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-tambor/the-hey-now-s-are-delivered-as-people-pass-me-as-i-just-get-near-ear/)

[Jeffrey Tambor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-tambor/)

> [People are identifying not only with the trans movement, but also the Pfefferman family. What I am noticing is people are coming up on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-tambor/people-are-identifying-not-only-with-the-trans-movement-but-also-the/)

[Jeffrey Tambor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-tambor/)

[Explore all 143 Jeffrey Tambor quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-tambor/)

## More Gonna quotes

> [There's always gonna be people with a lot of money making film, and the goal is to make profit and carry on. It is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clint-howard/there-s-always-gonna-be-people-with-a-lot-of-money-making-film-and/)

[Clint Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clint-howard/)

> [I've certainly seen a lot of my cartoonist friends embrace 'Little Lulu' in a much deeper way because their kids love it so much.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth/i-ve-certainly-seen-a-lot-of-my-cartoonist-friends-embrace-little/)

[Seth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth/)

> [Things don't go on forever, and the quicker you accept that change is inevitable, the happier you're gonna be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trey-anastasio/things-don-t-go-on-forever-and-the-quicker-you-accept-that-change-is/)

[Trey Anastasio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trey-anastasio/)

> [I'm not gonna do the same, tired, standard 'I was born in a log cabin...' kind of book. There's so much more I want…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/corey-taylor/i-m-not-gonna-do-the-same-tired-standard-i-was-born-in-a-log-cabin/)

[Corey Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/corey-taylor/)

> [I'm gonna love my son until the end.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/magic-johnson/i-m-gonna-love-my-son-until-the-end/)

[Magic Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/magic-johnson/)

> [You can't knock somebody for how they got into the business. I'm sure I'm gonna look back at 'Roswell' and some of my first…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-hanks/you-can-t-knock-somebody-for-how-they-got-into-the-business-i-m-sure/)

[Colin Hanks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-hanks/)

> [I'm a role model now. I didn't know I was gonna have 13-year-old fans, so I've tried to change a few things here and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicki-minaj/i-m-a-role-model-now-i-didn-t-know-i-was-gonna-have-13-year-old-fans/)

[Nicki Minaj](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicki-minaj/)

> [Always my fallback is - I'm gonna move to a poor town and open a scone shop.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-rannells/always-my-fallback-is-i-m-gonna-move-to-a-poor-town-and-open-a-scone-2/)

[Andrew Rannells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-rannells/)

> [They've been brought up on the best music. It's gonna be so good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-booth/they-ve-been-brought-up-on-the-best-music-it-s-gonna-be-so-good/)

[Sean Booth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-booth/)

> [If you gonna challenge my ways, know my history. Don't put nobody in my face that don't know about me, or they here to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raekwon/if-you-gonna-challenge-my-ways-know-my-history-don-t-put-nobody-in-my/)

[Raekwon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raekwon/)

> [There's nothing I'm doing these days that I ever thought I was gonna do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meg-white/there-s-nothing-i-m-doing-these-days-that-i-ever-thought-i-was-gonna/)

[Meg White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meg-white/)

> [He is in a gunfight right now. I'm gonna have to take a message.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erika-eleniak/he-is-in-a-gunfight-right-now-i-m-gonna-have-to-take-a-message/)

[Erika Eleniak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erika-eleniak/)

> [I'm married to the street; I ain't gonna switch over. I ain't gonna go religion on nobody. I believe in God - God is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trick-daddy/i-m-married-to-the-street-i-ain-t-gonna-switch-over-i-ain-t-gonna-go/)

[Trick Daddy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trick-daddy/)

> [I'm a huge Joe Nichols fan, and he put this song out an album called 'Real Things.' I was excited for Joe when I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blake-shelton/i-m-a-huge-joe-nichols-fan-and-he-put-this-song-out-an-album-called/)

[Blake Shelton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/blake-shelton/)

> [Everyone's gonna have their opinion, everyone's gonna have their favorite bands. The best way I can describe it is music is like food, either…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-anselmo/everyone-s-gonna-have-their-opinion-everyone-s-gonna-have-their/)

[Phil Anselmo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-anselmo/)

[Browse all 665 Gonna quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gonna/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "I thought I was gonna do Lear, but I'm gonna do Maura.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Jeffrey Tambor"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-tambor/i-thought-i-was-gonna-do-lear-but-i-m-gonna-do-maura/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Gonna"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-tambor/i-thought-i-was-gonna-do-lear-but-i-m-gonna-do-maura/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3e7/jeffrey-tambor-2977_gonna_i-thought-i-was-gonna-do-lear-but-i-m-go_432582.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3e7/jeffrey-tambor-2977_gonna_i-thought-i-was-gonna-do-lear-but-i-m-go_432582.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3e7/jeffrey-tambor-2977_gonna_i-thought-i-was-gonna-do-lear-but-i-m-go_432582.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“I thought I was gonna do Lear, but I'm gonna do Maura.” — Jeffrey Tambor",
                "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": "Jeffrey Tambor",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-tambor/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "I thought I was gonna do...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-tambor/i-thought-i-was-gonna-do-lear-but-i-m-gonna-do-maura/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-tambor/i-thought-i-was-gonna-do-lear-but-i-m-gonna-do-maura/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
