--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I never pictured myself in California. I…" description: "\"I never pictured myself in California. I just thought I would be a character actress in New York on the stage. I never really had that stardom goal; I ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ada/rhea-perlman-28109_able_i-never-pictured-myself-in-california-i_1753722.jpg" --- # I never pictured myself in California. I just thought I… ![“I never pictured myself in California. I just thought I would be a character actress in New York on the stage. I never really had that stardom goal; I just wanted to be able to work as an actress and not as a waitress.” quote by Rhea Perlman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ada/rhea-perlman-28109_able_i-never-pictured-myself-in-california-i_1753722.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ada/rhea-perlman-28109_able_i-never-pictured-myself-in-california-i_1753722.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ada/rhea-perlman-28109_able_i-never-pictured-myself-in-california-i_1753722.jpg) > “I never pictured myself in California. I just thought I would be a character actress in New York on the stage. I never really had that stardom goal; I just wanted to be able to work as an actress and not as a waitress.” [Rhea Perlman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rhea-perlman/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. She imagined a modest acting career in New York, not fame, and sought work as an actress rather than a waitress. **In simple terms:** She wanted steady acting work, not stardom. Key Takeaway Focus on craft over fame. Themes career aspirations artistic integrity work ethic Mood determined reflective Type inspirational realistic When to use this quote - audition preparation - career planning - balancing day jobs with art - seeking roles - networking Key Concepts acting personal ambition industry realities Questions to Reflect On - What compromises are you willing to make for your art? - How do you define success beyond fame? A Different Perspective Success may still require compromising artistic goals for financial stability. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Able](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/able/) [Actress](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actress/) [Actress New](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actress-new-1628233/) [California](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/california/) [Character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character/) [Character Actress](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character-actress-314123/) [Goal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/goal/) [Goals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/goals/) [Had](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/had/) [Just](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/just/) [Myself](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/myself/) [Never](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/never/) [New](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/new/) [New york](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/new-york/) [Really](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/really/) [Stage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stage/) [Stardom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stardom/) [Theatre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/theatre/) [Thought](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thought/) [Waitress](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/waitress/) [Wanted](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wanted/) [Work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/work/) [Work Actress](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/work-actress-348504/) [Would](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/would/) [York](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/york/) ## Related quotes > [My mother was a very wonderful woman. When she and my dad divorced, she moved to California and worked two jobs in the cannery…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dolores-huerta/my-mother-was-a-very-wonderful-woman-when-she-and-my-dad-divorced-she/) [Dolores Huerta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dolores-huerta/) > [I'd like to work with any actress from whom I can learn-one who has had many experiences with many directors and is willing to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-savage/i-d-like-to-work-with-any-actress-from-whom-i-can-learn-one-who-has/) [Fred Savage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-savage/) > [While being called beautiful is extremely flattering, I would much rather be noticed for my work as an actress.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/halle-berry/while-being-called-beautiful-is-extremely-flattering-i-would-much/) [Halle Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/halle-berry/) > [On the red carpet, I can be different women with every event and change my style and that's funny because at the end of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alessandra-mastronardi/on-the-red-carpet-i-can-be-different-women-with-every-event-and/) [Alessandra Mastronardi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alessandra-mastronardi/) > [I think my work as an actress is less about a director and more about a person. You feel you can trust them instinctively.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-bello/i-think-my-work-as-an-actress-is-less-about-a-director-and-more-about/) [Maria Bello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-bello/) > [Someone once told me to "be a black belt at whatever you do." In other words, don't just be good or okay - be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heather-hemmens/someone-once-told-me-to-be-a-black-belt-at-whatever-you-do-in-other/) [Heather Hemmens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heather-hemmens/) > [I ask myself a lot of question about my work as an actress. We shall see. Plenty of friends tell me, 'Of course you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-gayet/i-ask-myself-a-lot-of-question-about-my-work-as-an-actress-we-shall/) [Julie Gayet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-gayet/) > [I think if you work as an actress and are supposed as a character to be in love with some actor, then to some…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-stratten/i-think-if-you-work-as-an-actress-and-are-supposed-as-a-character-to/) [Dorothy Stratten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-stratten/) > [I love being a mum, but it's much more intensive work than being an actress - going to work feels like you've got a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natalie-portman/i-love-being-a-mum-but-it-s-much-more-intensive-work-than-being-an/) [Natalie Portman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natalie-portman/) > [I did enjoy and take pride in my work as an actress, yet I'm bemused by suppositions that my life since has somehow been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grace-kelly/i-did-enjoy-and-take-pride-in-my-work-as-an-actress-yet-i-m-bemused/) [Grace Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grace-kelly/) > [In my work as an actress and an activist, I've spent many years working with low income communities and people of color who don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gloria-reuben/in-my-work-as-an-actress-and-an-activist-i-ve-spent-many-years/) [Gloria Reuben](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gloria-reuben/) > [By rights, I should be an out-of-work actress because I just don't want it as badly as some people want it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evangeline-lilly/by-rights-i-should-be-an-out-of-work-actress-because-i-just-don-t/) [Evangeline Lilly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evangeline-lilly/) > [After 'The Real Thing,' I thought about giving up acting because it's difficult to have a rich life outside your work when you're an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-ehle/after-the-real-thing-i-thought-about-giving-up-acting-because-it-s/) [Jennifer Ehle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-ehle/) > [I mean, any time an actress gets to work with another actress, it's like, 'Oh, there are two of us in a movie! How…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-garner/i-mean-any-time-an-actress-gets-to-work-with-another-actress-it-s/) [Jennifer Garner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-garner/) > [I had no idea of being a star, all I knew was that I wanted to be a great actress, I wanted to work…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bette-midler/i-had-no-idea-of-being-a-star-all-i-knew-was-that-i-wanted-to-be-a/) [Bette Midler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bette-midler/) ## More by Rhea Perlman > [The secret to success is to try to never figure that out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rhea-perlman/the-secret-to-success-is-to-try-to-never-figure-that-out/) [Rhea Perlman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rhea-perlman/) > [I watched 'The Neighbors' when it first came on, and I thought it was hysterical. And every time I think something just tickles my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rhea-perlman/i-watched-the-neighbors-when-it-first-came-on-and-i-thought-it-was/) [Rhea Perlman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rhea-perlman/) > [Any good thing that happens to someone you love can only be good for you too.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rhea-perlman/any-good-thing-that-happens-to-someone-you-love-can-only-be-good-for/) [Rhea Perlman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rhea-perlman/) > [Our kids are not Jewish, and they're not Catholic. They're not Episcopalian. They're not Buddhist. They're not anything. We do all the holidays to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rhea-perlman/our-kids-are-not-jewish-and-they-re-not-catholic-they-re-not/) [Rhea Perlman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rhea-perlman/) > [My family is from Russia and Poland. We never had that thing with the German Jews.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rhea-perlman/my-family-is-from-russia-and-poland-we-never-had-that-thing-with-the/) [Rhea Perlman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rhea-perlman/) > [No child should be raised in a system. A system isn't a parent. Even the system knows this, which is why the Children and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rhea-perlman/no-child-should-be-raised-in-a-system-a-system-isn-t-a-parent-even/) [Rhea Perlman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rhea-perlman/) > [Sometimes a child will get lucky and be placed with foster parents who are loving and supportive and who consider that child their own.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rhea-perlman/sometimes-a-child-will-get-lucky-and-be-placed-with-foster-parents/) [Rhea Perlman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rhea-perlman/) > [Kids who enter 'adulthood' without any strong attachments to people who know and care about them have a rough road ahead, to say the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rhea-perlman/kids-who-enter-adulthood-without-any-strong-attachments-to-people-who/) [Rhea Perlman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rhea-perlman/) > [My first and most loved real novel was 'Little Women.' I identified with the Jo character even though we were opposites. Jo was very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rhea-perlman/my-first-and-most-loved-real-novel-was-little-women-i-identified-with/) [Rhea Perlman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rhea-perlman/) > [We live a pretty real life within our Hollywood selves. I'm not working 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, by any means.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rhea-perlman/we-live-a-pretty-real-life-within-our-hollywood-selves-i-m-not/) [Rhea Perlman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rhea-perlman/) > [When I was a kid, I loved having a book in my hand. I still do. I wasn't a fast reader, but I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rhea-perlman/when-i-was-a-kid-i-loved-having-a-book-in-my-hand-i-still-do-i-wasn-t/) [Rhea Perlman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rhea-perlman/) > [There's one thing about TV that I really think is true. If you find the right cast and the right writers, and you got…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rhea-perlman/there-s-one-thing-about-tv-that-i-really-think-is-true-if-you-find/) [Rhea Perlman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rhea-perlman/) > [Everyone's surprised when they meet me. I guess it's because I've played tough cookies for so long... It's what I do best. I'm not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rhea-perlman/everyone-s-surprised-when-they-meet-me-i-guess-it-s-because-i-ve/) [Rhea Perlman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rhea-perlman/) > [The most important element of the foster care system is getting kids out of foster care and into a permanent placement so they don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rhea-perlman/the-most-important-element-of-the-foster-care-system-is-getting-kids/) [Rhea Perlman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rhea-perlman/) > [Lots of kids, including my son, have trouble making the leap from reading words or a few sentences in picture books to chapter books.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rhea-perlman/lots-of-kids-including-my-son-have-trouble-making-the-leap-from/) [Rhea Perlman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rhea-perlman/) [Explore all 19 Rhea Perlman quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rhea-perlman/) ## More Able quotes > [I am certain that children always know more than they are able to tell, and that makes the big difference between them and adults,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-lusseyran/i-am-certain-that-children-always-know-more-than-they-are-able-to/) [Jacques Lusseyran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-lusseyran/) > [I have observed this in my experience of slavery, - that whenever my condition was improved, instead of its increasing my contentment, it only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-douglass/i-have-observed-this-in-my-experience-of-slavery-that-whenever-my/) [Frederick Douglass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-douglass/) > [There is something about the South that accepts the supernatural. If you don't accept it and you're having a conversation with someone who does,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-englert/there-is-something-about-the-south-that-accepts-the-supernatural-if/) [Alice Englert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-englert/) > [In the '80s, the way radio was programmed, if you didn't have a hit record you weren't going to be able to make any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/huey-lewis/in-the-80s-the-way-radio-was-programmed-if-you-didn-t-have-a-hit/) [Huey Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/huey-lewis/) > [I think I've had the longest career of strength, focus, and still being able to sell records. I think I'm that guy. I'm still…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nas/i-think-i-ve-had-the-longest-career-of-strength-focus-and-still-being/) [Nas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nas/) > [I have that need in me, I want everyone to love me, but I'm embarrassed by that need, so I wanted to cover it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-jeselnik/i-have-that-need-in-me-i-want-everyone-to-love-me-but-i-m-embarrassed/) [Anthony Jeselnik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-jeselnik/) > [Thinking about the things that happened, I don't know any other ball player would could have done what he (Jackie Robinson) did. To be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pee-wee-reese/thinking-about-the-things-that-happened-i-don-t-know-any-other-ball/) [Pee Wee Reese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pee-wee-reese/) > [I wanted to remember in order to be able to return.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anais-nin/i-wanted-to-remember-in-order-to-be-able-to-return/) [Anais Nin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anais-nin/) > [Government schools, with your tax money, now discourage the teaching of multiplication tables by rote memorization but teach reading by the 'look-and-say' method which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-perry/government-schools-with-your-tax-money-now-discourage-the-teaching-of/) [Greg Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-perry/) > [I don't know if I would qualify as mainstream. I think I have managed to function pretty successfully on the fringes of the music…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-metheny/i-don-t-know-if-i-would-qualify-as-mainstream-i-think-i-have-managed/) [Pat Metheny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-metheny/) > [What we're supposed to do as actors is be able to portray real human beings and emotions. And if you grow up in this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-browning/what-we-re-supposed-to-do-as-actors-is-be-able-to-portray-real-human/) [Emily Browning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-browning/) > [The reason that Apple is able to create products like iPad is because we always try to be at the intersection of technology and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-jobs/the-reason-that-apple-is-able-to-create-products-like-ipad-is-because/) [Steve Jobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-jobs/) > [It was an important period for us, because even though we weren't a "punk band", and what became a model for a punk band,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-mallinder/it-was-an-important-period-for-us-because-even-though-we-weren-t-a/) [Stephen Mallinder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-mallinder/) > [- You look fine. - Right. I look fine. Except I don't, said Zora, tugging sadly at her man's nightshirt. This was why Kiki…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zadie-smith/you-look-fine-right-i-look-fine-except-i-don-t-said-zora-tugging/) [Zadie Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zadie-smith/) > [There is a way to be a woman, ask for what we deserve and be able to negotiate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tracee-ellis-ross/there-is-a-way-to-be-a-woman-ask-for-what-we-deserve-and-be-able-to/) [Tracee Ellis Ross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tracee-ellis-ross/) [Browse all 17,257 Able quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/able/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I never pictured myself in California. I just thought I would be a character actress in New York on the stage. 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