--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If I could go back, I think I would be a…" description: "\"If I could go back, I think I would be a rock star instead of an actor, man.\" — Justin Chon" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/708/justin-chon-25235_actor_if-i-could-go-back-i-think-i-would-be-a_2514588.jpg" --- # If I could go back, I think I would be a rock star instead… ![“If I could go back, I think I would be a rock star instead of an actor, man.” quote by Justin Chon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/708/justin-chon-25235_actor_if-i-could-go-back-i-think-i-would-be-a_2514588.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/708/justin-chon-25235_actor_if-i-could-go-back-i-think-i-would-be-a_2514588.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/708/justin-chon-25235_actor_if-i-could-go-back-i-think-i-would-be-a_2514588.jpg) > “If I could go back, I think I would be a rock star instead of an actor, man.” [Justin Chon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-chon/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He wishes he had become a rock star instead of an actor. **In simple terms:** Regrets choosing acting over music. Key Takeaway Pursue true passions early. Themes regret career choice creative fulfillment identity Mood reflective hopeful Type personal inspirational When to use this quote - career counseling - creative workshops - personal reflection Key Concepts Artistic identity career paths personal ambition Questions to Reflect On - What steps can he take now? - How does regret shape future choices? A Different Perspective Changing paths later can be challenging. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Actor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actor/) [Man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/man/) [Rock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rock/) [Rock star](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rock-star/) [Star](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/star/) ## Related quotes > [When I listen to scripts, I never ask who my co-star is - instead, I ask about the characters and the producers of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-madhavan/when-i-listen-to-scripts-i-never-ask-who-my-co-star-is-instead-i-ask/) [R. Madhavan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-madhavan/) > [Everything changes once we identify with being the witness to the story, instead of the actor in it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ram-dass/everything-changes-once-we-identify-with-being-the-witness-to-the/) [Ram Dass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ram-dass/) > [My first kiss was onscreen. My character learned to drive before I did, so when they asked me to hit the mark with that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kellie-martin/my-first-kiss-was-onscreen-my-character-learned-to-drive-before-i-did/) [Kellie Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kellie-martin/) > [There's nothing wrong with being an actor, if that's what a man wants. But there's everything wrong with achieving an exalted status, simply because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sterling-hayden/there-s-nothing-wrong-with-being-an-actor-if-that-s-what-a-man-wants/) [Sterling Hayden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sterling-hayden/) > [An actor is something less than a man, while an actress is something more than a woman.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-burton/an-actor-is-something-less-than-a-man-while-an-actress-is-something/) [Richard Burton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-burton/) > [The best actor is the man who can do nothing extremely well…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-hitchcock/the-best-actor-is-the-man-who-can-do-nothing-extremely-well/) [Alfred Hitchcock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-hitchcock/) > [What we consider typical of the male is a question I ask myself quite often - it's relevant to my life as an actor…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elliot-cowan/what-we-consider-typical-of-the-male-is-a-question-i-ask-myself-quite/) [Elliot Cowan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elliot-cowan/) > [In Hollywood the man who cleans your pool is an actor. The man who sells you your copy of Variety is an actor. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/in-hollywood-the-man-who-cleans-your-pool-is-an-actor-the-man-who/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [We had no idea, you're like, an amazing actor, man. -Schmidt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/21-jump-street/we-had-no-idea-you-re-like-an-amazing-actor-man-schmidt/) 21 Jump Street > [The first time I got paid as an actor was for 'Man of La Mancha.' So 'Don Quixote' has always been a thing for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-winston-george/the-first-time-i-got-paid-as-an-actor-was-for-man-of-la-mancha-so-don/) [Jason Winston George](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-winston-george/) > [We had no idea, you're like, an amazing actor, man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonah-hill/we-had-no-idea-you-re-like-an-amazing-actor-man/) [Jonah Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonah-hill/) > [Living in somebody else's pain for an actor man, it's actually nice when you get to feel that kind of emotion. That's what I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miles-teller/living-in-somebody-else-s-pain-for-an-actor-man-it-s-actually-nice/) [Miles Teller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miles-teller/) > [I knew I could never be an actor as a man. It just doesn't work, you know? And so when I was doing drag,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/candis-cayne/i-knew-i-could-never-be-an-actor-as-a-man-it-just-doesn-t-work-you/) [Candis Cayne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/candis-cayne/) > [There's nothing wrong with being an actor, if that's what a man wants. But there's everything wrong with achieving an exalted status simply because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sterling-hayden/there-s-nothing-wrong-with-being-an-actor-if-that-s-what-a-man-wants-2/) [Sterling Hayden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sterling-hayden/) > [I would almost say that the best screen actor is the man who can do nothing extremely well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-hitchcock/i-would-almost-say-that-the-best-screen-actor-is-the-man-who-can-do/) [Alfred Hitchcock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-hitchcock/) ## More by Justin Chon > [I'm just following my own art, and I just think that the only thing I can do to be a great artist is do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-chon/i-m-just-following-my-own-art-and-i-just-think-that-the-only-thing-i/) [Justin Chon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-chon/) > [I did this one movie with a great director named Wayne Kramer. It was 'Crossing Over,' and Harrison Ford, Ashley Judd and Ray Liotta…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-chon/i-did-this-one-movie-with-a-great-director-named-wayne-kramer-it-was/) [Justin Chon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-chon/) > [I'm gonna be pretty honest; there wasn't a lot of improv allowed on 'Eclipse.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-chon/i-m-gonna-be-pretty-honest-there-wasn-t-a-lot-of-improv-allowed-on/) [Justin Chon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-chon/) > [When it comes to romance, I believe in keeping it simple. With my last girlfriend, we were on our way to our favorite restaurant…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-chon/when-it-comes-to-romance-i-believe-in-keeping-it-simple-with-my-last/) [Justin Chon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-chon/) > ['Twilight' is reaching so many people, and I think it's a really good step in the right direction for diversity and opening up doors.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-chon/twilight-is-reaching-so-many-people-and-i-think-it-s-a-really-good/) [Justin Chon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-chon/) > [My parents were always supportive of me in terms of expressing myself artistically. Art, musical instruments, singing - whatever I did, they were just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-chon/my-parents-were-always-supportive-of-me-in-terms-of-expressing-myself/) [Justin Chon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-chon/) > [I did an internship in the Silicon Valley during the Internet boom. I couldn't imagine sitting in a cubicle the rest of my life,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-chon/i-did-an-internship-in-the-silicon-valley-during-the-internet-boom-i/) [Justin Chon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-chon/) > [I'd love to work in a restaurant. You get to meet new people all the time and constantly socialize. There are no dull moments…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-chon/i-d-love-to-work-in-a-restaurant-you-get-to-meet-new-people-all-the/) [Justin Chon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-chon/) > [To be honest, I'm really into folk music, and I love Big Phony. I like Priscilla Ahn, and yeah, I really support Asian-American artists.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-chon/to-be-honest-i-m-really-into-folk-music-and-i-love-big-phony-i-like/) [Justin Chon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-chon/) > [As an actor, I don't really think you find yourself. I mean, once you find yourself, I think it becomes boring and you become…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-chon/as-an-actor-i-don-t-really-think-you-find-yourself-i-mean-once-you/) [Justin Chon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-chon/) > [Just be yourself. As an actor, you pretend all day - that's what the job calls for. So, when it comes to my personal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-chon/just-be-yourself-as-an-actor-you-pretend-all-day-that-s-what-the-job/) [Justin Chon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-chon/) > [I'm all about making my girl feel like she's the only woman in the world. Whether it's telling her how special she is or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-chon/i-m-all-about-making-my-girl-feel-like-she-s-the-only-woman-in-the/) [Justin Chon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-chon/) > [I love Irvine. That's my 'hood. I went to USC and used to come home every weekend. It's in my comfort zone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-chon/i-love-irvine-that-s-my-hood-i-went-to-usc-and-used-to-come-home/) [Justin Chon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-chon/) > [When you love something, you're gonna be the best at it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-chon/when-you-love-something-you-re-gonna-be-the-best-at-it/) [Justin Chon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-chon/) > [Being an actor is great; you chill in your trailer, and they bring you a breakfast burrito and coffee. But as director, you're responsible…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-chon/being-an-actor-is-great-you-chill-in-your-trailer-and-they-bring-you/) [Justin Chon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-chon/) [Explore all 23 Justin Chon quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-chon/) ## 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": "If I could go back, I think I would be a rock star instead of an actor, man.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Justin Chon" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-chon/if-i-could-go-back-i-think-i-would-be-a-rock-star-instead-of-an-actor/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Actor" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-chon/if-i-could-go-back-i-think-i-would-be-a-rock-star-instead-of-an-actor/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/708/justin-chon-25235_actor_if-i-could-go-back-i-think-i-would-be-a_2514588.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/708/justin-chon-25235_actor_if-i-could-go-back-i-think-i-would-be-a_2514588.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/708/justin-chon-25235_actor_if-i-could-go-back-i-think-i-would-be-a_2514588.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“If I could go back, I think I would be a rock star instead of an actor, man.” — Justin Chon", "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": "Justin Chon", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-chon/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "If I could go back, I...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-chon/if-i-could-go-back-i-think-i-would-be-a-rock-star-instead-of-an-actor/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-chon/if-i-could-go-back-i-think-i-would-be-a-rock-star-instead-of-an-actor/#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 } } ] } ```