--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When I started acting, I didn't think of…" description: "\"When I started acting, I didn't think of it as a career. I always thought Hollywood was this magical world where a fairy came down and said, 'Come live..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/205/leonardo-dicaprio-997_acting_when-i-started-acting-i-didn-t-think-of_943497.jpg" --- # When I started acting, I didn't think of it as a career. I… ![“When I started acting, I didn't think of it as a career. I always thought Hollywood was this magical world where a fairy came down and said, 'Come live with the Munchkins; you are now one of us.' I didn't understand the concept of it as a career. I thought I would save up enough money to go to…” quote by Leonardo DiCaprio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/205/leonardo-dicaprio-997_acting_when-i-started-acting-i-didn-t-think-of_943497.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/205/leonardo-dicaprio-997_acting_when-i-started-acting-i-didn-t-think-of_943497.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/205/leonardo-dicaprio-997_acting_when-i-started-acting-i-didn-t-think-of_943497.jpg) > “When I started acting, I didn't think of it as a career. I always thought Hollywood was this magical world where a fairy came down and said, 'Come live with the Munchkins; you are now one of us.' I didn't understand the concept of it as a career. I thought I would save up enough money to go to college.” [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 realized acting was not a magical fantasy but a demanding profession requiring perseverance. **In simple terms:** Acting is hard work, not just dreams. Key Takeaway Respect the effort behind fame. Themes career illusion reality determination growth Mood reflective inspirational Type motivational personal When to use this quote - pursuing acting - financial planning - career transition Key Concepts film industry personal ambition expectations Questions to Reflect On - What sacrifices are needed for success? - How do expectations shape career choices? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Acting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/acting/) [Acting Didn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/acting-didn/) [Actor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actor/) [Career](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/career/) [Career Thought](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/career-thought-1629406/) [Hollywood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hollywood/) [Live](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/live/) [Money](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/money/) [Started Acting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/started-acting/) [Think Career](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/think-career/) [Thought Hollywood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thought-hollywood-361204/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) ## Related quotes > [My mother thought Hollywood was a den of iniquity, and people came to terrible bad ends there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kitty-carlisle/my-mother-thought-hollywood-was-a-den-of-iniquity-and-people-came-to/) [Kitty Carlisle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kitty-carlisle/) > [I never thought Hollywood is the life I want to do. I thought acting is the life I want to do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shailene-woodley/i-never-thought-hollywood-is-the-life-i-want-to-do-i-thought-acting/) [Shailene Woodley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shailene-woodley/) > [I would definitely be open to more films if the role was right. I haven't thought about a move to Hollywood, but if there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-mauboy/i-would-definitely-be-open-to-more-films-if-the-role-was-right-i/) [Jessica Mauboy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-mauboy/) > [When I first started out acting, I didn't have anything to lose. I had another career. If I fell on my face, I could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-farina/when-i-first-started-out-acting-i-didn-t-have-anything-to-lose-i-had/) [Dennis Farina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-farina/) > [I feel like a bit of a phony sometimes - I started acting because I didn’t know what else to do. I filled in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aidan-turner/i-feel-like-a-bit-of-a-phony-sometimes-i-started-acting-because-i/) [Aidan Turner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aidan-turner/) > [Partying and having all of those pictures taken distracts from the work that I do. It's not why I started acting. I didn't get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lindsay-lohan/partying-and-having-all-of-those-pictures-taken-distracts-from-the/) [Lindsay Lohan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lindsay-lohan/) > [I remember when I started acting and didn't get a part and was really jealous of the girl who got it. My mom would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gwyneth-paltrow/i-remember-when-i-started-acting-and-didn-t-get-a-part-and-was-really/) [Gwyneth Paltrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gwyneth-paltrow/) > [I was really into films when I was younger, but I feel like a bit of a phony sometimes - I started acting because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aidan-turner/i-was-really-into-films-when-i-was-younger-but-i-feel-like-a-bit-of-a/) [Aidan Turner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aidan-turner/) > [I know some teams thought I was too Hollywood.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-leinart/i-know-some-teams-thought-i-was-too-hollywood/) [Matt Leinart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-leinart/) > [I thought that Hollywood was just for geniuses and that directors come from three generations of directors. I was worried that I was not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fede-alvarez/i-thought-that-hollywood-was-just-for-geniuses-and-that-directors/) [Fede Alvarez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fede-alvarez/) > [I am a girl from Cleveland, Ohio, that never thought she would be in Hollywood!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isabela-moner/i-am-a-girl-from-cleveland-ohio-that-never-thought-she-would-be-in/) [Isabela Moner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isabela-moner/) > [I never thought I would do something in Hollywood after I started with a series in the West, which was a small stint.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ali-fazal/i-never-thought-i-would-do-something-in-hollywood-after-i-started/) [Ali Fazal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ali-fazal/) > [I first went into social services, and when I did my Ph.D. I looked at intellectual diversity rights as they apply to biological material.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cary-fowler/i-first-went-into-social-services-and-when-i-did-my-ph-d-i-looked-at/) [Cary Fowler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cary-fowler/) > [I never contemplated any kind of existence or identity after my career. I never thought at some point the entertainment industry is going to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-o/i-never-contemplated-any-kind-of-existence-or-identity-after-my/) [Steve-O](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-o/) > [Sometimes early in my career I thought what I did was who I was. As you mature, I've learned that is not the case.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernie-johnson-jr/sometimes-early-in-my-career-i-thought-what-i-did-was-who-i-was-as/) [Ernie Johnson Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernie-johnson-jr/) ## 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 Acting 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/) > [Many Republicans have always reminded me of professional WWF wrestlers. They come into the ring all pumped up and acting like they're invincible and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-feig/many-republicans-have-always-reminded-me-of-professional-wwf/) [Paul Feig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-feig/) > [I'm a big fan of all the Boston guys that are acting - Matt Damon , Ben Affleck, Mark Wahlberg - they made a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenny-wormald/i-m-a-big-fan-of-all-the-boston-guys-that-are-acting-matt-damon-ben/) [Kenny Wormald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenny-wormald/) > [Acting is a grind, just like music is a grind. Sometimes it takes longer than what you can give.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/big-sean/acting-is-a-grind-just-like-music-is-a-grind-sometimes-it-takes/) [Big Sean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/big-sean/) > [It was only when I started making short films in college and I was looking for girls to play the me-ish parts that I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lena-dunham/it-was-only-when-i-started-making-short-films-in-college-and-i-was/) [Lena Dunham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lena-dunham/) > [Writing is something I took up rather than anything I had an inclination toward. I like acting -delivering someone else's message - but writing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-martin/writing-is-something-i-took-up-rather-than-anything-i-had-an/) [Steve Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-martin/) > [I can still function when I don't have that balance I crave. I had a tendency to be precious about acting, thinking of it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-regan/i-can-still-function-when-i-don-t-have-that-balance-i-crave-i-had-a/) [Laura Regan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-regan/) > [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/) > [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/) > [It definitely helps to have the acting experience going into singing, because when you're singing, you have to portray the emotion you were feeling…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-newman/it-definitely-helps-to-have-the-acting-experience-going-into-singing/) [Ryan Newman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-newman/) > [The show was number one in the ratings, Gordon Russell was our head writer, the story lines were magnificent and the acting most exciting.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-storm/the-show-was-number-one-in-the-ratings-gordon-russell-was-our-head/) [Michael Storm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-storm/) > [I've done so many other projects where you're in a room with a reader and you're acting your lines out: 'We have to get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-cummings/i-ve-done-so-many-other-projects-where-you-re-in-a-room-with-a-reader/) [Jim Cummings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-cummings/) > [I do not believe in public shaming. I do believe that young adults go to college to learn things, and that this process will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-weingarten/i-do-not-believe-in-public-shaming-i-do-believe-that-young-adults-go/) [Gene Weingarten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-weingarten/) > [Poetry has, in a way, been my bridge to my acting career.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/omari-hardwick/poetry-has-in-a-way-been-my-bridge-to-my-acting-career/) [Omari Hardwick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/omari-hardwick/) [Browse all 12,062 Acting quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/acting/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "When I started acting, I didn't think of it as a career. I always thought Hollywood was this magical world where a fairy came down and said, 'Come live with the Munchkins; you are now one of us.' I didn't understand the concept of it as a career. 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