--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Having been an actor in Hollywood for a…" description: "\"Having been an actor in Hollywood for a certain amount of time, I always felt a pressure to be sort of a neutral person. 'Don't do anything to your hai..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fe3/john-cameron-mitchell-3889_actor_having-been-an-actor-in-hollywood-for-a_2754598.jpg" --- # Having been an actor in Hollywood for a certain amount of… ![“Having been an actor in Hollywood for a certain amount of time, I always felt a pressure to be sort of a neutral person. 'Don't do anything to your hair. Don't tell them your age. Don't tell them you're gay. Don't tell them anything that could limit you, specify you as a person.' I always hated…” quote by John Cameron Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fe3/john-cameron-mitchell-3889_actor_having-been-an-actor-in-hollywood-for-a_2754598.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fe3/john-cameron-mitchell-3889_actor_having-been-an-actor-in-hollywood-for-a_2754598.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fe3/john-cameron-mitchell-3889_actor_having-been-an-actor-in-hollywood-for-a_2754598.jpg) > “Having been an actor in Hollywood for a certain amount of time, I always felt a pressure to be sort of a neutral person. 'Don't do anything to your hair. Don't tell them your age. Don't tell them you're gay. Don't tell them anything that could limit you, specify you as a person.' I always hated that, actually moved out of L.A. because of that.” [John Cameron Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cameron-mitchell/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Mitchell describes pressure in Hollywood to hide personal identity, leading to his departure from L.A. **In simple terms:** Hollywood forces conformity, stifling authenticity. Key Takeaway Prioritize authenticity over acceptance. Themes identity conformity industry pressure Mood defiant reflective Type cultural personal When to use this quote - acting career - LGBTQ+ visibility - personal freedom Key Concepts social critique personal narrative Questions to Reflect On - What personal traits are you hiding? - How can you create safe spaces? A Different Perspective Conformity can be protective. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Actor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actor/) [Actor Hollywood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actor-hollywood-643286/) [Age](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/age/) [Gay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gay/) [Having Actor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/having-actor-1499018/) [Hollywood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hollywood/) [Neutral Person](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/neutral-person-3124323/) [Pressure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pressure/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [I've always wanted to continue work as an actor in Hollywood. So being in a film with Lady Gaga is something I'm trying to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shangela/i-ve-always-wanted-to-continue-work-as-an-actor-in-hollywood-so-being/) [Shangela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shangela/) > [I like movies, action movies. I definitely would be an actor in Hollywood.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tyrann-mathieu/i-like-movies-action-movies-i-definitely-would-be-an-actor-in/) [Tyrann Mathieu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tyrann-mathieu/) > [Growing up the way I did, being an actor in Hollywood was definitely never a plausible career choice at all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hong-chau/growing-up-the-way-i-did-being-an-actor-in-hollywood-was-definitely/) [Hong Chau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hong-chau/) > [Most of your life as an actor in Hollywood, either an actress or an actor, you have to look - you have to work…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-cattrall/most-of-your-life-as-an-actor-in-hollywood-either-an-actress-or-an/) [Kim Cattrall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-cattrall/) > [Having been an actor and a writer for so long - 20 years or so - I felt that it would be daft to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-fry/having-been-an-actor-and-a-writer-for-so-long-20-years-or-so-i-felt/) [Stephen Fry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-fry/) > [I have no problem having any actor from anywhere play a role. I'm excited for any actor that gets a job, I truly am.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-fichtner/i-have-no-problem-having-any-actor-from-anywhere-play-a-role-i-m/) [William Fichtner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-fichtner/) > [Films were never in my budget. Didn't occur to me till much later. I hoped for a long, good life, which I've had and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-o-toole/films-were-never-in-my-budget-didn-t-occur-to-me-till-much-later-i/) [Peter O'Toole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-o-toole/) > [Where having been an actor was extremely helpful to me was in casting. That's where I think a director who has acted can really…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taylor-sheridan/where-having-been-an-actor-was-extremely-helpful-to-me-was-in-casting/) [Taylor Sheridan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taylor-sheridan/) > [I always felt, and still feel, one of my best strengths as a director is having been an actor for a long time. 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Having the actor repeat the same moment eight…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-daldry/most-theater-methodology-is-predicated-on-the-idea-of-repeated/) [Stephen Daldry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-daldry/) > [Having been an actor, I always want to leave room for the actors to find their comfort zone, so I don't like to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-balfour/having-been-an-actor-i-always-want-to-leave-room-for-the-actors-to/) [Eric Balfour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-balfour/) > [I'll probably not be the best actor in Hollywood, and I am okay with that. But I will be the hardest working one, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-eastwood/i-ll-probably-not-be-the-best-actor-in-hollywood-and-i-am-okay-with/) [Scott Eastwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-eastwood/) > [As an actor, Hollywood would be a horrible place to go if you weren't actually invited.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-booth/as-an-actor-hollywood-would-be-a-horrible-place-to-go-if-you-weren-t/) [Douglas Booth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-booth/) ## More by John Cameron Mitchell > [You're on Facebook, and you're supposed to know your sexual orientation at 13... Nobody really knows what's going on at that time, and people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cameron-mitchell/you-re-on-facebook-and-you-re-supposed-to-know-your-sexual/) [John Cameron Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cameron-mitchell/) > [I'd like to do some female roles again.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cameron-mitchell/i-d-like-to-do-some-female-roles-again/) [John Cameron Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cameron-mitchell/) > [We're all weirdly single, middle-aged women with too much money who look to fill the void with too much shopping.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cameron-mitchell/we-re-all-weirdly-single-middle-aged-women-with-too-much-money-who/) [John Cameron Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cameron-mitchell/) > [I think as far as themes, 'Hedwig' is about what music meant to you as a kid and how rock n' roll can save…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cameron-mitchell/i-think-as-far-as-themes-hedwig-is-about-what-music-meant-to-you-as-a/) [John Cameron Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cameron-mitchell/) > [Doing 'Hedwig' totally contributed to my acceptance of myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cameron-mitchell/doing-hedwig-totally-contributed-to-my-acceptance-of-myself/) [John Cameron Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cameron-mitchell/) > [“My sex change operation got botched; my guardian angel fell asleep on the watch; now all I got is a Barbie doll crotch; I've…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cameron-mitchell/my-sex-change-operation-got-botched-my-guardian-angel-fell-asleep-on/) [John Cameron Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cameron-mitchell/) > ['Hedwig' isn't particularly based on me, but I think that it is autobiographical in terms of emotion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cameron-mitchell/hedwig-isn-t-particularly-based-on-me-but-i-think-that-it-is/) [John Cameron Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cameron-mitchell/) > [Kids' literature now is dystopian, you know.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cameron-mitchell/kids-literature-now-is-dystopian-you-know/) [John Cameron Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cameron-mitchell/) > [Getting the blood moving through your body does do wonders for your complexion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cameron-mitchell/getting-the-blood-moving-through-your-body-does-do-wonders-for-your/) [John Cameron Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cameron-mitchell/) > [There are a lot of silly projects out there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cameron-mitchell/there-are-a-lot-of-silly-projects-out-there/) [John Cameron Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cameron-mitchell/) > [I would love for 'Hedwig' to be in every tiny shopping mall so every freakish kid like I was can have a broadening experience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cameron-mitchell/i-would-love-for-hedwig-to-be-in-every-tiny-shopping-mall-so-every/) [John Cameron Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cameron-mitchell/) > [We spend so much of our early lives trying to figure out who we really are. And we spend the rest of our lives…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cameron-mitchell/we-spend-so-much-of-our-early-lives-trying-to-figure-out-who-we/) [John Cameron Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cameron-mitchell/) > [I like all kinds of input.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cameron-mitchell/i-like-all-kinds-of-input/) [John Cameron Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cameron-mitchell/) > [Anger is so constructive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cameron-mitchell/anger-is-so-constructive/) [John Cameron Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cameron-mitchell/) > [Growing up, it was uncool to admit that your family had any money. And then, instantly, money was cool. In Reagan's parlance, it was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cameron-mitchell/growing-up-it-was-uncool-to-admit-that-your-family-had-any-money-and/) [John Cameron Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cameron-mitchell/) [Explore all 120 John Cameron Mitchell quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cameron-mitchell/) ## 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. 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