--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When you graduate is when you start to…" description: "\"When you graduate is when you start to find yourself looking at the information in the audition breakdown and it says tall black African - or African-A..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/805/mahershala-ali-6687_african-american_when-you-graduate-is-when-you-start-to-f_2906340.jpg" --- # When you graduate is when you start to find yourself… ![“When you graduate is when you start to find yourself looking at the information in the audition breakdown and it says tall black African - or African-American built such and such. And you start seeing these character descriptions and seeing that, oh, you're only going in for the ones that are…” quote by Mahershala Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/805/mahershala-ali-6687_african-american_when-you-graduate-is-when-you-start-to-f_2906340.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/805/mahershala-ali-6687_african-american_when-you-graduate-is-when-you-start-to-f_2906340.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/805/mahershala-ali-6687_african-american_when-you-graduate-is-when-you-start-to-f_2906340.jpg) > “When you graduate is when you start to find yourself looking at the information in the audition breakdown and it says tall black African - or African-American built such and such. And you start seeing these character descriptions and seeing that, oh, you're only going in for the ones that are described as your look.” [Mahershala Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahershala-ali/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Graduates notice typecasting based on race, limiting opportunities to roles matching their appearance. **In simple terms:** Casting often stereotypes by race. Key Takeaway Advocate for diverse casting. Themes race typecasting industry diversity Mood determined hopeful Type advice activist When to use this quote - casting calls - audition prep - industry reform Key Concepts media studies social justice Questions to Reflect On - How can actors break stereotypical casting? - What policies promote inclusive casting? A Different Perspective Some casting seeks authenticity. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [African american](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/african-american/) [Audition Breakdown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/audition-breakdown-4160328/) [Auditions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/auditions/) [Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/black/) [Breakdown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/breakdown/) [Built](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/built/) [Character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character/) [Character Descriptions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character-descriptions-3431773/) [Description](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/description/) [Finding yourself](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/finding-yourself/) [Graduate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/graduate/) [Graduates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/graduates/) [Information](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/information/) [Looks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/looks/) [Seeing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/seeing/) [Seeing Character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/seeing-character-1131119/) [Tall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tall/) ## Related quotes > [I remember auditioning for something where the woman was supposed to be 42, and I was 33 or something, and they were like, 'No…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miriam-shor/i-remember-auditioning-for-something-where-the-woman-was-supposed-to/) [Miriam Shor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miriam-shor/) > [“People should know better than to be an ass in front of writers. We immortalize things. Lots of things. And we take liberties with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-m-pillow/people-should-know-better-than-to-be-an-ass-in-front-of-writers-we/) [Michelle M. Pillow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-m-pillow/) > [If you're seen as beautiful or sexy then your only options in terms of character descriptions are beautiful, sexy, cute - and that's it.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amber-heard/if-you-re-seen-as-beautiful-or-sexy-then-your-only-options-in-terms/) [Amber Heard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amber-heard/) > [I'm obsessed with modes, and making sure you're seeing the character in different modes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-demetriou/i-m-obsessed-with-modes-and-making-sure-you-re-seeing-the-character/) [Jamie Demetriou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-demetriou/) > [I think one thing that's always a concern to me is you see a role, and you're not seeing the character; you're seeing so-and-so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/debra-granik/i-think-one-thing-that-s-always-a-concern-to-me-is-you-see-a-role-and/) [Debra Granik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/debra-granik/) > [I really loved it because it really informed his way of seeing my character and the story. If you look closely he always had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mia-wasikowska/i-really-loved-it-because-it-really-informed-his-way-of-seeing-my/) [Mia Wasikowska](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mia-wasikowska/) > [I love the idea of seeing a character - I mean, there's nothing like seeing a character and having the huge detail and roundness…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-baxendale/i-love-the-idea-of-seeing-a-character-i-mean-there-s-nothing-like/) [Helen Baxendale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-baxendale/) > [I'm always writing from some difficult place and seeing how the character survives... or doesn't.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-silvera/i-m-always-writing-from-some-difficult-place-and-seeing-how-the/) [Adam Silvera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-silvera/) > [I'm not actually a psychopath. I don't look evil. People don't normally want to put me in the same kind of things afterward, so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-oakes/i-m-not-actually-a-psychopath-i-don-t-look-evil-people-don-t-normally/) [David Oakes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-oakes/) > [I love doing theater so much - being in front of an audience and seeing how a character grows and develops with every performance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-hall/i-love-doing-theater-so-much-being-in-front-of-an-audience-and-seeing/) [Jerry Hall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-hall/) > [You marry a non-graduate, then you are going to worry if your son or daughter is going to make it to the university.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-kuan-yew/you-marry-a-non-graduate-then-you-are-going-to-worry-if-your-son-or/) [Lee Kuan Yew](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-kuan-yew/) > [I want my kids to graduate from high school. But that's not enough. I also want them to go to college. Why? Because rich…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geoffrey-canada/i-want-my-kids-to-graduate-from-high-school-but-that-s-not-enough-i/) [Geoffrey Canada](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geoffrey-canada/) > [Through high school, college, graduate school and beyond, I had a number of relationships that were wonderful.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/through-high-school-college-graduate-school-and-beyond-i-had-a-number/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [As a graduate student at Oxford in 1963, I began writing about books in revolutionary France, helping to found the discipline of book history.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-darnton/as-a-graduate-student-at-oxford-in-1963-i-began-writing-about-books/) [Robert Darnton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-darnton/) > [Allow yourself to graduate, every five years.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cathy-guisewite/allow-yourself-to-graduate-every-five-years/) [Cathy Guisewite](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cathy-guisewite/) ## More by Mahershala Ali > [ I went to a mosque in Philadelphia with \[my wife\] in December 24, 1999. And we we went to this mosque in Philly, and… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahershala-ali/i-went-to-a-mosque-in-philadelphia-with-my-wife-in-december-24-1999/) [Mahershala Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahershala-ali/) > [I grew up in church. My mom's a minister, and my grandmother was an ordained minister. I was always very mindful of the presence…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahershala-ali/i-grew-up-in-church-my-mom-s-a-minister-and-my-grandmother-was-an/) [Mahershala Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahershala-ali/) > [Like so many families, we were dealing with limited means. We weren't poor at all, but we had some challenging times financially. When my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahershala-ali/like-so-many-families-we-were-dealing-with-limited-means-we-weren-t/) [Mahershala Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahershala-ali/) > [I think how strict my mother's home could be with my mom and my stepfather, there was a fluidity and freedom in my dad's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahershala-ali/i-think-how-strict-my-mother-s-home-could-be-with-my-mom-and-my/) [Mahershala Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahershala-ali/) > [My mother is an ordained minister. I'm a Muslim. She didn't do backflips when I called her to tell her I converted 17 years…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahershala-ali/my-mother-is-an-ordained-minister-i-m-a-muslim-she-didn-t-do/) [Mahershala Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahershala-ali/) > [My experiences growing up - my father lived in New York, so I was going out there in the summers and meeting really interesting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahershala-ali/my-experiences-growing-up-my-father-lived-in-new-york-so-i-was-going/) [Mahershala Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahershala-ali/) > [I'm not shy about trying to find what truth there is in any genre, whether that be an action piece, a sci-fi piece, a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahershala-ali/i-m-not-shy-about-trying-to-find-what-truth-there-is-in-any-genre/) [Mahershala Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahershala-ali/) > [You are an American, so you're hurt that other American citizens have been hurt, but you end up having to shoulder the shame for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahershala-ali/you-are-an-american-so-you-re-hurt-that-other-american-citizens-have/) [Mahershala Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahershala-ali/) > [My parents were in high school when I was born. My mom was 16, my dad was 17. They were kids, at the very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahershala-ali/my-parents-were-in-high-school-when-i-was-born-my-mom-was-16-my-dad/) [Mahershala Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahershala-ali/) > [Because on that watch list, they would be like, yeah, your name - they told me like, yeah, your name matches the name of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahershala-ali/because-on-that-watch-list-they-would-be-like-yeah-your-name-they/) [Mahershala Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahershala-ali/) > [I started traveling by myself as early as 5 to see my dad. I'd go to Toronto or Los Angeles, depending on what show…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahershala-ali/i-started-traveling-by-myself-as-early-as-5-to-see-my-dad-i-d-go-to/) [Mahershala Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahershala-ali/) > [One thing that the audience, and perhaps critics, aren't aware of is that, especially in a film like 'Moonlight,' you always shoot a lot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahershala-ali/one-thing-that-the-audience-and-perhaps-critics-aren-t-aware-of-is/) [Mahershala Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahershala-ali/) > [I think in some ways, I would go back home, and I didn't really quite fit in and couldn't - didn't have a person…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahershala-ali/i-think-in-some-ways-i-would-go-back-home-and-i-didn-t-really-quite/) [Mahershala Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahershala-ali/) > [I remember clearly, when I was about 4, my Aunt Linda said, 'I'm not babysitting him no more. He's bad.' It was one of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahershala-ali/i-remember-clearly-when-i-was-about-4-my-aunt-linda-said-i-m-not/) [Mahershala Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahershala-ali/) > [Theater will cast in a more open way; Denzel Washington might play Richard III. Television and film don't really cast openly like that. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahershala-ali/theater-will-cast-in-a-more-open-way-denzel-washington-might-play/) [Mahershala Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahershala-ali/) [Explore all 98 Mahershala Ali quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahershala-ali/) ## More African american quotes > [This is, for an accomplished Latino, an accomplished African American, an accomplished anyone who disproves stereotypes, it's a constant battle in your life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonia-sotomayor/this-is-for-an-accomplished-latino-an-accomplished-african-american/) [Sonia Sotomayor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonia-sotomayor/) > [I grew up in Synagogue in the boys' choir. We didn't listen to music in the house; only at temple. Then I went to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mandy-patinkin/i-grew-up-in-synagogue-in-the-boys-choir-we-didn-t-listen-to-music-in/) [Mandy Patinkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mandy-patinkin/) > [I agreed a long time ago, I would not live at any cost. If I am moved or forced away from what I think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-angelou/i-agreed-a-long-time-ago-i-would-not-live-at-any-cost-if-i-am-moved/) [Maya Angelou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-angelou/) > [There could be no more powerful argument against mixing religion and government than the success of independent African American churches in placing racial segregation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-jacoby/there-could-be-no-more-powerful-argument-against-mixing-religion-and/) [Susan Jacoby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-jacoby/) > [“This popularity extended to Trump himself, who, according to private demographic research conducted at the time, was even more popular with African American and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-green/this-popularity-extended-to-trump-himself-who-according-to-private/) [Joshua Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-green/) > [American civil rights leader, Where Do We Go from Here: Chaos or Community? Lynching is a murder. For the past four hundred years our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/american-civil-rights-leader-where-do-we-go-from-here-chaos-or/) [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) > [I know I'm more forgiving than most African Americans when it comes to second chances for White people who not only commit a racial…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-capehart/i-know-i-m-more-forgiving-than-most-african-americans-when-it-comes/) [Jonathan Capehart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-capehart/) > [Some Republicans gave up on winning the African-American vote, looking the other way or trying to benefit politically from racial polarization. I am here…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-mehlman/some-republicans-gave-up-on-winning-the-african-american-vote-looking/) [Ken Mehlman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-mehlman/) > [It's unfortunate that a lot of people think African-American female artists are monolithically R&B this-or-that, don't have to do anything by default.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janelle-monae/it-s-unfortunate-that-a-lot-of-people-think-african-american-female/) [Janelle Monae](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janelle-monae/) > [Whereas our ancestors (not of choice) were the first successful cultivators of the wilds of America, we their descendants feel ourselves entitled to participate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-allen/whereas-our-ancestors-not-of-choice-were-the-first-successful/) [Richard Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-allen/) > [It may be changing, but still it's the one place, that total control of an institution, that African Americans have. So sometimes, you know,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-emerson/it-may-be-changing-but-still-it-s-the-one-place-that-total-control-of/) [Michael Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-emerson/) > [Most of the more celebrated names among African-American authors, poets, and artists are known to the world because of their association with specific cultural…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aberjhani/most-of-the-more-celebrated-names-among-african-american-authors/) [Aberjhani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aberjhani/) > [I think it's easier for African American and white comics to be praised than it is Latinos because they think our culture or our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-lopez/i-think-it-s-easier-for-african-american-and-white-comics-to-be/) [George Lopez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-lopez/) > [“Alabama in 1927 alone, 27,701 men were arrested on misdemeanor charges and offered for sale by county sheriffs. In Blackmon’s estimation, “roughly half of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-haney-l-pez/alabama-in-1927-alone-27-701-men-were-arrested-on-misdemeanor-charges/) [Ian Haney López](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-haney-l-pez/) > [I'm just trying to touch the world and touch the people and just get good material. And show them that we can get it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cory-hardrict/i-m-just-trying-to-touch-the-world-and-touch-the-people-and-just-get/) [Cory Hardrict](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cory-hardrict/) [Browse all 1,848 African american quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/african-american/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "When you graduate is when you start to find yourself looking at the information in the audition breakdown and it says tall black African - or African-American built such and such. 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