--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: My mom is very practical, and she…" description: "\"My mom is very practical, and she originally wanted me to have something to fall back on. She was a little fearful of my becoming an actor because she ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e9b/mel-rodriguez-36209_actor_my-mom-is-very-practical-and-she-origina_2912882.jpg" --- # My mom is very practical, and she originally wanted me to… ![“My mom is very practical, and she originally wanted me to have something to fall back on. She was a little fearful of my becoming an actor because she didn't see it as a way to make a living. My dad, who was born and raised in Cuba, was really cool with it.” quote by Mel Rodriguez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e9b/mel-rodriguez-36209_actor_my-mom-is-very-practical-and-she-origina_2912882.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e9b/mel-rodriguez-36209_actor_my-mom-is-very-practical-and-she-origina_2912882.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e9b/mel-rodriguez-36209_actor_my-mom-is-very-practical-and-she-origina_2912882.jpg) > “My mom is very practical, and she originally wanted me to have something to fall back on. She was a little fearful of my becoming an actor because she didn't see it as a way to make a living. My dad, who was born and raised in Cuba, was really cool with it.” [Mel Rodriguez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mel-rodriguez/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A mother’s practical concerns clash with a father’s supportive stance, highlighting family dynamics in pursuing artistic careers. **In simple terms:** Family can both limit and support creative dreams. Key Takeaway Balance practical advice with artistic passion. Themes family career artistic ambition support pragmatism Mood thoughtful encouraging Type advice personal When to use this quote - career counseling - family discussions - financial planning - creative workshops Key Concepts risk‑taking parental influence career planning Questions to Reflect On - How can you address practical concerns while pursuing art? - What support systems help sustain creative careers? A Different Perspective Financial insecurity often hinders artistic pursuits. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Actor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actor/) [Born](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/born/) [Born and raised](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/born-and-raised/) [Born Raised](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/born-raised/) [Cool](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cool/) [Dad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dad/) [Dad Born](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dad-born-1001966/) [Fearful Actor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fearful-actor-2449600/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Living](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/living/) [Mom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mom/) [Mom Practical](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mom-practical-4204437/) [Raised Cuba](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/raised-cuba-2306741/) ## Related quotes > [If Beyonce and Jay-Z had been born and raised in Cuba, they would have merely survived, with no opportunity to realize their aspirations. Only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mercedes-schlapp/if-beyonce-and-jay-z-had-been-born-and-raised-in-cuba-they-would-have/) [Mercedes Schlapp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mercedes-schlapp/) > [There's nothing worse than an anxiety-filled, fearful actor who just needs that next job, because they're not gonna get that next job. Any time…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-lynch/there-s-nothing-worse-than-an-anxiety-filled-fearful-actor-who-just/) [Jane Lynch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-lynch/) > [I was born and raised Catholic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-araya/i-was-born-and-raised-catholic/) [Tom Araya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-araya/) > [I live about six miles from where I was born and raised.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-stanley/i-live-about-six-miles-from-where-i-was-born-and-raised/) [Ralph Stanley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-stanley/) > [I was born and raised in Pocatello, Idaho.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taysom-hill/i-was-born-and-raised-in-pocatello-idaho/) [Taysom Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taysom-hill/) > [The people playing on these songs are from Wisconsin and Illinois and Chicago and St. Louis and there’s a certain attitude that comes across…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pokey-lafarge/the-people-playing-on-these-songs-are-from-wisconsin-and-illinois-and/) [Pokey LaFarge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pokey-lafarge/) > [My mother was not a country girl. She was a Brooklyn girl, born and raised in Flatbush, and then a Long Island girl, who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-junod/my-mother-was-not-a-country-girl-she-was-a-brooklyn-girl-born-and/) [Tom Junod](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-junod/) > [I would have worked no matter what. I was born and raised that way. It occurred to me to be married second.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-pascal/i-would-have-worked-no-matter-what-i-was-born-and-raised-that-way-it/) [Amy Pascal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-pascal/) > [I was born and raised in Southall; we had two houses which we made into one big one because there were 12 of us…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-sean/i-was-born-and-raised-in-southall-we-had-two-houses-which-we-made/) [Jay Sean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-sean/) > [My parents made it a point that, although I was born and raised in New York City, I needed to speak Spanish because they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/selenis-leyva/my-parents-made-it-a-point-that-although-i-was-born-and-raised-in-new/) [Selenis Leyva](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/selenis-leyva/) > [I'm a Brazilian - full blood, parents born and raised, and I lived there for a little bit - but I didn't grow up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/camila-mendes/i-m-a-brazilian-full-blood-parents-born-and-raised-and-i-lived-there/) [Camila Mendes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/camila-mendes/) > [I was born and raised on my reservation in my mountains on my plains. That's still where I feel the most full.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lily-gladstone/i-was-born-and-raised-on-my-reservation-in-my-mountains-on-my-plains/) [Lily Gladstone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lily-gladstone/) > [Having been born and raised in Washington, D.C., you kind of absorb politics when you grow up. And it continues to be a focus…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-wright/having-been-born-and-raised-in-washington-d-c-you-kind-of-absorb/) [Jeffrey Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-wright/) > [I was born and raised in Honolulu, Hawaii](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-case/i-was-born-and-raised-in-honolulu-hawaii/) [Steve Case](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-case/) > [I was born and raised in a suburb of Paris by a working-class family.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/olivier-martinez/i-was-born-and-raised-in-a-suburb-of-paris-by-a-working-class-family/) [Olivier Martinez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/olivier-martinez/) ## More by Mel Rodriguez > [My life could have easily gone another way. But I had this one teacher who gave me direction and got me into performing. She…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mel-rodriguez/my-life-could-have-easily-gone-another-way-but-i-had-this-one-teacher/) [Mel Rodriguez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mel-rodriguez/) > [I am half Cuban American.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mel-rodriguez/i-am-half-cuban-american/) [Mel Rodriguez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mel-rodriguez/) > [Without sounding too cliche, my part on 'Getting On' is the best role I've ever had. It is so rich, it is so well…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mel-rodriguez/without-sounding-too-cliche-my-part-on-getting-on-is-the-best-role-i/) [Mel Rodriguez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mel-rodriguez/) > [I still get a lot of people coming up to me and recognizing me as Nunez, because 'Community' fans are really hardcore.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mel-rodriguez/i-still-get-a-lot-of-people-coming-up-to-me-and-recognizing-me-as/) [Mel Rodriguez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mel-rodriguez/) > [I've been going to school, did theater for a long time, been plugging away for 10, 15 years. I was told earlier in my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mel-rodriguez/i-ve-been-going-to-school-did-theater-for-a-long-time-been-plugging/) [Mel Rodriguez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mel-rodriguez/) > [The great thing about 'Breaking Bad' was they were able to write themselves out of anything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mel-rodriguez/the-great-thing-about-breaking-bad-was-they-were-able-to-write/) [Mel Rodriguez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mel-rodriguez/) > ['Goodfellas' has kind of got it all. That was probably one of my favorite films as a kid, so I carried a picture of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mel-rodriguez/goodfellas-has-kind-of-got-it-all-that-was-probably-one-of-my/) [Mel Rodriguez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mel-rodriguez/) > [I really love 'Bicycle Thief.' That just reminds me of my relationship with my father.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mel-rodriguez/i-really-love-bicycle-thief-that-just-reminds-me-of-my-relationship/) [Mel Rodriguez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mel-rodriguez/) > [I used comedy to deflect a lot of situations; if you make someone laugh, they don't want to punch you in the face.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mel-rodriguez/i-used-comedy-to-deflect-a-lot-of-situations-if-you-make-someone/) [Mel Rodriguez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mel-rodriguez/) > [I do know how life can go one way or another and that it's not all just black and white, and there are many…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mel-rodriguez/i-do-know-how-life-can-go-one-way-or-another-and-that-it-s-not-all/) [Mel Rodriguez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mel-rodriguez/) > [There's nothing like 'Enlisted' fans. I mean, they really loved us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mel-rodriguez/there-s-nothing-like-enlisted-fans-i-mean-they-really-loved-us/) [Mel Rodriguez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mel-rodriguez/) > ['Last Man' is different from anything I've ever seen or done.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mel-rodriguez/last-man-is-different-from-anything-i-ve-ever-seen-or-done/) [Mel Rodriguez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mel-rodriguez/) [Explore all 13 Mel Rodriguez quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mel-rodriguez/) ## 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": "My mom is very practical, and she originally wanted me to have something to fall back on. She was a little fearful of my becoming an actor because she didn't see it as a way to make a living. 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