--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I had done drama at university, but I…" description: "\"I had done drama at university, but I never thought I could be a director. There were so few female directors then. I just assumed you had to be a man ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/299/marianne-elliott-9478_be-a-man_i-had-done-drama-at-university-but-i-nev_885616.jpg" --- # I had done drama at university, but I never thought I… ![“I had done drama at university, but I never thought I could be a director. There were so few female directors then. I just assumed you had to be a man to be a director. I also assumed you had to be extremely authoritarian and extremely intellectual, none of which I was.” quote by Marianne Elliott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/299/marianne-elliott-9478_be-a-man_i-had-done-drama-at-university-but-i-nev_885616.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/299/marianne-elliott-9478_be-a-man_i-had-done-drama-at-university-but-i-nev_885616.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/299/marianne-elliott-9478_be-a-man_i-had-done-drama-at-university-but-i-nev_885616.jpg) > “I had done drama at university, but I never thought I could be a director. There were so few female directors then. I just assumed you had to be a man to be a director. I also assumed you had to be extremely authoritarian and extremely intellectual, none of which I was.” [Marianne Elliott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-elliott/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. She realized gender bias limited her perception of directing roles, highlighting systemic barriers for women. **In simple terms:** Women face stereotypes in leadership. Key Takeaway Challenge assumptions about gender roles. Themes gender leadership stereotypes Mood critical empowering Type analytical inspirational When to use this quote - film industry - career mentorship - education programs Key Concepts feminist theory media studies Questions to Reflect On - How can institutions support women directors? - What biases still exist in creative fields? A Different Perspective Progress can be slow despite awareness. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Be a man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/be-a-man/) [Cinema](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cinema/) [Director](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/director/) [Director Assumed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/director-assumed-1096970/) [Director Female](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/director-female-1096969/) [Directors Just](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/directors-just-447484/) [Drama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/drama/) [Female Directors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/female-directors/) [Intellectual](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/intellectual/) [Man Director](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/man-director-1096971/) [Theatre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/theatre/) ## Related quotes > [When we don't say 'male director,' then why call them 'female directors?'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jaideep-ahlawat/when-we-don-t-say-male-director-then-why-call-them-female-directors/) [Jaideep Ahlawat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jaideep-ahlawat/) > [I don't really consider myself a female director, and I don't want to do so for other women. Female directors are just directors.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alante-kavaite/i-don-t-really-consider-myself-a-female-director-and-i-don-t-want-to/) [Alante Kavaite](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alante-kavaite/) > [The ideal set-up would be the story man, the director, and the layout man, as well as musician, operating as a sort of story…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walt-disney/the-ideal-set-up-would-be-the-story-man-the-director-and-the-layout/) [Walt Disney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walt-disney/) > [I've worked with Len Wiseman before, on the 'Underworld' series, in which I was a vampire. The first two of those were his first…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-nighy/i-ve-worked-with-len-wiseman-before-on-the-underworld-series-in-which/) [Bill Nighy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-nighy/) > [I was 28 before I started putting on productions. I got in the back door by doing fringe shows and a lot of assisting,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-elliott/i-was-28-before-i-started-putting-on-productions-i-got-in-the-back/) [Marianne Elliott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-elliott/) > [Actors know how to talk to other actors in a way that sometimes other directors just don't.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grant-heslov/actors-know-how-to-talk-to-other-actors-in-a-way-that-sometimes-other/) [Grant Heslov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grant-heslov/) > [I'd heard rumors about Oliver Stone before we went to work on and I don't get it. To me, he's one of the most…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-brolin/i-d-heard-rumors-about-oliver-stone-before-we-went-to-work-on-and-i/) [Josh Brolin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-brolin/) > [There are times when directors just don't know what they're doing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-atkins/there-are-times-when-directors-just-don-t-know-what-they-re-doing/) [Christopher Atkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-atkins/) > [It depends on the scripts and the character and just everybody involved, the other actors and directors. It's just a gut feeling when you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mandy-moore/it-depends-on-the-scripts-and-the-character-and-just-everybody/) [Mandy Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mandy-moore/) > [I'm always in awe of directors because they're just holding so much stuff in the air. They've got so many decisions that they need…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dominic-cooper/i-m-always-in-awe-of-directors-because-they-re-just-holding-so-much/) [Dominic Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dominic-cooper/) > [Blood City III: The Massacre. I'd read the summary of it online, and frankly, it sounded like the directors had just decided to film…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-patterson/blood-city-iii-the-massacre-i-d-read-the-summary-of-it-online-and/) [James Patterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-patterson/) > [I don't like directors that just say, Stand there and now do this.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-pantoliano/i-don-t-like-directors-that-just-say-stand-there-and-now-do-this/) [Joe Pantoliano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-pantoliano/) > [My advice to women directors is just to make the best work possible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-babbit/my-advice-to-women-directors-is-just-to-make-the-best-work-possible/) [Jamie Babbit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-babbit/) > [There are certain directors who just don't cast diversely in prominent roles. Ever. Often it's just because they don't have a diverse social circle,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/o-t-fagbenle/there-are-certain-directors-who-just-don-t-cast-diversely-in/) [O. T. Fagbenle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/o-t-fagbenle/) > [After making 'Secretary,' it was a real shock to me to learn that some directors just aren't interested in what actors have to say.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maggie-gyllenhaal/after-making-secretary-it-was-a-real-shock-to-me-to-learn-that-some/) [Maggie Gyllenhaal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maggie-gyllenhaal/) ## More by Marianne Elliott > [I suppose that I'm excited by exciting theater. It takes a risk to show us the world in a new way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-elliott/i-suppose-that-i-m-excited-by-exciting-theater-it-takes-a-risk-to/) [Marianne Elliott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-elliott/) > [I never want to see 'Hamlet' ever again! Never ever!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-elliott/i-never-want-to-see-hamlet-ever-again-never-ever/) [Marianne Elliott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-elliott/) > [I'm really fascinated by other directors' methods. I've done a lot of learning by observation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-elliott/i-m-really-fascinated-by-other-directors-methods-i-ve-done-a-lot-of/) [Marianne Elliott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-elliott/) > [I'm interested in teasing out the contemporary issues in what I'm working on, however old the piece might be, whenever I'm working on it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-elliott/i-m-interested-in-teasing-out-the-contemporary-issues-in-what-i-m/) [Marianne Elliott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-elliott/) > [It's incredible how London-centric the theatre world is. Certain actors won't travel away from London anymore for work; practitioners often aren't taken seriously enough…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-elliott/it-s-incredible-how-london-centric-the-theatre-world-is-certain/) [Marianne Elliott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-elliott/) > [I just think that you have to approach anything you do with a huge amount of integrity - I don't really care where it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-elliott/i-just-think-that-you-have-to-approach-anything-you-do-with-a-huge/) [Marianne Elliott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-elliott/) > [I used to love getting older.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-elliott/i-used-to-love-getting-older/) [Marianne Elliott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-elliott/) > [I didn't want to just be remembered for 'War Horse.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-elliott/i-didn-t-want-to-just-be-remembered-for-war-horse/) [Marianne Elliott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-elliott/) > [If you are working in a publicly subsidized building, then you have a responsibility to deliver truly interesting, risky, innovative, even provocative work. Work…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-elliott/if-you-are-working-in-a-publicly-subsidized-building-then-you-have-a/) [Marianne Elliott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-elliott/) > [There's a certain type of theatre that I haven't got any time for at all - established, boring, same-old stuff without any reason or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-elliott/there-s-a-certain-type-of-theatre-that-i-haven-t-got-any-time-for-at/) [Marianne Elliott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-elliott/) > [As you get older, you realise that your identity becomes more important - the environment in which you have grown is actually part of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-elliott/as-you-get-older-you-realise-that-your-identity-becomes-more/) [Marianne Elliott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-elliott/) > [It is draining when you have a child, and there aren't many women directors with kids out there as role models.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-elliott/it-is-draining-when-you-have-a-child-and-there-aren-t-many-women/) [Marianne Elliott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-elliott/) > [The actors work out how to create the show with me during the rehearsals. They owe it to themselves and each other to maintain…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-elliott/the-actors-work-out-how-to-create-the-show-with-me-during-the/) [Marianne Elliott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-elliott/) > [I worked in casting for about five years before I became a director, and that taught me a huge amount because you never actually…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-elliott/i-worked-in-casting-for-about-five-years-before-i-became-a-director/) [Marianne Elliott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-elliott/) > [I'm always drawn to female stories with female protagonists, and I particularly yearn for more older actresses to take centre stage in 2018.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-elliott/i-m-always-drawn-to-female-stories-with-female-protagonists-and-i/) [Marianne Elliott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-elliott/) [Explore all 72 Marianne Elliott quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-elliott/) ## More Be a man quotes > [But if you will recall the history of our civil troubles, you will see half the nation bathe itself, out of piety, in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denis-diderot/but-if-you-will-recall-the-history-of-our-civil-troubles-you-will-see/) [Denis Diderot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denis-diderot/) > [I closed my own jazz bar so I could be a man who can write novels as I like. I was pleased about that.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haruki-murakami/i-closed-my-own-jazz-bar-so-i-could-be-a-man-who-can-write-novels-as/) [Haruki Murakami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haruki-murakami/) > [Just leaving the brotherhood I have made at Georgia, the staff and all my coaches. They've prepared me for the real world. I'm really…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-j-green/just-leaving-the-brotherhood-i-have-made-at-georgia-the-staff-and-all/) [A. J. Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-j-green/) > [Biggest man law - be a man. Simple: be a man, definition of being a man is being a man. And don't let your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eddie-griffin/biggest-man-law-be-a-man-simple-be-a-man-definition-of-being-a-man-is/) [Eddie Griffin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eddie-griffin/) > [I think transwomen, and transpeople in general, show everyone that you can define what it means to be a man or woman on your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laverne-cox/i-think-transwomen-and-transpeople-in-general-show-everyone-that-you/) [Laverne Cox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laverne-cox/) > [Feminist theory has left an indelible mark on my own critical—and creative—thinking . . . For me, everything I questioned about what it meant…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/todd-haynes/feminist-theory-has-left-an-indelible-mark-on-my-own-critical-and/) [Todd Haynes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/todd-haynes/) > [Men will cease to be fools only when they cease to be men.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/democritus/men-will-cease-to-be-fools-only-when-they-cease-to-be-men/) [Democritus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/democritus/) > [My friends, let us try to follow the Saviour's steps; let us remember all day long what it is to be men; that it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-kingsley/my-friends-let-us-try-to-follow-the-saviour-s-steps-let-us-remember/) [Charles Kingsley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-kingsley/) > [Losing my dad made me more mature. Being an only child, I didn't have the right to act childish. I had to step up.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zaza-pachulia/losing-my-dad-made-me-more-mature-being-an-only-child-i-didn-t-have/) [Zaza Pachulia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zaza-pachulia/) > [In spite of their obvious differences, folk art and popular art have much in common; they are easy to understand, they are romantic, patriotic,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gilbert-seldes/in-spite-of-their-obvious-differences-folk-art-and-popular-art-have/) [Gilbert Seldes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gilbert-seldes/) > [I want to be a man's man-not a kid actor or a glitzy pop star but a no-bullshit leading man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-eastwood/i-want-to-be-a-man-s-man-not-a-kid-actor-or-a-glitzy-pop-star-but-a/) [Scott Eastwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-eastwood/) > [I have decided to make a personal message to David Haye. I want him to fight me, to be a man. I wish there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wladimir-klitschko/i-have-decided-to-make-a-personal-message-to-david-haye-i-want-him-to/) [Wladimir Klitschko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wladimir-klitschko/) > [All are to be men of genius in their degree,--rivulets or rivers, it does not matter, so that the souls be clear and pure;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ruskin/all-are-to-be-men-of-genius-in-their-degree-rivulets-or-rivers-it/) [John Ruskin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ruskin/) > [I cannot be a man with wishing, therefore I will die a woman with grieving.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/i-cannot-be-a-man-with-wishing-therefore-i-will-die-a-woman-with/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [I don't think anyone can teach you how to be a man but a woman. You only learn by learning what they need.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-gosling/i-don-t-think-anyone-can-teach-you-how-to-be-a-man-but-a-woman-you/) [Ryan Gosling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-gosling/) [Browse all 402 Be a man quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/be-a-man/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I had done drama at university, but I never thought I could be a director. There were so few female directors then. I just assumed you had to be a man to be a director. 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