--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I had this totally impossible dream of…" description: "\"I had this totally impossible dream of being an actress. Trust me, just because I'm lucky enough to be doing this doesn't make any of this less of a pi..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5d6/olivia-thirlby-16453_actresses_i-had-this-totally-impossible-dream-of-b_1131294.jpg" --- # I had this totally impossible dream of being an actress… ![“I had this totally impossible dream of being an actress. Trust me, just because I'm lucky enough to be doing this doesn't make any of this less of a pipe dream. And nothing gets my juices flowing like a really great performance. To see someone on stage, I get really excited.” quote by Olivia Thirlby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5d6/olivia-thirlby-16453_actresses_i-had-this-totally-impossible-dream-of-b_1131294.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5d6/olivia-thirlby-16453_actresses_i-had-this-totally-impossible-dream-of-b_1131294.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5d6/olivia-thirlby-16453_actresses_i-had-this-totally-impossible-dream-of-b_1131294.jpg) > “I had this totally impossible dream of being an actress. Trust me, just because I'm lucky enough to be doing this doesn't make any of this less of a pipe dream. And nothing gets my juices flowing like a really great performance. To see someone on stage, I get really excited.” [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. Even when a dream seems impossible, passion and performance can drive fulfillment; success does not diminish the dream’s value. **In simple terms:** Passion fuels dreams despite odds. Key Takeaway Pursue passion regardless of odds. Themes dreams acting passion performance self‑belief Mood inspirational hopeful Type artistic motivational When to use this quote - Auditions - theatre workshops - personal storytelling - creative practice Key Concepts Psychology of ambition artistic fulfillment Questions to Reflect On - What fuels your artistic drive? - How do you balance ambition with practicality? A Different Perspective Dreams may remain unattainable without realistic planning. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Actress](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actress/) [Actresses](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actresses/) [Dream](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dream/) [Dream Actress](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dream-actress-2318337/) [Dreams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dreams/) [Enough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/enough/) [Excited](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/excited/) [Get real](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/get-real/) [Impossible](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/impossible/) [Impossible dream](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/impossible-dream/) [Juice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/juice/) [Lucky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lucky/) [Performances](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/performances/) [Pipe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pipe/) [Pipe Dream](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pipe-dream-439803/) [Pipe dreams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pipe-dreams/) [Really great](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/really-great/) [Stage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stage/) [Stage Really](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stage-really/) [Theatre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/theatre/) [Trust me](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trust-me/) ## Related quotes > [It is a pipe dream to think that that bill is going to the floor and be voted on.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-roskam/it-is-a-pipe-dream-to-think-that-that-bill-is-going-to-the-floor-and/) [Peter Roskam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-roskam/) > [Let us, above all, be clear that, without a convincing program of debt relief to start the new millennium, our objective of halving world…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kofi-annan/let-us-above-all-be-clear-that-without-a-convincing-program-of-debt/) [Kofi Annan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kofi-annan/) > [The lie of a pipe dream is what gives life to the whole misbegotten mad lot of us, drunk or sober.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eugene-o-neill/the-lie-of-a-pipe-dream-is-what-gives-life-to-the-whole-misbegotten/) [Eugene O'Neill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eugene-o-neill/) > [Maybe, through the stories I share about my life and others and the medical research that has been dedicated to the world of positive…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trista-sutter/maybe-through-the-stories-i-share-about-my-life-and-others-and-the/) [Trista Sutter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trista-sutter/) > [Microkernels are not a pipe dream. They represent proven technology.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-s-tanenbaum/microkernels-are-not-a-pipe-dream-they-represent-proven-technology/) [Andrew S. Tanenbaum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-s-tanenbaum/) > [To hell with the truth! As the history of the world proves, the truth has no bearing on anything. It's irrelevant and immaterial, as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eugene-o-neill/to-hell-with-the-truth-as-the-history-of-the-world-proves-the-truth/) [Eugene O'Neill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eugene-o-neill/) > [I think everyone's dream is to be an actress, but I never really thought it was going to happen. Now that it's happening, it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nina-dobrev/i-think-everyone-s-dream-is-to-be-an-actress-but-i-never-really/) [Nina Dobrev](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nina-dobrev/) > [I barely slept during high school because I was too busy dancing and acting all the time. The plan was to go to my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachele-brooke-smith/i-barely-slept-during-high-school-because-i-was-too-busy-dancing-and/) [Rachele Brooke Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachele-brooke-smith/) > [I think everyone's dream is to be an actress, but I never really thought it was going to happen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nina-dobrev/i-think-everyone-s-dream-is-to-be-an-actress-but-i-never-really-2/) [Nina Dobrev](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nina-dobrev/) > [Marilyn always dreamt of being an actress. She didn't, by the way, dream of being just a star. She dreamt of being an actress.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-strasberg/marilyn-always-dreamt-of-being-an-actress-she-didn-t-by-the-way-dream/) [Lee Strasberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-strasberg/) > [My dream actress to work with would be Amy Adams.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adwoa-aboah/my-dream-actress-to-work-with-would-be-amy-adams/) [Adwoa Aboah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adwoa-aboah/) > [When I was a kid, my dream was to be an actress and to be able to jump from one world to another, to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marion-cotillard/when-i-was-a-kid-my-dream-was-to-be-an-actress-and-to-be-able-to-jump/) [Marion Cotillard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marion-cotillard/) > [It wasn't until entering my twenties that I began to identify my real dream as an actress.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liu-yifei/it-wasn-t-until-entering-my-twenties-that-i-began-to-identify-my-real/) [Liu Yifei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liu-yifei/) > [It was my childhood dream to become an actress, and I've worked hard to get to this stage. So I am enjoying the life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nidhhi-agerwal/it-was-my-childhood-dream-to-become-an-actress-and-i-ve-worked-hard/) [Nidhhi Agerwal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nidhhi-agerwal/) > [All my life, I call myself wanting to be a lawyer because of Clair Huxtable. But the real dream was to be an actress.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nafessa-williams/all-my-life-i-call-myself-wanting-to-be-a-lawyer-because-of-clair/) [Nafessa Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nafessa-williams/) ## 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 Actress quotes > [Sigourney Weaver is a wonderful person. I was so lucky to have the opportunity to meet and work with such an amazing actress. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carrie-henn/sigourney-weaver-is-a-wonderful-person-i-was-so-lucky-to-have-the/) [Carrie Henn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carrie-henn/) > [People forget I'm an actress.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joey-heatherton/people-forget-i-m-an-actress/) [Joey Heatherton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joey-heatherton/) > [I adore Kelly Bishop as a human being and as an actress.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-gunn/i-adore-kelly-bishop-as-a-human-being-and-as-an-actress/) [Sean Gunn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-gunn/) > [I've been told before, and I tend to believe it, I'm not like most actresses out there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/moira-kelly/i-ve-been-told-before-and-i-tend-to-believe-it-i-m-not-like-most/) [Moira Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/moira-kelly/) > [Marilyn was a great actress, not a dumb blond bombshell. She was very smart, very astute and a good businesswoman.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-schiller/marilyn-was-a-great-actress-not-a-dumb-blond-bombshell-she-was-very/) [Lawrence Schiller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-schiller/) > [I'm an actress, not a pin-up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francesca-annis/i-m-an-actress-not-a-pin-up/) [Francesca Annis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francesca-annis/) > [My father was a GP; my mother was a teacher and amateur actress. My father was a bit of a storyteller, but the acting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ciaran-hinds/my-father-was-a-gp-my-mother-was-a-teacher-and-amateur-actress-my/) [Ciaran Hinds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ciaran-hinds/) > [I never wished that I was a superstar. Hell, I never even wished that I was an actress.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-lane/i-never-wished-that-i-was-a-superstar-hell-i-never-even-wished-that-i/) [Diane Lane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-lane/) > [Many of the heroines from outside Karnataka have worked in my films, but the attitude and adjusting nature of top South Indian actress Nayantara…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rockline-venkatesh/many-of-the-heroines-from-outside-karnataka-have-worked-in-my-films/) [Rockline Venkatesh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rockline-venkatesh/) > [There are a lot of great actresses out there. You learn to appreciate each one for what they offer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victoria-pratt/there-are-a-lot-of-great-actresses-out-there-you-learn-to-appreciate/) [Victoria Pratt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victoria-pratt/) > [There's certain things I try to avoid, as an actress, just to keep my world from being as narrow as it could be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/famke-janssen/there-s-certain-things-i-try-to-avoid-as-an-actress-just-to-keep-my/) [Famke Janssen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/famke-janssen/) > [I never wanted to be an opera singer. I wanted to be an actress, maybe a rock singer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristine-opolais/i-never-wanted-to-be-an-opera-singer-i-wanted-to-be-an-actress-maybe/) [Kristine Opolais](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristine-opolais/) > [When an actor charges high fees, nobody says anything. But when an actress does the same, it becomes news.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vijayashanti/when-an-actor-charges-high-fees-nobody-says-anything-but-when-an/) [Vijayashanti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vijayashanti/) > [I am going to be a great actress.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vivien-leigh/i-am-going-to-be-a-great-actress/) [Vivien Leigh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vivien-leigh/) > [As a black actress you've got to work doubly hard. But it doesn't ever get me to the point where I give up on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naturi-naughton/as-a-black-actress-you-ve-got-to-work-doubly-hard-but-it-doesn-t-ever/) [Naturi Naughton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naturi-naughton/) [Browse all 2,244 Actress quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actress/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I had this totally impossible dream of being an actress. 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