--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Acting is something that I always wanted…" description: "\"Acting is something that I always wanted, but I never paid attention to the notion that it might actually work out. You have all sorts of ideas about w..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a5e/olivia-thirlby-16453_acting_acting-is-something-that-i-always-wanted_2587239.jpg" --- # Acting is something that I always wanted, but I never paid… ![“Acting is something that I always wanted, but I never paid attention to the notion that it might actually work out. You have all sorts of ideas about what you want to do - at one stage, I wanted to be a jockey - but this is the one that's a big deal.” quote by Olivia Thirlby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a5e/olivia-thirlby-16453_acting_acting-is-something-that-i-always-wanted_2587239.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a5e/olivia-thirlby-16453_acting_acting-is-something-that-i-always-wanted_2587239.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a5e/olivia-thirlby-16453_acting_acting-is-something-that-i-always-wanted_2587239.jpg) > “Acting is something that I always wanted, but I never paid attention to the notion that it might actually work out. You have all sorts of ideas about what you want to do - at one stage, I wanted to be a jockey - but this is the one that's a big deal.” [Olivia Thirlby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/olivia-thirlby/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Passion for acting emerges despite earlier distractions; commitment turns a dream into a serious pursuit. **In simple terms:** Dreams need focus to become reality. Key Takeaway Commit to your chosen path. Themes career dreams focus Mood determined hopeful Type inspirational practical When to use this quote - career planning - creative workshops Key Concepts acting personal growth Questions to Reflect On - What steps will you take to prioritize your goal? - How do you measure progress? A Different Perspective May ignore practical constraints. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Acting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/acting/) [Acting Wanted](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/acting-wanted-686720/) [Attention](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/attention/) [Big deal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/big-deal/) [Bigs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bigs/) [Deals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/deals/) [Ideas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ideas/) [Jockeys](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/jockeys/) [Might](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/might/) [Notion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/notion/) [Paid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/paid/) [Stage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stage/) [Stage Wanted](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stage-wanted-1829613/) [Theatre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/theatre/) [Want](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/want/) [Want Stage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/want-stage-613592/) [Wanted](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wanted/) [Wanted Jockey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wanted-jockey-1673988/) [What you want](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/what-you-want/) [Work out](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/work-out/) ## Related quotes > [I wanted to be a jockey.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/davy-jones/i-wanted-to-be-a-jockey/) [Davy Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/davy-jones/) > [I wanted to be a jockey. I'm serious. First time I got on a horse, I loved it. That's what I wanted to be,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-jackson/i-wanted-to-be-a-jockey-i-m-serious-first-time-i-got-on-a-horse-i/) [Janet Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-jackson/) > [At first I wanted to be a jockey. I rode horses in Cleveland but I kept falling off and I was afraid of horses.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-conway/at-first-i-wanted-to-be-a-jockey-i-rode-horses-in-cleveland-but-i/) [Tim Conway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-conway/) > [I remember growing up knowing I wanted to be on the stage. I wanted to get to London as soon as possible and start…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-zeta-jones/i-remember-growing-up-knowing-i-wanted-to-be-on-the-stage-i-wanted-to/) [Catherine Zeta-Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-zeta-jones/) > [I realised that I really liked to be on stage, and that I wanted to pursue it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jain/i-realised-that-i-really-liked-to-be-on-stage-and-that-i-wanted-to/) [Jain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jain/) > [At one stage, I wanted to be a folk singer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-allam/at-one-stage-i-wanted-to-be-a-folk-singer/) [Roger Allam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-allam/) > [If I wanted to do something on stage, I wanted it to be something I could really get into and feel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-socha/if-i-wanted-to-do-something-on-stage-i-wanted-it-to-be-something-i/) [Michael Socha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-socha/) > [I don't really unwind after a performance. I'm still pumped up and just want to get back on stage.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hollie-cavanagh/i-don-t-really-unwind-after-a-performance-i-m-still-pumped-up-and/) [Hollie Cavanagh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hollie-cavanagh/) > [I want to get to the stage where nobody can tell how a picture of mine is done. What's the point of that? Simply…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pablo-picasso/i-want-to-get-to-the-stage-where-nobody-can-tell-how-a-picture-of/) [Pablo Picasso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pablo-picasso/) > [I want to do # stage again, because there just aren't words for how great it is. People say that all the time, 'There's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-kendrick/i-want-to-do-stage-again-because-there-just-aren-t-words-for-how/) [Anna Kendrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-kendrick/) > [I want to be on stage and perform and win Grammys and help out my family in Bulgaria, because they are struggling, and my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leah-labelle/i-want-to-be-on-stage-and-perform-and-win-grammys-and-help-out-my/) [Leah LaBelle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leah-labelle/) > [Actors go, 'I just want to act.' And I say to them, 'You know, stop for a second and think about what charges you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-alexander/actors-go-i-just-want-to-act-and-i-say-to-them-you-know-stop-for-a/) [Jason Alexander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-alexander/) > [I'm very serious about becoming a dramatic actor. I don't want to play cameo parts walking on as Carl Lewis the athlete. I want…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-lewis/i-m-very-serious-about-becoming-a-dramatic-actor-i-don-t-want-to-play/) [Carl Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-lewis/) > [Every time I see a show on Broadway I get this deep feeling that I just really want to be up on stage with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zac-efron/every-time-i-see-a-show-on-broadway-i-get-this-deep-feeling-that-i/) [Zac Efron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zac-efron/) > [I want to keep doing interesting work with interesting people in whatever form that may take, but I want to play the big parts…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gwilym-lee/i-want-to-keep-doing-interesting-work-with-interesting-people-in/) [Gwilym Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gwilym-lee/) ## More by Olivia Thirlby > [I think we all suffer from acute blindness at times. Life is a constant journey of trying to open your eyes. I'm just beginning…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/olivia-thirlby/i-think-we-all-suffer-from-acute-blindness-at-times-life-is-a/) [Olivia Thirlby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/olivia-thirlby/) > [But I loved doing the physical stuff for 'Dredd.' I have to give a shout-out to the stunt team that I worked with.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/olivia-thirlby/but-i-loved-doing-the-physical-stuff-for-dredd-i-have-to-give-a-shout/) [Olivia Thirlby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/olivia-thirlby/) > [My hair had been dyed blonde for 'Dredd.' After 'Dredd,' I was really fried because of the blonde hair dye, and so I cut…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/olivia-thirlby/my-hair-had-been-dyed-blonde-for-dredd-after-dredd-i-was-really-fried/) [Olivia Thirlby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/olivia-thirlby/) > [My boyfriend and I just got a projector, so we've been screening movies on the roof and projecting them against the wall next door.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/olivia-thirlby/my-boyfriend-and-i-just-got-a-projector-so-we-ve-been-screening/) [Olivia Thirlby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/olivia-thirlby/) > [There's so much with my character in 'Dredd' that I identify with. She's my favorite character I think I've ever played. She's the most…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/olivia-thirlby/there-s-so-much-with-my-character-in-dredd-that-i-identify-with-she-s/) [Olivia Thirlby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/olivia-thirlby/) > [I'm such a homebody. I don't party. I don't drink. That may be because I got it out all out of my system before…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/olivia-thirlby/i-m-such-a-homebody-i-don-t-party-i-don-t-drink-that-may-be-because-i/) [Olivia Thirlby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/olivia-thirlby/) > [When I was starting out, I always wanted to be able to do everything - comedy and drama and action, and everything in between.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/olivia-thirlby/when-i-was-starting-out-i-always-wanted-to-be-able-to-do-everything/) [Olivia Thirlby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/olivia-thirlby/) > ['The Movie' is something that I made with some friends of mine in L.A. My friend, Luke Eberl, is the filmmaker. He shot this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/olivia-thirlby/the-movie-is-something-that-i-made-with-some-friends-of-mine-in-l-a/) [Olivia Thirlby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/olivia-thirlby/) > [I don't think I'm the world's most die-hard sci-fi fan, but I definitely grew up watching 'Star Trek' religiously - all of them: the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/olivia-thirlby/i-don-t-think-i-m-the-world-s-most-die-hard-sci-fi-fan-but-i/) [Olivia Thirlby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/olivia-thirlby/) > [I still audition a lot and work really hard to get work. So I don't really walk around feeling like I've made it. My…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/olivia-thirlby/i-still-audition-a-lot-and-work-really-hard-to-get-work-so-i-don-t/) [Olivia Thirlby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/olivia-thirlby/) > [The older I get and the longer I live in New York City, the more I have the desire to go elsewhere and be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/olivia-thirlby/the-older-i-get-and-the-longer-i-live-in-new-york-city-the-more-i/) [Olivia Thirlby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/olivia-thirlby/) > [I didn't have an incredibly active social life as a teenager. I always wished it was a little bit more exciting than it was.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/olivia-thirlby/i-didn-t-have-an-incredibly-active-social-life-as-a-teenager-i-always/) [Olivia Thirlby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/olivia-thirlby/) > [I love to cook. My dad's a really excellent cook and his style is: Look in the fridge and make whatever there is with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/olivia-thirlby/i-love-to-cook-my-dad-s-a-really-excellent-cook-and-his-style-is-look/) [Olivia Thirlby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/olivia-thirlby/) > [I'm not an eye-candy kind of girl.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/olivia-thirlby/i-m-not-an-eye-candy-kind-of-girl/) [Olivia Thirlby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/olivia-thirlby/) > [Sometimes in my life I feel like a bit of a sorceress who can't totally control all their power. I'm a Libra, so... Libra…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/olivia-thirlby/sometimes-in-my-life-i-feel-like-a-bit-of-a-sorceress-who-can-t/) [Olivia Thirlby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/olivia-thirlby/) [Explore all 39 Olivia Thirlby quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/olivia-thirlby/) ## More Acting 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/) > [Many Republicans have always reminded me of professional WWF wrestlers. They come into the ring all pumped up and acting like they're invincible and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-feig/many-republicans-have-always-reminded-me-of-professional-wwf/) [Paul Feig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-feig/) > [I'm a big fan of all the Boston guys that are acting - Matt Damon , Ben Affleck, Mark Wahlberg - they made a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenny-wormald/i-m-a-big-fan-of-all-the-boston-guys-that-are-acting-matt-damon-ben/) [Kenny Wormald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenny-wormald/) > [Acting is a grind, just like music is a grind. Sometimes it takes longer than what you can give.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/big-sean/acting-is-a-grind-just-like-music-is-a-grind-sometimes-it-takes/) [Big Sean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/big-sean/) > [It was only when I started making short films in college and I was looking for girls to play the me-ish parts that I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lena-dunham/it-was-only-when-i-started-making-short-films-in-college-and-i-was/) [Lena Dunham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lena-dunham/) > [Writing is something I took up rather than anything I had an inclination toward. I like acting -delivering someone else's message - but writing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-martin/writing-is-something-i-took-up-rather-than-anything-i-had-an/) [Steve Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-martin/) > [I can still function when I don't have that balance I crave. I had a tendency to be precious about acting, thinking of it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-regan/i-can-still-function-when-i-don-t-have-that-balance-i-crave-i-had-a/) [Laura Regan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-regan/) > [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/) > [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/) > [It definitely helps to have the acting experience going into singing, because when you're singing, you have to portray the emotion you were feeling…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-newman/it-definitely-helps-to-have-the-acting-experience-going-into-singing/) [Ryan Newman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-newman/) > [The show was number one in the ratings, Gordon Russell was our head writer, the story lines were magnificent and the acting most exciting.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-storm/the-show-was-number-one-in-the-ratings-gordon-russell-was-our-head/) [Michael Storm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-storm/) > [I've done so many other projects where you're in a room with a reader and you're acting your lines out: 'We have to get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-cummings/i-ve-done-so-many-other-projects-where-you-re-in-a-room-with-a-reader/) [Jim Cummings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-cummings/) > [I do not believe in public shaming. I do believe that young adults go to college to learn things, and that this process will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-weingarten/i-do-not-believe-in-public-shaming-i-do-believe-that-young-adults-go/) [Gene Weingarten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-weingarten/) > [Poetry has, in a way, been my bridge to my acting career.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/omari-hardwick/poetry-has-in-a-way-been-my-bridge-to-my-acting-career/) [Omari Hardwick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/omari-hardwick/) [Browse all 12,062 Acting quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/acting/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Acting is something that I always wanted, but I never paid attention to the notion that it might actually work out. 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