--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I'd rather go back to waitressing than…" description: "\"I'd rather go back to waitressing than play a character that I hate.\" — Julianna Margulies" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/919/julianna-margulies-11551_character_i-d-rather-go-back-to-waitressing-than-p_2483019.jpg" --- # I'd rather go back to waitressing than play a character… ![“I'd rather go back to waitressing than play a character that I hate.” quote by Julianna Margulies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/919/julianna-margulies-11551_character_i-d-rather-go-back-to-waitressing-than-p_2483019.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/919/julianna-margulies-11551_character_i-d-rather-go-back-to-waitressing-than-p_2483019.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/919/julianna-margulies-11551_character_i-d-rather-go-back-to-waitressing-than-p_2483019.jpg) > “I'd rather go back to waitressing than play a character that I hate.” [Julianna Margulies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julianna-margulies/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Prefers a familiar, low‑status job over acting in a role she despises, highlighting personal fulfillment over fame. **In simple terms:** Prefer a job you hate over a hated role. Key Takeaway Choose work that aligns with values. Themes career satisfaction authenticity self‑respect Mood reflective pragmatic Type statement advice When to use this quote - acting - service industry - career transitions Key Concepts psychology career development Questions to Reflect On - What aspects of the role conflict with you? - How can you find fulfillment in your current work? A Different Perspective May undervalue growth opportunities. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character/) [Hate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hate/) [Play](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/play/) [Waitressing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/waitressing/) ## Related quotes > [Does my character hate Bree? Well, let's just put it this way. Bree hasn't seen the last of me. I gave that drunk gal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfre-woodard/does-my-character-hate-bree-well-let-s-just-put-it-this-way-bree-hasn/) [Alfre Woodard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfre-woodard/) > [“No one can argue with that. Restaurant work is total hell. I’m not cut out for waitressing. I tried that when I was eighteen…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victoria-fedden/no-one-can-argue-with-that-restaurant-work-is-total-hell-i-m-not-cut/) Victoria Fedden > [“Lena: I swore half the money I made waitressing at Joanna's went to buying books instead of filling my savings account, but I couldn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-l-armentrout/lena-i-swore-half-the-money-i-made-waitressing-at-joanna-s-went-to/) [Jennifer L. Armentrout](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-l-armentrout/) > [And so when I graduated I moved to New York, and I was waitressing here and auditioning - and I got my first job…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/piper-perabo/and-so-when-i-graduated-i-moved-to-new-york-and-i-was-waitressing/) [Piper Perabo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/piper-perabo/) > [Waitressing - by far the worst job ever created.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-esposito/waitressing-by-far-the-worst-job-ever-created/) [Jennifer Esposito](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-esposito/) > [Every hooker I ever speak to tells me that it beats the hell out of waitressing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/woody-allen/every-hooker-i-ever-speak-to-tells-me-that-it-beats-the-hell-out-of/) [Woody Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/woody-allen/) > [What's that comment about every actor being a waiter who is out of a job? I did a lot of waitressing, and I loved…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/genevieve-o-reilly/what-s-that-comment-about-every-actor-being-a-waiter-who-is-out-of-a/) [Genevieve O'Reilly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/genevieve-o-reilly/) > [I love to cook. I'd have a dinner party, and someone would be like, 'Can you do this at my house?' So my catering…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meta-golding/i-love-to-cook-i-d-have-a-dinner-party-and-someone-would-be-like-can/) Meta Golding > [I've never had to do anything I didn't believe in. Sometimes that meant being poor and waitressing a while longer, but I've always stuck…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linda-kozlowski/i-ve-never-had-to-do-anything-i-didn-t-believe-in-sometimes-that/) Linda Kozlowski > [Until I was two, my mother supplemented her welfare payments by cleaning houses and waitressing. My father didn't help.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-brennan-jobs/until-i-was-two-my-mother-supplemented-her-welfare-payments-by/) [Lisa Brennan-Jobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-brennan-jobs/) > [I've worked every job under the sun, from waitressing in my teens, to clocking hours on a construction site in London (I have degrees…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vogue-williams/i-ve-worked-every-job-under-the-sun-from-waitressing-in-my-teens-to/) [Vogue Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vogue-williams/) > [I think with the people that they talk about who do waitress and who came from a small town and they hit it big,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meagan-good/i-think-with-the-people-that-they-talk-about-who-do-waitress-and-who/) [Meagan Good](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meagan-good/) > [I've never been the smartest or most qualified for any job I've ever had, and I'm talking waitressing, babysitting, you name it. But I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephanie-ruhle/i-ve-never-been-the-smartest-or-most-qualified-for-any-job-i-ve-ever/) [Stephanie Ruhle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephanie-ruhle/) > [You hear horror stories about scary mothers who just want their kids to be famous. I could be waitressing in a restaurant, and my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maisie-williams/you-hear-horror-stories-about-scary-mothers-who-just-want-their-kids/) [Maisie Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maisie-williams/) > [I've done a lot of odd jobs, including waitressing, which most actors have done. I was a busboy - girl - when I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jess-weixler/i-ve-done-a-lot-of-odd-jobs-including-waitressing-which-most-actors/) [Jess Weixler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jess-weixler/) ## More by Julianna Margulies > [I'm always shocked when actors have diva-esque behavior.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julianna-margulies/i-m-always-shocked-when-actors-have-diva-esque-behavior/) [Julianna Margulies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julianna-margulies/) > [I'm a believer in 'Ignorance is bliss.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julianna-margulies/i-m-a-believer-in-ignorance-is-bliss/) [Julianna Margulies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julianna-margulies/) > [The Emmys are honestly very unpredictable. I mean, have you looked at my Emmy record? I was nominated 6 times for ER and won once.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julianna-margulies/the-emmys-are-honestly-very-unpredictable-i-mean-have-you-looked-at/) [Julianna Margulies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julianna-margulies/) > [I was never much of a kid person. I mean, I thought they were cute to look at, but I didn't want them in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julianna-margulies/i-was-never-much-of-a-kid-person-i-mean-i-thought-they-were-cute-to/) [Julianna Margulies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julianna-margulies/) > [Isn't there a danger with Tweeting, like drunk dialing? Isn't there a drunk Tweeting danger?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julianna-margulies/isn-t-there-a-danger-with-tweeting-like-drunk-dialing-isn-t-there-a/) [Julianna Margulies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julianna-margulies/) > [I feel responsible that everyone has a really wonderful experience and to do the best work possible, and to always know my lines and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julianna-margulies/i-feel-responsible-that-everyone-has-a-really-wonderful-experience/) [Julianna Margulies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julianna-margulies/) > [I've done so many independent movies I'm sure no one will ever see, but I've loved the work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julianna-margulies/i-ve-done-so-many-independent-movies-i-m-sure-no-one-will-ever-see/) [Julianna Margulies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julianna-margulies/) > [I don't see scary movies. I've never seen 'The Exorcist' or 'Jaws'.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julianna-margulies/i-don-t-see-scary-movies-i-ve-never-seen-the-exorcist-or-jaws/) [Julianna Margulies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julianna-margulies/) > [Small gestures can have a big impact.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julianna-margulies/small-gestures-can-have-a-big-impact/) [Julianna Margulies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julianna-margulies/) > [It's a little bit silly to pit us all against each other as if we were running a race. Just think about the fact…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julianna-margulies/it-s-a-little-bit-silly-to-pit-us-all-against-each-other-as-if-we/) [Julianna Margulies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julianna-margulies/) > [TV is a much more female-friendly environment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julianna-margulies/tv-is-a-much-more-female-friendly-environment/) [Julianna Margulies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julianna-margulies/) > [I love being my husband's wife.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julianna-margulies/i-love-being-my-husband-s-wife/) [Julianna Margulies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julianna-margulies/) > [The hardest thing about being an actor, and especially when you're a woman trying to also have a family and a relationship, is to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julianna-margulies/the-hardest-thing-about-being-an-actor-and-especially-when-you-re-a/) [Julianna Margulies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julianna-margulies/) > [I can tend to over-think things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julianna-margulies/i-can-tend-to-over-think-things/) [Julianna Margulies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julianna-margulies/) > [I think the whole under-eye-bag thing is hereditary, and I just got lucky.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julianna-margulies/i-think-the-whole-under-eye-bag-thing-is-hereditary-and-i-just-got/) [Julianna Margulies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julianna-margulies/) [Explore all 59 Julianna Margulies quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julianna-margulies/) ## More Character quotes > [This may sound strange, but although I feel like I know everything about my characters, the brand of shampoo they use, how many cavities…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gail-honeyman/this-may-sound-strange-but-although-i-feel-like-i-know-everything/) [Gail Honeyman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gail-honeyman/) > [I always like a character who makes me laugh.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachael-stirling/i-always-like-a-character-who-makes-me-laugh/) [Rachael Stirling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachael-stirling/) > [Social responsibility above the level of family, or at most of tribe, requires imagination-- devotion, loyalty, all the higher virtues -- which a man…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-heinlein/social-responsibility-above-the-level-of-family-or-at-most-of-tribe/) [Robert A. Heinlein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-heinlein/) > [Reader, if you are gifted with nerves like mine, aspire to any character but that of a wit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-lamb/reader-if-you-are-gifted-with-nerves-like-mine-aspire-to-any/) [Charles Lamb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-lamb/) > [I'm often moved by the circumstances around some of my characters, but I don't think I've actually cried watching myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-winslet/i-m-often-moved-by-the-circumstances-around-some-of-my-characters-but/) [Kate Winslet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-winslet/) > [When you're on a daytime drama you get one page, you better damn well know your character. You better know what she would do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hudgins/when-you-re-on-a-daytime-drama-you-get-one-page-you-better-damn-well/) David Hudgins > [It can sometimes make people fold into themselves and kind of run away, but I think in this case these characters are being forced…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-deschanel/it-can-sometimes-make-people-fold-into-themselves-and-kind-of-run/) [Emily Deschanel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-deschanel/) > [If you are well-mannered towards those whose views are similar to yours, you may be said to exhibit a fairly good character. But, if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-you-are-well-mannered-towards-those-whose-views-are-similar-to/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Democracy is based on the conviction that man has the moral and intellectual capacity, as well as the inalienable right, to govern himself with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-s-truman/democracy-is-based-on-the-conviction-that-man-has-the-moral-and/) [Harry S. Truman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-s-truman/) > [In the fight between biology and morality, biology has commonly won in the end.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/semir-zeki/in-the-fight-between-biology-and-morality-biology-has-commonly-won-in/) [Semir Zeki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/semir-zeki/) > [Your looks don't make you pretty, it's the person inside who makes you pretty!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-chan/your-looks-don-t-make-you-pretty-it-s-the-person-inside-who-makes-you/) [Aaron Chan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-chan/) > [I'm not a huge social media kind of guy, so I don't really know, I don't really ever get... at least in real life,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/freddie-stroma/i-m-not-a-huge-social-media-kind-of-guy-so-i-don-t-really-know-i-don/) [Freddie Stroma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/freddie-stroma/) > [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/) > [Courage: the most important of all the virtues because without courage, you can't practice any other virtue consistently](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-angelou/courage-the-most-important-of-all-the-virtues-because-without-courage/) [Maya Angelou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-angelou/) > [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/) [Browse all 32,707 Character quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I'd rather go back to waitressing than play a character that I hate.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Julianna Margulies" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julianna-margulies/i-d-rather-go-back-to-waitressing-than-play-a-character-that-i-hate/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Character" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julianna-margulies/i-d-rather-go-back-to-waitressing-than-play-a-character-that-i-hate/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/919/julianna-margulies-11551_character_i-d-rather-go-back-to-waitressing-than-p_2483019.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/919/julianna-margulies-11551_character_i-d-rather-go-back-to-waitressing-than-p_2483019.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/919/julianna-margulies-11551_character_i-d-rather-go-back-to-waitressing-than-p_2483019.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I'd rather go back to waitressing than play a character that I hate.” — Julianna Margulies", "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": "Julianna Margulies", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julianna-margulies/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I'd rather go back to waitressing...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julianna-margulies/i-d-rather-go-back-to-waitressing-than-play-a-character-that-i-hate/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julianna-margulies/i-d-rather-go-back-to-waitressing-than-play-a-character-that-i-hate/#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 } } ] } ```