--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I did not see myself as a leading lady. I…" description: "\"I did not see myself as a leading lady. I thought I was really funny-looking and I would never be the lead, and I certainly would never do film or tele..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/988/kathy-baker-32433_american_i-did-not-see-myself-as-a-leading-lady-i_938651.jpg" --- # I did not see myself as a leading lady. I thought I was… ![“I did not see myself as a leading lady. I thought I was really funny-looking and I would never be the lead, and I certainly would never do film or television. I wanted to do theater. I wanted to be the grand dame of the American stage.” quote by Kathy Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/988/kathy-baker-32433_american_i-did-not-see-myself-as-a-leading-lady-i_938651.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/988/kathy-baker-32433_american_i-did-not-see-myself-as-a-leading-lady-i_938651.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/988/kathy-baker-32433_american_i-did-not-see-myself-as-a-leading-lady-i_938651.jpg) > “I did not see myself as a leading lady. I thought I was really funny-looking and I would never be the lead, and I certainly would never do film or television. I wanted to do theater. I wanted to be the grand dame of the American stage.” [Kathy Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathy-baker/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The actress reflects on self-doubt about leading roles, preferring theater over film, and aspiring to stage greatness. **In simple terms:** I doubted my potential as a lead actress, preferring theater. Key Takeaway Accept personal artistic aspirations. Themes self-doubt career choice artistic ambition Mood reflective hopeful Type personal inspirational When to use this quote - career retrospectives - artistic workshops - stage performances Key Concepts Theatre vs film personal identity career evolution Questions to Reflect On - How does self-perception shape career paths? - What can broaden one's artistic horizons? A Different Perspective May limit opportunities by self-imposed limits. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Film](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/film/) [Leadership](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/leadership/) [Stage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stage/) [Television](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/television/) [Theater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/theater/) [Theatre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/theatre/) [Thought](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thought/) ## Related quotes > [I'm always looking for that sense of fun and adventure and even unlikeability. I don't want to be the obvious leading lady. I have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/becki-newton/i-m-always-looking-for-that-sense-of-fun-and-adventure-and-even/) [Becki Newton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/becki-newton/) > [I'm a character actress. It doesn't mean I can't do leading roles; I don't think of myself as a leading lady.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rena-sofer/i-m-a-character-actress-it-doesn-t-mean-i-can-t-do-leading-roles-i/) [Rena Sofer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rena-sofer/) > [I guess I've never really had a great desire to be a leading lady, or be seen as an ingenue.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melanie-lynskey/i-guess-i-ve-never-really-had-a-great-desire-to-be-a-leading-lady-or/) [Melanie Lynskey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melanie-lynskey/) > [It's good to be able to be a leading lady, to be a romantic lead, to play opposite people who are talented, and charismatic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heather-graham/it-s-good-to-be-able-to-be-a-leading-lady-to-be-a-romantic-lead-to/) [Heather Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heather-graham/) > [Youre supposed to be the leading lady in your own life, for Gods sake!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-winslet/youre-supposed-to-be-the-leading-lady-in-your-own-life-for-gods-sake/) [Kate Winslet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-winslet/) > [Part of me would love to have been a leading lady because there's a lot of glamour that goes with that and a lot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/selma-blair/part-of-me-would-love-to-have-been-a-leading-lady-because-there-s-a/) [Selma Blair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/selma-blair/) > [You can't always be a leading lady.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-bacall/you-can-t-always-be-a-leading-lady/) [Lauren Bacall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-bacall/) > [I always feel as if I'm a disappointment: that people want a grand dame in furs like Barbara Taylor Bradford.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sue-townsend/i-always-feel-as-if-i-m-a-disappointment-that-people-want-a-grand/) [Sue Townsend](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sue-townsend/) > [The first year I sold a photo to was a lady who thought I was a chef, for some reason. I've no idea why.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/graeme-le-saux/the-first-year-i-sold-a-photo-to-was-a-lady-who-thought-i-was-a-chef/) [Graeme Le Saux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/graeme-le-saux/) > [I quite like it when I'm on the Tube and people offer me their seat. Sometimes I take it. The other day I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-mckellen/i-quite-like-it-when-i-m-on-the-tube-and-people-offer-me-their-seat/) [Ian Mckellen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-mckellen/) > [My mother was a very beautiful lady, I thought. She was very good to me. I guess - she died when I was nine…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/b-b-king/my-mother-was-a-very-beautiful-lady-i-thought-she-was-very-good-to-me/) [B. B. King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/b-b-king/) > [I had lived with my mother in anger and love - I suppose most daughters do - but my children only knew her in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-viorst/i-had-lived-with-my-mother-in-anger-and-love-i-suppose-most-daughters/) [Judith Viorst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-viorst/) > [After a while, Godard was going to do 'A Woman is a Woman' with Sami Frey and another actress in the leading lady part…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-karina/after-a-while-godard-was-going-to-do-a-woman-is-a-woman-with-sami/) [Anna Karina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-karina/) > [In almost every musical ever written, there's a place that's usually about the third song of the evening - sometimes it's the second, sometimes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-ashman/in-almost-every-musical-ever-written-there-s-a-place-that-s-usually/) Howard Ashman > [I was supposed to be a romancer, either wooing the leading lady or competing with the leading man for her.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cesar-romero/i-was-supposed-to-be-a-romancer-either-wooing-the-leading-lady-or/) [Cesar Romero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cesar-romero/) ## More by Kathy Baker > [I've heard that kind of weird backward compliment often - 'She's so talented, but not pretty.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathy-baker/i-ve-heard-that-kind-of-weird-backward-compliment-often-she-s-so/) [Kathy Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathy-baker/) > [I try to give all my characters a sense of humor, so I guess I feel like I have done comedy, but maybe I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathy-baker/i-try-to-give-all-my-characters-a-sense-of-humor-so-i-guess-i-feel/) [Kathy Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathy-baker/) > [Relationships are hard regardless! But I think they feed the artist: relationships, children, life, family - it all feeds the artist. Loss. Joy. Sacrifice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathy-baker/relationships-are-hard-regardless-but-i-think-they-feed-the-artist/) [Kathy Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathy-baker/) > [I've always believed that if you are willing to play your age that you will work, so it's the thing of continuing to play…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathy-baker/i-ve-always-believed-that-if-you-are-willing-to-play-your-age-that/) [Kathy Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathy-baker/) > [For me, the acting part - and I have to say it makes me a little worried about my own psychological make-up - is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathy-baker/for-me-the-acting-part-and-i-have-to-say-it-makes-me-a-little-worried/) [Kathy Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathy-baker/) > [I used to wish I would be a painter or a violinist, where maybe I wouldn't need to travel as much. Or maybe if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathy-baker/i-used-to-wish-i-would-be-a-painter-or-a-violinist-where-maybe-i/) [Kathy Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathy-baker/) > [The Quaker upbringing was not strict, but it was frugal. Extremely frugal. One was always encouraged to give away one's worldly goods.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathy-baker/the-quaker-upbringing-was-not-strict-but-it-was-frugal-extremely/) [Kathy Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathy-baker/) > [Some of the greater things are unseen. That's why you close your eyes when you kiss, cry, or dream.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathy-baker/some-of-the-greater-things-are-unseen-that-s-why-you-close-your-eyes/) [Kathy Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathy-baker/) > [I love to do comedy, and I don't think of things as drama or comedy. I think that if it's a funny line, it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathy-baker/i-love-to-do-comedy-and-i-don-t-think-of-things-as-drama-or-comedy-i/) [Kathy Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathy-baker/) > [When you're younger, the mental strain of being a successful actor, jumping from role to role, and trying to have some kind of personal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathy-baker/when-you-re-younger-the-mental-strain-of-being-a-successful-actor/) [Kathy Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathy-baker/) > [There's different kinds of love, darling. Some people you love no matter what, and others you love when the situation is right. To me,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathy-baker/there-s-different-kinds-of-love-darling-some-people-you-love-no/) [Kathy Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathy-baker/) > [I worry about my face not having expression. 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I think older faces are great.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathy-baker/i-want-to-be-the-only-american-actress-who-doesn-t-do-any-plastic/) [Kathy Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathy-baker/) [Explore all 15 Kathy Baker quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathy-baker/) ## More American quotes > [I wasn't attracted to American cinema, but I fell in love with Los Angeles the minute I arrived.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/agnes-varda/i-wasn-t-attracted-to-american-cinema-but-i-fell-in-love-with-los/) [Agnes Varda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/agnes-varda/) > [William Maxwell's my favorite North American writer, I think. 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The words I use are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-saroyan/although-i-write-in-english-and-despite-the-fact-that-i-m-from/) [William Saroyan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-saroyan/) > [When we first sold the Wallace and Gromit shorts to America, people suggested we get rid of the strange British accents and put clear…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-park/when-we-first-sold-the-wallace-and-gromit-shorts-to-america-people/) [Nick Park](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-park/) > [Firefighters and rescue workers are American superheroes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kerry-kennedy/firefighters-and-rescue-workers-are-american-superheroes/) [Kerry Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kerry-kennedy/) > [France has not only built a bureaucratic barrier against American culture, it has constructed a notorious intellectual case against it as well. The French…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tyler-cowen/france-has-not-only-built-a-bureaucratic-barrier-against-american/) [Tyler Cowen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tyler-cowen/) > [New York and San Francisco are distinctly different. San Francisco is driving the American media, not New York. You have young, microwaved millionaires and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-whitlock/new-york-and-san-francisco-are-distinctly-different-san-francisco-is/) [Jason Whitlock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-whitlock/) > [Well look, CIA is an agency that has to collect intelligence, do operations. 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But it's just as important for the U.S. never to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-bauer/it-s-important-for-american-soldiers-to-be-culturally-sensitive-when/) [Gary Bauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-bauer/) Browse all 7,717 American quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I did not see myself as a leading lady. I thought I was really funny-looking and I would never be the lead, and I certainly would never do film or television. I wanted to do theater. 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