--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I lived in Hollywood and, ironically, I…" description: "\"I lived in Hollywood and, ironically, I didn't know you could just go out and get an agent and go on auditions and try and become an actor, I thought i..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dc6/leonardo-dicaprio-997_actors_i-lived-in-hollywood-and-ironically-i-di_3052690.jpg" --- # I lived in Hollywood and, ironically, I didn't know you… ![“I lived in Hollywood and, ironically, I didn't know you could just go out and get an agent and go on auditions and try and become an actor, I thought it was like a Masonic thing, like a blood line you had to belong to – until I was 13. Then I realised what you had to do. It is the one thing I know…” quote by Leonardo DiCaprio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dc6/leonardo-dicaprio-997_actors_i-lived-in-hollywood-and-ironically-i-di_3052690.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dc6/leonardo-dicaprio-997_actors_i-lived-in-hollywood-and-ironically-i-di_3052690.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dc6/leonardo-dicaprio-997_actors_i-lived-in-hollywood-and-ironically-i-di_3052690.jpg) > “I lived in Hollywood and, ironically, I didn't know you could just go out and get an agent and go on auditions and try and become an actor, I thought it was like a Masonic thing, like a blood line you had to belong to – until I was 13. Then I realised what you had to do. It is the one thing I know I want to do for the rest of my life.” [Leonardo DiCaprio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-dicaprio/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He discovered acting was a skill accessible to anyone, not a secret lineage, and committed to it lifelong. **In simple terms:** Acting is a learned craft, not an exclusive club. Key Takeaway Pursue your passion despite myths. Themes career determination self‑discovery Mood inspired hopeful Type motivational career When to use this quote - auditions - acting classes - career planning - networking Key Concepts skill acquisition industry insight Questions to Reflect On - What barriers have you assumed exist? - How can you start learning today? A Different Perspective Talent alone isn’t enough without training and perseverance. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Actor Thought](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actor-thought/) [Actors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actors/) [Agent Auditions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/agent-auditions-4456478/) [Agents](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/agents/) [Auditions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/auditions/) [Blood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/blood/) [Goes on](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/goes-on/) [Hollywood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hollywood/) [Knows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knows/) [Lines](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lines/) [Lived Hollywood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lived-hollywood-1558375/) [Masonic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/masonic/) [One thing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/one-thing/) [Realised](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/realised/) [Theatre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/theatre/) [Try Actor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/try-actor-792029/) [Trying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trying/) [Want](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/want/) ## Related quotes > [Even through my college years, I was trying out plays and shows, but I never really thought it made much sense to try to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dermot-mulroney/even-through-my-college-years-i-was-trying-out-plays-and-shows-but-i/) [Dermot Mulroney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dermot-mulroney/) > [I've been in the business since I was 16, so I've had a 14-year career. I've always had acting in my blood. Doing this,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-dicaprio/i-ve-been-in-the-business-since-i-was-16-so-i-ve-had-a-14-year-career/) [Leonardo DiCaprio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-dicaprio/) > [I've been in the industry from the age of 9, so I have an agent. That's how you get auditions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-parker/i-ve-been-in-the-industry-from-the-age-of-9-so-i-have-an-agent-that-s/) [Christopher Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-parker/) > [I lived in Hollywood long enough to learn to play tennis and become a star, but I never felt it was my home.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulette-goddard/i-lived-in-hollywood-long-enough-to-learn-to-play-tennis-and-become-a/) [Paulette Goddard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulette-goddard/) > [I lived in Hollywood long enough to learn to play tennis and become a star, but I never felt it was my home. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulette-goddard/i-lived-in-hollywood-long-enough-to-learn-to-play-tennis-and-become-a-2/) [Paulette Goddard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulette-goddard/) > [Wherever I am, I will embrace the life and the lifestyle. I've lived in Hollywood before, and we've moved into the old neighbourhood in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-barrowman/wherever-i-am-i-will-embrace-the-life-and-the-lifestyle-i-ve-lived-in/) [John Barrowman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-barrowman/) > [You try, as an actor, to wear a mask; you're serving a story.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-rylance/you-try-as-an-actor-to-wear-a-mask-you-re-serving-a-story/) [Mark Rylance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-rylance/) > [I wasn't even going to do acting. I don't know how it even happened, to be honest. I was going to go into psychology…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amrita-acharia/i-wasn-t-even-going-to-do-acting-i-don-t-know-how-it-even-happened-to/) [Amrita Acharia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amrita-acharia/) > [I never try to show an actor what to do or what to say. He has to find out for himself. The role of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-ray/i-never-try-to-show-an-actor-what-to-do-or-what-to-say-he-has-to-find/) [Nicholas Ray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-ray/) > [I remember being in college knowing I didn't want to go anymore. I wanted to try and become an actor. There is a something…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jake-gyllenhaal/i-remember-being-in-college-knowing-i-didn-t-want-to-go-anymore-i/) [Jake Gyllenhaal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jake-gyllenhaal/) > [If you want to be an artist, truly try to write what you believe, and if you write when you don't believe then you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-d/if-you-want-to-be-an-artist-truly-try-to-write-what-you-believe-and/) [Chuck D](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-d/) > [What I try to do is give each actor an environment in which they can do their best work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/curtis-hanson/what-i-try-to-do-is-give-each-actor-an-environment-in-which-they-can/) [Curtis Hanson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/curtis-hanson/) > [What you try to do, as an actor, is just make it work somehow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giles-matthey/what-you-try-to-do-as-an-actor-is-just-make-it-work-somehow/) [Giles Matthey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giles-matthey/) > [What you always try to do, as an actor, is find the thing that's universal in the person.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/finn-wittrock/what-you-always-try-to-do-as-an-actor-is-find-the-thing-that-s/) [Finn Wittrock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/finn-wittrock/) > [What I try to do as an actor is constantly find that, find ways to risk, find opportunities to fall on my face if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-irons/what-i-try-to-do-as-an-actor-is-constantly-find-that-find-ways-to/) [Jeremy Irons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-irons/) ## More by Leonardo DiCaprio > [To believe in love, to be ready to give up anything for it, to be willing to risk your life for it, is the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-dicaprio/to-believe-in-love-to-be-ready-to-give-up-anything-for-it-to-be/) [Leonardo DiCaprio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-dicaprio/) > [My friends, this body - perhaps more than any other gathering in human history - now faces that difficult task.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-dicaprio/my-friends-this-body-perhaps-more-than-any-other-gathering-in-human/) [Leonardo DiCaprio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-dicaprio/) > [I've gotten to go to far-off places in the world, have very unique, isolated, intense experiences for four or five months at a time,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-dicaprio/i-ve-gotten-to-go-to-far-off-places-in-the-world-have-very-unique/) [Leonardo DiCaprio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-dicaprio/) > [At first I thought I would have to put on an English accent and try a sort of affected Shakespeare thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-dicaprio/at-first-i-thought-i-would-have-to-put-on-an-english-accent-and-try-a/) [Leonardo DiCaprio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-dicaprio/) > [It gets to the point where you're hot, you're hot, and when you're not, you're not. It's so true. I have to slow down…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-dicaprio/it-gets-to-the-point-where-you-re-hot-you-re-hot-and-when-you-re-not/) [Leonardo DiCaprio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-dicaprio/) > [I did imitations of anyone who came to my parents' house, and that was my identity at school - if there were ten minutes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-dicaprio/i-did-imitations-of-anyone-who-came-to-my-parents-house-and-that-was/) [Leonardo DiCaprio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-dicaprio/) > [I think people read the tabloids because they want to see you eating a burger, or out of your makeup or doing something stupid…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-dicaprio/i-think-people-read-the-tabloids-because-they-want-to-see-you-eating/) [Leonardo DiCaprio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-dicaprio/) > [When I can't immediately define the character, and there's an element of mystery to it and still a lot to be explored, that's when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-dicaprio/when-i-can-t-immediately-define-the-character-and-there-s-an-element/) [Leonardo DiCaprio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-dicaprio/) > [I remember when I first started having these interpretations of these images, these clichés of what movie stars are and this and that, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-dicaprio/i-remember-when-i-first-started-having-these-interpretations-of-these/) [Leonardo DiCaprio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-dicaprio/) > [It's my first sort of commercial attempt, but it made sense for me because I'm not that kind of guy and I'm not going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-dicaprio/it-s-my-first-sort-of-commercial-attempt-but-it-made-sense-for-me/) [Leonardo DiCaprio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-dicaprio/) > [We must all move shoulder to shoulder in a unified front to show this administration that the true majority of people are willing to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-dicaprio/we-must-all-move-shoulder-to-shoulder-in-a-unified-front-to-show-this/) [Leonardo DiCaprio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-dicaprio/) > [I get unhappy doing things that I'm not passionate about. Because I feel like I'm squandering this incredible gift I've been given to finance…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-dicaprio/i-get-unhappy-doing-things-that-i-m-not-passionate-about-because-i/) [Leonardo DiCaprio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-dicaprio/) > [I haven't died in a movie in a while,'The Departed,' 'Body of Lies,' 'Revolutionary Road,' 'Shutter Island' and 'Inception.' I guess I did die…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-dicaprio/i-haven-t-died-in-a-movie-in-a-while-the-departed-body-of-lies/) [Leonardo DiCaprio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-dicaprio/) > [Obviously people don't want other people to tell them how to think or what to believe, or to tell them what's right politically and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-dicaprio/obviously-people-don-t-want-other-people-to-tell-them-how-to-think-or/) [Leonardo DiCaprio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-dicaprio/) > [I've always been spontaneous and outgoing... I've tried lots of things so I've got some good life experiences, which is great 'cause it means…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-dicaprio/i-ve-always-been-spontaneous-and-outgoing-i-ve-tried-lots-of-things/) [Leonardo DiCaprio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-dicaprio/) [Explore all 311 Leonardo DiCaprio quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-dicaprio/) ## More Actors quotes > [Women still, when they have breast cancer, go to work; they still lead their lives. They have to. I just did what I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/monica-potter/women-still-when-they-have-breast-cancer-go-to-work-they-still-lead/) [Monica Potter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/monica-potter/) > [I'm trying to write a film with my friend. I'd love to get the thrill of speaking actors making my work even funnier.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-howard/i-m-trying-to-write-a-film-with-my-friend-i-d-love-to-get-the-thrill/) [Russell Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-howard/) > [A lesser complaint: hair extensions. There are moments on 'All My Children' when half the women actors, young and old, seem to be afflicted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/camille-paglia/a-lesser-complaint-hair-extensions-there-are-moments-on-all-my/) [Camille Paglia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/camille-paglia/) > [I'm very used to working with first time actors - you can just look back at 'E.T.' with Drew Barrymore, and Christian Bale from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-spielberg/i-m-very-used-to-working-with-first-time-actors-you-can-just-look/) [Steven Spielberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-spielberg/) > [Forget the credit, they (male actors) take all the money as well. We don't get paid even one-third of what male actors get. It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kangana-ranaut/forget-the-credit-they-male-actors-take-all-the-money-as-well-we-don/) [Kangana Ranaut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kangana-ranaut/) > [I love film people and actors and I am in the right world because I am one of those people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ewan-mcgregor/i-love-film-people-and-actors-and-i-am-in-the-right-world-because-i/) [Ewan McGregor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ewan-mcgregor/) > [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/) > [What we're supposed to do as actors is be able to portray real human beings and emotions. And if you grow up in this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-browning/what-we-re-supposed-to-do-as-actors-is-be-able-to-portray-real-human/) [Emily Browning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-browning/) > [When we watch a film as actors, you have to understand that we always see much more than what's on screen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kunal-khemu/when-we-watch-a-film-as-actors-you-have-to-understand-that-we-always/) [Kunal Khemu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kunal-khemu/) > [As actors, you become an expert at starting over.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lupita-nyong-o/as-actors-you-become-an-expert-at-starting-over/) [Lupita Nyong'o](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lupita-nyong-o/) > [The whole concept of stage fright is fascinating. Actors get stage fright, but they wouldn't be on the stage in the first place if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-greene/the-whole-concept-of-stage-fright-is-fascinating-actors-get-stage/) [Robert Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-greene/) > [No actor wants to choose - they just want all of the options available to them all the time; we tend to be pretty…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gillian-jacobs/no-actor-wants-to-choose-they-just-want-all-of-the-options-available/) [Gillian Jacobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gillian-jacobs/) > [A rapper is about being completely true to yourself. Being an actor is about changing who you are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-smith/a-rapper-is-about-being-completely-true-to-yourself-being-an-actor-is/) [Will Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-smith/) > [I've been a professional actor for almost 40 years.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-perlman/i-ve-been-a-professional-actor-for-almost-40-years/) [Ron Perlman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-perlman/) > [American actors are coy. We all have pricks and cunts, or are you different from the rest of us?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-greenaway/american-actors-are-coy-we-all-have-pricks-and-cunts-or-are-you/) [Peter Greenaway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-greenaway/) [Browse all 11,394 Actors quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actors/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I lived in Hollywood and, ironically, I didn't know you could just go out and get an agent and go on auditions and try and become an actor, I thought it was like a Masonic thing, like a blood line you had to belong to – until I was 13. Then I realised what you had to do. 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