--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I don't just act to pay my rent. I really…" description: "\"I don't just act to pay my rent. I really like doing it, so I get frustrated when I don't get to do it all the time, so short films are a really great..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f55/mackenzie-davis-14359_cinema_i-don-t-just-act-to-pay-my-rent-i-really_1305910.jpg" --- # I don't just act to pay my rent. I really like doing it… ![“I don't just act to pay my rent. I really like doing it, so I get frustrated when I don't get to do it all the time, so short films are a really great way to be doing it and working with your friends, working on smaller, more specific things without limiting yourself in other ways.” quote by Mackenzie Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f55/mackenzie-davis-14359_cinema_i-don-t-just-act-to-pay-my-rent-i-really_1305910.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f55/mackenzie-davis-14359_cinema_i-don-t-just-act-to-pay-my-rent-i-really_1305910.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f55/mackenzie-davis-14359_cinema_i-don-t-just-act-to-pay-my-rent-i-really_1305910.jpg) > “I don't just act to pay my rent. I really like doing it, so I get frustrated when I don't get to do it all the time, so short films are a really great way to be doing it and working with your friends, working on smaller, more specific things without limiting yourself in other ways.” [Mackenzie Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mackenzie-davis/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Creative work should be driven by passion, not just financial need; short films allow artistic freedom and collaboration. **In simple terms:** Passion fuels creative work. Key Takeaway Pursue projects you love. Themes creativity passion collaboration independence artistic freedom Mood enthusiastic inspired Type motivational practical When to use this quote - indie filmmaking - team projects - skill building Key Concepts Film theory career development entrepreneurship Questions to Reflect On - What projects ignite your passion? - How can you balance art and income? A Different Perspective Financial pressures may limit creative choices. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Cinema](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cinema/) [Film](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/film/) [Films Really](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/films-really/) [Frustrated](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/frustrated/) [Limiting yourself](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/limiting-yourself/) [Pay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pay/) [Pay Rent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pay-rent/) [Really great](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/really-great/) [Rent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rent/) [Rent Really](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rent-really-4304374/) [Short films](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/short-films/) [Way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/way/) ## Related quotes > [I'd like to record somewhere really different. Rent a really big house and get a mobile in and set up in the dining room.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-smith/i-d-like-to-record-somewhere-really-different-rent-a-really-big-house/) [Robert Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-smith/) > [Short films really helped me develop as a story teller, animator, and as a director.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lasseter/short-films-really-helped-me-develop-as-a-story-teller-animator-and/) [John Lasseter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lasseter/) > [It's nice to be able to pay my rent and pay for my friends' dinners.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chappell-roan/it-s-nice-to-be-able-to-pay-my-rent-and-pay-for-my-friends-dinners/) [Chappell Roan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chappell-roan/) > [I like to work. I mean, part of it for me is that I was a struggling actor, could barely pay my rent, until…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/megan-mullally/i-like-to-work-i-mean-part-of-it-for-me-is-that-i-was-a-struggling/) [Megan Mullally](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/megan-mullally/) > [Milos said, You're my first choice. From my point of view, that doesn't pay the rent. I said, Tell me what I have to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/f-murray-abraham/milos-said-you-re-my-first-choice-from-my-point-of-view-that-doesn-t/) [F. Murray Abraham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/f-murray-abraham/) > [You have to do whatever jobs you can to pay the rent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emilia-clarke/you-have-to-do-whatever-jobs-you-can-to-pay-the-rent/) [Emilia Clarke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emilia-clarke/) > [“We are all alike; we have no ties, we know nobody, we own nothing. When one of us dies, they scarcely know where to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willa-cather/we-are-all-alike-we-have-no-ties-we-know-nobody-we-own-nothing-when/) [Willa Cather](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willa-cather/) > [ There are people who are like monkeys in a cage just hitting the coke button. They don't really get that for \[musicians and artists\]… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maynard-james-keenan/there-are-people-who-are-like-monkeys-in-a-cage-just-hitting-the-coke/) [Maynard James Keenan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maynard-james-keenan/) > [“You don't have to pay its rent just because it is a book.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-hill/you-don-t-have-to-pay-its-rent-just-because-it-is-a-book/) [Susan Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-hill/) > [I didn't think we would ever make enough money to pay rent by playing music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregg-allman/i-didn-t-think-we-would-ever-make-enough-money-to-pay-rent-by-playing/) [Gregg Allman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregg-allman/) > [A lot of times, we also have to live and work. You have to make money to pay rent. In that respect, I don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/djimon-hounsou/a-lot-of-times-we-also-have-to-live-and-work-you-have-to-make-money/) [Djimon Hounsou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/djimon-hounsou/) > [“Oldest toy store in the world and they couldn't pay their rent anymore. New York City real estate. Nothing good can stay.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kara-lee-corthron/oldest-toy-store-in-the-world-and-they-couldn-t-pay-their-rent/) [Kara Lee Corthron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kara-lee-corthron/) > [I pay my rent with my Instagram.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/georgia-toffolo/i-pay-my-rent-with-my-instagram/) [Georgia Toffolo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/georgia-toffolo/) > [As long as I can pay rent, that's all I care about.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-baker/as-long-as-i-can-pay-rent-that-s-all-i-care-about/) [Sean Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-baker/) > [By the time you are in your thirties, most of the time, you've got a job, you can pay for your rent, you can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katie-aselton/by-the-time-you-are-in-your-thirties-most-of-the-time-you-ve-got-a/) [Katie Aselton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katie-aselton/) ## More by Mackenzie Davis > [I wanted to be Beetlejuice. I watched nonstop 'Beetlejuice' and 'The Princess Bride' growing up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mackenzie-davis/i-wanted-to-be-beetlejuice-i-watched-nonstop-beetlejuice-and-the/) [Mackenzie Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mackenzie-davis/) > [I've been lucky to work consistently on women who I think are interesting, fleshed out, and strong and active participants in their destiny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mackenzie-davis/i-ve-been-lucky-to-work-consistently-on-women-who-i-think-are/) [Mackenzie Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mackenzie-davis/) > [I love Thanksgiving. In Canada, we don't really have a lot of history with Thanksgiving, and it's a holiday devoted to food, and that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mackenzie-davis/i-love-thanksgiving-in-canada-we-don-t-really-have-a-lot-of-history/) [Mackenzie Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mackenzie-davis/) > [I'm always surprised when actors say they don't like sex scenes. It's like a freebie. It's fun to make out with someone. So yes,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mackenzie-davis/i-m-always-surprised-when-actors-say-they-don-t-like-sex-scenes-it-s/) [Mackenzie Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mackenzie-davis/) > [I loved the DOS games, Super Nintendo. And I have a very addictive personality, so I recognize now that I just can't engage in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mackenzie-davis/i-loved-the-dos-games-super-nintendo-and-i-have-a-very-addictive/) [Mackenzie Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mackenzie-davis/) > [I modeled for a little while in college. I was desperate to travel, and I got scouted, and they wanted me to go to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mackenzie-davis/i-modeled-for-a-little-while-in-college-i-was-desperate-to-travel-and/) [Mackenzie Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mackenzie-davis/) > [You can make a beautiful, airtight world that's fascinating to look at, but it's not interesting unless you have a character that's trying to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mackenzie-davis/you-can-make-a-beautiful-airtight-world-that-s-fascinating-to-look-at/) [Mackenzie Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mackenzie-davis/) > ['Breathe In' was such a big deal for me. It was my first anything. Before that, I was going through 'Backstage Magazine' and applying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mackenzie-davis/breathe-in-was-such-a-big-deal-for-me-it-was-my-first-anything-before/) [Mackenzie Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mackenzie-davis/) > [I think Julianne Moore is the most radiantly beautiful human being and isn't messing with nature too much. She seems like a woman who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mackenzie-davis/i-think-julianne-moore-is-the-most-radiantly-beautiful-human-being/) [Mackenzie Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mackenzie-davis/) > [Acting was always something I pursued by myself. When we were in college, I took an acting class that I was so passionate about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mackenzie-davis/acting-was-always-something-i-pursued-by-myself-when-we-were-in/) [Mackenzie Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mackenzie-davis/) > [I do a lot of thrifting, but I don't go shopping in a concerted way very often. I find things by accident that I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mackenzie-davis/i-do-a-lot-of-thrifting-but-i-don-t-go-shopping-in-a-concerted-way/) [Mackenzie Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mackenzie-davis/) > [I'm not a runner, and I always dreamed about just throwing on my sneakers and really knocking everyone's socks off with my joy of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mackenzie-davis/i-m-not-a-runner-and-i-always-dreamed-about-just-throwing-on-my/) [Mackenzie Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mackenzie-davis/) > [I think more than anything, I think I'd really like to start producing and be in charge of the stuff that I want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mackenzie-davis/i-think-more-than-anything-i-think-i-d-really-like-to-start-producing/) [Mackenzie Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mackenzie-davis/) > [I went to Europe and, as I've been told, ate my way out of a career.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mackenzie-davis/i-went-to-europe-and-as-i-ve-been-told-ate-my-way-out-of-a-career/) [Mackenzie Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mackenzie-davis/) > [The first two or three movies I did, I'd be around famous co-stars and totally pretend like I didn't care, but inside, I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mackenzie-davis/the-first-two-or-three-movies-i-did-i-d-be-around-famous-co-stars-and/) [Mackenzie Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mackenzie-davis/) [Explore all 47 Mackenzie Davis quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mackenzie-davis/) ## More Cinema quotes > [I made, like, five movies while I was in college. I think they just weren't memorable movies. I've taken breaks as the years have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodie-foster/i-made-like-five-movies-while-i-was-in-college-i-think-they-just/) [Jodie Foster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodie-foster/) > [You have to have a great director to make a great movie.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thelma-schoonmaker/you-have-to-have-a-great-director-to-make-a-great-movie/) [Thelma Schoonmaker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thelma-schoonmaker/) > [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/) > [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/) > [There was a time in the 1980s when I worked in 22 films a year.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/radha-ravi/there-was-a-time-in-the-1980s-when-i-worked-in-22-films-a-year/) [Radha Ravi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/radha-ravi/) > [To an ever greater extent out experience is governed by pictures, pictures in newspapers and magazines, on television and in the cinema. Next to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-crimp/to-an-ever-greater-extent-out-experience-is-governed-by-pictures/) [Douglas Crimp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-crimp/) > [In the future, I would like to do more films with contemporary themes. Perhaps comedy, which is something I have done in theater but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luke-evans/in-the-future-i-would-like-to-do-more-films-with-contemporary-themes/) [Luke Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luke-evans/) > [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/) > [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/) > [Personally, I prefer contemporary films, but the market calls for more period choices, especially since China opened up a cinema market in Hong Kong.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donnie-yen/personally-i-prefer-contemporary-films-but-the-market-calls-for-more/) [Donnie Yen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donnie-yen/) > [I'd love to work in the States; I'd love to work anywhere where you get a good script and a good part to play.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-carmichael/i-d-love-to-work-in-the-states-i-d-love-to-work-anywhere-where-you/) [Laura Carmichael](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-carmichael/) > [I even see the cinema itself as a woman, with its alternation of light and darkness, of appearing and disappearing images](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/federico-fellini/i-even-see-the-cinema-itself-as-a-woman-with-its-alternation-of-light/) [Federico Fellini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/federico-fellini/) > ['Rear Window' isn't really a horror film, but it is a psychological drama, which I love. It is very tense.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diana-silvers/rear-window-isn-t-really-a-horror-film-but-it-is-a-psychological/) [Diana Silvers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diana-silvers/) > [What a thrill. You know you've entered new territory when you realise that your outfit cost more than your film.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-yu/what-a-thrill-you-know-you-ve-entered-new-territory-when-you-realise/) [Jessica Yu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-yu/) > [I am not interested in churning out a certain number of films every year. For me, it's about the quality of work. I think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deepika-padukone/i-am-not-interested-in-churning-out-a-certain-number-of-films-every/) [Deepika Padukone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deepika-padukone/) [Browse all 23,940 Cinema quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cinema/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I don't just act to pay my rent. 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