--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When I was born, they didn't work…" description: "\"When I was born, they didn't work. They're broken, the nerves in my lower left lip. When I was kid, I would talk out of the side of my face. When I was..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f2a/milo-ventimiglia-7793_auditions_when-i-was-born-they-didn-t-work-they-re_173417.jpg" --- # When I was born, they didn't work. They're broken, the… ![“When I was born, they didn't work. They're broken, the nerves in my lower left lip. When I was kid, I would talk out of the side of my face. When I was 16 and came up to Hollywood from Orange County, I was in this cattle call audition for Batman and Robin at Warner Bros., and they interviewed me…” quote by Milo Ventimiglia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f2a/milo-ventimiglia-7793_auditions_when-i-was-born-they-didn-t-work-they-re_173417.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f2a/milo-ventimiglia-7793_auditions_when-i-was-born-they-didn-t-work-they-re_173417.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f2a/milo-ventimiglia-7793_auditions_when-i-was-born-they-didn-t-work-they-re_173417.jpg) > “When I was born, they didn't work. They're broken, the nerves in my lower left lip. When I was kid, I would talk out of the side of my face. When I was 16 and came up to Hollywood from Orange County, I was in this cattle call audition for Batman and Robin at Warner Bros., and they interviewed me out front of the studio. When I got home, I was like, "Oh, this was exciting!" But then when I watched the news, I was like, "Mom, what is wrong with my mouth?!"” [Milo Ventimiglia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milo-ventimiglia/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker describes a lifelong speech impediment that caused embarrassment and self‑consciousness, especially when confronting new opportunities. **In simple terms:** A speech issue caused insecurity in public moments. Key Takeaway Acknowledge and seek help for communication challenges. Themes self‑esteem communication vulnerability Mood anxious reflective Type personal narrative When to use this quote - auditions - media interviews - family conversations - social gatherings Key Concepts speech impediment public perception personal growth Questions to Reflect On - How does this affect your confidence in new settings? - What steps can you take to manage similar anxieties? A Different Perspective Stigma may persist despite treatment, affecting confidence. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Auditions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/auditions/) [Faces](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/faces/) [Hollywood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hollywood/) [Home](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/home/) [Kids](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kids/) [Lips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lips/) [Mom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mom/) [Nerves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nerves/) [News](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/news/) [Orange county](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/orange-county/) [Robins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/robins/) ## Related quotes > [A portrait is a painting with something wrong with the mouth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-singer-sargent/a-portrait-is-a-painting-with-something-wrong-with-the-mouth/) [John Singer Sargent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-singer-sargent/) > [“The name sounds wrong in her mouth and makes me feel off-kilter, the way I used to feel as a kid at the Strawberry…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-oliver/the-name-sounds-wrong-in-her-mouth-and-makes-me-feel-off-kilter-the/) [Lauren Oliver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-oliver/) > [“A portrait is a picture with something wrong with the mouth”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-singer-sargent/a-portrait-is-a-picture-with-something-wrong-with-the-mouth/) [John Singer Sargent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-singer-sargent/) > [The world is not about Batman and Robin fighting the Joker; things are more complicated than that. And nothing is scarier than the people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marjane-satrapi/the-world-is-not-about-batman-and-robin-fighting-the-joker-things-are/) [Marjane Satrapi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marjane-satrapi/) > [“I showed up like his sidekick, and if Batman and Robin had followed us in, I doubt anyone would have noticed. We were that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-turner/i-showed-up-like-his-sidekick-and-if-batman-and-robin-had-followed-us/) Max Turner > [We're a team now, like Batman and Robin, like chicken and a chicken container.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tracy-morgan/we-re-a-team-now-like-batman-and-robin-like-chicken-and-a-chicken/) [Tracy Morgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tracy-morgan/) > [My book is very wild. But you know during the period of BATMAN, that there were thousands of Batman and Robin costumes sold and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/burt-ward/my-book-is-very-wild-but-you-know-during-the-period-of-batman-that/) [Burt Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/burt-ward/) > [The real deal about being fake is that they know how to talk to your face, then behind your back.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-mccarty/the-real-deal-about-being-fake-is-that-they-know-how-to-talk-to-your/) [Kevin McCarty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-mccarty/) > [In a landmark decision, New York has legalized gay marriage. In other news, Batman and Robin announced that theyre moving to Manhattan.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-biggs/in-a-landmark-decision-new-york-has-legalized-gay-marriage-in-other/) Terry Biggs > [“So why don't we have a go? There are two of us.' Little Mike realized that his friend was actually serious. 'Two of us?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eoin-colfer/so-why-don-t-we-have-a-go-there-are-two-of-us-little-mike-realized/) [Eoin Colfer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eoin-colfer/) > [I wanted to talk face-to-face with as many people as would see me. Some actors were so busy they could only give me an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitchell-zuckoff/i-wanted-to-talk-face-to-face-with-as-many-people-as-would-see-me/) [Mitchell Zuckoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitchell-zuckoff/) > [If you have a problem with me, come talk to me face to face. Cowards talk behind backs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-you-have-a-problem-with-me-come-talk-to-me-face-to-face-cowards/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Talk behind my back but to my face they say nothin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dizzee-rascal/talk-behind-my-back-but-to-my-face-they-say-nothin/) [Dizzee Rascal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dizzee-rascal/) > [“After Jesus showed up, the Old Testament basically became a way for Bible publishers to keep their word count up. Of course, just because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-colbert/after-jesus-showed-up-the-old-testament-basically-became-a-way-for/) [Stephen Colbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-colbert/) > [Remember Killer Moth, the most ingenuous rogue ever to defy the dynamic duo, Batman and Robin ?Perhaps you recall how the weird beam from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-kane/remember-killer-moth-the-most-ingenuous-rogue-ever-to-defy-the/) [Bob Kane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-kane/) ## More by Milo Ventimiglia > [I feel like there's a currency to your personal life and your performance - your acting, your work. If that personal life starts to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milo-ventimiglia/i-feel-like-there-s-a-currency-to-your-personal-life-and-your/) [Milo Ventimiglia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milo-ventimiglia/) > [I think with actors, we tend to get rid of characters - and not get rid of them as in discard them or throw…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milo-ventimiglia/i-think-with-actors-we-tend-to-get-rid-of-characters-and-not-get-rid/) [Milo Ventimiglia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milo-ventimiglia/) > [When you're in morgue you're seeing life that no longer exists. It gives you an appreciation when you look someone in the eye, you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milo-ventimiglia/when-you-re-in-morgue-you-re-seeing-life-that-no-longer-exists-it/) [Milo Ventimiglia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milo-ventimiglia/) > [There were a million different things I could have chosen or wanted to do, but the path of an artist was the one that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milo-ventimiglia/there-were-a-million-different-things-i-could-have-chosen-or-wanted/) [Milo Ventimiglia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milo-ventimiglia/) > [You've got this world, these pathologists that are, day in and day out, taking apart bodies, coming up with theories about how they died…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milo-ventimiglia/you-ve-got-this-world-these-pathologists-that-are-day-in-and-day-out/) [Milo Ventimiglia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milo-ventimiglia/) > [In THE WHISPERS, I played a father, with an amazingly talented actor, Kyle Breitkopf. I've played a dad a lot, so it's nice again…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milo-ventimiglia/in-the-whispers-i-played-a-father-with-an-amazingly-talented-actor/) [Milo Ventimiglia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milo-ventimiglia/) > [There were a million different things I could have chosen or wanted to do, but the path of an artist was the one that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milo-ventimiglia/there-were-a-million-different-things-i-could-have-chosen-or-wanted-2/) [Milo Ventimiglia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milo-ventimiglia/) > [I have a Crock-Pot, and I have an All-Clad slow-cooker - I have two different ones. The All-Clad is larger, for maybe a gang…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milo-ventimiglia/i-have-a-crock-pot-and-i-have-an-all-clad-slow-cooker-i-have-two/) [Milo Ventimiglia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milo-ventimiglia/) > [I have dual citizenship with Italy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milo-ventimiglia/i-have-dual-citizenship-with-italy/) [Milo Ventimiglia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milo-ventimiglia/) > [I used to sit when I was a kid, from 14 or 15 on, with a book or a paper or a magazine in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milo-ventimiglia/i-used-to-sit-when-i-was-a-kid-from-14-or-15-on-with-a-book-or-a/) [Milo Ventimiglia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milo-ventimiglia/) > [Unless I'm running and yelling, then you really see how crooked my mouth is!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milo-ventimiglia/unless-i-m-running-and-yelling-then-you-really-see-how-crooked-my/) [Milo Ventimiglia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milo-ventimiglia/) > [I think there couldn't be a more perfect time with the state of the world than to come together and share an experience -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milo-ventimiglia/i-think-there-couldn-t-be-a-more-perfect-time-with-the-state-of-the/) [Milo Ventimiglia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milo-ventimiglia/) > [I was either going to be an actor, a Naval aviator, or a pediatric surgeon. Those were the three things that I wanted to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milo-ventimiglia/i-was-either-going-to-be-an-actor-a-naval-aviator-or-a-pediatric/) [Milo Ventimiglia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milo-ventimiglia/) > [I think there's an initial shedding of the skin of a character when you've played them for so long, almost like a snake losing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milo-ventimiglia/i-think-there-s-an-initial-shedding-of-the-skin-of-a-character-when/) [Milo Ventimiglia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milo-ventimiglia/) > [ I hope everyone can give the audience that real, true experience. But Mandy \[Moore\] and I, we definitely jump decades, and I think trying… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milo-ventimiglia/i-hope-everyone-can-give-the-audience-that-real-true-experience-but/) [Milo Ventimiglia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milo-ventimiglia/) [Explore all 87 Milo Ventimiglia quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milo-ventimiglia/) ## More Auditions quotes > [My favorite performance would definitely be "Toxic," which was my blind audition song. It was the start of it all and it was a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melanie-martinez/my-favorite-performance-would-definitely-be-toxic-which-was-my-blind/) [Melanie Martinez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melanie-martinez/) > [Ed Koch once said that New York City is where immigrants come to audition for America. That's what happened to my parents; that's what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lin-manuel-miranda/ed-koch-once-said-that-new-york-city-is-where-immigrants-come-to/) [Lin-Manuel Miranda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lin-manuel-miranda/) > [I have had to give auditions for every film I had done until 'Dedh Ishqiya.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/huma-qureshi/i-have-had-to-give-auditions-for-every-film-i-had-done-until-dedh/) [Huma Qureshi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/huma-qureshi/) > [When preparing for auditions, I have no rituals. I just try to be as prepared as possible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dante-basco/when-preparing-for-auditions-i-have-no-rituals-i-just-try-to-be-as/) [Dante Basco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dante-basco/) > [I have a large watch collection, and classic watches are especially important to me. I had a silver Rolex, and I actually gave it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nate-berkus/i-have-a-large-watch-collection-and-classic-watches-are-especially/) [Nate Berkus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nate-berkus/) > [I got into acting in high school mainly because I wasn't doing anything else and started to hit a few bumps in the road.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-letscher/i-got-into-acting-in-high-school-mainly-because-i-wasn-t-doing/) [Matt Letscher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-letscher/) > [Always my fallback is - I'm gonna move to a poor town and open a scone shop... Sometimes after some bad auditions I think,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-rannells/always-my-fallback-is-i-m-gonna-move-to-a-poor-town-and-open-a-scone/) [Andrew Rannells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-rannells/) > [I would go to different production houses everyday for auditions and they would reject me saying you cant talk, smile, dance, or act.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikki-tamboli/i-would-go-to-different-production-houses-everyday-for-auditions-and/) [Nikki Tamboli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikki-tamboli/) > [Like every audition I go on, I do my best, but after that, I let it go because, you know, the rejection rate is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-ziering/like-every-audition-i-go-on-i-do-my-best-but-after-that-i-let-it-go/) [Ian Ziering](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-ziering/) > [“Some people look like they sound better than they actually sound, because they look confident and have good posture," once musician, a veteran of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-gladwell/some-people-look-like-they-sound-better-than-they-actually-sound/) [Malcolm Gladwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-gladwell/) > [Life beats down and crushes our souls and theatre reminds us that we have one. At least the type of theatre that I'm interested…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sanford-meisner/life-beats-down-and-crushes-our-souls-and-theatre-reminds-us-that-we/) [Sanford Meisner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sanford-meisner/) > [It's funny, I get really nervous when I audition for voiceovers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-benz/it-s-funny-i-get-really-nervous-when-i-audition-for-voiceovers/) [Julie Benz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-benz/) > [I've gone into auditions and I think they have an assumption about me when they see my photo and then I open my mouth…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruth-negga/i-ve-gone-into-auditions-and-i-think-they-have-an-assumption-about-me/) [Ruth Negga](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruth-negga/) > [When I was six years old my friend was auditioning for 'Annie,' and I decided I wanted to audition with her. My mom was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacqueline-emerson/when-i-was-six-years-old-my-friend-was-auditioning-for-annie-and-i/) [Jacqueline Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacqueline-emerson/) > [I managed to get onto 'The Hobbit,' which is a story in itself. I missed the main round of auditions but managed to get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/conan-stevens/i-managed-to-get-onto-the-hobbit-which-is-a-story-in-itself-i-missed/) [Conan Stevens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/conan-stevens/) [Browse all 789 Auditions quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/auditions/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "When I was born, they didn't work. They're broken, the nerves in my lower left lip. When I was kid, I would talk out of the side of my face. When I was 16 and came up to Hollywood from Orange County, I was in this cattle call audition for Batman and Robin at Warner Bros., and they interviewed me out front of the studio. When I got home, I was like, \"Oh, this was exciting!\" But then when I watched the news, I was like, \"Mom, what is wrong with my mouth?!\"", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Milo Ventimiglia" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milo-ventimiglia/when-i-was-born-they-didn-t-work-they-re-broken-the-nerves-in-my/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Auditions" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milo-ventimiglia/when-i-was-born-they-didn-t-work-they-re-broken-the-nerves-in-my/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f2a/milo-ventimiglia-7793_auditions_when-i-was-born-they-didn-t-work-they-re_173417.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f2a/milo-ventimiglia-7793_auditions_when-i-was-born-they-didn-t-work-they-re_173417.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f2a/milo-ventimiglia-7793_auditions_when-i-was-born-they-didn-t-work-they-re_173417.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“When I was born, they didn't work. They're broken, the nerves in my lower left lip. When I was kid, I would…” — Milo Ventimiglia", "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": "Milo Ventimiglia", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milo-ventimiglia/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "When I was born, they didn't...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milo-ventimiglia/when-i-was-born-they-didn-t-work-they-re-broken-the-nerves-in-my/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milo-ventimiglia/when-i-was-born-they-didn-t-work-they-re-broken-the-nerves-in-my/#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 } } ] } ```