--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When I started acting almost 50 years…" description: "\"When I started acting almost 50 years ago, it wasn't about fame. It was about acting.\" — Maggie Smith" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4ae/maggie-smith-8377_about_when-i-started-acting-almost-50-years-ag_1246565.jpg" --- # When I started acting almost 50 years ago, it wasn't about… ![“When I started acting almost 50 years ago, it wasn't about fame. It was about acting.” quote by Maggie Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4ae/maggie-smith-8377_about_when-i-started-acting-almost-50-years-ag_1246565.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4ae/maggie-smith-8377_about_when-i-started-acting-almost-50-years-ag_1246565.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4ae/maggie-smith-8377_about_when-i-started-acting-almost-50-years-ag_1246565.jpg) > “When I started acting almost 50 years ago, it wasn't about fame. It was about acting.” [Maggie Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maggie-smith/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. True dedication to craft predates fame; passion drives sustained commitment. **In simple terms:** Acting is about love for the art, not fame. Key Takeaway Focus on the craft, not the spotlight. Themes artistry passion longevity integrity Mood reflective inspirational Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - rehearsals - role preparation - mentor relationships - career planning Key Concepts career motivation intrinsic motivation legacy Questions to Reflect On - What keeps you motivated beyond external recognition? - How does long‑term dedication shape your work? A Different Perspective Fame can distract from artistic growth. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [50 Years](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/50-years/) [About](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/about/) [Acting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/acting/) [Acting 50](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/acting-50-2814573/) [Almost](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/almost/) [Fame](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fame/) [Fame Acting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fame-acting-3912120/) [Started](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/started/) [Started Acting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/started-acting/) [Years](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/years/) [Years ago](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/years-ago/) ## Related quotes > [I love when I am not typecast. I've been acting for 50 years. I was such a baby face; I was playing children until…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacki-weaver/i-love-when-i-am-not-typecast-i-ve-been-acting-for-50-years-i-was/) [Jacki Weaver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacki-weaver/) > [I have no problem with my age. I've been acting for 50 years in Australia and everyone knows my age because I started at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacki-weaver/i-have-no-problem-with-my-age-i-ve-been-acting-for-50-years-in/) [Jacki Weaver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacki-weaver/) > [Well, I've been acting for 50 years now, professionally. I've been acting a lot longer. My mother reckons I was acting when I got…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacki-weaver/well-i-ve-been-acting-for-50-years-now-professionally-i-ve-been/) [Jacki Weaver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacki-weaver/) > [I came to Venice for the first time in 1968 and was lucky enough to make the acquaintanceship, and then the friendship, of two…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donna-leon/i-came-to-venice-for-the-first-time-in-1968-and-was-lucky-enough-to/) [Donna Leon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donna-leon/) > [When I first started acting, I knew that you have to learn different skills for different roles.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophia-lillis/when-i-first-started-acting-i-knew-that-you-have-to-learn-different/) [Sophia Lillis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophia-lillis/) > [Early on, when I first started acting professionally, it was really important for me to get my parents on board, because they were so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randall-park/early-on-when-i-first-started-acting-professionally-it-was-really/) [Randall Park](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randall-park/) > [I think when I first started acting there were different people who I thought, 'I want that person's career or that person's career.' And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carla-gugino/i-think-when-i-first-started-acting-there-were-different-people-who-i/) [Carla Gugino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carla-gugino/) > [When I started acting, my whole focus and intention was to work as a stage actor in a company where you're asked to different…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kyle-maclachlan/when-i-started-acting-my-whole-focus-and-intention-was-to-work-as-a/) [Kyle MacLachlan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kyle-maclachlan/) > [When I was at school, I wanted to join the army. At college, I started acting in college plays, and it became a kind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/om-puri/when-i-was-at-school-i-wanted-to-join-the-army-at-college-i-started/) [Om Puri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/om-puri/) > [When I initially started acting, all I wanted to do was to be in one movie. That's it. That was my goal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-beach/when-i-initially-started-acting-all-i-wanted-to-do-was-to-be-in-one/) [Adam Beach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-beach/) > [I started writing when I started acting professionally because, with acting, there's so much time when you're not working, and there's so much rejection…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/finn-wittrock/i-started-writing-when-i-started-acting-professionally-because-with/) [Finn Wittrock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/finn-wittrock/) > [I started my acting career at around when I was getting stressed from my singing career.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seo-in-guk/i-started-my-acting-career-at-around-when-i-was-getting-stressed-from/) [Seo In-guk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seo-in-guk/) > [When observers look back 50 years from now, the arguments supporting Florida's ban on same-sex marriage, though just as sincerely held \[as views of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-lewis-hinkle/when-observers-look-back-50-years-from-now-the-arguments-supporting/) [Robert Lewis Hinkle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-lewis-hinkle/) > [To have to introduce a new product at the worst economic time in the last 50 years probably wasn't the greatest thing to have happened.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-mechanic/to-have-to-introduce-a-new-product-at-the-worst-economic-time-in-the/) [Bill Mechanic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-mechanic/) > [Even if you have done no wrong, no mistake in the last 50 years, remember the mistake you did 51 years ago and repent…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/radhanath-swami/even-if-you-have-done-no-wrong-no-mistake-in-the-last-50-years/) [Radhanath Swami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/radhanath-swami/) ## More by Maggie Smith > [If someone is going to talk about the process of making a film, it should be the director.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maggie-smith/if-someone-is-going-to-talk-about-the-process-of-making-a-film-it/) [Maggie Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maggie-smith/) > [There were male colleges, and there were very few female colleges.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maggie-smith/there-were-male-colleges-and-there-were-very-few-female-colleges/) [Maggie Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maggie-smith/) > [Try not to cry too much because it can be pretty heart-breaking and pretty hard.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maggie-smith/try-not-to-cry-too-much-because-it-can-be-pretty-heart-breaking-and/) [Maggie Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maggie-smith/) > [There's a difference between solitude and loneliness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maggie-smith/there-s-a-difference-between-solitude-and-loneliness/) [Maggie Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maggie-smith/) > [I know there is something out there and like most people, I tend to believe in it more when things go bad.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maggie-smith/i-know-there-is-something-out-there-and-like-most-people-i-tend-to/) [Maggie Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maggie-smith/) > [When you get into the granny era, you're lucky to get anything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maggie-smith/when-you-get-into-the-granny-era-you-re-lucky-to-get-anything/) [Maggie Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maggie-smith/) > [Sort of what you do in drama school when asked to play something way out of your reach. Anyway, we used to laugh a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maggie-smith/sort-of-what-you-do-in-drama-school-when-asked-to-play-something-way/) [Maggie Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maggie-smith/) > [I think lots of actors are very nervous and shy. I know lots of them who are, and some who aren't of course.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maggie-smith/i-think-lots-of-actors-are-very-nervous-and-shy-i-know-lots-of-them/) [Maggie Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maggie-smith/) > [Little girls, I am in the business of putting old heads on young shoulders, and all my pupils are the crème de la crème.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maggie-smith/little-girls-i-am-in-the-business-of-putting-old-heads-on-young/) [Maggie Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maggie-smith/) > [The drama school was in Oxford - and it's funny to think of it, but in those days when I started out the University…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maggie-smith/the-drama-school-was-in-oxford-and-it-s-funny-to-think-of-it-but-in/) [Maggie Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maggie-smith/) > [“Life is short, though I keep this from my children. Life is short, and I’ve shortened mine in a thousand delicious, ill-advised ways, a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maggie-smith/life-is-short-though-i-keep-this-from-my-children-life-is-short-and-i/) [Maggie Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maggie-smith/) > [Chris and Toby are far too sane to be upset any more.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maggie-smith/chris-and-toby-are-far-too-sane-to-be-upset-any-more/) [Maggie Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maggie-smith/) > [We can't escape the shadow, so the best thing we can do is notice the light and be open to it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maggie-smith/we-can-t-escape-the-shadow-so-the-best-thing-we-can-do-is-notice-the/) [Maggie Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maggie-smith/) > [I find it very difficult to do anything on my own now because people recognize me. This has never happened to me before because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maggie-smith/i-find-it-very-difficult-to-do-anything-on-my-own-now-because-people/) [Maggie Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maggie-smith/) > [I just did adore Daniel - Daniel Radcliffe, who I had worked with before "Harry Potter" and spent a long time telling all the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maggie-smith/i-just-did-adore-daniel-daniel-radcliffe-who-i-had-worked-with-before/) [Maggie Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maggie-smith/) [Explore all 81 Maggie Smith quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maggie-smith/) ## More About quotes > [If you ask an introvert a question, wait until she thinks about it. Introverts think before speaking, not through speaking. 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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. 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