--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I never had any ambition to be a star, or…" description: "\"I never had any ambition to be a star, or whatever it is called, and I'm still embarrassed at the word.\" — John Hurt" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cf9/john-hurt-1669_ambition_i-never-had-any-ambition-to-be-a-star-or_2712710.png" --- # I never had any ambition to be a star, or whatever it is… ![“I never had any ambition to be a star, or whatever it is called, and I'm still embarrassed at the word.” quote by John Hurt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cf9/john-hurt-1669_ambition_i-never-had-any-ambition-to-be-a-star-or_2712710.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cf9/john-hurt-1669_ambition_i-never-had-any-ambition-to-be-a-star-or_2712710.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cf9/john-hurt-1669_ambition_i-never-had-any-ambition-to-be-a-star-or_2712710.png) > “I never had any ambition to be a star, or whatever it is called, and I'm still embarrassed at the word.” [John Hurt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hurt/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He expresses discomfort with fame and rejects the desire to become a celebrity. **In simple terms:** He dislikes the idea of being famous. Key Takeaway Accept personal values over societal expectations. Themes identity fame self‑acceptance Mood reflective reserved Type personal philosophical When to use this quote - career choices - social media presence - public speaking - personal branding Key Concepts celebrity culture personal authenticity Questions to Reflect On - Do you measure success by fame? - How can you stay true to yourself amid external pressure? A Different Perspective Fame can bring unwanted scrutiny and pressure. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Ambition](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ambition/) [Ambition Star](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ambition-star-1683080/) [Astronomy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/astronomy/) [Called Embarrassed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/called-embarrassed-2820293/) [Embarrassed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/embarrassed/) [Embarrassed Word](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/embarrassed-word-2820292/) [Fame](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fame/) [Star Called](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/star-called-2820294/) ## Related quotes > [I never had a driving ambition to be a star.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-learned/i-never-had-a-driving-ambition-to-be-a-star/) [Michael Learned](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-learned/) > [I have the desire to work as an actress, but I have no ambition to be a star.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ally-sheedy/i-have-the-desire-to-work-as-an-actress-but-i-have-no-ambition-to-be/) [Ally Sheedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ally-sheedy/) > [“Did you know that a bee dies after he stings you? And that there's a star called Aldebaran? And that around the tenth of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-enright/did-you-know-that-a-bee-dies-after-he-stings-you-and-that-there-s-a/) [Elizabeth Enright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-enright/) > [“Wow! So beautiful. Which star? Planet, not star; It WAS called Earth.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrmn/wow-so-beautiful-which-star-planet-not-star-it-was-called-earth/) [Vikrmn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrmn/) > [“I always called her Star . I always called her Estee. And Grace was just the reminder we didn't want to forget that it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-earl/i-always-called-her-star-i-always-called-her-estee-and-grace-was-just/) [Wayne Earl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wayne-earl/) > [Science and technology have been embarrassed by two world wars, many smaller ones, and the spread of weapons that could destroy humanity. As a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-keating/science-and-technology-have-been-embarrassed-by-two-world-wars-many/) [Thomas Keating](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-keating/) > [“The thing that truly amazes me about myself is that I’m actually more scared of being embarrassed than anything else.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melvin-burgess/the-thing-that-truly-amazes-me-about-myself-is-that-i-m-actually-more/) [Melvin Burgess](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melvin-burgess/) > [One of the really bad things you can do to your writing is to dress up the vocabulary, looking for long words because you're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/one-of-the-really-bad-things-you-can-do-to-your-writing-is-to-dress/) [Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) > [Perhaps we have failed as human beings. Perhaps we have embarrassed ourselves to the natural world. We have been rigorous and willful in all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sufjan-stevens/perhaps-we-have-failed-as-human-beings-perhaps-we-have-embarrassed/) [Sufjan Stevens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sufjan-stevens/) > [One day I was running around playing with my son Connor when afterwards I was sweating, tired and out of breath. I was embarrassed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/drew-carey/one-day-i-was-running-around-playing-with-my-son-connor-when/) [Drew Carey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/drew-carey/) > [But that quickly faded, and he frowned. "You're bleeding," he said. "What happened?" Claire sighed and held up her wrist to show him the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-caine/but-that-quickly-faded-and-he-frowned-you-re-bleeding-he-said-what/) [Rachel Caine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-caine/) > [“Really? I'm trying to place you. It seems like we've met before." Did I just issue him a pick up line? Fantastic, I've now…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-mcguire/really-i-m-trying-to-place-you-it-seems-like-we-ve-met-before-did-i/) [Jamie McGuire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-mcguire/) > [I have pictures with Morimoto where I'm all embarrassed and he's so serious, it took me 30 minutes to get up the courage to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcela-valladolid/i-have-pictures-with-morimoto-where-i-m-all-embarrassed-and-he-s-so/) [Marcela Valladolid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcela-valladolid/) > [Some of the things I've done, like getting Justin Edinburgh sent off in the cup final by going down, I'm embarrassed - I cringe…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robbie-savage/some-of-the-things-i-ve-done-like-getting-justin-edinburgh-sent-off/) [Robbie Savage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robbie-savage/) > [I have that need in me, I want everyone to love me, but I'm embarrassed by that need, so I wanted to cover it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-jeselnik/i-have-that-need-in-me-i-want-everyone-to-love-me-but-i-m-embarrassed/) [Anthony Jeselnik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-jeselnik/) ## More by John Hurt > [I can't say that I wouldn't prefer to make small films, basically because I think they are probably more interesting in terms of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hurt/i-can-t-say-that-i-wouldn-t-prefer-to-make-small-films-basically/) [John Hurt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hurt/) > [Acting is an imaginative leap, really, isn't it? And imaginations prosper in different circumstances. And it's being able - I can't tell you how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hurt/acting-is-an-imaginative-leap-really-isn-t-it-and-imaginations/) [John Hurt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hurt/) > [My surname certainly suggests a man whose destiny has always been injury.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hurt/my-surname-certainly-suggests-a-man-whose-destiny-has-always-been/) [John Hurt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hurt/) > [ I got used to \[ Lars Von Trier\] doing the narration for 'Dogville' and 'Manderley.' And I said to him I do these narrations… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hurt/i-got-used-to-lars-von-trier-doing-the-narration-for-dogville-and/) [John Hurt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hurt/) > [The first thing you have to get used to in any kind of acting is the ability to make a fool of yourself. If…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hurt/the-first-thing-you-have-to-get-used-to-in-any-kind-of-acting-is-the/) [John Hurt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hurt/) > [One wonders sometimes, looking at the world, how it's dealing with itself. There are days when you wake up and you feel very optimistic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hurt/one-wonders-sometimes-looking-at-the-world-how-it-s-dealing-with/) [John Hurt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hurt/) > [To me, nothing ever feels like a sure thing. I cling to that because it's very important you don't ever think anything is a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hurt/to-me-nothing-ever-feels-like-a-sure-thing-i-cling-to-that-because-it/) [John Hurt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hurt/) > [Things come in a quieter way to me. It's not laziness, and it's not diffidence. I just know how far you have to bend…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hurt/things-come-in-a-quieter-way-to-me-it-s-not-laziness-and-it-s-not/) [John Hurt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hurt/) > [I've spent a great deal of my life doing independent film, and that is partly because the subject matter interests me and partly because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hurt/i-ve-spent-a-great-deal-of-my-life-doing-independent-film-and-that-is/) [John Hurt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hurt/) > [I find myself more interested in producing. Not because I'm interested in the financial side of it, but just getting together the right elements…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hurt/i-find-myself-more-interested-in-producing-not-because-i-m-interested/) [John Hurt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hurt/) > [Actors are not always the best judges. We have a peculiar idea of what we think we are, and sometimes it's best left to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hurt/actors-are-not-always-the-best-judges-we-have-a-peculiar-idea-of-what/) [John Hurt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hurt/) > [My parents felt that acting was far too insecure. Don't ask me what made them think that painting would be more secure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hurt/my-parents-felt-that-acting-was-far-too-insecure-don-t-ask-me-what/) [John Hurt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hurt/) > [I've done all sorts of children's things before, but none as big as 'Harry Potter.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hurt/i-ve-done-all-sorts-of-children-s-things-before-but-none-as-big-as/) [John Hurt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hurt/) > [Really, I'm only alive out of curiosity. I'm very curious about where we're all marching.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hurt/really-i-m-only-alive-out-of-curiosity-i-m-very-curious-about-where/) [John Hurt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hurt/) > [You carry that through and adapt it to a camera lens, but you're quite right, you cannot be sure of what an audience is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hurt/you-carry-that-through-and-adapt-it-to-a-camera-lens-but-you-re-quite/) [John Hurt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hurt/) [Explore all 217 John Hurt quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hurt/) ## More Ambition quotes > [Ambition drives you on, ability certainly helps, but the fickle finger of fate and luck are great things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fergus-henderson/ambition-drives-you-on-ability-certainly-helps-but-the-fickle-finger/) [Fergus Henderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fergus-henderson/) > [One needs more than ambition and talent to make a success of anything, really. There must be love and a vocation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessye-norman/one-needs-more-than-ambition-and-talent-to-make-a-success-of-anything/) [Jessye Norman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessye-norman/) > [I just think my own ambition would not allow me to sit on the gifts that my creator had given me. And so that's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janelle-monae/i-just-think-my-own-ambition-would-not-allow-me-to-sit-on-the-gifts/) [Janelle Monae](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janelle-monae/) > [A man's worth is no greater than the worth of his ambitions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/a-man-s-worth-is-no-greater-than-the-worth-of-his-ambitions/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I'm hungry and ambitious.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julen-lopetegui/i-m-hungry-and-ambitious/) [Julen Lopetegui](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julen-lopetegui/) > [“I was ambitious and desperate to direct my first film, so I capitulated and blew it. Never again. Never fucking again.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-ferguson/i-was-ambitious-and-desperate-to-direct-my-first-film-so-i/) [Craig Ferguson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-ferguson/) > [I was always attracted most to joining City, and I am pleased to be at such a good club with such a big ambition…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edin-dzeko/i-was-always-attracted-most-to-joining-city-and-i-am-pleased-to-be-at/) [Edin Dzeko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edin-dzeko/) > [Work towards your goal and dont watch the post size,its either they hate,or like you.there is no room for both sides.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-buabeng/work-towards-your-goal-and-dont-watch-the-post-size-its-either-they/) [Isaac Buabeng](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-buabeng/) > [“But young men have not only this frivolous ambition of being thought masters of execution, inciting them on the one hand, but also their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/but-young-men-have-not-only-this-frivolous-ambition-of-being-thought/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I almost never have a plan for myself... I'm not ambitious in that way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martha-plimpton/i-almost-never-have-a-plan-for-myself-i-m-not-ambitious-in-that-way/) [Martha Plimpton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martha-plimpton/) > [I play for high stakes and given an audience - there is no act too daring or too noble.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winston-churchill/i-play-for-high-stakes-and-given-an-audience-there-is-no-act-too/) [Winston Churchill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winston-churchill/) > [There's nothing worse than a leader who lacks ambition.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/there-s-nothing-worse-than-a-leader-who-lacks-ambition/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [If i can't even protect my captain's dream, then whatever ambition i have is nothing but talk..](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zoro/if-i-can-t-even-protect-my-captain-s-dream-then-whatever-ambition-i/) [Zoro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zoro/) > [It may seem unattainable but if you put actions, your heart and your mind into it, you will prevail.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/london-mond/it-may-seem-unattainable-but-if-you-put-actions-your-heart-and-your/) [London Mond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/london-mond/) > [Obligation is what's leading us to toward successful, and what keeps us moving towards the future.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wazim-shaw/obligation-is-what-s-leading-us-to-toward-successful-and-what-keeps/) [Wazim Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wazim-shaw/) [Browse all 4,601 Ambition quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ambition/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I never had any ambition to be a star, or whatever it is called, and I'm still embarrassed at the word.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "John Hurt" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hurt/i-never-had-any-ambition-to-be-a-star-or-whatever-it-is-called-and-i/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Ambition" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hurt/i-never-had-any-ambition-to-be-a-star-or-whatever-it-is-called-and-i/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cf9/john-hurt-1669_ambition_i-never-had-any-ambition-to-be-a-star-or_2712710.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cf9/john-hurt-1669_ambition_i-never-had-any-ambition-to-be-a-star-or_2712710.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cf9/john-hurt-1669_ambition_i-never-had-any-ambition-to-be-a-star-or_2712710.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I never had any ambition to be a star, or whatever it is called, and I'm still embarrassed at the word.” — John Hurt", "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": "John Hurt", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hurt/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I never had any ambition to...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hurt/i-never-had-any-ambition-to-be-a-star-or-whatever-it-is-called-and-i/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hurt/i-never-had-any-ambition-to-be-a-star-or-whatever-it-is-called-and-i/#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 } } ] } ```