--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I think all actors, when they're not…" description: "\"I think all actors, when they're not working, say, 'If I can get to this point where I'm working on a consistent basis, I'll be happy.' Of course, then..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8ef/mike-colter-3338_complain_i-think-all-actors-when-they-re-not-work_1948903.jpg" --- # I think all actors, when they're not working, say, 'If I… ![“I think all actors, when they're not working, say, 'If I can get to this point where I'm working on a consistent basis, I'll be happy.' Of course, then, if that happens for you, and you're lucky, you find some other reason to complain. There's a joke: 'If you want to hear an actor complain, give…” quote by Mike Colter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8ef/mike-colter-3338_complain_i-think-all-actors-when-they-re-not-work_1948903.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8ef/mike-colter-3338_complain_i-think-all-actors-when-they-re-not-work_1948903.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8ef/mike-colter-3338_complain_i-think-all-actors-when-they-re-not-work_1948903.jpg) > “I think all actors, when they're not working, say, 'If I can get to this point where I'm working on a consistent basis, I'll be happy.' Of course, then, if that happens for you, and you're lucky, you find some other reason to complain. There's a joke: 'If you want to hear an actor complain, give him a job.'” [Mike Colter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-colter/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Actors often seek steady work for happiness, yet even then they find reasons to complain, highlighting the paradox of fulfillment in creative professions. **In simple terms:** Actors want steady work but still find complaints. Key Takeaway Seek fulfillment beyond just having a job. Themes career fulfillment paradox creativity Mood reflective realistic Type advice observational When to use this quote - audition preparation - career planning - mental health coping - industry networking Key Concepts job satisfaction identity expectations Questions to Reflect On - What truly makes you feel fulfilled beyond work? - How can you find purpose when work is stable? A Different Perspective Even consistent work may not resolve deeper dissatisfaction. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Actor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actor/) [Actor Complain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actor-complain-1367303/) [Actors Working](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actors-working-288357/) [Complain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/complain/) [Complain Job](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/complain-job-924674/) [Find](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/find/) [Hear Actor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hear-actor-1367304/) [Joke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/joke/) [Lucky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lucky/) [Reason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reason/) [Theatre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/theatre/) [Think Actors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/think-actors/) ## Related quotes > [Nobody wants to hear an actor complain about too much work - especially other actors.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-benjamin-hickey/nobody-wants-to-hear-an-actor-complain-about-too-much-work-especially/) [John Benjamin Hickey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-benjamin-hickey/) > [If I ever complain about my job, hit me with a rubber hose.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernie-johnson-jr/if-i-ever-complain-about-my-job-hit-me-with-a-rubber-hose/) [Ernie Johnson Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernie-johnson-jr/) > [I think that there are a lot of things that come along with being a musician, but I don't want to whine about them.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tift-merritt/i-think-that-there-are-a-lot-of-things-that-come-along-with-being-a/) [Tift Merritt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tift-merritt/) > [I think when you get on with the actors that you're working with, even if you do have really intimate scenes, as long as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saoirse-ronan/i-think-when-you-get-on-with-the-actors-that-you-re-working-with-even/) [Saoirse Ronan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saoirse-ronan/) > [“When we saw a destitute-looking man trying to sell worn flip-flops, I vowed never to complain about a job again. When I considered the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristine-k-stevens/when-we-saw-a-destitute-looking-man-trying-to-sell-worn-flip-flops-i/) [Kristine K. Stevens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristine-k-stevens/) > [There are so many musicians, friends of mine, who play shows for ten people a night, or always desperately wanted a record contract. So…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/moby/there-are-so-many-musicians-friends-of-mine-who-play-shows-for-ten/) [Moby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/moby/) > [Sometimes you can just hear the actor in the language.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ethan-coen/sometimes-you-can-just-hear-the-actor-in-the-language/) [Ethan Coen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ethan-coen/) > [That's probably the most boring conversation you could hear - an actor talk about politics. 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It's very awkward.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-caine/i-ve-been-on-movies-where-i-literally-couldn-t-hear-what-the-other/) [Michael Caine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-caine/) > [I like to take a break, but at the same time, I think most actors are not very good at sitting around doing nothing,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-colter/i-like-to-take-a-break-but-at-the-same-time-i-think-most-actors-are/) [Mike Colter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-colter/) > [Its really important to have cooperative co-actors when you're working and specially when you are doing a daily soap.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erica-fernandes/its-really-important-to-have-cooperative-co-actors-when-you-re/) [Erica Fernandes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erica-fernandes/) > [The Dutch film industry is a pretty small community, so within Holland, I think most actors know each other and have worked with each…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michiel-huisman/the-dutch-film-industry-is-a-pretty-small-community-so-within-holland/) [Michiel Huisman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michiel-huisman/) > [AMC has a track record for finding actors who have been working actors but not names yet and casting them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mireille-enos/amc-has-a-track-record-for-finding-actors-who-have-been-working/) [Mireille Enos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mireille-enos/) ## More by Mike Colter > [I always say if you put someone from a small town into a big city for ten years, then when they go back, they'll…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-colter/i-always-say-if-you-put-someone-from-a-small-town-into-a-big-city-for/) [Mike Colter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-colter/) > [I think when people talk about art imitating life, you're in real time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-colter/i-think-when-people-talk-about-art-imitating-life-you-re-in-real-time/) [Mike Colter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-colter/) > [I'm a bit bored of going to the gym! I'm like, 'Someone put me out of my misery - I can't do this anymore!'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-colter/i-m-a-bit-bored-of-going-to-the-gym-i-m-like-someone-put-me-out-of-my/) [Mike Colter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-colter/) > [As an actor, you just want to continue to work on things that you like. You can be in this business a long time…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-colter/as-an-actor-you-just-want-to-continue-to-work-on-things-that-you-like/) [Mike Colter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-colter/) > [Sometimes you don't know the effect of words until you hear it used on you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-colter/sometimes-you-don-t-know-the-effect-of-words-until-you-hear-it-used/) [Mike Colter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-colter/) > [As long as I didn't have to put on the tiara and the chains and the big yellow shirt for the whole series, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-colter/as-long-as-i-didn-t-have-to-put-on-the-tiara-and-the-chains-and-the/) [Mike Colter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-colter/) > [Love, for me, is always wanting the best for the other person even if it's not what's best for you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-colter/love-for-me-is-always-wanting-the-best-for-the-other-person-even-if/) [Mike Colter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-colter/) > [Some people in America don't ever interact with black people outside of television, so we should give them real, believable characters.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-colter/some-people-in-america-don-t-ever-interact-with-black-people-outside/) [Mike Colter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-colter/) > [I'm always game for creating a new character, and I liked the idea of putting something new into the 'Halo' universe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-colter/i-m-always-game-for-creating-a-new-character-and-i-liked-the-idea-of/) [Mike Colter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-colter/) > [History repeats itself over and over again, but most of us have short memories.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-colter/history-repeats-itself-over-and-over-again-but-most-of-us-have-short/) [Mike Colter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-colter/) > [I'm a very un-excitable person. I always take things with a grain of salt, I'm always very even-keeled, and I'm always waiting for the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-colter/i-m-a-very-un-excitable-person-i-always-take-things-with-a-grain-of/) [Mike Colter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-colter/) > [I met some people in college and I kept cracking away until someone pointed me in the right direction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-colter/i-met-some-people-in-college-and-i-kept-cracking-away-until-someone/) [Mike Colter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-colter/) > [A lot of times in life, women want to talk, but men don't want to listen, and if they do want to listen, they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-colter/a-lot-of-times-in-life-women-want-to-talk-but-men-don-t-want-to/) [Mike Colter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-colter/) > [I like to take a break, but at the same time, I think most actors are not very good at sitting around doing nothing,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-colter/i-like-to-take-a-break-but-at-the-same-time-i-think-most-actors-are/) [Mike Colter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-colter/) > [Never say "never" about anything, because if you do, life has a way of humbling you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-colter/never-say-never-about-anything-because-if-you-do-life-has-a-way-of/) [Mike Colter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-colter/) [Explore all 133 Mike Colter quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-colter/) ## 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": "I think all actors, when they're not working, say, 'If I can get to this point where I'm working on a consistent basis, I'll be happy.' Of course, then, if that happens for you, and you're lucky, you find some other reason to complain. 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