--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I want to be an actress, not a personality." description: "\"I want to be an actress, not a personality.\" — Jill Clayburgh" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/952/jill-clayburgh-26486_actress_i-want-to-be-an-actress-not-a-personalit_2388837.png" --- # I want to be an actress, not a personality. ![“I want to be an actress, not a personality.” quote by Jill Clayburgh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/952/jill-clayburgh-26486_actress_i-want-to-be-an-actress-not-a-personalit_2388837.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/952/jill-clayburgh-26486_actress_i-want-to-be-an-actress-not-a-personalit_2388837.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/952/jill-clayburgh-26486_actress_i-want-to-be-an-actress-not-a-personalit_2388837.png) > “I want to be an actress, not a personality.” [Jill Clayburgh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-clayburgh/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. She distinguishes between acting as a craft and being a public personality, emphasizing professional focus. **In simple terms:** Actress, not personality. Key Takeaway Prioritize craft over fame. Themes career authenticity public image craft Mood reflective determined Type professional inspirational When to use this quote - audition prep - media training - career planning Key Concepts performance theory celebrity culture Questions to Reflect On - How do you maintain personal authenticity? - What defines a true performer? A Different Perspective Public pressure may blur boundaries. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Personality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/personality/) ## Related quotes > [I'm not an actress, I'm a personality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marlene-dietrich/i-m-not-an-actress-i-m-a-personality/) [Marlene Dietrich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marlene-dietrich/) > [I was hired to be an actress, not a personality for the press.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grace-kelly/i-was-hired-to-be-an-actress-not-a-personality-for-the-press/) [Grace Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grace-kelly/) > [Oh, I know I can sing. What I really want to be is an actress.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-presson-allen/oh-i-know-i-can-sing-what-i-really-want-to-be-is-an-actress/) Jay Presson Allen > [I want to be an actress when I grow up. Actually, I don't want to wait until I'm grown up. I want to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucy-boynton/i-want-to-be-an-actress-when-i-grow-up-actually-i-don-t-want-to-wait/) [Lucy Boynton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucy-boynton/) > [I want to be an Actress that is forced to change in order to play certain characters or tell stories. I don't want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mandip-gill/i-want-to-be-an-actress-that-is-forced-to-change-in-order-to-play/) [Mandip Gill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mandip-gill/) > [I don't want to be an actress.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/whitney-port/i-don-t-want-to-be-an-actress/) [Whitney Port](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/whitney-port/) > [I didn't want to be an actress. I wanted to be a dentist, but you never know what life will bring you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sofia-vergara/i-didn-t-want-to-be-an-actress-i-wanted-to-be-a-dentist-but-you-never/) [Sofia Vergara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sofia-vergara/) > [ I didn't want \[actress\] just to be a woman standing at the window, waving hello and goodbye to men as they came and went… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sergio-leone/i-didn-t-want-actress-just-to-be-a-woman-standing-at-the-window/) [Sergio Leone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sergio-leone/) > [I hope to make acting my career for the rest of my life, if I can. If acting doesn't work out I'd love to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chloe-grace-moretz/i-hope-to-make-acting-my-career-for-the-rest-of-my-life-if-i-can-if/) [Chloe Grace Moretz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chloe-grace-moretz/) > [When I grow up, I want to be an actress. But I want to be a legend of something.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hudson-yang/when-i-grow-up-i-want-to-be-an-actress-but-i-want-to-be-a-legend-of/) Hudson Yang > [I kind of shy away from that idea of being an actress because it seems to me to be such a cliché. Also, if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edie-campbell/i-kind-of-shy-away-from-that-idea-of-being-an-actress-because-it/) [Edie Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edie-campbell/) > [So I want to make it clear that I want to be an actress and do versatile roles. I am only trying to bring…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tejaswi-madivada/so-i-want-to-make-it-clear-that-i-want-to-be-an-actress-and-do/) [Tejaswi Madivada](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tejaswi-madivada/) > [As a little girl, I got to meet Audrey Hepburn, who took my face in her hands and suddenly make me want to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephanie-zimbalist/as-a-little-girl-i-got-to-meet-audrey-hepburn-who-took-my-face-in-her/) [Stephanie Zimbalist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephanie-zimbalist/) > [I always want to be an actress.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chloe-grace-moretz/i-always-want-to-be-an-actress/) [Chloe Grace Moretz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chloe-grace-moretz/) > [I hope to make acting my career for the rest of my life, if I can. If acting doesn't work out, I'd love to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chloe-grace-moretz/i-hope-to-make-acting-my-career-for-the-rest-of-my-life-if-i-can-if-2/) [Chloe Grace Moretz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chloe-grace-moretz/) ## More by Jill Clayburgh > [I notice now, whatever character in whatever movie you're watching, they have these toned arms and muscles.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-clayburgh/i-notice-now-whatever-character-in-whatever-movie-you-re-watching/) [Jill Clayburgh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-clayburgh/) > [I don't theorize too much. I sort of let the experience sink in, and I have to discover what the character is by doing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-clayburgh/i-don-t-theorize-too-much-i-sort-of-let-the-experience-sink-in-and-i/) [Jill Clayburgh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-clayburgh/) > [I like to run, to go down the stairs, I'm one of those kind of people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-clayburgh/i-like-to-run-to-go-down-the-stairs-i-m-one-of-those-kind-of-people/) [Jill Clayburgh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-clayburgh/) > [I just read that Time magazine cover story with all this information about how you have to have your kids by the time you're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-clayburgh/i-just-read-that-time-magazine-cover-story-with-all-this-information/) [Jill Clayburgh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-clayburgh/) > [Clothes are part of the character. They can't but help inform who you are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-clayburgh/clothes-are-part-of-the-character-they-can-t-but-help-inform-who-you/) [Jill Clayburgh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-clayburgh/) > [People always seem to see echoes of their own lives in my films.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-clayburgh/people-always-seem-to-see-echoes-of-their-own-lives-in-my-films/) [Jill Clayburgh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-clayburgh/) > [There's no environment. Use your imagination. There's no fourth wall, whether it's the first time you've told this story about her life, or the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-clayburgh/there-s-no-environment-use-your-imagination-there-s-no-fourth-wall/) [Jill Clayburgh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-clayburgh/) > [I don't like sitting around in my dressing room very much. It feels a lot like theater.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-clayburgh/i-don-t-like-sitting-around-in-my-dressing-room-very-much-it-feels-a/) [Jill Clayburgh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-clayburgh/) > [Well, this would be nice if it worked out, but I'm not selling the farm.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-clayburgh/well-this-would-be-nice-if-it-worked-out-but-i-m-not-selling-the-farm/) [Jill Clayburgh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-clayburgh/) > [I wasn't very good about juggling family and my career. I was interested in who was coming to the children's birthday party, what my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-clayburgh/i-wasn-t-very-good-about-juggling-family-and-my-career-i-was/) [Jill Clayburgh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-clayburgh/) > [I no longer say nice things about yoga. I was doing yoga so long before everybody else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-clayburgh/i-no-longer-say-nice-things-about-yoga-i-was-doing-yoga-so-long/) [Jill Clayburgh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-clayburgh/) > [I came from dinner, went downtown with my friends, the elevator was down, I ran down the hall toward my room at 10 at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-clayburgh/i-came-from-dinner-went-downtown-with-my-friends-the-elevator-was/) [Jill Clayburgh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-clayburgh/) > [What bugs me is that movies don't reflect how interesting and vibrant women are. We don't treasure women as they get older.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-clayburgh/what-bugs-me-is-that-movies-don-t-reflect-how-interesting-and-vibrant/) [Jill Clayburgh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-clayburgh/) > [I love to swim for miles; I could just go back and forth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-clayburgh/i-love-to-swim-for-miles-i-could-just-go-back-and-forth/) [Jill Clayburgh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-clayburgh/) > [I dont theorize too much. I sort of let the experience sink in, and I have to discover what the character is by doing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-clayburgh/i-dont-theorize-too-much-i-sort-of-let-the-experience-sink-in-and-i/) [Jill Clayburgh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-clayburgh/) [Explore all 21 Jill Clayburgh quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-clayburgh/) ## More Actress quotes > [Sigourney Weaver is a wonderful person. I was so lucky to have the opportunity to meet and work with such an amazing actress. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carrie-henn/sigourney-weaver-is-a-wonderful-person-i-was-so-lucky-to-have-the/) [Carrie Henn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carrie-henn/) > [People forget I'm an actress.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joey-heatherton/people-forget-i-m-an-actress/) [Joey Heatherton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joey-heatherton/) > [I adore Kelly Bishop as a human being and as an actress.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-gunn/i-adore-kelly-bishop-as-a-human-being-and-as-an-actress/) [Sean Gunn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-gunn/) > [I've been told before, and I tend to believe it, I'm not like most actresses out there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/moira-kelly/i-ve-been-told-before-and-i-tend-to-believe-it-i-m-not-like-most/) [Moira Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/moira-kelly/) > [Marilyn was a great actress, not a dumb blond bombshell. She was very smart, very astute and a good businesswoman.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-schiller/marilyn-was-a-great-actress-not-a-dumb-blond-bombshell-she-was-very/) [Lawrence Schiller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-schiller/) > [I'm an actress, not a pin-up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francesca-annis/i-m-an-actress-not-a-pin-up/) [Francesca Annis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francesca-annis/) > [My father was a GP; my mother was a teacher and amateur actress. My father was a bit of a storyteller, but the acting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ciaran-hinds/my-father-was-a-gp-my-mother-was-a-teacher-and-amateur-actress-my/) [Ciaran Hinds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ciaran-hinds/) > [I never wished that I was a superstar. Hell, I never even wished that I was an actress.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-lane/i-never-wished-that-i-was-a-superstar-hell-i-never-even-wished-that-i/) [Diane Lane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-lane/) > [Many of the heroines from outside Karnataka have worked in my films, but the attitude and adjusting nature of top South Indian actress Nayantara…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rockline-venkatesh/many-of-the-heroines-from-outside-karnataka-have-worked-in-my-films/) [Rockline Venkatesh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rockline-venkatesh/) > [There are a lot of great actresses out there. You learn to appreciate each one for what they offer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victoria-pratt/there-are-a-lot-of-great-actresses-out-there-you-learn-to-appreciate/) [Victoria Pratt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victoria-pratt/) > [There's certain things I try to avoid, as an actress, just to keep my world from being as narrow as it could be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/famke-janssen/there-s-certain-things-i-try-to-avoid-as-an-actress-just-to-keep-my/) [Famke Janssen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/famke-janssen/) > [I never wanted to be an opera singer. I wanted to be an actress, maybe a rock singer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristine-opolais/i-never-wanted-to-be-an-opera-singer-i-wanted-to-be-an-actress-maybe/) [Kristine Opolais](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristine-opolais/) > [When an actor charges high fees, nobody says anything. But when an actress does the same, it becomes news.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vijayashanti/when-an-actor-charges-high-fees-nobody-says-anything-but-when-an/) [Vijayashanti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vijayashanti/) > [I am going to be a great actress.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vivien-leigh/i-am-going-to-be-a-great-actress/) [Vivien Leigh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vivien-leigh/) > [As a black actress you've got to work doubly hard. But it doesn't ever get me to the point where I give up on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naturi-naughton/as-a-black-actress-you-ve-got-to-work-doubly-hard-but-it-doesn-t-ever/) [Naturi Naughton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naturi-naughton/) Browse all 2,244 Actress quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I want to be an actress, not a personality.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Jill Clayburgh" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-clayburgh/i-want-to-be-an-actress-not-a-personality/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Actress" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-clayburgh/i-want-to-be-an-actress-not-a-personality/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/952/jill-clayburgh-26486_actress_i-want-to-be-an-actress-not-a-personalit_2388837.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/952/jill-clayburgh-26486_actress_i-want-to-be-an-actress-not-a-personalit_2388837.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/952/jill-clayburgh-26486_actress_i-want-to-be-an-actress-not-a-personalit_2388837.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I want to be an actress, not a personality.” — Jill Clayburgh", "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": "Jill Clayburgh", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-clayburgh/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I want to be an actress,...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-clayburgh/i-want-to-be-an-actress-not-a-personality/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-clayburgh/i-want-to-be-an-actress-not-a-personality/#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 } } ] } ```