--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It took a long time for me to accept I…" description: "\"It took a long time for me to accept I was an actor, a professional actor, and that, actually, I make a living out of this.\" — Robert Carlyle" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e9a/robert-carlyle-8645_accept_it-took-a-long-time-for-me-to-accept-i-w_2863869.png" --- # It took a long time for me to accept I was an actor, a… ![“It took a long time for me to accept I was an actor, a professional actor, and that, actually, I make a living out of this.” quote by Robert Carlyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e9a/robert-carlyle-8645_accept_it-took-a-long-time-for-me-to-accept-i-w_2863869.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e9a/robert-carlyle-8645_accept_it-took-a-long-time-for-me-to-accept-i-w_2863869.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e9a/robert-carlyle-8645_accept_it-took-a-long-time-for-me-to-accept-i-w_2863869.png) > “It took a long time for me to accept I was an actor, a professional actor, and that, actually, I make a living out of this.” [Robert Carlyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-carlyle/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He recounts the long process of accepting his identity as a professional actor and making a living from it. **In simple terms:** He finally accepted being a professional actor. Key Takeaway Own your professional identity. Themes self‑acceptance career identity Mood reflective determined Type personal inspirational When to use this quote - acting - career transitions - self‑branding Key Concepts personal growth creative professions Questions to Reflect On - What holds you back from embracing your role? - How does acceptance change your work? A Different Perspective Acceptance can be delayed by doubt. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Accept](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/accept/) [Accept Actor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/accept-actor-2327911/) [Actor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actor/) [Actor Actually](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actor-actually-694438/) [Actor Professional](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actor-professional-1257938/) [Actually](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actually/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Living](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/living/) [Long](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/long/) [Long time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/long-time/) [Make](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/make/) [Me](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/me/) [Out](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/out/) [Professional](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/professional/) [Professional Actor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/professional-actor-304815/) [Theatre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/theatre/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Took](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/took/) [Took Long](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/took-long/) ## Related quotes > [I don't want to be a luvvie actor. It took a long time for me to accept I was an actor, a professional actor,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-carlyle/i-don-t-want-to-be-a-luvvie-actor-it-took-a-long-time-for-me-to/) [Robert Carlyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-carlyle/) > [It's fun to get the script every Monday morning and go, "Cool!" I'm a professional actor, but I'm also a professional story lover. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-barr/it-s-fun-to-get-the-script-every-monday-morning-and-go-cool-i-m-a/) [Matt Barr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-barr/) > [I've been a professional actor for almost 40 years.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-perlman/i-ve-been-a-professional-actor-for-almost-40-years/) [Ron Perlman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-perlman/) > [The first 10 years I was a professional actor, I did Shakespeare.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/powers-boothe/the-first-10-years-i-was-a-professional-actor-i-did-shakespeare/) [Powers Boothe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/powers-boothe/) > [I'm a professional actor, not a celebrity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pam-ferris/i-m-a-professional-actor-not-a-celebrity/) [Pam Ferris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pam-ferris/) > [I am a professional actor, and I don't go about moralizing about what the character does. Otherwise, seriously, why be an actor? You're not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-mcdowell/i-am-a-professional-actor-and-i-don-t-go-about-moralizing-about-what/) [Malcolm McDowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-mcdowell/) > [I always wanted to be an actor. My first professional job was at 19, working in New York theater.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-scolari/i-always-wanted-to-be-an-actor-my-first-professional-job-was-at-19/) [Peter Scolari](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-scolari/) > [I am not a star. I am an actor. I have been fighting for years to make people forget that I am just a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alain-delon/i-am-not-a-star-i-am-an-actor-i-have-been-fighting-for-years-to-make/) [Alain Delon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alain-delon/) > [The only place I want to be recognised is the red carpet or an actor, where I am in my professional capacity. Otherwise I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richa-chadha/the-only-place-i-want-to-be-recognised-is-the-red-carpet-or-an-actor/) [Richa Chadha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richa-chadha/) > [Jim Carrey is a consummate actor and professional. He comes on set, knows his lines and knows his moves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christine-baranski/jim-carrey-is-a-consummate-actor-and-professional-he-comes-on-set/) [Christine Baranski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christine-baranski/) > [Experiencing so many firsts, maturing as an actor, a professional, and a human. In the process, gaining friends, family, and the best coworkers a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cameron-monaghan/experiencing-so-many-firsts-maturing-as-an-actor-a-professional-and-a/) [Cameron Monaghan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cameron-monaghan/) > [In my 20s, it was easy. In your 40s, it's a lot more challenging. You have to look at it like you're an actor,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-wu/in-my-20s-it-was-easy-in-your-40s-it-s-a-lot-more-challenging-you/) [Daniel Wu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-wu/) > [My thing is to gain the respect as an actor, as a professional, and the friendship and everything else will happen from there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-k-williams/my-thing-is-to-gain-the-respect-as-an-actor-as-a-professional-and-the/) [Michael K. Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-k-williams/) > [For me, an actor is really, first and foremost, a person and an individual, more than they are an actor or a professional.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ira-sachs/for-me-an-actor-is-really-first-and-foremost-a-person-and-an/) [Ira Sachs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ira-sachs/) > [It's been interesting even thinking of myself as an 'actor' in a professional sense.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evan-mock/it-s-been-interesting-even-thinking-of-myself-as-an-actor-in-a/) [Evan Mock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evan-mock/) ## More by Robert Carlyle > [Hunger's a great spur.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-carlyle/hunger-s-a-great-spur/) [Robert Carlyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-carlyle/) > [We met in Cracker. I played a maniac fan who murders a policeman and she did my makeup. I thought anyone interested in me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-carlyle/we-met-in-cracker-i-played-a-maniac-fan-who-murders-a-policeman-and/) [Robert Carlyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-carlyle/) > [Biologically, I'm lucky - an angular face and dark colouring which shows up well on camera.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-carlyle/biologically-i-m-lucky-an-angular-face-and-dark-colouring-which-shows/) [Robert Carlyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-carlyle/) > [At times of the severest depression, humor is what binds people together.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-carlyle/at-times-of-the-severest-depression-humor-is-what-binds-people/) [Robert Carlyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-carlyle/) > [I don't want to be a luvvie actor. It took a long time for me to accept I was an actor, a professional actor,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-carlyle/i-don-t-want-to-be-a-luvvie-actor-it-took-a-long-time-for-me-to/) [Robert Carlyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-carlyle/) > [I've always taken my love of children from my father. He was a children magnet. Suddenly, having my first child hit home what my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-carlyle/i-ve-always-taken-my-love-of-children-from-my-father-he-was-a/) [Robert Carlyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-carlyle/) > [When I look back at my past and the way I grew up, I grew up on communes. That was meant to be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-carlyle/when-i-look-back-at-my-past-and-the-way-i-grew-up-i-grew-up-on/) [Robert Carlyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-carlyle/) > [Each performance and each film is what it is. It's right and belongs within that moment. You look at it and try to make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-carlyle/each-performance-and-each-film-is-what-it-is-it-s-right-and-belongs/) [Robert Carlyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-carlyle/) > [I was 16 when I was in a band, for about 10 minutes. I went off and did acting after that. So it was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-carlyle/i-was-16-when-i-was-in-a-band-for-about-10-minutes-i-went-off-and-did/) [Robert Carlyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-carlyle/) > [Most of the time, you find that the smaller the budget, the more the project is about something substantive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-carlyle/most-of-the-time-you-find-that-the-smaller-the-budget-the-more-the/) [Robert Carlyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-carlyle/) > [People in Scotland appreciate homegrown talent, but it's getting harder and harder to get films made in Britain.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-carlyle/people-in-scotland-appreciate-homegrown-talent-but-it-s-getting/) [Robert Carlyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-carlyle/) > [In troubled times the last thing you want to do is to stick your money into a film. It's such a gamble.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-carlyle/in-troubled-times-the-last-thing-you-want-to-do-is-to-stick-your/) [Robert Carlyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-carlyle/) > [I rant and rave about noise pollution.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-carlyle/i-rant-and-rave-about-noise-pollution/) [Robert Carlyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-carlyle/) > [I feel like I'm the luckiest man on the planet.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-carlyle/i-feel-like-i-m-the-luckiest-man-on-the-planet/) [Robert Carlyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-carlyle/) > [To pursue a career in Hollywood you have to have a personality bypass. Look at the top 20 stars in the world - there's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-carlyle/to-pursue-a-career-in-hollywood-you-have-to-have-a-personality-bypass/) [Robert Carlyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-carlyle/) [Explore all 79 Robert Carlyle quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-carlyle/) ## More Accept quotes > [If we accept being talked to any kind of a way, then we are telling ourselves we are not quite worth the best. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-angelou/if-we-accept-being-talked-to-any-kind-of-a-way-then-we-are-telling/) [Maya Angelou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-angelou/) > [The shelves of many evangelicals are full of books that point out the flaws in evolution, discuss it only as a theory, and almost…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-collins/the-shelves-of-many-evangelicals-are-full-of-books-that-point-out-the/) [Francis Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-collins/) > [The fans can accept a poor performance, but they won't take it when you choose not to put in the effort.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pep-guardiola/the-fans-can-accept-a-poor-performance-but-they-won-t-take-it-when/) [Pep Guardiola](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pep-guardiola/) > [“See, I know what they think about me. That I’m some project. And, yeah, I’ll accept their help. But I’m gonna pay my way.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kirsty-eagar/see-i-know-what-they-think-about-me-that-i-m-some-project-and-yeah-i/) [Kirsty Eagar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kirsty-eagar/) > [If you're disabled or different from what general society deems normal, it's fine. There will always be people who won't accept you, but there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/millicent-simmonds/if-you-re-disabled-or-different-from-what-general-society-deems/) [Millicent Simmonds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/millicent-simmonds/) > [Things don't go on forever, and the quicker you accept that change is inevitable, the happier you're gonna be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trey-anastasio/things-don-t-go-on-forever-and-the-quicker-you-accept-that-change-is/) [Trey Anastasio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trey-anastasio/) > [It's very important to me that people accept me as a transgendered female. But it's ridiculous to a lot of people and I understand…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexis-arquette/it-s-very-important-to-me-that-people-accept-me-as-a-transgendered/) [Alexis Arquette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexis-arquette/) > [I've always taken care of myself, and I'm a non-conformist, so I don't accept the negativity that comes with birthdays.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-van-dam/i-ve-always-taken-care-of-myself-and-i-m-a-non-conformist-so-i-don-t/) [Rob Van Dam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-van-dam/) > [Not harder than it should be, no. We're about the business, we're about the work. It's all about the work, always. We have fun…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antoine-fuqua/not-harder-than-it-should-be-no-we-re-about-the-business-we-re-about/) [Antoine Fuqua](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antoine-fuqua/) > [I wish I could just accept that I'm not that good and not be shy about the fact that I'm not that professional.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-gainsbourg/i-wish-i-could-just-accept-that-i-m-not-that-good-and-not-be-shy/) [Charlotte Gainsbourg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-gainsbourg/) > [I cannot accept being silent in the face of injustice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jasmine-crockett/i-cannot-accept-being-silent-in-the-face-of-injustice/) [Jasmine Crockett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jasmine-crockett/) > [“I hope there is less stigma and judgment against working moms and childless career women. All should be acceptable positions and society should not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chan-heng-chee/i-hope-there-is-less-stigma-and-judgment-against-working-moms-and/) [Chan Heng Chee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chan-heng-chee/) > [“Of course I can accept you for who you are. You are someone I need to change.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randy-glasbergen/of-course-i-can-accept-you-for-who-you-are-you-are-someone-i-need-to/) [Randy Glasbergen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randy-glasbergen/) > [I can't be that kind of person others want me to be.I know I can't please everybody for just being me But I'm glad…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nix/i-can-t-be-that-kind-of-person-others-want-me-to-be-i-know-i-can-t/) [Nix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nix/) > [I don't care who you are,Where you from,As long as you love me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mks-vibz/i-don-t-care-who-you-are-where-you-from-as-long-as-you-love-me/) [Mks Vibz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mks-vibz/) [Browse all 2,963 Accept quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/accept/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "It took a long time for me to accept I was an actor, a professional actor, and that, actually, I make a living out of this.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Robert Carlyle" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-carlyle/it-took-a-long-time-for-me-to-accept-i-was-an-actor-a-professional/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Accept" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-carlyle/it-took-a-long-time-for-me-to-accept-i-was-an-actor-a-professional/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e9a/robert-carlyle-8645_accept_it-took-a-long-time-for-me-to-accept-i-w_2863869.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e9a/robert-carlyle-8645_accept_it-took-a-long-time-for-me-to-accept-i-w_2863869.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e9a/robert-carlyle-8645_accept_it-took-a-long-time-for-me-to-accept-i-w_2863869.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“It took a long time for me to accept I was an actor, a professional actor, and that, actually, I make a…” — Robert Carlyle", "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": "Robert Carlyle", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-carlyle/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "It took a long time for...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-carlyle/it-took-a-long-time-for-me-to-accept-i-was-an-actor-a-professional/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-carlyle/it-took-a-long-time-for-me-to-accept-i-was-an-actor-a-professional/#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 } } ] } ```