---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: To be an actor for 30-odd years trying to…"
description: "\"To be an actor for 30-odd years trying to become recognized, and to end up playing a full prosthetic and a character 3 foot 9', or something like that,..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/631/john-rhys-davies-10160_actor_to-be-an-actor-for-30-odd-years-trying-t_1956796.png"
---

#  To be an actor for 30-odd years trying to become…

![“To be an actor for 30-odd years trying to become recognized, and to end up playing a full prosthetic and a character 3 foot 9', or something like that, is... well, it just shows that you can get actors to do anything.” quote by John Rhys-Davies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/631/john-rhys-davies-10160_actor_to-be-an-actor-for-30-odd-years-trying-t_1956796.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/631/john-rhys-davies-10160_actor_to-be-an-actor-for-30-odd-years-trying-t_1956796.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/631/john-rhys-davies-10160_actor_to-be-an-actor-for-30-odd-years-trying-t_1956796.png)

> “To be an actor for 30-odd years trying to become recognized, and to end up playing a full prosthetic and a character 3 foot 9', or something like that, is... well, it just shows that you can get actors to do anything.”

[John Rhys-Davies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-rhys-davies/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Long‑term dedication may lead to unexpected, modest roles, showing industry unpredictability.

**In simple terms:** Hard work doesn’t always bring fame.

Key Takeaway

Embrace flexibility in career goals.

Themes

career expectations industry resilience humor

Mood

candid humorous

Type

inspirational realistic

When to use this quote

- audition preparation
- career pivot
- self‑branding

Key Concepts

acting career dynamics role acceptance

Questions to Reflect On

- Are you prepared for unexpected career turns?
- How can you find fulfillment beyond fame?

A Different Perspective

Success isn’t solely talent; networking matters.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Actor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actor/) [Actors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actors/) [Character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character/) [Theatre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/theatre/)

## Related quotes

> [I've been an actor for 30 years, so I pretty much know how to do the basics of a fight without hurting anybody.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-benz/i-ve-been-an-actor-for-30-years-so-i-pretty-much-know-how-to-do-the/)

[Julie Benz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-benz/)

> [I enjoy my work. I haven't been an actor for 30 years without getting pleasure out of the profession.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bela-lugosi/i-enjoy-my-work-i-haven-t-been-an-actor-for-30-years-without-getting/)

[Bela Lugosi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bela-lugosi/)

> [I've been an actor for 30 years. I'm not going to run from a great theater production to do two days on an HBO…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claes-bang/i-ve-been-an-actor-for-30-years-i-m-not-going-to-run-from-a-great/)

[Claes Bang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claes-bang/)

> [You're a smaller fish in the U.S. There's just so many more TV shows, and actors, and actresses. Where as in the U.K. you're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/india-de-beaufort/you-re-a-smaller-fish-in-the-u-s-there-s-just-so-many-more-tv-shows/)

[India de Beaufort](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/india-de-beaufort/)

> [I hope to see more programming, more shows, more actors of mixed ethnicity, more young kids of mixed ethnicity choosing to be in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-michael-davis/i-hope-to-see-more-programming-more-shows-more-actors-of-mixed/)

[Charles Michael Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-michael-davis/)

> [I love my job, simply because we can keep things fresh, all the time. That's a luxury not all shows have. For us, as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aldis-hodge/i-love-my-job-simply-because-we-can-keep-things-fresh-all-the-time/)

[Aldis Hodge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aldis-hodge/)

> [Writers are not always right however, but then again, I've been on shows where the actors have complete control and change everything and it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-devane/writers-are-not-always-right-however-but-then-again-i-ve-been-on/)

[William Devane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-devane/)

> [There are various factors that make a show, so if the shows of other actors did not work, it's not their fault. I don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kiku-sharda/there-are-various-factors-that-make-a-show-so-if-the-shows-of-other/)

[Kiku Sharda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kiku-sharda/)

> [I've worked on shows where the actors don't talk to each other, and if they want to talk to each other, they talk through…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rocky-carroll/i-ve-worked-on-shows-where-the-actors-don-t-talk-to-each-other-and-if/)

[Rocky Carroll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rocky-carroll/)

> [I thought being in the wheelchair might be kind of limiting for me as an actor. It turned out cool in a lot of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-beaver/i-thought-being-in-the-wheelchair-might-be-kind-of-limiting-for-me-as/)

[Jim Beaver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-beaver/)

> [There are enough roles for everyone, and I truly believe that the roles that we end up doing are the exact ones that are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diana-silvers/there-are-enough-roles-for-everyone-and-i-truly-believe-that-the/)

[Diana Silvers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diana-silvers/)

> [I ask for tips, for advice. What I have also learnt is that I need to do things that are good for me. In…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthijs-de-ligt/i-ask-for-tips-for-advice-what-i-have-also-learnt-is-that-i-need-to/)

[Matthijs de Ligt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthijs-de-ligt/)

> [I feel I handle the pressure situations well, and that's why I want to be there at the end.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ab-de-villiers/i-feel-i-handle-the-pressure-situations-well-and-that-s-why-i-want-to/)

[AB de Villiers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ab-de-villiers/)

> [Dating someone on the opposite end of the happy spectrum teaches you an incredible amount of patience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-pine/dating-someone-on-the-opposite-end-of-the-happy-spectrum-teaches-you/)

[Chris Pine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-pine/)

> [When I was trying to come up with a stage name, I thought 'Lord' was super rad, but really masculine - ever since I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lorde/when-i-was-trying-to-come-up-with-a-stage-name-i-thought-lord-was/)

[Lorde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lorde/)

## More by John Rhys-Davies

> [I can't give a soundbite for love or money.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-rhys-davies/i-can-t-give-a-soundbite-for-love-or-money/)

[John Rhys-Davies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-rhys-davies/)

> [In the film world, we can all be heroes. In the real world, where heroism can cost you your life or the life of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-rhys-davies/in-the-film-world-we-can-all-be-heroes-in-the-real-world-where/)

[John Rhys-Davies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-rhys-davies/)

> [I think your children are your measure of success, regardless of work and career.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-rhys-davies/i-think-your-children-are-your-measure-of-success-regardless-of-work/)

[John Rhys-Davies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-rhys-davies/)

> [When you get back to fundamental questions - 'Why should anything exist?' A, I'm not sure what the answer is in terms of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-rhys-davies/when-you-get-back-to-fundamental-questions-why-should-anything-exist/)

[John Rhys-Davies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-rhys-davies/)

> [When I looked further into my mother's history, I realised that her anxieties and her neuroses could be accounted for by facts from a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-rhys-davies/when-i-looked-further-into-my-mother-s-history-i-realised-that-her/)

[John Rhys-Davies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-rhys-davies/)

> [The most despised sector of Hollywood are the writers. A good writer is quickly promoted to a 'concept man' - and then a producer…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-rhys-davies/the-most-despised-sector-of-hollywood-are-the-writers-a-good-writer/)

[John Rhys-Davies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-rhys-davies/)

> [I enjoy acting. It's not that I begin to think I'm getting better. I now fully know that I've made no improvement whatsoever since…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-rhys-davies/i-enjoy-acting-it-s-not-that-i-begin-to-think-i-m-getting-better-i/)

[John Rhys-Davies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-rhys-davies/)

> [I've always been attracted to films which explore the qualities of courage.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-rhys-davies/i-ve-always-been-attracted-to-films-which-explore-the-qualities-of/)

[John Rhys-Davies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-rhys-davies/)

> [Hollywood is a far safer place to work than working abroad, because of the skill level, and because of the safety considerations that experience…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-rhys-davies/hollywood-is-a-far-safer-place-to-work-than-working-abroad-because-of/)

[John Rhys-Davies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-rhys-davies/)

> [I think 'The Lost World' could've been a successful movie except for the fact that it pre-dated the good special effects and computer graphics.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-rhys-davies/i-think-the-lost-world-could-ve-been-a-successful-movie-except-for/)

[John Rhys-Davies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-rhys-davies/)

> [Once you've got a child to the point that they've discovered books, they're safe. There's a world of the imagination that when they're hurt…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-rhys-davies/once-you-ve-got-a-child-to-the-point-that-they-ve-discovered-books/)

[John Rhys-Davies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-rhys-davies/)

> [If I had a bloody tattoo for every film I'd done, I'd be a walking billboard.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-rhys-davies/if-i-had-a-bloody-tattoo-for-every-film-i-d-done-i-d-be-a-walking/)

[John Rhys-Davies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-rhys-davies/)

> [There is a demographic catastrophe happening in Europe that nobody wants to talk about, that we daren't bring up because we are so cagey…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-rhys-davies/there-is-a-demographic-catastrophe-happening-in-europe-that-nobody/)

[John Rhys-Davies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-rhys-davies/)

> [Actually, I'm addicted to science fiction. Let me make my diction clear - I love sci-fi.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-rhys-davies/actually-i-m-addicted-to-science-fiction-let-me-make-my-diction-clear/)

[John Rhys-Davies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-rhys-davies/)

> [Films are fun, but life is much richer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-rhys-davies/films-are-fun-but-life-is-much-richer/)

[John Rhys-Davies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-rhys-davies/)

[Explore all 67 John Rhys-Davies quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-rhys-davies/)

## 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. Goyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-s-goyer/)

> [I'm an actor, so I'm never going to feel like I've done enough.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/italia-ricci/i-m-an-actor-so-i-m-never-going-to-feel-like-i-ve-done-enough/)

[Italia Ricci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/italia-ricci/)

> [I am tired of our characters being so incomplete. When do we ever save the day in a film? When does a Latino actor…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/esai-morales/i-am-tired-of-our-characters-being-so-incomplete-when-do-we-ever-save/)

[Esai Morales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/esai-morales/)

> [When I was 13, I auditioned for the theater school, and I was there for four years. 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! 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/)

> [I never planned to do female roles. It just happened. 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": "To be an actor for 30-odd years trying to become recognized, and to end up playing a full prosthetic and a character 3 foot 9', or something like that, is... well, it just shows that you can get actors to do anything.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "John Rhys-Davies"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-rhys-davies/to-be-an-actor-for-30-odd-years-trying-to-become-recognized-and-to/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Actor"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-rhys-davies/to-be-an-actor-for-30-odd-years-trying-to-become-recognized-and-to/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/631/john-rhys-davies-10160_actor_to-be-an-actor-for-30-odd-years-trying-t_1956796.png",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/631/john-rhys-davies-10160_actor_to-be-an-actor-for-30-odd-years-trying-t_1956796.png",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/631/john-rhys-davies-10160_actor_to-be-an-actor-for-30-odd-years-trying-t_1956796.png",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“To be an actor for 30-odd years trying to become recognized, and to end up playing a full prosthetic and a…” — John Rhys-Davies",
                "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 Rhys-Davies",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-rhys-davies/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "To be an actor for 30-odd...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-rhys-davies/to-be-an-actor-for-30-odd-years-trying-to-become-recognized-and-to/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-rhys-davies/to-be-an-actor-for-30-odd-years-trying-to-become-recognized-and-to/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
