--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: For minority actors, developing our own…" description: "\"For minority actors, developing our own projects has to be the eventual path. We have a lot of stories to tell and a really unique voice. But none of t..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/761/jimmy-smits-3297_acting_for-minority-actors-developing-our-own-p_2227801.jpg" --- # For minority actors, developing our own projects has to be… ![“For minority actors, developing our own projects has to be the eventual path. We have a lot of stories to tell and a really unique voice. But none of that is going to be heard as long as we're just the hired hands, acting.” quote by Jimmy Smits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/761/jimmy-smits-3297_acting_for-minority-actors-developing-our-own-p_2227801.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/761/jimmy-smits-3297_acting_for-minority-actors-developing-our-own-p_2227801.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/761/jimmy-smits-3297_acting_for-minority-actors-developing-our-own-p_2227801.jpg) > “For minority actors, developing our own projects has to be the eventual path. We have a lot of stories to tell and a really unique voice. But none of that is going to be heard as long as we're just the hired hands, acting.” [Jimmy Smits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-smits/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Minority actors must create their own projects to ensure authentic stories are told, because relying solely on hired roles limits representation. **In simple terms:** Minority actors need to create their own stories for true representation. Key Takeaway Take initiative to produce and tell your own narratives. Themes diversity agency representation Mood determined hopeful Type interview advocacy industry commentary When to use this quote - film production - independent projects - networking - fundraising Key Concepts empowerment storytelling industry dynamics Questions to Reflect On - What resources can help you launch a project? - How can allies support minority storytellers? A Different Perspective Creating projects can be financially risky and face industry gatekeeping. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Acting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/acting/) [Actors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actors/) [Actors Developing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actors-developing-4999492/) [Developing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/developing/) [Hands](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hands/) [Heard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heard/) [Hollywood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hollywood/) [Long](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/long/) [Minorities](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/minorities/) [Minority](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/minority/) [Minority Actors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/minority-actors-510723/) [Path](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/path/) [Projects](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/projects/) [Stories](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stories/) [Theatre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/theatre/) [Unique](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/unique/) [Voice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/voice/) ## Related quotes > [As soon as you start looking into roles which are specifically Asian, Black, or Latina, you start looking at stereotypes. That's the issue minority…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-henwick/as-soon-as-you-start-looking-into-roles-which-are-specifically-asian/) [Jessica Henwick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-henwick/) > [It's understandable why a minority that was treated as badly as blacks in this country have been for so long would, when they finally…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-maher/it-s-understandable-why-a-minority-that-was-treated-as-badly-as/) [Bill Maher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-maher/) > [“A minority is compelled to think; that is the blessing of its fate. It must always persist in a mental struggle for that consciousness…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-baeck/a-minority-is-compelled-to-think-that-is-the-blessing-of-its-fate-it/) [Leo Baeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-baeck/) > [For a privileged minority, Western democracy provides the leisure, the facilities, and the training to seek the truth lying hidden behind the veil of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/for-a-privileged-minority-western-democracy-provides-the-leisure-the/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [The smallest minority on earth is the individual. Those who deny individual rights cannot claim to be defenders of minorities.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayn-rand/the-smallest-minority-on-earth-is-the-individual-those-who-deny/) [Ayn Rand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayn-rand/) > [I don't think restaurants should refuse to serve minority people. They are quite tasty when prepared correctly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zach-braff/i-don-t-think-restaurants-should-refuse-to-serve-minority-people-they/) [Zach Braff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zach-braff/) > [I feel Irish-Americans are the forgotten minority group. Nobody else is making films about them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-burns/i-feel-irish-americans-are-the-forgotten-minority-group-nobody-else/) [Edward Burns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-burns/) > [If the minority is able to successfully undo the Affordable Care Act by blackmail, it will be the undoing of the democratic nature of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerrold-nadler/if-the-minority-is-able-to-successfully-undo-the-affordable-care-act/) [Jerrold Nadler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerrold-nadler/) > [You preferred to be a lunatic, a minority of one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-orwell/you-preferred-to-be-a-lunatic-a-minority-of-one/) [George Orwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-orwell/) > [“Those who benefit from unearned privilege are too often quick to discount those who don't.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dashanne-stokes/those-who-benefit-from-unearned-privilege-are-too-often-quick-to/) [DaShanne Stokes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dashanne-stokes/) > [Candidates should be extremely cautious in displaying a sense of humor. If he or she tells a joke with a point, there is almost…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-germond/candidates-should-be-extremely-cautious-in-displaying-a-sense-of/) [Jack Germond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-germond/) > [I grew up in that minority. I grew up in the South, in Roswell, Georgia, and it was heavily white, Baptist, conservative. And the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-cross/i-grew-up-in-that-minority-i-grew-up-in-the-south-in-roswell-georgia/) [David Cross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-cross/) > [We're never all going to agree with each other. We have to learn to value the diversity. It's one of the presumable principles of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-r-ehrlich/we-re-never-all-going-to-agree-with-each-other-we-have-to-learn-to/) [Paul R. Ehrlich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-r-ehrlich/) > [People are not fundamentally bad. It only takes the smallest of correctives to take care of that tiny minority that wants to disrupt the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-wales/people-are-not-fundamentally-bad-it-only-takes-the-smallest-of/) [Jimmy Wales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-wales/) > [And one day our grandkids will ask us, 'What was it like to be a minority?'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christy-haubegger/and-one-day-our-grandkids-will-ask-us-what-was-it-like-to-be-a/) [Christy Haubegger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christy-haubegger/) ## More by Jimmy Smits > [Growing up in New York, we lived all around the city depending on our economic circumstance. I also lived in Puerto Rico for a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-smits/growing-up-in-new-york-we-lived-all-around-the-city-depending-on-our/) [Jimmy Smits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-smits/) > [I left 'L.A. Law' after five years when my contract was up because I felt I had done all I could do with the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-smits/i-left-l-a-law-after-five-years-when-my-contract-was-up-because-i/) [Jimmy Smits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-smits/) > [I don't feel I have to acknowledge how I'm doing by an award.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-smits/i-don-t-feel-i-have-to-acknowledge-how-i-m-doing-by-an-award/) [Jimmy Smits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-smits/) > [People become actors because they want to hide, and it's not easy to talk about myself. I accept that a certain responsibility goes with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-smits/people-become-actors-because-they-want-to-hide-and-it-s-not-easy-to/) [Jimmy Smits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-smits/) > [What struck me more than anything is how the people that are involved in government start out from a place of really wanting to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-smits/what-struck-me-more-than-anything-is-how-the-people-that-are-involved/) [Jimmy Smits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-smits/) > [As an actor, you think to yourself, 'I want to do good work,' but you also want the work that you do to make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-smits/as-an-actor-you-think-to-yourself-i-want-to-do-good-work-but-you-also/) [Jimmy Smits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-smits/) > [I have no tattoos at all - it was a huge undertaking for me in the '80s to let my parents know I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-smits/i-have-no-tattoos-at-all-it-was-a-huge-undertaking-for-me-in-the-80s/) [Jimmy Smits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-smits/) > [It just makes you feel proud, more than anything else, that the work has in some way transcended itself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-smits/it-just-makes-you-feel-proud-more-than-anything-else-that-the-work/) [Jimmy Smits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-smits/) > [The most obvious thing that comes to mind is the loss of one's privacy. Your life becomes an open book, but I've found ways…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-smits/the-most-obvious-thing-that-comes-to-mind-is-the-loss-of-one-s/) [Jimmy Smits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-smits/) > [Michael C. Hall is an incredibly detailed actor who can convey so much with just an eyebrow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-smits/michael-c-hall-is-an-incredibly-detailed-actor-who-can-convey-so-much/) [Jimmy Smits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-smits/) > [The Fourth of July concert is invigorating in so many ways, in terms of what it feels like to be an American.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-smits/the-fourth-of-july-concert-is-invigorating-in-so-many-ways-in-terms/) [Jimmy Smits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-smits/) > [You have to be like a sponge and use what you can and how it relates because TV is fluid. Things change on a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-smits/you-have-to-be-like-a-sponge-and-use-what-you-can-and-how-it-relates/) [Jimmy Smits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-smits/) > [California has been very good to me in terms of the professional arena.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-smits/california-has-been-very-good-to-me-in-terms-of-the-professional-arena/) [Jimmy Smits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-smits/) > [I save the rage for the stage.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-smits/i-save-the-rage-for-the-stage/) [Jimmy Smits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-smits/) > [I almost feel like sometimes when I'm on location, you miss your home and your family and all that stuff, but it keeps you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-smits/i-almost-feel-like-sometimes-when-i-m-on-location-you-miss-your-home/) [Jimmy Smits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-smits/) [Explore all 134 Jimmy Smits quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-smits/) ## More Acting 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/) > [Many Republicans have always reminded me of professional WWF wrestlers. They come into the ring all pumped up and acting like they're invincible and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-feig/many-republicans-have-always-reminded-me-of-professional-wwf/) [Paul Feig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-feig/) > [I'm a big fan of all the Boston guys that are acting - Matt Damon , Ben Affleck, Mark Wahlberg - they made a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenny-wormald/i-m-a-big-fan-of-all-the-boston-guys-that-are-acting-matt-damon-ben/) [Kenny Wormald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenny-wormald/) > [Acting is a grind, just like music is a grind. Sometimes it takes longer than what you can give.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/big-sean/acting-is-a-grind-just-like-music-is-a-grind-sometimes-it-takes/) [Big Sean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/big-sean/) > [It was only when I started making short films in college and I was looking for girls to play the me-ish parts that I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lena-dunham/it-was-only-when-i-started-making-short-films-in-college-and-i-was/) [Lena Dunham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lena-dunham/) > [Writing is something I took up rather than anything I had an inclination toward. I like acting -delivering someone else's message - but writing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-martin/writing-is-something-i-took-up-rather-than-anything-i-had-an/) [Steve Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-martin/) > [I can still function when I don't have that balance I crave. I had a tendency to be precious about acting, thinking of it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-regan/i-can-still-function-when-i-don-t-have-that-balance-i-crave-i-had-a/) [Laura Regan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-regan/) > [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/) > [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/) > [It definitely helps to have the acting experience going into singing, because when you're singing, you have to portray the emotion you were feeling…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-newman/it-definitely-helps-to-have-the-acting-experience-going-into-singing/) [Ryan Newman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-newman/) > [The show was number one in the ratings, Gordon Russell was our head writer, the story lines were magnificent and the acting most exciting.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-storm/the-show-was-number-one-in-the-ratings-gordon-russell-was-our-head/) [Michael Storm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-storm/) > [I've done so many other projects where you're in a room with a reader and you're acting your lines out: 'We have to get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-cummings/i-ve-done-so-many-other-projects-where-you-re-in-a-room-with-a-reader/) [Jim Cummings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-cummings/) > [I do not believe in public shaming. I do believe that young adults go to college to learn things, and that this process will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-weingarten/i-do-not-believe-in-public-shaming-i-do-believe-that-young-adults-go/) [Gene Weingarten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-weingarten/) > [Poetry has, in a way, been my bridge to my acting career.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/omari-hardwick/poetry-has-in-a-way-been-my-bridge-to-my-acting-career/) [Omari Hardwick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/omari-hardwick/) [Browse all 12,062 Acting quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/acting/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "For minority actors, developing our own projects has to be the eventual path. We have a lot of stories to tell and a really unique voice. But none of that is going to be heard as long as we're just the hired hands, acting.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Jimmy Smits" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-smits/for-minority-actors-developing-our-own-projects-has-to-be-the/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Acting" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-smits/for-minority-actors-developing-our-own-projects-has-to-be-the/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/761/jimmy-smits-3297_acting_for-minority-actors-developing-our-own-p_2227801.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/761/jimmy-smits-3297_acting_for-minority-actors-developing-our-own-p_2227801.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/761/jimmy-smits-3297_acting_for-minority-actors-developing-our-own-p_2227801.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“For minority actors, developing our own projects has to be the eventual path. We have a lot of stories to…” — Jimmy Smits", "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": "Jimmy Smits", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-smits/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "For minority actors, developing our own...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-smits/for-minority-actors-developing-our-own-projects-has-to-be-the/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-smits/for-minority-actors-developing-our-own-projects-has-to-be-the/#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 } } ] } ```