--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When I did 'Clockers,' I didn't even…" description: "\"When I did 'Clockers,' I didn't even think about having a career in acting, I just thought, 'Wow, this is cool. I get to do a little movie.'\" — Mekhi P..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e0c/mekhi-phifer-11337_acting_when-i-did-clockers-i-didn-t-even-think_2055492.jpg" --- # When I did 'Clockers,' I didn't even think about having a… ![“When I did 'Clockers,' I didn't even think about having a career in acting, I just thought, 'Wow, this is cool. I get to do a little movie.'” quote by Mekhi Phifer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e0c/mekhi-phifer-11337_acting_when-i-did-clockers-i-didn-t-even-think_2055492.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e0c/mekhi-phifer-11337_acting_when-i-did-clockers-i-didn-t-even-think_2055492.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e0c/mekhi-phifer-11337_acting_when-i-did-clockers-i-didn-t-even-think_2055492.jpg) > “When I did 'Clockers,' I didn't even think about having a career in acting, I just thought, 'Wow, this is cool. I get to do a little movie.'” [Mekhi Phifer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mekhi-phifer/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He realized acting was a surprising, enjoyable opportunity rather than a planned career path **In simple terms:** Acting felt like a fun chance, not a career goal Key Takeaway Embrace unexpected opportunities Themes career serendipity creativity Mood enthusiastic reflective Type inspirational personal When to use this quote - first film experience - career crossroads - creative exploration Key Concepts passion exploration growth Questions to Reflect On - What unexpected chance could you pursue now? - How to balance fun with future goals? A Different Perspective May overlook long‑term planning; excitement can be fleeting ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Acting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/acting/) [Career](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/career/) [Movie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/movie/) ## Related quotes > [It can really changes someone's life or make them think, 'Wow! I can do this. We can do this.' It's cool. I love how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-tedeschi/it-can-really-changes-someone-s-life-or-make-them-think-wow-i-can-do/) [Susan Tedeschi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-tedeschi/) > [In starting to learn about film festivals and what were good ones - 'cause there are five billion of them - it was just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-mccarthy/in-starting-to-learn-about-film-festivals-and-what-were-good-ones/) [Andrew McCarthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-mccarthy/) > [So it's a source of fun and a source of pride to have been a part of this little movie that could.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blair-underwood/so-it-s-a-source-of-fun-and-a-source-of-pride-to-have-been-a-part-of/) [Blair Underwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/blair-underwood/) > [Um, 'Soul Food'... Another wonderful little movie that could. Here's a film that, I think our budget was maybe $6 million. We shot it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vivica-a-fox/um-soul-food-another-wonderful-little-movie-that-could-here-s-a-film/) [Vivica A. Fox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vivica-a-fox/) > [I thought we were making a nice little movie. That's how it was regarded by everyone else, too.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-hiller/i-thought-we-were-making-a-nice-little-movie-that-s-how-it-was/) [Arthur Hiller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-hiller/) > [I thought I made a little movie. All the mail that I get is about how it changed lives and that’s wonderful.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-c-h-pounder/i-thought-i-made-a-little-movie-all-the-mail-that-i-get-is-about-how/) [C. C. H. Pounder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-c-h-pounder/) > [I always refer to the first 'Resident Evil' movie as 'the little movie that could' because, at the time, it was kind of unfashionable…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-w-s-anderson/i-always-refer-to-the-first-resident-evil-movie-as-the-little-movie/) [Paul W. S. Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-w-s-anderson/) > [I was just trying to make a nice little movie... It wasn't until I saw it all put together that I realized this was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-nichols/i-was-just-trying-to-make-a-nice-little-movie-it-wasn-t-until-i-saw/) [Mike Nichols](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-nichols/) > [I like a little movie I did in the early nineties called 'Mortal Thoughts.' The part was hardly written, but I learned a lot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-willis/i-like-a-little-movie-i-did-in-the-early-nineties-called-mortal/) [Bruce Willis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-willis/) > [At the end of it all, it's my little movie library, and you see aspects of me through that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milla-jovovich/at-the-end-of-it-all-it-s-my-little-movie-library-and-you-see-aspects/) [Milla Jovovich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milla-jovovich/) > [I did a little movie called 'Touch of Pink,' where I played a Cary Grant-type guy, which I thought was a lot of fun,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kyle-maclachlan/i-did-a-little-movie-called-touch-of-pink-where-i-played-a-cary-grant/) [Kyle MacLachlan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kyle-maclachlan/) > [I'm just going to let people watch whatever little movie they think our lives are and go for it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristen-stewart/i-m-just-going-to-let-people-watch-whatever-little-movie-they-think/) [Kristen Stewart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristen-stewart/) > [I did this little movie I really love called 'Experimenter,' but that took six years to get made and no money.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winona-ryder/i-did-this-little-movie-i-really-love-called-experimenter-but-that/) [Winona Ryder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winona-ryder/) > [They put all this money into these huge films and then no one goes to see them. That sort of shows they're out of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zach-braff/they-put-all-this-money-into-these-huge-films-and-then-no-one-goes-to/) [Zach Braff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zach-braff/) > [There was a little movie I did called 'Women In Trouble' that a friend of mine made. That, to me, was a very satisfying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-clarke/there-was-a-little-movie-i-did-called-women-in-trouble-that-a-friend/) [Sarah Clarke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-clarke/) ## More by Mekhi Phifer > [I've gotten to travel all over the world and meet all kinds of people and do all kinds of great things, so it's, like,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mekhi-phifer/i-ve-gotten-to-travel-all-over-the-world-and-meet-all-kinds-of-people/) [Mekhi Phifer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mekhi-phifer/) > [In the early '80s, it was hard to find celebrities you can identify with if you lived in the hood. There weren't any rap…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mekhi-phifer/in-the-early-80s-it-was-hard-to-find-celebrities-you-can-identify/) [Mekhi Phifer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mekhi-phifer/) > [Actors look at life in a different way. When I meet people, I know that one day I may portray that person or someone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mekhi-phifer/actors-look-at-life-in-a-different-way-when-i-meet-people-i-know-that/) [Mekhi Phifer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mekhi-phifer/) > [A lot of times you'll hear horror stories about actors being incredibly selfish and only wanting themselves to shine, but for me, it's not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mekhi-phifer/a-lot-of-times-you-ll-hear-horror-stories-about-actors-being/) [Mekhi Phifer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mekhi-phifer/) > [I always try to pick and choose projects that will be impactful to someone. From films like 'Clockers' to playing a doctor on 'ER'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mekhi-phifer/i-always-try-to-pick-and-choose-projects-that-will-be-impactful-to/) [Mekhi Phifer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mekhi-phifer/) > [Once or twice a week, I try to do some kind of boxing. I'm hitting the bags and jumping rope - all that stuff.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mekhi-phifer/once-or-twice-a-week-i-try-to-do-some-kind-of-boxing-i-m-hitting-the/) [Mekhi Phifer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mekhi-phifer/) > [I'm very comfortable with what I do, but it just seems like yesterday that I just started, at 19, and it's been like a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mekhi-phifer/i-m-very-comfortable-with-what-i-do-but-it-just-seems-like-yesterday/) [Mekhi Phifer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mekhi-phifer/) > [Being from New York, living in L.A., being in Chicago, you kind of get more of the big-city, melting-pot sort of thing. But when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mekhi-phifer/being-from-new-york-living-in-l-a-being-in-chicago-you-kind-of-get/) [Mekhi Phifer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mekhi-phifer/) > [I'm a big road trip guy. I'm the guy who gets in the RV and drives across country. And when you do that, you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mekhi-phifer/i-m-a-big-road-trip-guy-i-m-the-guy-who-gets-in-the-rv-and-drives/) [Mekhi Phifer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mekhi-phifer/) > [I grew up in a rough environment. You want to be strong and have your presence felt out there. That attitude reflects how people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mekhi-phifer/i-grew-up-in-a-rough-environment-you-want-to-be-strong-and-have-your/) [Mekhi Phifer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mekhi-phifer/) > [Rap is definitely a youthful expression.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mekhi-phifer/rap-is-definitely-a-youthful-expression/) [Mekhi Phifer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mekhi-phifer/) > [Toronto is like a smaller, safe New York.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mekhi-phifer/toronto-is-like-a-smaller-safe-new-york/) [Mekhi Phifer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mekhi-phifer/) > [Being producer you're still going to have to sell somebody who's going to give you the money on the idea and everything like that.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mekhi-phifer/being-producer-you-re-still-going-to-have-to-sell-somebody-who-s/) [Mekhi Phifer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mekhi-phifer/) > [When break dancing was out, I break danced. When rapping was the thing, I freestyled rap on the street and battled and all that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mekhi-phifer/when-break-dancing-was-out-i-break-danced-when-rapping-was-the-thing/) [Mekhi Phifer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mekhi-phifer/) > [I love kids, outings, camping, sports, Legoland, all the Daddy stuff. I love it. I wish I could just do that, but I have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mekhi-phifer/i-love-kids-outings-camping-sports-legoland-all-the-daddy-stuff-i/) [Mekhi Phifer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mekhi-phifer/) [Explore all 60 Mekhi Phifer quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mekhi-phifer/) ## 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. I do believe that young adults go to college to learn things, and that this process will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-weingarten/i-do-not-believe-in-public-shaming-i-do-believe-that-young-adults-go/) [Gene Weingarten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-weingarten/) > [Poetry has, in a way, been my bridge to my acting career.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/omari-hardwick/poetry-has-in-a-way-been-my-bridge-to-my-acting-career/) [Omari Hardwick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/omari-hardwick/) [Browse all 12,062 Acting quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/acting/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "When I did 'Clockers,' I didn't even think about having a career in acting, I just thought, 'Wow, this is cool. I get to do a little movie.'", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Mekhi Phifer" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mekhi-phifer/when-i-did-clockers-i-didn-t-even-think-about-having-a-career-in/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Acting" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mekhi-phifer/when-i-did-clockers-i-didn-t-even-think-about-having-a-career-in/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e0c/mekhi-phifer-11337_acting_when-i-did-clockers-i-didn-t-even-think_2055492.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e0c/mekhi-phifer-11337_acting_when-i-did-clockers-i-didn-t-even-think_2055492.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e0c/mekhi-phifer-11337_acting_when-i-did-clockers-i-didn-t-even-think_2055492.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“When I did 'Clockers,' I didn't even think about having a career in acting, I just thought, 'Wow, this is…” — Mekhi Phifer", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Mekhi Phifer", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mekhi-phifer/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "When I did 'Clockers,' I didn't...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mekhi-phifer/when-i-did-clockers-i-didn-t-even-think-about-having-a-career-in/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mekhi-phifer/when-i-did-clockers-i-didn-t-even-think-about-having-a-career-in/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```