--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Subliminally, I had always wanted to act…" description: "\"Subliminally, I had always wanted to act. Although I had only performed in a couple of plays, I was serious about it and was subsequently trained by pe..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b9f/martin-landau-3492_always_subliminally-i-had-always-wanted-to-act_1370220.jpg" --- # Subliminally, I had always wanted to act. Although I had… ![“Subliminally, I had always wanted to act. Although I had only performed in a couple of plays, I was serious about it and was subsequently trained by people like Lee Strasberg and Elia Kazan.” quote by Martin Landau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b9f/martin-landau-3492_always_subliminally-i-had-always-wanted-to-act_1370220.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b9f/martin-landau-3492_always_subliminally-i-had-always-wanted-to-act_1370220.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b9f/martin-landau-3492_always_subliminally-i-had-always-wanted-to-act_1370220.jpg) > “Subliminally, I had always wanted to act. Although I had only performed in a couple of plays, I was serious about it and was subsequently trained by people like Lee Strasberg and Elia Kazan.” [Martin Landau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-landau/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He desired acting despite limited experience, seeking serious training from renowned teachers. **In simple terms:** Wanted to act, pursued training. Key Takeaway Pursue training even if experience is limited. Themes ambition training acting Mood determined reflective Type inspirational career When to use this quote - audition preparation - skill building - networking - self‑belief Key Concepts method acting career development Questions to Reflect On - What steps can you take to gain experience? - How does mentorship shape your craft? A Different Perspective Training alone does not guarantee success without opportunity. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Act Performed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/act-performed-723489/) [Actor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actor/) [Always](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/always/) [Elia Kazan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/elia-kazan-2019973/) [Like](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/like/) [Only](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/only/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Plays](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/plays/) [Serious](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/serious/) [Subliminally Wanted](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/subliminally-wanted-4716116/) [Subsequently Trained](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/subsequently-trained-4716115/) ## Related quotes > [The creative act is not performed by the artist alone; the spectator brings the work in contact with the external world by deciphering and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcel-duchamp/the-creative-act-is-not-performed-by-the-artist-alone-the-spectator/) [Marcel Duchamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcel-duchamp/) > [I trained as an actor with Lee Strasberg, Elia Kazan, and Harold Clurman, and those guys set a very high bar.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-landau/i-trained-as-an-actor-with-lee-strasberg-elia-kazan-and-harold/) [Martin Landau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-landau/) > [I studied with Strasberg, Elia Kazan. They raised the bar. They weren't easy to please, and they made you achieve the best you could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-landau/i-studied-with-strasberg-elia-kazan-they-raised-the-bar-they-weren-t/) [Martin Landau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-landau/) > [Every act you have ever performed since the day you were born was performed because you wanted something.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-carnegie/every-act-you-have-ever-performed-since-the-day-you-were-born-was/) [Andrew Carnegie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-carnegie/) > [ \[Warren's Beatty\] first film being with this very important director \[Elia Kazan\], I think we related on that in a big way. And I… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alden-ehrenreich/warren-s-beatty-first-film-being-with-this-very-important-director/) [Alden Ehrenreich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alden-ehrenreich/) > [Elia Kazan understood my problems. He was able to bring out the very best in me. He gave me credit for my intelligence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ethel-waters/elia-kazan-understood-my-problems-he-was-able-to-bring-out-the-very/) [Ethel Waters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ethel-waters/) > [ Warren \[Beatty\] loves to talk about his experiences with \[Elia\] Kazan. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alden-ehrenreich/warren-beatty-loves-to-talk-about-his-experiences-with-elia-kazan/) [Alden Ehrenreich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alden-ehrenreich/) > [I have a bit of an obsession with the 1950's and all those actors from Montgomery Clift to James Dean and Anthony Perkins. Just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sebastian-stan/i-have-a-bit-of-an-obsession-with-the-1950-s-and-all-those-actors/) [Sebastian Stan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sebastian-stan/) > [Elia Kazan - the films he made were such a big deal for me when I was growing up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alden-ehrenreich/elia-kazan-the-films-he-made-were-such-a-big-deal-for-me-when-i-was/) [Alden Ehrenreich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alden-ehrenreich/) > [I got into a brawl one night in a saloon in Greenwich Village. Elia Kazan, a great director, saw me put out a couple…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/burl-ives/i-got-into-a-brawl-one-night-in-a-saloon-in-greenwich-village-elia/) [Burl Ives](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/burl-ives/) > [My best film composing experience was with Elia Kazan.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-north/my-best-film-composing-experience-was-with-elia-kazan/) [Alex North](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-north/) > [ I grew up with my grandfather \[Elia Kazan\] being famous in a way that's not like Beyoncé, but famous in a relative way. It… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zoe-kazan/i-grew-up-with-my-grandfather-elia-kazan-being-famous-in-a-way-that-s/) [Zoe Kazan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zoe-kazan/) > ['A Face in the Crowd' is Elia Kazan's forgotten movie.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peyton-reed/a-face-in-the-crowd-is-elia-kazan-s-forgotten-movie/) [Peyton Reed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peyton-reed/) > [I met my wife and, for the next ten years, we did no films at all. She did the first movie and then I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eli-wallach/i-met-my-wife-and-for-the-next-ten-years-we-did-no-films-at-all-she/) [Eli Wallach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eli-wallach/) > [I don't do plays without jokes anymore. I've retired from those plays. I think it's bad manners to invite people to sit in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-nighy/i-don-t-do-plays-without-jokes-anymore-i-ve-retired-from-those-plays/) [Bill Nighy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-nighy/) ## More by Martin Landau > [My best stuff as a teacher was always to find the problems within each individual actor, and I'll suggest things that I know that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-landau/my-best-stuff-as-a-teacher-was-always-to-find-the-problems-within/) [Martin Landau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-landau/) > [People are in denial all the time, hiding things. If I tell you a racist or dirty joke and you laugh, you're telling me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-landau/people-are-in-denial-all-the-time-hiding-things-if-i-tell-you-a/) [Martin Landau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-landau/) > [You can have immediate regrets, but if you look at stuff and say, 'Things happen for a reason', there's a fatalistic thing about it.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-landau/you-can-have-immediate-regrets-but-if-you-look-at-stuff-and-say/) [Martin Landau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-landau/) > [I did 12 shows in 13 weeks at a summer theater in Maine where we were paid $35 a week. After taxes and $25…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-landau/i-did-12-shows-in-13-weeks-at-a-summer-theater-in-maine-where-we-were/) [Martin Landau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-landau/) > [What I'm saying not a lot of people say: What is considered good acting today isn't necessarily good acting, because everybody knows what they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-landau/what-i-m-saying-not-a-lot-of-people-say-what-is-considered-good/) [Martin Landau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-landau/) > [God is a luxury I can't afford.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-landau/god-is-a-luxury-i-can-t-afford/) [Martin Landau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-landau/) > [I was offered the Gene Hackman role in 'The Poseidon Adventure' four times, and I turned it down four times. I didn't want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-landau/i-was-offered-the-gene-hackman-role-in-the-poseidon-adventure-four/) [Martin Landau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-landau/) > [A good director makes a playground and allows you to play.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-landau/a-good-director-makes-a-playground-and-allows-you-to-play/) [Martin Landau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-landau/) > [People do not necessarily reveal what is going on - only bad actors do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-landau/people-do-not-necessarily-reveal-what-is-going-on-only-bad-actors-do/) [Martin Landau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-landau/) > [I've got two daughters, and it's impossible for me to say one of them is a favorite.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-landau/i-ve-got-two-daughters-and-it-s-impossible-for-me-to-say-one-of-them/) [Martin Landau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-landau/) > [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/) > [You can't perish because of your own feelings; you have to embrace those things as an actor because it's part of your palette.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-landau/you-can-t-perish-because-of-your-own-feelings-you-have-to-embrace/) [Martin Landau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-landau/) > [I run the 'Actors Studio' on the West Cost. I'm artistic director of that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-landau/i-run-the-actors-studio-on-the-west-cost-i-m-artistic-director-of-that/) [Martin Landau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-landau/) > [The actor has to have some degree of craft, along with the talent. No one tries to laugh except bad actors. No one tries…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-landau/the-actor-has-to-have-some-degree-of-craft-along-with-the-talent-no/) [Martin Landau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-landau/) > [My technique has always been to include all the periphery around me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-landau/my-technique-has-always-been-to-include-all-the-periphery-around-me/) [Martin Landau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-landau/) [Explore all 129 Martin Landau quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-landau/) ## More Actor 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/) > [When you step out and do a song in a musical, the easier thing to do is make it funny. But when those transitions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelli-o-hara/when-you-step-out-and-do-a-song-in-a-musical-the-easier-thing-to-do/) [Kelli O'Hara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelli-o-hara/) > [I once told someone I could act. They totally bought it. I've been getting away with it ever since.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/akshay-kumar/i-once-told-someone-i-could-act-they-totally-bought-it-i-ve-been/) [Akshay Kumar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/akshay-kumar/) > [There has got to be a way for me to have a role on TV or in film that is just as normal as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adeel-akhtar/there-has-got-to-be-a-way-for-me-to-have-a-role-on-tv-or-in-film-that/) [Adeel Akhtar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adeel-akhtar/) > [I love casting against type and doing things you wouldn't expect, because I think you get more interesting performances that way. Hollywood loves to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-s-goyer/i-love-casting-against-type-and-doing-things-you-wouldn-t-expect/) [David S. Goyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-s-goyer/) > [I'm an actor, so I'm never going to feel like I've done enough.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/italia-ricci/i-m-an-actor-so-i-m-never-going-to-feel-like-i-ve-done-enough/) [Italia Ricci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/italia-ricci/) > [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/) > [When I was 13, I auditioned for the theater school, and I was there for four years. In the meantime, I did my first…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ana-de-armas/when-i-was-13-i-auditioned-for-the-theater-school-and-i-was-there-for/) [Ana de Armas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ana-de-armas/) > [If you stood me in a costume next to a computer graphic of the same-looking character, I think there would be a difference. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warwick-davis/if-you-stood-me-in-a-costume-next-to-a-computer-graphic-of-the-same/) [Warwick Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warwick-davis/) > [failure in the theater is more public, more brilliant, more unreal than in any other field.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lillian-hellman/failure-in-the-theater-is-more-public-more-brilliant-more-unreal-than/) [Lillian Hellman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lillian-hellman/) > [I'm a character actor - always have been, always will be - and historically, character actors don't come into their own until later in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annie-potts/i-m-a-character-actor-always-have-been-always-will-be-and/) [Annie Potts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annie-potts/) > [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/) > [I never planned to do female roles. It just happened. I was typecast.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/divine/i-never-planned-to-do-female-roles-it-just-happened-i-was-typecast/) [Divine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/divine/) > [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/) [Browse all 21,590 Actor quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actor/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Subliminally, I had always wanted to act. 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