--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Acting can be a very cruel mistress. It's…" description: "\"Acting can be a very cruel mistress. It's not a meritocracy. In other walks of life, by being good at what you do, you can achieve success. That isn't ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d86/mark-strong-9188_acting_acting-can-be-a-very-cruel-mistress-it-s_767556.jpg" --- # Acting can be a very cruel mistress. It's not a… ![“Acting can be a very cruel mistress. It's not a meritocracy. In other walks of life, by being good at what you do, you can achieve success. That isn't always the case in this business. Every actor knows that.” quote by Mark Strong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d86/mark-strong-9188_acting_acting-can-be-a-very-cruel-mistress-it-s_767556.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d86/mark-strong-9188_acting_acting-can-be-a-very-cruel-mistress-it-s_767556.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d86/mark-strong-9188_acting_acting-can-be-a-very-cruel-mistress-it-s_767556.jpg) > “Acting can be a very cruel mistress. It's not a meritocracy. In other walks of life, by being good at what you do, you can achieve success. That isn't always the case in this business. Every actor knows that.” [Mark Strong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-strong/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The acting industry often rewards factors over talent, making success unpredictable and unfair. **In simple terms:** Acting rewards luck more than skill. Key Takeaway Recognize the role of chance and focus on resilience. Themes career fairness luck resilience Mood frustrated reflective Type cautionary realistic When to use this quote - audition preparation - career planning - mental health coping - network building Key Concepts meritocracy industry bias networking Questions to Reflect On - How can you mitigate luck's impact on your career? - What strategies help you stay motivated despite unfairness? A Different Perspective Success also depends on skill, training, and perseverance, not just luck. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Acting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/acting/) [Actor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actor/) [Business](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/business/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Meritocracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/meritocracy/) [Success](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/success/) [Theatre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/theatre/) ## Related quotes > [Acting is a cruel enough business. One minute everyones going Hey! and the next theyre going Who?. You certainly dont need people knowing your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-davenport/acting-is-a-cruel-enough-business-one-minute-everyones-going-hey-and/) [Jack Davenport](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-davenport/) > [Oh, you think you're so cool. Going around and acting very cruel. You know what? While you've been hurting people who you actually love,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/oh-you-think-you-re-so-cool-going-around-and-acting-very-cruel-you/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Acting is a cruel enough business. One minute everyone's going 'Hey!' and the next they're going 'Who?'. You certainly don't need people knowing your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-davenport/acting-is-a-cruel-enough-business-one-minute-everyone-s-going-hey-and/) [Jack Davenport](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-davenport/) > [You can't expect to draw people into your life who are kind, confident, and generous if you're thinking and acting in cruel, weak, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-dyer/you-can-t-expect-to-draw-people-into-your-life-who-are-kind-confident/) [Wayne Dyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wayne-dyer/) > [Any decent actor knows you can't judge the character you're playing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ross-lynch/any-decent-actor-knows-you-can-t-judge-the-character-you-re-playing/) [Ross Lynch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ross-lynch/) > [You have to trust your instincts. There is a moment when an actor has it, and he knows it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clint-eastwood/you-have-to-trust-your-instincts-there-is-a-moment-when-an-actor-has/) [Clint Eastwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clint-eastwood/) > [Every actor knows what unemployment is like, and knows what long periods of unemployment are like, unless you're spectacularly lucky.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-bonnar/every-actor-knows-what-unemployment-is-like-and-knows-what-long/) [Mark Bonnar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-bonnar/) > [One of my favourite sorts of actors...the rat actor. The rat actor knows his job and gets it done.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joss-whedon/one-of-my-favourite-sorts-of-actors-the-rat-actor-the-rat-actor-knows/) [Joss Whedon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joss-whedon/) > [We are not what we seem. We are more than what we seem. The actor knows that. And because the actor knows that hidden…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wallace-shawn/we-are-not-what-we-seem-we-are-more-than-what-we-seem-the-actor-knows/) [Wallace Shawn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wallace-shawn/) > [All actors do that. Should do that and do that. For the most part. I say all actors. I'm exaggerating, but you know who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harvey-keitel/all-actors-do-that-should-do-that-and-do-that-for-the-most-part-i-say/) [Harvey Keitel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harvey-keitel/) > [A good actor knows exactly what the camera wants, what the sound wants, where to find the light and how to tell a good…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aneurin-barnard/a-good-actor-knows-exactly-what-the-camera-wants-what-the-sound-wants/) [Aneurin Barnard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aneurin-barnard/) > [ Denzel \[Washington\] just knows the actor. He knows the process, and you don't often get that. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/viola-davis/denzel-washington-just-knows-the-actor-he-knows-the-process-and-you/) [Viola Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/viola-davis/) > [By the time an actor knows how to act any sort of part he is often too old to act any but a few.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-somerset-maugham/by-the-time-an-actor-knows-how-to-act-any-sort-of-part-he-is-often/) [W. Somerset Maugham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-somerset-maugham/) > [An actor knows much more about a character than the character knows about himself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-landau/an-actor-knows-much-more-about-a-character-than-the-character-knows/) [Martin Landau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-landau/) > [If an actor knows how to milk a cow, I always know it will not be difficult to be in business with him,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/werner-herzog/if-an-actor-knows-how-to-milk-a-cow-i-always-know-it-will-not-be/) [Werner Herzog](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/werner-herzog/) ## More by Mark Strong > [Some jobs you do, they're just jobs. Others are life experiences.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-strong/some-jobs-you-do-they-re-just-jobs-others-are-life-experiences/) [Mark Strong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-strong/) > [I've never been one of those actors who plays chess with his career and goes, 'I'm going to wait now and see what project…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-strong/i-ve-never-been-one-of-those-actors-who-plays-chess-with-his-career/) [Mark Strong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-strong/) > [I'm like anyone; I make a lot of my assumptions about actors I don't know from what I read about them. And then I'll…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-strong/i-m-like-anyone-i-make-a-lot-of-my-assumptions-about-actors-i-don-t/) [Mark Strong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-strong/) > [For me, family comes over and above everything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-strong/for-me-family-comes-over-and-above-everything/) [Mark Strong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-strong/) > [It's important to me that I don't spend too much time away from the family. I try to pick jobs that will keep me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-strong/it-s-important-to-me-that-i-don-t-spend-too-much-time-away-from-the/) [Mark Strong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-strong/) > [I was born in London, and my family is here. America is an interesting place, but it's incredibly different culturally. It doesn't take long…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-strong/i-was-born-in-london-and-my-family-is-here-america-is-an-interesting/) [Mark Strong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-strong/) > [I do get antsy if I haven't got lines to learn, a character to play. But yes, I do take holidays.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-strong/i-do-get-antsy-if-i-haven-t-got-lines-to-learn-a-character-to-play/) [Mark Strong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-strong/) > [I studied at the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School, which was founded by Laurence Olivier and has alumni like Jeremy Irons and Daniel Day…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-strong/i-studied-at-the-bristol-old-vic-theatre-school-which-was-founded-by/) [Mark Strong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-strong/) > [I think it serves the purpose of the film if the premise is that you're unsure of me because you've only ever really seen…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-strong/i-think-it-serves-the-purpose-of-the-film-if-the-premise-is-that-you/) [Mark Strong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-strong/) > [I studied law, so perhaps I might have made it to the Bar, though I gave up that idea when I suspected playing a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-strong/i-studied-law-so-perhaps-i-might-have-made-it-to-the-bar-though-i/) [Mark Strong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-strong/) > [There have been things over the years that didn't work. 'Body Of Lies,' directed by Ridley Scott, which I did with Russell Crowe and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-strong/there-have-been-things-over-the-years-that-didn-t-work-body-of-lies/) [Mark Strong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-strong/) > [I can't imagine anything worse than being in a position that you're not allowed to live your life privately.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-strong/i-can-t-imagine-anything-worse-than-being-in-a-position-that-you-re/) [Mark Strong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-strong/) > [ \[Before I Go To Sleep\] script was a great journey with all the twists and turns that were kind of unexpected. I had to… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-strong/before-i-go-to-sleep-script-was-a-great-journey-with-all-the-twists/) [Mark Strong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-strong/) > [It's great to have the chance to play a character before he goes to the dark side, or the yellow side if you will.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-strong/it-s-great-to-have-the-chance-to-play-a-character-before-he-goes-to/) [Mark Strong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-strong/) > [Rowan Joffe is very specific. I mean, he wrote it as well and he has a very orderly writer's mind and the same applies…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-strong/rowan-joffe-is-very-specific-i-mean-he-wrote-it-as-well-and-he-has-a/) [Mark Strong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-strong/) [Explore all 74 Mark Strong quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-strong/) ## More Acting quotes > [I actually think acting is a form of self-hypnosis. You have to be hyper, hyper aware of what's going on around you. You have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julianne-moore/i-actually-think-acting-is-a-form-of-self-hypnosis-you-have-to-be/) [Julianne Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julianne-moore/) > [Many Republicans have always reminded me of professional WWF wrestlers. They come into the ring all pumped up and acting like they're invincible and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-feig/many-republicans-have-always-reminded-me-of-professional-wwf/) [Paul Feig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-feig/) > [I'm a big fan of all the Boston guys that are acting - Matt Damon , Ben Affleck, Mark Wahlberg - they made a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenny-wormald/i-m-a-big-fan-of-all-the-boston-guys-that-are-acting-matt-damon-ben/) [Kenny Wormald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenny-wormald/) > [Acting is a grind, just like music is a grind. Sometimes it takes longer than what you can give.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/big-sean/acting-is-a-grind-just-like-music-is-a-grind-sometimes-it-takes/) [Big Sean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/big-sean/) > [It was only when I started making short films in college and I was looking for girls to play the me-ish parts that I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lena-dunham/it-was-only-when-i-started-making-short-films-in-college-and-i-was/) [Lena Dunham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lena-dunham/) > [Writing is something I took up rather than anything I had an inclination toward. I like acting -delivering someone else's message - but writing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-martin/writing-is-something-i-took-up-rather-than-anything-i-had-an/) [Steve Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-martin/) > [I can still function when I don't have that balance I crave. I had a tendency to be precious about acting, thinking of it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-regan/i-can-still-function-when-i-don-t-have-that-balance-i-crave-i-had-a/) [Laura Regan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-regan/) > [Actors don't hate acting. Most people don't hate acting! Whether you're a child mucking around with your friends or a grown up being paid…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liv-hewson/actors-don-t-hate-acting-most-people-don-t-hate-acting-whether-you-re/) [Liv Hewson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liv-hewson/) > [It was only when I went to acting school that I was like, "You are absolutely such a pigheaded freak show that you thought…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giles-matthey/it-was-only-when-i-went-to-acting-school-that-i-was-like-you-are/) [Giles Matthey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giles-matthey/) > [Once I committed to acting, this has been it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernie-hudson/once-i-committed-to-acting-this-has-been-it/) [Ernie Hudson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernie-hudson/) > [It definitely helps to have the acting experience going into singing, because when you're singing, you have to portray the emotion you were feeling…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-newman/it-definitely-helps-to-have-the-acting-experience-going-into-singing/) Ryan Newman > [The show was number one in the ratings, Gordon Russell was our head writer, the story lines were magnificent and the acting most exciting.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-storm/the-show-was-number-one-in-the-ratings-gordon-russell-was-our-head/) [Michael Storm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-storm/) > [I've done so many other projects where you're in a room with a reader and you're acting your lines out: 'We have to get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-cummings/i-ve-done-so-many-other-projects-where-you-re-in-a-room-with-a-reader/) [Jim Cummings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-cummings/) > [I do not believe in public shaming. 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