--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Actors should ACT. Not sell perfume, or…" description: "\"Actors should ACT. Not sell perfume, or write cookbooks.\" — Lauren Graham" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/114/lauren-graham-3440_actor_actors-should-act-not-sell-perfume-or-wr_2556722.jpg" --- # Actors should ACT. Not sell perfume, or write cookbooks. ![“Actors should ACT. Not sell perfume, or write cookbooks.” quote by Lauren Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/114/lauren-graham-3440_actor_actors-should-act-not-sell-perfume-or-wr_2556722.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/114/lauren-graham-3440_actor_actors-should-act-not-sell-perfume-or-wr_2556722.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/114/lauren-graham-3440_actor_actors-should-act-not-sell-perfume-or-wr_2556722.jpg) > “Actors should ACT. Not sell perfume, or write cookbooks.” [Lauren Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-graham/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Actors should focus on their craft rather than commercial endorsements or unrelated ventures. **In simple terms:** Prioritize acting over side projects. Key Takeaway Stay dedicated to your core profession. Themes craft integrity career focus Mood reflective determined Type career professional When to use this quote - audition preparation - role selection - contract negotiations - public image management Key Concepts method acting professionalism brand dilution Questions to Reflect On - What limits are you willing to set for side projects? - How do you balance artistic integrity with financial needs? A Different Perspective Commercial work can provide financial stability but may dilute artistic credibility. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Act Sell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/act-sell-1570175/) [Actor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actor/) [Actors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actors/) [Actors Act](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actors-act-448594/) [Cookbook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cookbook/) [Perfume](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/perfume/) [Perfume Write](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/perfume-write-1570176/) [Sell Perfume](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sell-perfume-1570174/) [Should](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/should/) [Theatre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/theatre/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [On Mother's Day: It's just a rip-off, to tell the truth, a chance to sell my perfume and other things that ladies like.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-taylor/on-mother-s-day-it-s-just-a-rip-off-to-tell-the-truth-a-chance-to/) [Elizabeth Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-taylor/) > [“And dear, if you should someday become famous, don't write a cookbook.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-graham/and-dear-if-you-should-someday-become-famous-don-t-write-a-cookbook/) [Lauren Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-graham/) > [I've worked with some actors who can't act.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-anderson/i-ve-worked-with-some-actors-who-can-t-act/) [Anthony Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-anderson/) > [“In the first place, I hate actors. They never act like people. They just think they do.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-d-salinger-3/in-the-first-place-i-hate-actors-they-never-act-like-people-they-just/) [J D Salinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-d-salinger-3/) > [It took me a long time to realize that you have to have a bit of an interlanguage with actors. You have to give…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-cameron/it-took-me-a-long-time-to-realize-that-you-have-to-have-a-bit-of-an/) [James Cameron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-cameron/) > [Only amateurs put on shows, real actors act out their parts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alyssa-tillmon/only-amateurs-put-on-shows-real-actors-act-out-their-parts/) [Alyssa Tillmon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alyssa-tillmon/) > [It's not really about confidence. It's just something that isn't really in the vocabulary of what goes on at work. The writers write and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-helberg/it-s-not-really-about-confidence-it-s-just-something-that-isn-t/) [Simon Helberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-helberg/) > [I don't want to be a star. If you have to label me anything, I'm an actor - I guess. A journeyman actor. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-muni/i-don-t-want-to-be-a-star-if-you-have-to-label-me-anything-i-m-an/) [Paul Muni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-muni/) > [“I hate actors. They never act like people. They just think they do. Some of the good ones do, in a very slight way,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-d-salinger-2/i-hate-actors-they-never-act-like-people-they-just-think-they-do-some/) [J. D. Salinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-d-salinger-2/) > [ First we pre-visualized it \[the flying fish scene in 'Life of Pi'\] so the actors could act. It took a long time to get… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ang-lee/first-we-pre-visualized-it-the-flying-fish-scene-in-life-of-pi-so-the/) [Ang Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ang-lee/) > [When child actors act well they're just reacting to situations, and they're acting very real because their life experience is so short; there's no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mariel-hemingway/when-child-actors-act-well-they-re-just-reacting-to-situations-and/) [Mariel Hemingway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mariel-hemingway/) > [Actors act... Their job is to become this character. And I have, in fact, seen Sam Heughan become Jamie and Caitriona Balfe become Claire…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diana-gabaldon/actors-act-their-job-is-to-become-this-character-and-i-have-in-fact/) [Diana Gabaldon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diana-gabaldon/) > [I became active in politics because I saw the possibility, if we all sat back and did nothing, of a world in which there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-became-active-in-politics-because-i-saw-the-possibility-if-we-all/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [But actors should act. You should see them most often rather than just not.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saif-ali-khan/but-actors-should-act-you-should-see-them-most-often-rather-than-just/) [Saif Ali Khan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saif-ali-khan/) > [I think there are a lot of actors who act because they have an impulse to do it and they can't ignore it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristen-stewart/i-think-there-are-a-lot-of-actors-who-act-because-they-have-an/) [Kristen Stewart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristen-stewart/) ## More by Lauren Graham > [I personally was driven to be an actor for the love of telling a story. It was very closely linked to being a reader…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-graham/i-personally-was-driven-to-be-an-actor-for-the-love-of-telling-a/) [Lauren Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-graham/) > [It's core to my beliefs now: Sometimes in being given a challenge, you're actually being given a real opportunity, and a lot of that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-graham/it-s-core-to-my-beliefs-now-sometimes-in-being-given-a-challenge-you/) [Lauren Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-graham/) > [Honestly, I was such a tomboy as a kid. People were taking from their mothers' closets - I was taking from my dad's closet.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-graham/honestly-i-was-such-a-tomboy-as-a-kid-people-were-taking-from-their/) [Lauren Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-graham/) > [“Navigating the crowd on the sidewalk is a challenge I like. I’m running without touching anyone else on the street. I’m a character in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-graham/navigating-the-crowd-on-the-sidewalk-is-a-challenge-i-like-i-m/) [Lauren Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-graham/) > [There's nothing more important than a good story.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-graham/there-s-nothing-more-important-than-a-good-story/) [Lauren Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-graham/) > [These days I have to be extra nice in stores. It never fails that whenever I look as bad as I can possibly look…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-graham/these-days-i-have-to-be-extra-nice-in-stores-it-never-fails-that/) [Lauren Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-graham/) > [Personally, all I ever want to be wearing are jeans.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-graham/personally-all-i-ever-want-to-be-wearing-are-jeans/) [Lauren Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-graham/) > [You may be sensitive inside, but what I see on the outside is a soldier.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-graham/you-may-be-sensitive-inside-but-what-i-see-on-the-outside-is-a-soldier/) [Lauren Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-graham/) > [I love TV. I think I'd do a half-hour single-camera comedy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-graham/i-love-tv-i-think-i-d-do-a-half-hour-single-camera-comedy/) [Lauren Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-graham/) > [“Also, while there’s nothing wrong with doing things to make you feel better, I just wish the choices were limited to simpler things many…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-graham/also-while-there-s-nothing-wrong-with-doing-things-to-make-you-feel/) [Lauren Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-graham/) > [Honestly, 'Parenthood' was not what I planned. I didn't plan to do another drama. I didn't plan to play a single mom. I didn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-graham/honestly-parenthood-was-not-what-i-planned-i-didn-t-plan-to-do/) [Lauren Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-graham/) > [Strangers were worried about me; that's how long I was single!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-graham/strangers-were-worried-about-me-that-s-how-long-i-was-single/) [Lauren Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-graham/) > [I came from a Sorkin-like project in the sense that there was no freedom to change a line, which, in a weird way, is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-graham/i-came-from-a-sorkin-like-project-in-the-sense-that-there-was-no/) [Lauren Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-graham/) > [Once again, I've been thwarted by the massive difference between my vision of the successful me and the me I'm currently stuck with.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-graham/once-again-i-ve-been-thwarted-by-the-massive-difference-between-my/) [Lauren Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-graham/) > [I've pretty much always been on a diet since I was born. And the women in my family struggle, so I find the less…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-graham/i-ve-pretty-much-always-been-on-a-diet-since-i-was-born-and-the-women/) [Lauren Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-graham/) [Explore all 130 Lauren Graham quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-graham/) ## 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": "Actors should ACT. 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