--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: You know, I really wish now I'd had the…" description: "\"You know, I really wish now I'd had the nerve to become an actor. Because I'd have been Robert Redford, no question.\" — Michael Morpurgo" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cd3/michael-morpurgo-3162_actor_you-know-i-really-wish-now-i-d-had-the-n_1820354.png" --- # You know, I really wish now I'd had the nerve to become an… ![“You know, I really wish now I'd had the nerve to become an actor. Because I'd have been Robert Redford, no question.” quote by Michael Morpurgo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cd3/michael-morpurgo-3162_actor_you-know-i-really-wish-now-i-d-had-the-n_1820354.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cd3/michael-morpurgo-3162_actor_you-know-i-really-wish-now-i-d-had-the-n_1820354.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cd3/michael-morpurgo-3162_actor_you-know-i-really-wish-now-i-d-had-the-n_1820354.png) > “You know, I really wish now I'd had the nerve to become an actor. Because I'd have been Robert Redford, no question.” [Michael Morpurgo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-morpurgo/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Regret for not pursuing acting earlier highlights the fear of missed opportunities. **In simple terms:** Wish I’d acted earlier. Key Takeaway Act on passions before it’s too late. Themes regret aspiration career choice Mood thoughtful hopeful Type reflective motivational When to use this quote - theatre auditions - acting workshops - career counseling Key Concepts acting self‑realization timing Questions to Reflect On - What would you do differently if you could restart? - How can you channel regret into current action? A Different Perspective Fear of failure may have prevented trying. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Actor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actor/) [Actors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actors/) [Nerves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nerves/) [Theatre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/theatre/) [Wish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wish/) ## Related quotes > [It's a good time for me, but it's only recently I've become comfortable in my job. At the start, it's hard having the nerve…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruth-wilson/it-s-a-good-time-for-me-but-it-s-only-recently-i-ve-become/) [Ruth Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruth-wilson/) > [It was a complex endeavor so without Robert Redford's constant support we wouldn't have gotten to the end.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-salles/it-was-a-complex-endeavor-so-without-robert-redford-s-constant/) [Walter Salles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-salles/) > [Working with Robert Redford would be an unbelievable dream come true.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-keltz/working-with-robert-redford-would-be-an-unbelievable-dream-come-true/) [Jonathan Keltz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-keltz/) > [Robert Redford was an absolute blast to work with - a very smart, very charismatic man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-mcdonald/robert-redford-was-an-absolute-blast-to-work-with-a-very-smart-very/) Christopher McDonald > [Robert Redford used to be such a handsome man and now look at him: everything has dropped, expanded and turned a funny color.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-best/robert-redford-used-to-be-such-a-handsome-man-and-now-look-at-him/) [George Best](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-best/) > [Everybody can't be like Redford and pop out there and make big bucks right away because you look like a Greek god... The guy's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-dern/everybody-can-t-be-like-redford-and-pop-out-there-and-make-big-bucks/) [Bruce Dern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-dern/) > [George Roy Hill, Redford, and I have been looking for a script to do together for 13 years. We haven't been able to find…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-newman/george-roy-hill-redford-and-i-have-been-looking-for-a-script-to-do/) [Paul Newman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-newman/) > [Women are not forgiven for aging. Robert Redford's lines of distinction are my old-age wrinkles.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-fonda/women-are-not-forgiven-for-aging-robert-redford-s-lines-of/) [Jane Fonda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-fonda/) > [Marlon Brando, Jack Nicholson, Sean Connery and Robert Redford, Mel Gibson - at least in the Road Warrior films - and Harrison Ford are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/marlon-brando-jack-nicholson-sean-connery-and-robert-redford-mel/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [I remember when we were at Sundance, we were in Robert Redford's screening room, and I had never seen the film look so beautiful…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-sebring/i-remember-when-we-were-at-sundance-we-were-in-robert-redford-s/) [Steven Sebring](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-sebring/) > [“Why is it that when Robert Redford-cum-Denys Finch Hatton flies away in the golden glow out of Africa, he is pursuing his destiny? And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/holly-morris/why-is-it-that-when-robert-redford-cum-denys-finch-hatton-flies-away/) Holly Morris > [James Salter has been a fighter pilot, a rogue, and a climber. He counts Robert Redford as a friend.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-rodrick/james-salter-has-been-a-fighter-pilot-a-rogue-and-a-climber-he-counts/) [Stephen Rodrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-rodrick/) > [Where's our Paul Newmans? Where's our Robert Redfords? We've got Jason Statham, who is great... blue collar and cool, which is fantastic. And we've…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ricky-gervais/where-s-our-paul-newmans-where-s-our-robert-redfords-we-ve-got-jason/) [Ricky Gervais](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ricky-gervais/) > [Love is when you realize that he's as sexy as Woody Allen, as smart as Jimmy Connors, as funny as Ralph Nader, as athletic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-viorst/love-is-when-you-realize-that-he-s-as-sexy-as-woody-allen-as-smart-as/) [Judith Viorst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-viorst/) > [Robert Redford ... has turned almost alarmingly blond-he's gone past platinum, he must be into plutonium; his hair is coordinated with his teeth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pauline-kael/robert-redford-has-turned-almost-alarmingly-blond-he-s-gone-past/) [Pauline Kael](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pauline-kael/) ## More by Michael Morpurgo > [There's a mouse in here with me. He's sitting there in the light of the lamp, looking up at me. He seems as surprised…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-morpurgo/there-s-a-mouse-in-here-with-me-he-s-sitting-there-in-the-light-of/) [Michael Morpurgo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-morpurgo/) > [“It is so beautiful but home is home, and home is best.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-morpurgo/it-is-so-beautiful-but-home-is-home-and-home-is-best/) [Michael Morpurgo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-morpurgo/) > [“Father was always getting into scrapes when he was a lad. But the worst scrape he ever hot hisself into was the war, First…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-morpurgo/father-was-always-getting-into-scrapes-when-he-was-a-lad-but-the/) [Michael Morpurgo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-morpurgo/) > [But I didn’t dare. That has always been my trouble. I’ve never dared enough.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-morpurgo/but-i-didn-t-dare-that-has-always-been-my-trouble-i-ve-never-dared/) [Michael Morpurgo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-morpurgo/) > [Wherever my story takes me, however dark and difficult the theme, there is always some hope and redemption, not because readers like happy endings,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-morpurgo/wherever-my-story-takes-me-however-dark-and-difficult-the-theme-there/) [Michael Morpurgo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-morpurgo/) > [It gives me confidence to know that what I'm writing has a veracity of its own without me having to invent it. When I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-morpurgo/it-gives-me-confidence-to-know-that-what-i-m-writing-has-a-veracity/) [Michael Morpurgo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-morpurgo/) > [Live an interesting life. Meet people. Read a lot and widely, learn from the great writers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-morpurgo/live-an-interesting-life-meet-people-read-a-lot-and-widely-learn-from/) [Michael Morpurgo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-morpurgo/) > [I can hate you more, but I'll never love you less.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-morpurgo/i-can-hate-you-more-but-i-ll-never-love-you-less/) [Michael Morpurgo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-morpurgo/) > [By the time I sit down and face the blank page I am raring to go. I tell it as if I'm talking to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-morpurgo/by-the-time-i-sit-down-and-face-the-blank-page-i-am-raring-to-go-i/) [Michael Morpurgo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-morpurgo/) > [Encouraging young people to believe in themselves and find their own voice whether it's through writing, drama or art is so important in giving…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-morpurgo/encouraging-young-people-to-believe-in-themselves-and-find-their-own/) [Michael Morpurgo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-morpurgo/) > [With all editing, no matter how sensitive - and I've been very lucky here - I react sulkily at first, but then I settle…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-morpurgo/with-all-editing-no-matter-how-sensitive-and-i-ve-been-very-lucky/) [Michael Morpurgo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-morpurgo/) > [A lot of children, like I did, move away from words because of the fear - which is something you have to take out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-morpurgo/a-lot-of-children-like-i-did-move-away-from-words-because-of-the-fear/) [Michael Morpurgo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-morpurgo/) > [Animals are sentient, intelligent, perceptive, funny and entertaining. We owe them a duty of care as we do to children.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-morpurgo/animals-are-sentient-intelligent-perceptive-funny-and-entertaining-we/) [Michael Morpurgo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-morpurgo/) > [Blind terror drove me on, with my flying stirrups whipping me into a frenzy. With no rider to carry I reached the kneeling riflemen…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-morpurgo/blind-terror-drove-me-on-with-my-flying-stirrups-whipping-me-into-a/) [Michael Morpurgo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-morpurgo/) > [“After this night is over, then you can drift away, they you can sleep for ever, for nothing will ever matter again.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-morpurgo/after-this-night-is-over-then-you-can-drift-away-they-you-can-sleep/) [Michael Morpurgo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-morpurgo/) [Explore all 138 Michael Morpurgo quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-morpurgo/) ## 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": "You know, I really wish now I'd had the nerve to become an actor. 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