--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I've never been one of those actors who…" description: "\"I've never been one of those actors who has touted myself as a fascinating human being. I had to decide early on whether I was to be an actor or a pers..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f7d/robert-de-niro-3745_actor_i-ve-never-been-one-of-those-actors-who_2715002.jpg" --- # I've never been one of those actors who has touted myself… ![“I've never been one of those actors who has touted myself as a fascinating human being. I had to decide early on whether I was to be an actor or a personality.” quote by Robert De Niro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f7d/robert-de-niro-3745_actor_i-ve-never-been-one-of-those-actors-who_2715002.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f7d/robert-de-niro-3745_actor_i-ve-never-been-one-of-those-actors-who_2715002.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f7d/robert-de-niro-3745_actor_i-ve-never-been-one-of-those-actors-who_2715002.jpg) > “I've never been one of those actors who has touted myself as a fascinating human being. I had to decide early on whether I was to be an actor or a personality.” [Robert De Niro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-de-niro/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He distinguishes acting from personal fame, choosing craft over self‑promotion. **In simple terms:** He chose acting, not celebrity. Key Takeaway Focus on skill, not image. Themes career identity humility Mood reflective determined Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - auditions - media interviews - career planning Key Concepts self‑presentation authenticity Questions to Reflect On - Do you prioritize craft over fame? - How does humility affect your work? A Different Perspective May limit personal branding opportunities. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Actor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actor/) [Actors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actors/) [Personality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/personality/) [Theatre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/theatre/) ## Related quotes > [Most of the early part of an actor's career, you do the jobs you get.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-nicholson/most-of-the-early-part-of-an-actor-s-career-you-do-the-jobs-you-get/) [Jack Nicholson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-nicholson/) > [You learn early as an actor that creating your own material is the only way to have any control.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-poehler/you-learn-early-as-an-actor-that-creating-your-own-material-is-the/) [Amy Poehler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-poehler/) > [I realized early on that if I became an actor, I could play a writer and a sculptor and a painter and be all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-dean-stanton/i-realized-early-on-that-if-i-became-an-actor-i-could-play-a-writer/) [Harry Dean Stanton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-dean-stanton/) > [The real road, to me, was within the actor, within myself, within my own personality. How much Jeffrey can I find, and how much…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-tambor/the-real-road-to-me-was-within-the-actor-within-myself-within-my-own/) [Jeffrey Tambor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-tambor/) > [Someone I met years ago explained to me the difference between a personality and an actor, a personality being Eddie Murphy or Roseanne Barr,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orlando-jones/someone-i-met-years-ago-explained-to-me-the-difference-between-a/) [Orlando Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orlando-jones/) > [We all know that a beautiful face is an important aspect of an actor's personality if he or she wants to make it big…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anushka-sharma/we-all-know-that-a-beautiful-face-is-an-important-aspect-of-an-actor/) [Anushka Sharma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anushka-sharma/) > [I think of myself as an actor or a personality, the personality of Divine, an entertainer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/divine/i-think-of-myself-as-an-actor-or-a-personality-the-personality-of/) [Divine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/divine/) > [When I was in theater I was forever trying to inhabit a space which puts yourself under the microscope as an actor and your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-serkis/when-i-was-in-theater-i-was-forever-trying-to-inhabit-a-space-which/) [Andy Serkis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-serkis/) > [I think the most important thing for an actor is your personality and if someone wants you to change that, then you have lost…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kunal-kapoor/i-think-the-most-important-thing-for-an-actor-is-your-personality-and/) [Kunal Kapoor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kunal-kapoor/) > [As I say, there's something that scares the hell out of me but it really makes me work hard in losing myself. I'm not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-suchet/as-i-say-there-s-something-that-scares-the-hell-out-of-me-but-it/) [David Suchet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-suchet/) > [I'm not an actor. I'm a personality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-macmurray/i-m-not-an-actor-i-m-a-personality/) [Fred MacMurray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-macmurray/) > [Age is as much an asset for character players as it is for good wine. Human experiences, both good and bad, leave their marks…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/strother-martin/age-is-as-much-an-asset-for-character-players-as-it-is-for-good-wine/) Strother Martin > [An actor is an actor is an actor. The less personality an actor has off stage the better. A blank canvas on which to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-lowe/an-actor-is-an-actor-is-an-actor-the-less-personality-an-actor-has/) Arthur Lowe > [The reason that war is such a fascinating subject for writers is because it's a revealer. Put a bunch of people in an adrenaline-fuelled,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sloane-crosley/the-reason-that-war-is-such-a-fascinating-subject-for-writers-is/) [Sloane Crosley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sloane-crosley/) > [The most fascinating powers don't mean a thing if the guy's poorly motivated or dull, and the most generic powers won't hurt a well-motivated…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-busiek/the-most-fascinating-powers-don-t-mean-a-thing-if-the-guy-s-poorly/) [Kurt Busiek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-busiek/) ## More by Robert De Niro > [In the casino, the cardinal rule is to keep them playing and to keep them coming back. The longer they play, the more they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-de-niro/in-the-casino-the-cardinal-rule-is-to-keep-them-playing-and-to-keep/) [Robert De Niro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-de-niro/) > [I guess the only thing to do now is meet his parents. I'm sure they're decent people. I mean they gotta be if they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-de-niro/i-guess-the-only-thing-to-do-now-is-meet-his-parents-i-m-sure-they-re/) [Robert De Niro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-de-niro/) > [I like to visit L.A., but I wouldn't want to live there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-de-niro/i-like-to-visit-l-a-but-i-wouldn-t-want-to-live-there/) [Robert De Niro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-de-niro/) > [You don't need words to express feelings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-de-niro/you-don-t-need-words-to-express-feelings/) [Robert De Niro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-de-niro/) > [You don't just play a part. You've got to earn the right to play it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-de-niro/you-don-t-just-play-a-part-you-ve-got-to-earn-the-right-to-play-it/) [Robert De Niro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-de-niro/) > [I've been in so many movies that I automatically know what's happening on the set. Things that I don't even remember consciously I just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-de-niro/i-ve-been-in-so-many-movies-that-i-automatically-know-what-s/) [Robert De Niro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-de-niro/) > [There is a certain combination of anarchy and discipline in the way I work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-de-niro/there-is-a-certain-combination-of-anarchy-and-discipline-in-the-way-i/) [Robert De Niro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-de-niro/) > [The hardest thing about being famous is that ... in a conversation everybody's agreeing with what you're saying. ... You need people who can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-de-niro/the-hardest-thing-about-being-famous-is-that-in-a-conversation/) [Robert De Niro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-de-niro/) > [I mean, the actors that I admired were Marlon Brando, Montgomery Clift, an actress named Barbara Harris. And Greta Garbo. They were great actors.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-de-niro/i-mean-the-actors-that-i-admired-were-marlon-brando-montgomery-clift/) [Robert De Niro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-de-niro/) > [It's important not to indicate. People don't try to show their feelings, they try to hide them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-de-niro/it-s-important-not-to-indicate-people-don-t-try-to-show-their/) [Robert De Niro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-de-niro/) > [I hurt someone's feelings once.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-de-niro/i-hurt-someone-s-feelings-once/) [Robert De Niro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-de-niro/) > [As I get older, I think that things have been pre-determined for me, whether I liked it or wanted it, wished for it, whatever,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-de-niro/as-i-get-older-i-think-that-things-have-been-pre-determined-for-me/) [Robert De Niro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-de-niro/) > [New York is more exciting, I guess, than even Paris or London. New York's the center of something; I don't know what, really -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-de-niro/new-york-is-more-exciting-i-guess-than-even-paris-or-london-new-york/) [Robert De Niro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-de-niro/) > [I'm not a big football person at all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-de-niro/i-m-not-a-big-football-person-at-all/) [Robert De Niro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-de-niro/) > [I will not hesitate. Not for a second.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-de-niro/i-will-not-hesitate-not-for-a-second/) [Robert De Niro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-de-niro/) [Explore all 123 Robert De Niro quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-de-niro/) ## 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! 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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": "I've never been one of those actors who has touted myself as a fascinating human being. 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