--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I didn't know anything about acting, I…" description: "\"I didn't know anything about acting, I didn't know anything about theater, but I was just an exceptional student at high school. I wanted to play ball;..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7b4/louis-gossett-jr-15659_about_i-didn-t-know-anything-about-acting-i-di_1567960.jpg" --- # I didn't know anything about acting, I didn't know… ![“I didn't know anything about acting, I didn't know anything about theater, but I was just an exceptional student at high school. I wanted to play ball; I'm going after a basketball scholarship and be a doctor. I got injured and my marks began to drop.” quote by Louis Gossett, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7b4/louis-gossett-jr-15659_about_i-didn-t-know-anything-about-acting-i-di_1567960.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7b4/louis-gossett-jr-15659_about_i-didn-t-know-anything-about-acting-i-di_1567960.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7b4/louis-gossett-jr-15659_about_i-didn-t-know-anything-about-acting-i-di_1567960.jpg) > “I didn't know anything about acting, I didn't know anything about theater, but I was just an exceptional student at high school. I wanted to play ball; I'm going after a basketball scholarship and be a doctor. I got injured and my marks began to drop.” [Louis Gossett, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-gossett-jr/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He describes his early ambition and setbacks, noting how injuries derailed his academic and athletic plans. **In simple terms:** He wanted a sports scholarship and medical career, but injury hurt his grades. Key Takeaway Adapt goals when faced with unexpected obstacles. Themes ambition setbacks resilience education career Mood determined reflective Type personal motivational When to use this quote - high school - sports scholarship - medical school aspirations - injury recovery Key Concepts goal setting identity adversity Questions to Reflect On - How can you pivot after a setback? - What new path can you pursue? A Different Perspective Success may require new strategies beyond initial plans. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [About](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/about/) [Acting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/acting/) [Acting Didn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/acting-didn-979304/) [Actor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actor/) [After](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/after/) [Anything](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/anything/) [Ball](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ball/) [Basketball](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/basketball/) [Began](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/began/) [Doctor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doctor/) [Drop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/drop/) [Exceptional](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/exceptional/) [Going](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/going/) [Got](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/got/) [Got Injured](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/got-injured-478423/) [High](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/high/) [High school](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/high-school/) [Injured](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/injured/) [Just](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/just/) [Know](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/know/) [Know Acting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/know-acting-669231/) [Know Theater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/know-theater-1056747/) [Marks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/marks/) [Play](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/play/) [Scholarship](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/scholarship/) [School](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/school/) [Student](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/student/) [Theater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/theater/) [Theatre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/theatre/) [Wanted](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wanted/) ## Related quotes > [I don't have much to compare it to because I really didn't know much about theater. After I signed on, I started reading a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taissa-farmiga/i-don-t-have-much-to-compare-it-to-because-i-really-didn-t-know-much/) [Taissa Farmiga](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taissa-farmiga/) > [You know, theater is either heaven or hell. There's no middle.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-reinking/you-know-theater-is-either-heaven-or-hell-there-s-no-middle/) [Ann Reinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-reinking/) > [When I came to know theater, drama became valuable to me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/asghar-farhadi/when-i-came-to-know-theater-drama-became-valuable-to-me/) [Asghar Farhadi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/asghar-farhadi/) > [I know theater can improve the quality of people's lives, and I know theater can heal. I've worked as a doctor clown in a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natasha-tsakos/i-know-theater-can-improve-the-quality-of-people-s-lives-and-i-know/) [Natasha Tsakos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natasha-tsakos/) > [We all know that the theater and every play that comes to Broadway have within themselves, like the human being, the seed of self-destruction…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-thurber/we-all-know-that-the-theater-and-every-play-that-comes-to-broadway/) [James Thurber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-thurber/) > [I don't come from an artistic family, so I didn't know what theater was. I was working on Wall Street in the '90s, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geneva-carr/i-don-t-come-from-an-artistic-family-so-i-didn-t-know-what-theater/) [Geneva Carr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geneva-carr/) > [I really didn't know much about theater. After I signed on, I started reading a lot of Sam Shepard plays just to brush up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taissa-farmiga/i-really-didn-t-know-much-about-theater-after-i-signed-on-i-started/) [Taissa Farmiga](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taissa-farmiga/) > [When I first thought about wrestling, I thought about it as this foreign thing that I would have so much trouble accessing, and then,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/betty-gilpin/when-i-first-thought-about-wrestling-i-thought-about-it-as-this/) [Betty Gilpin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/betty-gilpin/) > [I was president of the schools in junior high and high school, got a scholarship to New York University, played a little basketball, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-gossett-jr/i-was-president-of-the-schools-in-junior-high-and-high-school-got-a/) [Louis Gossett, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-gossett-jr/) > [There were periods when I was first-choice keeper and was starting to consolidate my position when out of the blue I got injured. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lukasz-fabianski/there-were-periods-when-i-was-first-choice-keeper-and-was-starting-to/) [Lukasz Fabianski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lukasz-fabianski/) > [After junior cricket, if the team wanted me to keep in a one-off/odd match or if anyone got injured, I was up for it.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/k-l-rahul/after-junior-cricket-if-the-team-wanted-me-to-keep-in-a-one-off-odd/) [K. L. Rahul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/k-l-rahul/) > [My sister got injured when she was 15 and she stopped playing tennis but she has a great brain and she is studying really…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/iga-swiatek/my-sister-got-injured-when-she-was-15-and-she-stopped-playing-tennis/) [Iga Swiatek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/iga-swiatek/) > [Before I got injured, football was very easy, I didn't have to work out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-gore/before-i-got-injured-football-was-very-easy-i-didn-t-have-to-work-out/) [Frank Gore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-gore/) > [The situation was, the team I was on when I got injured went down to the lower leagues. In America, they don't have that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claudio-reyna/the-situation-was-the-team-i-was-on-when-i-got-injured-went-down-to/) [Claudio Reyna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claudio-reyna/) > [I got injured at the Olympic Trials in 2000. I could not jump. I could not walk on my leg properly. I couldn't bend…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dominique-moceanu/i-got-injured-at-the-olympic-trials-in-2000-i-could-not-jump-i-could/) [Dominique Moceanu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dominique-moceanu/) ## More by Louis Gossett, Jr > [George Clooney and Brad Pitt, with those 'Oceans' films they do, they get to work together, make a whole lot of money, and make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-gossett-jr/george-clooney-and-brad-pitt-with-those-oceans-films-they-do-they-get/) [Louis Gossett, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-gossett-jr/) > [There are beautiful words in the Bible and in our pledges and the Declaration of Independence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-gossett-jr/there-are-beautiful-words-in-the-bible-and-in-our-pledges-and-the/) [Louis Gossett, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-gossett-jr/) > [I think God asks us to promise to replenish the planet and to pay 100% attention to our young so that they will develop…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-gossett-jr/i-think-god-asks-us-to-promise-to-replenish-the-planet-and-to-pay-100/) [Louis Gossett, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-gossett-jr/) > [The two lines from 'Roots' that stick out to me are, 'You no more in Africa. You in America now,' and what I said…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-gossett-jr/the-two-lines-from-roots-that-stick-out-to-me-are-you-no-more-in/) [Louis Gossett, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-gossett-jr/) > [Sometimes I believe that the reason I have been able to do such exemplary work on the screen is because this is the only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-gossett-jr/sometimes-i-believe-that-the-reason-i-have-been-able-to-do-such/) [Louis Gossett, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-gossett-jr/) > [I am so grateful that the public has given me this gift. They look at me as a person - not as a race…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-gossett-jr/i-am-so-grateful-that-the-public-has-given-me-this-gift-they-look-at/) [Louis Gossett, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-gossett-jr/) > [I was president of the schools in junior high and high school, got a scholarship to New York University, played a little basketball, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-gossett-jr/i-was-president-of-the-schools-in-junior-high-and-high-school-got-a/) [Louis Gossett, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-gossett-jr/) > [My father's best friend, Georgie Terra, was an Italian guy. The children and the cousins and nieces and nephews were children of the Mafia.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-gossett-jr/my-father-s-best-friend-georgie-terra-was-an-italian-guy-the-children/) [Louis Gossett, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-gossett-jr/) > [The Lord may not come when you want Him, but he's always going to be there on time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-gossett-jr/the-lord-may-not-come-when-you-want-him-but-he-s-always-going-to-be/) [Louis Gossett, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-gossett-jr/) > [My father was adopted. He grew up in the Italian household.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-gossett-jr/my-father-was-adopted-he-grew-up-in-the-italian-household/) [Louis Gossett, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-gossett-jr/) > [One family, one nation, indivisible. That mentality is essential for our salvation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-gossett-jr/one-family-one-nation-indivisible-that-mentality-is-essential-for-our/) [Louis Gossett, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-gossett-jr/) > [You never know when what you do in the arts means something to people, and you never really know if you've been received well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-gossett-jr/you-never-know-when-what-you-do-in-the-arts-means-something-to-people/) [Louis Gossett, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-gossett-jr/) > [If a role isn't different, it's not worth doing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-gossett-jr/if-a-role-isn-t-different-it-s-not-worth-doing/) [Louis Gossett, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-gossett-jr/) > [Working on the ABC movie 'Don't Look Back: The Story of Leroy 'Satchel' Paige,'' which we filmed in Hattiesburg, Mississippi, was a special pleasure,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-gossett-jr/working-on-the-abc-movie-don-t-look-back-the-story-of-leroy-satchel/) [Louis Gossett, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-gossett-jr/) > [When I'm offered a role, I look at what I think I can do with it. I look to see if I can project…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-gossett-jr/when-i-m-offered-a-role-i-look-at-what-i-think-i-can-do-with-it-i/) [Louis Gossett, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-gossett-jr/) [Explore all 42 Louis Gossett, Jr quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-gossett-jr/) ## More About quotes > [If you ask an introvert a question, wait until she thinks about it. Introverts think before speaking, not through speaking. If you want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-helgoe/if-you-ask-an-introvert-a-question-wait-until-she-thinks-about-it/) [Laurie Helgoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-helgoe/) > [Joking about violence is not funny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/perez-hilton/joking-about-violence-is-not-funny/) [Perez Hilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/perez-hilton/) > [I talk to my mates about our kids, being too tired and being worn out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/holly-willoughby/i-talk-to-my-mates-about-our-kids-being-too-tired-and-being-worn-out/) [Holly Willoughby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/holly-willoughby/) > [With 'Pretty Girls,' I saw the opportunity to talk not just about crime but what crime leaves behind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karin-slaughter/with-pretty-girls-i-saw-the-opportunity-to-talk-not-just-about-crime/) [Karin Slaughter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karin-slaughter/) > [I write about presidents. That means I write about guys - so far. I'm interested in the people closest to them, the people they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doris-kearns-goodwin/i-write-about-presidents-that-means-i-write-about-guys-so-far-i-m/) [Doris Kearns Goodwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doris-kearns-goodwin/) > [That's something a lot of folks don't know about me - I'm pretty darn funny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-jai-white/that-s-something-a-lot-of-folks-don-t-know-about-me-i-m-pretty-darn/) [Michael Jai White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-jai-white/) > [I learned a lot about myself at Oakmont.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shane-lowry/i-learned-a-lot-about-myself-at-oakmont/) [Shane Lowry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shane-lowry/) > [I don't think about the press or the crowds or the other leaders of the race. The focus is only on myself. As soon…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/magdalena-neuner/i-don-t-think-about-the-press-or-the-crowds-or-the-other-leaders-of/) [Magdalena Neuner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/magdalena-neuner/) > [Sport is not just about entertainment. It is equally about winning and losing, pooling and galvanising the energy of the youth, upgrading people's physical…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nita-ambani/sport-is-not-just-about-entertainment-it-is-equally-about-winning-and/) [Nita Ambani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nita-ambani/) > [One of the ways that I discovered my confidence and my ability to overpower is becoming a mother. Suddenly, my world wasn't about myself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lights/one-of-the-ways-that-i-discovered-my-confidence-and-my-ability-to/) [Lights](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lights/) > [I didn't want to do 'Fashion Police' because I thought, 'This is stupid, this is beneath me, who wants to talk about fashion?' It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-rivers/i-didn-t-want-to-do-fashion-police-because-i-thought-this-is-stupid/) [Joan Rivers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-rivers/) > [I just worried about my weight. Worried about my appearance and thought I wan't pretty enough to be a pop star. It was very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-durham/i-just-worried-about-my-weight-worried-about-my-appearance-and/) [Judith Durham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-durham/) > [I read a couple of books about neuroscience and the relationship between the mind and the body.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-kinnaman/i-read-a-couple-of-books-about-neuroscience-and-the-relationship/) [Joel Kinnaman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-kinnaman/) > [There are a lot of kids out there copying and distributing movies - not because they care about seeing the movies or sharing them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-perry-barlow/there-are-a-lot-of-kids-out-there-copying-and-distributing-movies-not/) [John Perry Barlow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-perry-barlow/) > [I have no physical genius about me. I can't dribble a ball and run at the same time, I can't do lay-ups - I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rich-mullins/i-have-no-physical-genius-about-me-i-can-t-dribble-a-ball-and-run-at/) [Rich Mullins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rich-mullins/) [Browse all 26,122 About quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/about/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I didn't know anything about acting, I didn't know anything about theater, but I was just an exceptional student at high school. I wanted to play ball; I'm going after a basketball scholarship and be a doctor. I got injured and my marks began to drop.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Louis Gossett, Jr" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-gossett-jr/i-didn-t-know-anything-about-acting-i-didn-t-know-anything-about/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "About" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-gossett-jr/i-didn-t-know-anything-about-acting-i-didn-t-know-anything-about/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7b4/louis-gossett-jr-15659_about_i-didn-t-know-anything-about-acting-i-di_1567960.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7b4/louis-gossett-jr-15659_about_i-didn-t-know-anything-about-acting-i-di_1567960.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7b4/louis-gossett-jr-15659_about_i-didn-t-know-anything-about-acting-i-di_1567960.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I didn't know anything about acting, I didn't know anything about theater, but I was just an exceptional…” — Louis Gossett, Jr", "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": "Louis Gossett, Jr", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-gossett-jr/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I didn't know anything about acting,...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-gossett-jr/i-didn-t-know-anything-about-acting-i-didn-t-know-anything-about/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-gossett-jr/i-didn-t-know-anything-about-acting-i-didn-t-know-anything-about/#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 } } ] } ```