--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I've been working professionally as an…" description: "\"I've been working professionally as an actor since I was 20. That's going to be 25 years soon. So, that's a veteran. That's a big-time veteran. I've ha..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1b0/michael-imperioli-15945_actors_i-ve-been-working-professionally-as-an-a_2945959.jpg" --- # I've been working professionally as an actor since I was… ![“I've been working professionally as an actor since I was 20. That's going to be 25 years soon. So, that's a veteran. That's a big-time veteran. I've had some great successes, and I've had some not-successes.” quote by Michael Imperioli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1b0/michael-imperioli-15945_actors_i-ve-been-working-professionally-as-an-a_2945959.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1b0/michael-imperioli-15945_actors_i-ve-been-working-professionally-as-an-a_2945959.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1b0/michael-imperioli-15945_actors_i-ve-been-working-professionally-as-an-a_2945959.jpg) > “I've been working professionally as an actor since I was 20. That's going to be 25 years soon. So, that's a veteran. That's a big-time veteran. I've had some great successes, and I've had some not-successes.” [Michael Imperioli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-imperioli/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Reflects on a 25‑year acting career, noting successes and failures. **In simple terms:** Actor shares long career highs and lows. Key Takeaway Embrace both triumphs and setbacks. Themes career experience resilience Mood reflective honest Type career personal When to use this quote - audition preparation - career planning - networking - skill development Key Concepts reflection personal growth Questions to Reflect On - What lessons have failures taught you? - How do you define success in a creative field? A Different Perspective May overemphasize fame over craft. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Actors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actors/) [Bigs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bigs/) [Great success](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/great-success/) [Professionally Actor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/professionally-actor-329258/) [Soon Veteran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/soon-veteran-4415622/) [Success](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/success/) [Veteran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/veteran/) [Veteran Big](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/veteran-big-4415623/) [Veteran Ve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/veteran-ve-4415624/) [Years](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/years/) ## Related quotes > [I've never really felt like a veteran. I've never felt like the guy who's like, 'OK, everyone needs to look up to me and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-j-styles/i-ve-never-really-felt-like-a-veteran-i-ve-never-felt-like-the-guy/) [A.J. Styles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-j-styles/) > [I studied movies for many years, but I am professionally an actor because I, my background is actually a stage actor and acting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tommy-wiseau/i-studied-movies-for-many-years-but-i-am-professionally-an-actor/) [Tommy Wiseau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tommy-wiseau/) > [If you're going to be thinking anyway, think big!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/if-you-re-going-to-be-thinking-anyway-think-big/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [Scandinavian crime fiction has become a great success all across the world and rightfully so. Sjowall and Wahloo ushered in a whole generation of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/camilla-l-ckberg/scandinavian-crime-fiction-has-become-a-great-success-all-across-the/) [Camilla Lackberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/camilla-l-ckberg/) > [I've had great writing teachers and mentors and great success with my first book.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/uzodinma-iweala/i-ve-had-great-writing-teachers-and-mentors-and-great-success-with-my/) [Uzodinma Iweala](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/uzodinma-iweala/) > [I've had great success and I've had catastrophic failure. It's really how you handle the rough stuff that defines you, I think.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-berg/i-ve-had-great-success-and-i-ve-had-catastrophic-failure-it-s-really/) [Peter Berg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-berg/) > [I think people in Botswana are pleased that my books paint a positive picture of their lives and portray the country as being very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-mccall-smith/i-think-people-in-botswana-are-pleased-that-my-books-paint-a-positive/) [Alexander McCall Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-mccall-smith/) > [Behind a great success, there was a great failure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-hermanto/behind-a-great-success-there-was-a-great-failure/) [Michael Hermanto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-hermanto/) > [The great success stories of chemotherapy were always in relatively obscure types of cancer. Childhood leukemia constitutes less than two percent of all cancers…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-w-moss/the-great-success-stories-of-chemotherapy-were-always-in-relatively/) [Ralph W. Moss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-w-moss/) > [All great success leads to a sacrifice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/star-ko/all-great-success-leads-to-a-sacrifice/) [Star Ko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/star-ko/) > [Our growth has been very fast but in every place we've gone, we've achieved great success.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miguel-mckelvey/our-growth-has-been-very-fast-but-in-every-place-we-ve-gone-we-ve/) [Miguel McKelvey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miguel-mckelvey/) > [People don't have great attitudes because of great success, they have great success largely because of great attitudes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/earl-nightingale/people-don-t-have-great-attitudes-because-of-great-success-they-have/) [Earl Nightingale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/earl-nightingale/) > [Business is always a struggle. There are always obstacles and competitors. There is never an open road, except the wide road that leads to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-kirubi/business-is-always-a-struggle-there-are-always-obstacles-and/) [Chris Kirubi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-kirubi/) > [One of the most important rules for success is this: Every great success is the result of hundreds and thousands of small efforts and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-tracy/one-of-the-most-important-rules-for-success-is-this-every-great/) [Brian Tracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-tracy/) > [Since I worked with Danny Boyle before on Slumdog Millionaire, we have great success and everything. So, when I first got the script and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-r-rahman/since-i-worked-with-danny-boyle-before-on-slumdog-millionaire-we-have/) [A. R. Rahman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-r-rahman/) ## More by Michael Imperioli > [I have a background writing screenplays and teleplays. I've tried to write prose and fiction but never really completed anything I thought worthy of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-imperioli/i-have-a-background-writing-screenplays-and-teleplays-i-ve-tried-to/) [Michael Imperioli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-imperioli/) > [John Ventimiglia, who was on 'The Sopranos,' was in my first acting class and we have been friends since that time. Alec Baldwin was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-imperioli/john-ventimiglia-who-was-on-the-sopranos-was-in-my-first-acting-class/) [Michael Imperioli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-imperioli/) > [I love fiction and read novels constantly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-imperioli/i-love-fiction-and-read-novels-constantly/) [Michael Imperioli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-imperioli/) > [I do smoke in real life. A lot. We're all smoking right now in fact.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-imperioli/i-do-smoke-in-real-life-a-lot-we-re-all-smoking-right-now-in-fact/) [Michael Imperioli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-imperioli/) > [I played guitar in a band from when I was about 20 for three years. Then I sang a little. Then I started getting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-imperioli/i-played-guitar-in-a-band-from-when-i-was-about-20-for-three-years/) [Michael Imperioli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-imperioli/) > [It doesn't really matter to me how people see me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-imperioli/it-doesn-t-really-matter-to-me-how-people-see-me/) [Michael Imperioli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-imperioli/) > [I'd go for parts that didn't pay a dime, and there would be 300 to 400 actors there. It could be very discouraging. To…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-imperioli/i-d-go-for-parts-that-didn-t-pay-a-dime-and-there-would-be-300-to-400/) [Michael Imperioli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-imperioli/) > [Detroit 1-8-7' - the numbers are police slang for murder - is filmed in that blue-collar Michigan city, providing a flavor of authenticity. Detroit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-imperioli/detroit-1-8-7-the-numbers-are-police-slang-for-murder-is-filmed-in/) [Michael Imperioli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-imperioli/) > [Detroit is a city that really stands out. It's been through a very difficult time. There's been a lot of pain here, and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-imperioli/detroit-is-a-city-that-really-stands-out-it-s-been-through-a-very/) [Michael Imperioli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-imperioli/) > [Everybody I play probably has some Italian in them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-imperioli/everybody-i-play-probably-has-some-italian-in-them/) [Michael Imperioli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-imperioli/) > [When you're going through these difficult times of chaos and trauma, the most important thing is to keep those who are closest to you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-imperioli/when-you-re-going-through-these-difficult-times-of-chaos-and-trauma/) [Michael Imperioli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-imperioli/) > [When I was young, you went to school, dealt with your friends and drama, went home, did your homework, went to bed, and started…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-imperioli/when-i-was-young-you-went-to-school-dealt-with-your-friends-and-drama/) [Michael Imperioli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-imperioli/) > [I've played some gangster roles, but that's obviously not me. When you're an Italian-American New York actor, it's just an easy way to get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-imperioli/i-ve-played-some-gangster-roles-but-that-s-obviously-not-me-when-you/) [Michael Imperioli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-imperioli/) > [There's too many actors in LA. I mean, I'll go out there from time to time, but I always find it pretty soul-destroying. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-imperioli/there-s-too-many-actors-in-la-i-mean-i-ll-go-out-there-from-time-to/) [Michael Imperioli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-imperioli/) > [Stop and appreciate what you have today. Look at what you have with wider eyes, maybe with more compassion and more gratitude for the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-imperioli/stop-and-appreciate-what-you-have-today-look-at-what-you-have-with/) [Michael Imperioli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-imperioli/) [Explore all 41 Michael Imperioli quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-imperioli/) ## More Actors quotes > [Women still, when they have breast cancer, go to work; they still lead their lives. They have to. I just did what I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/monica-potter/women-still-when-they-have-breast-cancer-go-to-work-they-still-lead/) [Monica Potter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/monica-potter/) > [I'm trying to write a film with my friend. I'd love to get the thrill of speaking actors making my work even funnier.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-howard/i-m-trying-to-write-a-film-with-my-friend-i-d-love-to-get-the-thrill/) [Russell Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-howard/) > [A lesser complaint: hair extensions. There are moments on 'All My Children' when half the women actors, young and old, seem to be afflicted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/camille-paglia/a-lesser-complaint-hair-extensions-there-are-moments-on-all-my/) [Camille Paglia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/camille-paglia/) > [I'm very used to working with first time actors - you can just look back at 'E.T.' with Drew Barrymore, and Christian Bale from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-spielberg/i-m-very-used-to-working-with-first-time-actors-you-can-just-look/) [Steven Spielberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-spielberg/) > [Forget the credit, they (male actors) take all the money as well. We don't get paid even one-third of what male actors get. It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kangana-ranaut/forget-the-credit-they-male-actors-take-all-the-money-as-well-we-don/) [Kangana Ranaut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kangana-ranaut/) > [I love film people and actors and I am in the right world because I am one of those people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ewan-mcgregor/i-love-film-people-and-actors-and-i-am-in-the-right-world-because-i/) [Ewan McGregor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ewan-mcgregor/) > [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/) > [What we're supposed to do as actors is be able to portray real human beings and emotions. And if you grow up in this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-browning/what-we-re-supposed-to-do-as-actors-is-be-able-to-portray-real-human/) [Emily Browning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-browning/) > [When we watch a film as actors, you have to understand that we always see much more than what's on screen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kunal-khemu/when-we-watch-a-film-as-actors-you-have-to-understand-that-we-always/) [Kunal Khemu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kunal-khemu/) > [As actors, you become an expert at starting over.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lupita-nyong-o/as-actors-you-become-an-expert-at-starting-over/) [Lupita Nyong'o](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lupita-nyong-o/) > [The whole concept of stage fright is fascinating. Actors get stage fright, but they wouldn't be on the stage in the first place if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-greene/the-whole-concept-of-stage-fright-is-fascinating-actors-get-stage/) [Robert Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-greene/) > [No actor wants to choose - they just want all of the options available to them all the time; we tend to be pretty…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gillian-jacobs/no-actor-wants-to-choose-they-just-want-all-of-the-options-available/) [Gillian Jacobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gillian-jacobs/) > [A rapper is about being completely true to yourself. Being an actor is about changing who you are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-smith/a-rapper-is-about-being-completely-true-to-yourself-being-an-actor-is/) [Will Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-smith/) > [I've been a professional actor for almost 40 years.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-perlman/i-ve-been-a-professional-actor-for-almost-40-years/) [Ron Perlman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-perlman/) > [American actors are coy. We all have pricks and cunts, or are you different from the rest of us?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-greenaway/american-actors-are-coy-we-all-have-pricks-and-cunts-or-are-you/) [Peter Greenaway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-greenaway/) [Browse all 11,394 Actors quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actors/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I've been working professionally as an actor since I was 20. That's going to be 25 years soon. 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