--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If a musician wants to be an actor…" description: "\"If a musician wants to be an actor, everyone thinks that's pretty cool. But if an actor wants to play a song, even if they've been doing it for 40 year..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/870/john-hawkes-9917_actor_if-a-musician-wants-to-be-an-actor-every_3017832.jpg" --- # If a musician wants to be an actor, everyone thinks that's… ![“If a musician wants to be an actor, everyone thinks that's pretty cool. But if an actor wants to play a song, even if they've been doing it for 40 years, that's bad news.” quote by John Hawkes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/870/john-hawkes-9917_actor_if-a-musician-wants-to-be-an-actor-every_3017832.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/870/john-hawkes-9917_actor_if-a-musician-wants-to-be-an-actor-every_3017832.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/870/john-hawkes-9917_actor_if-a-musician-wants-to-be-an-actor-every_3017832.jpg) > “If a musician wants to be an actor, everyone thinks that's pretty cool. But if an actor wants to play a song, even if they've been doing it for 40 years, that's bad news.” [John Hawkes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hawkes/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Societal double standards treat artistic transitions differently based on the artist’s original field. **In simple terms:** Artists face bias when switching roles. Key Takeaway Challenge stereotypes about cross‑disciplinary talent. Themes bias art stereotypes Mood critical analytical Type social cultural When to use this quote - actors - musicians - career shifts - public reception Key Concepts cultural perception media framing Questions to Reflect On - Why are actors judged more harshly than musicians? - What changes perception of cross‑disciplinary work? A Different Perspective Public opinion can be fickle and may not reflect actual talent. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Actor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actor/) [Music](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/music/) [Musician](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/musician/) [News](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/news/) [Play](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/play/) [Song](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/song/) [Theatre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/theatre/) ## Related quotes > [We joke about it in the entertainment industry: Every actor wants to be a musician, and every musician wants to be an actor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lance-bass/we-joke-about-it-in-the-entertainment-industry-every-actor-wants-to/) [Lance Bass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lance-bass/) > [The audience perceives only what the actor wants to do to the other actor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-mamet/the-audience-perceives-only-what-the-actor-wants-to-do-to-the-other/) [David Mamet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-mamet/) > [It's called illusions of grandeur. Every musician wants to be big.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-james/it-s-called-illusions-of-grandeur-every-musician-wants-to-be-big/) [Rick James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-james/) > [When an actor thinks he has arrived and become the best one, that's when your downfall starts. I will always strive to do better…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tahir-raj-bhasin/when-an-actor-thinks-he-has-arrived-and-become-the-best-one-that-s/) [Tahir Raj Bhasin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tahir-raj-bhasin/) > [If a musician wants to blossom into a full-fledged person, it's not enough if he knows only classical music; nor it is enough if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-r-rahman/if-a-musician-wants-to-blossom-into-a-full-fledged-person-it-s-not/) [A. R. Rahman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-r-rahman/) > [Every actor thinks he can do comedy, and it's not true.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denis-leary/every-actor-thinks-he-can-do-comedy-and-it-s-not-true/) [Denis Leary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denis-leary/) > [The most difficult thing about music videos is that a lot of young filmmakers come into the medium, and they have so many different…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hiro-murai/the-most-difficult-thing-about-music-videos-is-that-a-lot-of-young/) [Hiro Murai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hiro-murai/) > [Every actor thinks he's underused - unless he's a movie star.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-cole/every-actor-thinks-he-s-underused-unless-he-s-a-movie-star/) [Gary Cole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-cole/) > [Every musician wants to do something which will hold up for a long time, and I guess we did it with 'Stairway to Heaven.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-page/every-musician-wants-to-do-something-which-will-hold-up-for-a-long/) [Jimmy Page](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-page/) > [Every actor thinks to themselves, 'What if I wake up and I'm 45 and I'm still waiting tables, still waiting for that part and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wentworth-miller/every-actor-thinks-to-themselves-what-if-i-wake-up-and-i-m-45-and-i-m/) [Wentworth Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wentworth-miller/) > [Every musician out there wants to be judged on the merit of their songwriting, the merit of their performing abilities.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-jane-grace/every-musician-out-there-wants-to-be-judged-on-the-merit-of-their/) [Laura Jane Grace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-jane-grace/) > [“... as a convention, you get up and walk to the window to make the audience believe that you're looking out. It's for the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sanford-meisner/as-a-convention-you-get-up-and-walk-to-the-window-to-make-the/) [Sanford Meisner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sanford-meisner/) > [If a musician wants to become a finer artist, he must first become a finer person.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shinichi-suzuki/if-a-musician-wants-to-become-a-finer-artist-he-must-first-become-a/) [Shinichi Suzuki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shinichi-suzuki/) > [I think all my favorite directors have acted. They understand how an actor thinks.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-arden/i-think-all-my-favorite-directors-have-acted-they-understand-how-an/) [Michael Arden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-arden/) > [I would recommend any young person who wants to be an actor to go and get some training.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-hawke/i-would-recommend-any-young-person-who-wants-to-be-an-actor-to-go-and/) [Maya Hawke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-hawke/) ## More by John Hawkes > [I maintain that if you're a novelist and you go into an art museum, you'll come out a better novelist. And if you paint…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hawkes/i-maintain-that-if-you-re-a-novelist-and-you-go-into-an-art-museum/) [John Hawkes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hawkes/) > [“One and all they are driven by the twin engines of ignorance and willful barbarism. You nod, you also are familiar with these two…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hawkes/one-and-all-they-are-driven-by-the-twin-engines-of-ignorance-and/) [John Hawkes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hawkes/) > [It seems like every year Hollywood makes an attempt to retell the Manson story, and I just couldn't be less interested in it. It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hawkes/it-seems-like-every-year-hollywood-makes-an-attempt-to-retell-the/) [John Hawkes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hawkes/) > [When something gets attention so quickly, people sometimes will look for reasons to find fault and tear it down.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hawkes/when-something-gets-attention-so-quickly-people-sometimes-will-look/) [John Hawkes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hawkes/) > [Some friends of mine bothered me for a long time about getting on the social networking pages. They were close friends that I liked…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hawkes/some-friends-of-mine-bothered-me-for-a-long-time-about-getting-on-the/) [John Hawkes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hawkes/) > [It's probably odd for someone to read an interview where the interviewee is worried about exposure while they're talking in an interview.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hawkes/it-s-probably-odd-for-someone-to-read-an-interview-where-the/) [John Hawkes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hawkes/) > [For the last 20 years of my life, I've had the mantra to do amazing parts with amazing people in amazing projects, so I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hawkes/for-the-last-20-years-of-my-life-i-ve-had-the-mantra-to-do-amazing/) [John Hawkes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hawkes/) > [I don't have actor training myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hawkes/i-don-t-have-actor-training-myself/) [John Hawkes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hawkes/) > [A lot of times, you just don't get the jobs you want to get.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hawkes/a-lot-of-times-you-just-don-t-get-the-jobs-you-want-to-get/) [John Hawkes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hawkes/) > [“I began to write fiction on the assumption that the true enemies of the novel were plot, character, setting and theme.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hawkes/i-began-to-write-fiction-on-the-assumption-that-the-true-enemies-of/) [John Hawkes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hawkes/) > [“I began to write fiction on the assumption that the true enemies of the novel were plot, character, setting and theme, and having once…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hawkes/i-began-to-write-fiction-on-the-assumption-that-the-true-enemies-of-2/) [John Hawkes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hawkes/) > [When I realized that you can't necessarily be cast in a really great part living in Austin, even when Hollywood comes to town, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hawkes/when-i-realized-that-you-can-t-necessarily-be-cast-in-a-really-great/) [John Hawkes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hawkes/) > [As an actor, you don't often get a chance to know exactly the impact of what the audience is seeing, even though you can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hawkes/as-an-actor-you-don-t-often-get-a-chance-to-know-exactly-the-impact/) [John Hawkes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hawkes/) > [I'd said to my sweetheart a couple of days before that the SAG and Spirit Award nomination was amazing and I had no attachment…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hawkes/i-d-said-to-my-sweetheart-a-couple-of-days-before-that-the-sag-and/) [John Hawkes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hawkes/) > [I don't mean to be highfalutin about it, but I try to limit my visibility.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hawkes/i-don-t-mean-to-be-highfalutin-about-it-but-i-try-to-limit-my/) [John Hawkes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hawkes/) [Explore all 69 John Hawkes quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hawkes/) ## 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. 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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! 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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": "If a musician wants to be an actor, everyone thinks that's pretty cool. 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