---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The announcement that I was going to be…"
description: "\"The announcement that I was going to be an actor was made when was I was 10 years old. And that didn't go down all that well, but I had a lot of years ..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d80/reggie-lee-15574_actor_the-announcement-that-i-was-going-to-be_314304.jpg"
---

#  The announcement that I was going to be an actor was made…

![“The announcement that I was going to be an actor was made when was I was 10 years old. And that didn't go down all that well, but I had a lot of years to butter up my parents. My parents have mellowed quite a bit, but, growing up, there was a sense that the only real professions were doctor…” quote by Reggie Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d80/reggie-lee-15574_actor_the-announcement-that-i-was-going-to-be_314304.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d80/reggie-lee-15574_actor_the-announcement-that-i-was-going-to-be_314304.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d80/reggie-lee-15574_actor_the-announcement-that-i-was-going-to-be_314304.jpg)

> “The announcement that I was going to be an actor was made when was I was 10 years old. And that didn't go down all that well, but I had a lot of years to butter up my parents. My parents have mellowed quite a bit, but, growing up, there was a sense that the only real professions were doctor, engineer, lawyer. Those were your choices.”

[Reggie Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reggie-lee/)

## 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 recounts early childhood pressure to pursue traditional careers, noting eventual parental acceptance of an artistic path.

**In simple terms:** Early expectations limited career choices, but persistence opened new paths.

Key Takeaway

Pursue passions despite expectations.

Themes

career pressure family expectations artistic ambition

Mood

determined hopeful

Type

personal motivational

When to use this quote

- career choice
- parental support
- creative pursuits

Key Concepts

conformity self‑determination

Questions to Reflect On

- What expectations have you challenged?
- How can families support unconventional careers?

A Different Perspective

Societal norms can stifle creativity.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Actor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actor/) [Announcement](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/announcement/) [Career](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/career/) [Choices](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/choices/) [Doctor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doctor/) [Growing up](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/growing-up/) [Lawyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lawyer/) [Parenting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/parenting/) [Parents](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/parents/) [Professions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/professions/) [Theatre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/theatre/)

## Related quotes

> [My parents have mellowed quite a bit, but, growing up, there was a sense that the only real professions were doctor, engineer, lawyer. Those…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reggie-lee/my-parents-have-mellowed-quite-a-bit-but-growing-up-there-was-a-sense/)

[Reggie Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reggie-lee/)

> [From the time I made my announcement that I was going to be an actor, I auditioned for community theater, did shows at Greenbrier,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reggie-lee/from-the-time-i-made-my-announcement-that-i-was-going-to-be-an-actor/)

[Reggie Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reggie-lee/)

> [Well, the announcement to say that I was no longer a member of Vampire Weekend was something that was in the works for a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rostam-batmanglij/well-the-announcement-to-say-that-i-was-no-longer-a-member-of-vampire/)

[Rostam Batmanglij](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rostam-batmanglij/)

> [All profound truths startle you in the first announcement.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/letitia-elizabeth-landon/all-profound-truths-startle-you-in-the-first-announcement/)

[Letitia Elizabeth Landon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/letitia-elizabeth-landon/)

> [To make this announcement fills me with great sadness, but I know I have been blessed in so many ways to have experienced what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonny-wilkinson/to-make-this-announcement-fills-me-with-great-sadness-but-i-know-i/)

[Jonny Wilkinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonny-wilkinson/)

> [A major announcement. Events are moving fast in my campaign, and yes, it's true that this morning I've dismissed my entire team of senior…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mccain/a-major-announcement-events-are-moving-fast-in-my-campaign-and-yes-it/)

[John McCain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mccain/)

> [Since the announcement that Boeing was going to open a plant in Charleston, South Carolina, Boeing has actually created 2,000 new jobs in Washington…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-wilson/since-the-announcement-that-boeing-was-going-to-open-a-plant-in/)

[Alan Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-wilson/)

> [I've praised Obama's record on same-sex equality as enthusiastically as anyone: it's one area where his record has been impressive. I understand, and have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-greenwald/i-ve-praised-obama-s-record-on-same-sex-equality-as-enthusiastically/)

[Glenn Greenwald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-greenwald/)

> [I'd said to my sweetheart a couple of days before that the SAG and Spirit Award nomination was amazing and I had no attachment…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hawkes/i-d-said-to-my-sweetheart-a-couple-of-days-before-that-the-sag-and/)

[John Hawkes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hawkes/)

> [Losing faith in your own singularity is the start of wisdom, I suppose; also the first announcement of death.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-conrad/losing-faith-in-your-own-singularity-is-the-start-of-wisdom-i-suppose/)

Peter Conrad

> [You don't want to come out with anything that's wrong, of course, in a scientific, you know, a major scientific announcement, and so you're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saul-perlmutter/you-don-t-want-to-come-out-with-anything-that-s-wrong-of-course-in-a/)

[Saul Perlmutter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saul-perlmutter/)

> [Once you're heterosexual and comfortable with that, you don't need to take out an announcement every day.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sandra-bernhard/once-you-re-heterosexual-and-comfortable-with-that-you-don-t-need-to/)

[Sandra Bernhard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sandra-bernhard/)

> [There shouldn't be an announcement that divides our food between what tastes good and what is good for us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-samuelsson/there-shouldn-t-be-an-announcement-that-divides-our-food-between-what/)

[Marcus Samuelsson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-samuelsson/)

> [Now in India, a village boy who has worked his way up to work at a call center, or if he gets a job…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marie-brenner/now-in-india-a-village-boy-who-has-worked-his-way-up-to-work-at-a/)

Marie Brenner

> [Directing your first film is like showing up to the field trip in seventh grade, getting on the bus, and making an announcement, 'So…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-birbiglia/directing-your-first-film-is-like-showing-up-to-the-field-trip-in/)

[Mike Birbiglia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-birbiglia/)

## More by Reggie Lee

> [I always tell Asian actors, especially Filipinos wanting to break into Hollywood, to study, study and study and show their best. I haven't stopped…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reggie-lee/i-always-tell-asian-actors-especially-filipinos-wanting-to-break-into/)

[Reggie Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reggie-lee/)

> [ More than anything, it's \[yoga\] really led to a solid belief in two fundamental things: that we have everything we will ever need, and… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reggie-lee/more-than-anything-it-s-yoga-really-led-to-a-solid-belief-in-two/)

[Reggie Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reggie-lee/)

> [When I was growing up in the Philippines, the story that was read to me most was Pinocchio.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reggie-lee/when-i-was-growing-up-in-the-philippines-the-story-that-was-read-to/)

[Reggie Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reggie-lee/)

> [Everything we will ever need, we already have within us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reggie-lee/everything-we-will-ever-need-we-already-have-within-us/)

[Reggie Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reggie-lee/)

> [I don't play a regular guy at all - never.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reggie-lee/i-don-t-play-a-regular-guy-at-all-never/)

[Reggie Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reggie-lee/)

> [How often, really, do you get a Filipino story line in a show? Not very often. I can't think of any.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reggie-lee/how-often-really-do-you-get-a-filipino-story-line-in-a-show-not-very/)

[Reggie Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reggie-lee/)

> [The other day, a doughnut shop in Portland called Pip's Originals tweeted me telling me that they named a doughnut after me called the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reggie-lee/the-other-day-a-doughnut-shop-in-portland-called-pip-s-originals/)

[Reggie Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reggie-lee/)

> [Most of my background is Filipino and partly Chinese, but mostly Filipino.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reggie-lee/most-of-my-background-is-filipino-and-partly-chinese-but-mostly/)

[Reggie Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reggie-lee/)

> [I took the 'Lee' from my grandparents, who took care of me during the day while my mom was away working.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reggie-lee/i-took-the-lee-from-my-grandparents-who-took-care-of-me-during-the/)

[Reggie Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reggie-lee/)

> [I have the biggest sweet tooth, and just recently a doughnut shop in Portland called Pip's Original introduced a doughnut inspired by me called…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reggie-lee/i-have-the-biggest-sweet-tooth-and-just-recently-a-doughnut-shop-in/)

[Reggie Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reggie-lee/)

> [My parents have mellowed quite a bit, but, growing up, there was a sense that the only real professions were doctor, engineer, lawyer. Those…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reggie-lee/my-parents-have-mellowed-quite-a-bit-but-growing-up-there-was-a-sense/)

[Reggie Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reggie-lee/)

> [I cannot see myself sitting at a desk from nine to five!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reggie-lee/i-cannot-see-myself-sitting-at-a-desk-from-nine-to-five/)

[Reggie Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reggie-lee/)

> [I love being the character actor. I get to stretch my muscles a little more.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reggie-lee/i-love-being-the-character-actor-i-get-to-stretch-my-muscles-a-little/)

[Reggie Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reggie-lee/)

> [There's this list on Internet Movie Database that I'm on, and it's called 'Actors with High Body Counts.' I'm always playing the bad guy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reggie-lee/there-s-this-list-on-internet-movie-database-that-i-m-on-and-it-s/)

[Reggie Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reggie-lee/)

> [You want something? Go get it with single-minded devotion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reggie-lee/you-want-something-go-get-it-with-single-minded-devotion/)

[Reggie Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reggie-lee/)

[Explore all 42 Reggie Lee quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reggie-lee/)

## 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": "The announcement that I was going to be an actor was made when was I was 10 years old. And that didn't go down all that well, but I had a lot of years to butter up my parents. My parents have mellowed quite a bit, but, growing up, there was a sense that the only real professions were doctor, engineer, lawyer. Those were your choices.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Reggie Lee"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reggie-lee/the-announcement-that-i-was-going-to-be-an-actor-was-made-when-was-i/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Actor"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reggie-lee/the-announcement-that-i-was-going-to-be-an-actor-was-made-when-was-i/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d80/reggie-lee-15574_actor_the-announcement-that-i-was-going-to-be_314304.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d80/reggie-lee-15574_actor_the-announcement-that-i-was-going-to-be_314304.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d80/reggie-lee-15574_actor_the-announcement-that-i-was-going-to-be_314304.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“The announcement that I was going to be an actor was made when was I was 10 years old. And that didn't go…” — Reggie Lee",
                "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": "Reggie Lee",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reggie-lee/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "The announcement that I was going...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reggie-lee/the-announcement-that-i-was-going-to-be-an-actor-was-made-when-was-i/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reggie-lee/the-announcement-that-i-was-going-to-be-an-actor-was-made-when-was-i/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
