--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I went to acting school with Mario Van…" description: "\"I went to acting school with Mario Van Peebles. For a little while, he was at the same school. So he asked me if I wanted to do [ New Jack City]. He sa..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/afb/judd-nelson-4498_acting_i-went-to-acting-school-with-mario-van-p_1775481.jpg" --- # I went to acting school with Mario Van Peebles. For a… ![“I went to acting school with Mario Van Peebles. For a little while, he was at the same school. So he asked me if I wanted to do [ New Jack City]. He said, "There's not really a role. We'll figure something out. But would you like to?" And I was like, "Sure." 'Cause he said it was Chris Rock and…” quote by Judd Nelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/afb/judd-nelson-4498_acting_i-went-to-acting-school-with-mario-van-p_1775481.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/afb/judd-nelson-4498_acting_i-went-to-acting-school-with-mario-van-p_1775481.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/afb/judd-nelson-4498_acting_i-went-to-acting-school-with-mario-van-p_1775481.jpg) > “I went to acting school with Mario Van Peebles. For a little while, he was at the same school. So he asked me if I wanted to do \[ New Jack City\]. He said, "There's not really a role. We'll figure something out. But would you like to?" And I was like, "Sure." 'Cause he said it was Chris Rock and Ice T's first movie.” [Judd Nelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judd-nelson/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A chance encounter led to an unexpected film role, showing how informal offers can launch careers. **In simple terms:** Unexpected offers can start careers. Key Takeaway Stay open to unexpected opportunities. Themes career chance networking Mood hopeful anticipatory Type anecdotal inspirational When to use this quote - acting auditions - career pivots - industry networking Key Concepts film industry informal offers Questions to Reflect On - Did you ever turn down a vague offer? - How do you evaluate uncertain opportunities? A Different Perspective Opportunities may be vague and require negotiation. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Acting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/acting/) [Acting school](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/acting-school/) [Causes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/causes/) [Chris Rock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/chris-rock/) [Cities](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cities/) [Figures](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/figures/) [Firsts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/firsts/) [Ice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ice/) [Ice Movie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ice-movie-1816558/) [Ifs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ifs/) [Jack City](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/jack-city-216866/) [Littles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/littles/) [Mario](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mario/) [New Jack City](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/new-jack-city-224002/) [Rocks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rocks/) [Roles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/roles/) [Said](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/said/) [School](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/school/) [Vans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vans/) [Wanted](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wanted/) [Went Acting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/went-acting/) ## Related quotes > [ I was living in New York, so I just rode my motorcycle up to the set \[of New Jack City\]. So first day of… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judd-nelson/i-was-living-in-new-york-so-i-just-rode-my-motorcycle-up-to-the-set/) [Judd Nelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judd-nelson/) > [ Sometimes the messages I put out are somewhat of that \[street\] nature, but the thing is, that's not the person, it's just like an… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/project-pat/sometimes-the-messages-i-put-out-are-somewhat-of-that-street-nature/) [Project Pat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/project-pat/) > ['New Jack City' was a perfect marriage of music and film. They used a lot of musicians: myself, Christopher Williams. People that were popular…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ice-t/new-jack-city-was-a-perfect-marriage-of-music-and-film-they-used-a/) [Ice T](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ice-t/) > [The next day, I got a phone call from him and he told me to come and read for a movie called New Jack…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ice-t/the-next-day-i-got-a-phone-call-from-him-and-he-told-me-to-come-and/) [Ice T](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ice-t/) > [I have a few friends that have inspired me since I was a young kid. When I watch old films or modern movies -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theophilus-london/i-have-a-few-friends-that-have-inspired-me-since-i-was-a-young-kid/) [Theophilus London](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theophilus-london/) > [New Jack City' and 'Boyz 'N the Hood' are realities, but movies like 'Strictly Business' are realities, too.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tommy-davidson/new-jack-city-and-boyz-n-the-hood-are-realities-but-movies-like/) [Tommy Davidson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tommy-davidson/) > [I went to acting school in New York City for two years. I studied with Stella Adler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judd-nelson/i-went-to-acting-school-in-new-york-city-for-two-years-i-studied-with/) [Judd Nelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judd-nelson/) > [My background is a small town with no movie theater. So... I always pictured myself onstage. I went to acting school and learned all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franka-potente/my-background-is-a-small-town-with-no-movie-theater-so-i-always/) [Franka Potente](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franka-potente/) > [I didn't go to film school, I went to acting school.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-s-dutton/i-didn-t-go-to-film-school-i-went-to-acting-school/) [Charles S. Dutton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-s-dutton/) > [I went to acting school for like a year and ended up doing voiceovers and stuff. I could have done a lot more with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mic-geronimo/i-went-to-acting-school-for-like-a-year-and-ended-up-doing-voiceovers/) [Mic Geronimo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mic-geronimo/) > [I knew, starting in 10th grade, I wanted to be in theater and an actor. I went to acting school in Siberia, but there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrey-zvyagintsev/i-knew-starting-in-10th-grade-i-wanted-to-be-in-theater-and-an-actor/) [Andrey Zvyagintsev](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrey-zvyagintsev/) > [I never went to acting school. I started in the circus, music hall, I was in a group, did kids' bits. I've always had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rupert-graves/i-never-went-to-acting-school-i-started-in-the-circus-music-hall-i/) [Rupert Graves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rupert-graves/) > [I never went to school. I never went to acting school because I was so scared.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ursula-andress/i-never-went-to-school-i-never-went-to-acting-school-because-i-was-so/) [Ursula Andress](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ursula-andress/) > [I had spent my childhood making up adventures in my head. Then I realized when I went to acting school that there were adventures…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-marchand/i-had-spent-my-childhood-making-up-adventures-in-my-head-then-i/) [Nancy Marchand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-marchand/) > [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/) ## More by Judd Nelson > [Catcher in the Rye had a profound impact on me-the idea that we all have lots of dreams that are slowly being chipped away…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judd-nelson/catcher-in-the-rye-had-a-profound-impact-on-me-the-idea-that-we-all/) [Judd Nelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judd-nelson/) > [Alien's a great one. That's a scary movie.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judd-nelson/alien-s-a-great-one-that-s-a-scary-movie/) [Judd Nelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judd-nelson/) > [ \[John Hurt\] just really gifted, and I had a great time working with him and \[am\] very lucky to have worked with him. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judd-nelson/john-hurt-just-really-gifted-and-i-had-a-great-time-working-with-him/) [Judd Nelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judd-nelson/) > [ I enjoyed \[playing lawyer in From The Hip\] as an ode to my dad. My dad went to Harvard and Harvard Law School, so… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judd-nelson/i-enjoyed-playing-lawyer-in-from-the-hip-as-an-ode-to-my-dad-my-dad/) [Judd Nelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judd-nelson/) > [You have to be so confident and so gifted to fill five minutes of nothing at the very beginning of a play before even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judd-nelson/you-have-to-be-so-confident-and-so-gifted-to-fill-five-minutes-of/) [Judd Nelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judd-nelson/) > [I don't know if it matters what country you're from, size of the city you're from, urban or rural, there are people that are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judd-nelson/i-don-t-know-if-it-matters-what-country-you-re-from-size-of-the-city/) [Judd Nelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judd-nelson/) > [ \[John\] Hughes was open to that \[rehearsal\]. This can only happen if the director and/or the writer are open to that. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judd-nelson/john-hughes-was-open-to-that-rehearsal-this-can-only-happen-if-the/) [Judd Nelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judd-nelson/) > [Remember to be as smart as you are](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judd-nelson/remember-to-be-as-smart-as-you-are/) [Judd Nelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judd-nelson/) > [You have to kind of roll with the punches. That's why I think work begets work to a certain degree. I just try and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judd-nelson/you-have-to-kind-of-roll-with-the-punches-that-s-why-i-think-work/) [Judd Nelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judd-nelson/) > [I don't know if one's more typecasting than the other, or what I am more like. But I know that the high school I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judd-nelson/i-don-t-know-if-one-s-more-typecasting-than-the-other-or-what-i-am/) [Judd Nelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judd-nelson/) > [ It's like they talk about how American actors have the method and English actors just kind of switch views faster. And John \[Hurt\] is… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judd-nelson/it-s-like-they-talk-about-how-american-actors-have-the-method-and/) [Judd Nelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judd-nelson/) > [ \[In The Dark Backward \] someone who has writer's block and kills people in A Cabin By The Lake. I guess he's a type… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judd-nelson/in-the-dark-backward-someone-who-has-writer-s-block-and-kills-people/) [Judd Nelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judd-nelson/) > [Almost anything makes me laugh, especially jokes at my own expense. And I will never, ever admit to being ticklish anywhere.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judd-nelson/almost-anything-makes-me-laugh-especially-jokes-at-my-own-expense-and/) [Judd Nelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judd-nelson/) > [There was no one really like John Bender at my high school.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judd-nelson/there-was-no-one-really-like-john-bender-at-my-high-school/) [Judd Nelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judd-nelson/) > [Death is not my best subject.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judd-nelson/death-is-not-my-best-subject/) [Judd Nelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judd-nelson/) [Explore all 110 Judd Nelson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judd-nelson/) ## 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": "I went to acting school with Mario Van Peebles. For a little while, he was at the same school. So he asked me if I wanted to do [ New Jack City]. He said, \"There's not really a role. We'll figure something out. But would you like to?\" And I was like, \"Sure.\" 'Cause he said it was Chris Rock and Ice T's first movie.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Judd Nelson" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judd-nelson/i-went-to-acting-school-with-mario-van-peebles-for-a-little-while-he/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Acting" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judd-nelson/i-went-to-acting-school-with-mario-van-peebles-for-a-little-while-he/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/afb/judd-nelson-4498_acting_i-went-to-acting-school-with-mario-van-p_1775481.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/afb/judd-nelson-4498_acting_i-went-to-acting-school-with-mario-van-p_1775481.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/afb/judd-nelson-4498_acting_i-went-to-acting-school-with-mario-van-p_1775481.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I went to acting school with Mario Van Peebles. 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