--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I always wanted to play a big, black man…" description: "\"I always wanted to play a big, black man, but that would cost too much make-up.\" — Robin Williams" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4d5/robin-williams-682_bigs_i-always-wanted-to-play-a-big-black-man_1916711.jpg" --- # I always wanted to play a big, black man, but that would… ![“I always wanted to play a big, black man, but that would cost too much make-up.” quote by Robin Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4d5/robin-williams-682_bigs_i-always-wanted-to-play-a-big-black-man_1916711.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4d5/robin-williams-682_bigs_i-always-wanted-to-play-a-big-black-man_1916711.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4d5/robin-williams-682_bigs_i-always-wanted-to-play-a-big-black-man_1916711.jpg) > “I always wanted to play a big, black man, but that would cost too much make-up.” [Robin Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-williams/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He jokes about the high cost of makeup needed for a large black character, highlighting absurdities in casting and representation. **In simple terms:** He jokes about makeup costs for a big black role. Key Takeaway Consider the impact of casting choices. Themes humor race media representation cost celebrity Mood lighthearted critical Type satirical observational When to use this quote - film production - casting decisions - budget planning - diversity discussions Key Concepts Hollywood costume design racial stereotypes Questions to Reflect On - How does humor affect perceptions of racial representation? - What are the costs of authentic casting? A Different Perspective Humor may downplay serious issues of representation. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Big Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/big-black-1140746/) [Bigs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bigs/) [Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/black/) [Black Man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/black-man/) [Cost](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cost/) [Man Cost](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/man-cost-1159559/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Play](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/play/) [Play Big](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/play-big/) [Too much](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/too-much/) [Wanted](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wanted/) [Wanted Play](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wanted-play/) ## Related quotes > [The Irish Six Million Dollar man only cost three quid.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-carson/the-irish-six-million-dollar-man-only-cost-three-quid/) [Frank Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-carson/) > [Since I was five or six years old, I just wanted to be a professional football player. I wanted to play against the best…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-coleman/since-i-was-five-or-six-years-old-i-just-wanted-to-be-a-professional/) [Chris Coleman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-coleman/) > [Soon as we could see clearly. Through our big black eye.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toby-keith/soon-as-we-could-see-clearly-through-our-big-black-eye/) [Toby Keith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toby-keith/) > [Big black nigga](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-ross/big-black-nigga/) [Rick Ross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-ross/) > [I want Rons big black penis.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lexi-de-la-hoz/i-want-rons-big-black-penis/) [Lexi De La Hoz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lexi-de-la-hoz/) > [I like most kinds of music. So I haven't got a bag, as they say... except the big black one in the hall outside.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-mccartney/i-like-most-kinds-of-music-so-i-haven-t-got-a-bag-as-they-say-except/) [Paul McCartney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-mccartney/) > [“Edinburgh is a great big black bastard of a city where there are ghosts of all kinds.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-sheridan/edinburgh-is-a-great-big-black-bastard-of-a-city-where-there-are/) [Sara Sheridan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-sheridan/) > [“Your mom has run into a lot of men here,” said Cooper. “The big black ones were always her favorite.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-bevan/your-mom-has-run-into-a-lot-of-men-here-said-cooper-the-big-black/) [Robert Bevan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-bevan/) > [Riddle me this, riddle me that. 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But to be able to trick people year in and year out the way I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-uecker/anybody-with-ability-can-play-in-the-big-leagues-but-to-be-able-to/) [Bob Uecker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-uecker/) > [To be fighting at European level, you need players who know how to play in the big games.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/xabi-alonso/to-be-fighting-at-european-level-you-need-players-who-know-how-to/) [Xabi Alonso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/xabi-alonso/) > [But just maybe sometimes being even more patient. Even though I thought I did that much better this year, and sometimes, you know, make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniela-hantuchova/but-just-maybe-sometimes-being-even-more-patient-even-though-i/) [Daniela Hantuchova](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniela-hantuchova/) ## More by Robin Williams > [On stage you're free. You can say and do things that if you said and did any place else, you'd be arrested.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-williams/on-stage-you-re-free-you-can-say-and-do-things-that-if-you-said-and/) [Robin Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-williams/) > [Humor is a great defense, and an offense too. Usually the recipient isn't too happy about it, but the people around are laughing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-williams/humor-is-a-great-defense-and-an-offense-too-usually-the-recipient-isn/) [Robin Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-williams/) > [What's wrong with death sir? What are we so mortally afraid of? Why can't we treat death with a certain amount of humanity and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-williams/what-s-wrong-with-death-sir-what-are-we-so-mortally-afraid-of-why-can/) [Robin Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-williams/) > [Spring is nature's way of saying, 'Let's party!'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-williams/spring-is-nature-s-way-of-saying-let-s-party/) [Robin Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-williams/) > [I had sex with a prostitute when I was 21, I was so bad, she gave me a refund.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-williams/i-had-sex-with-a-prostitute-when-i-was-21-i-was-so-bad-she-gave-me-a/) [Robin Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-williams/) > [We were talking briefly about cocaine... yeah. Anything that makes you paranoid and impotent, give me more of that!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-williams/we-were-talking-briefly-about-cocaine-yeah-anything-that-makes-you/) [Robin Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-williams/) > [In America they really do mythologise people when they die.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-williams/in-america-they-really-do-mythologise-people-when-they-die/) [Robin Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-williams/) > [I always thought the idea of education was to learn to think for yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-williams/i-always-thought-the-idea-of-education-was-to-learn-to-think-for/) [Robin Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-williams/) > [I was a serious method actor until I visited this site.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-williams/i-was-a-serious-method-actor-until-i-visited-this-site/) [Robin Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-williams/) > [I'm history! No, I'm mythology! Nah, I don't care what I am, I'm free!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-williams/i-m-history-no-i-m-mythology-nah-i-don-t-care-what-i-am-i-m-free/) [Robin Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-williams/) > [But only in their dreams can men be truly free. It was always thus and always thus will be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-williams/but-only-in-their-dreams-can-men-be-truly-free-it-was-always-thus-and/) [Robin Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-williams/) > [People say satire is dead. It's not dead; it's alive and living in the White House.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-williams/people-say-satire-is-dead-it-s-not-dead-it-s-alive-and-living-in-the/) [Robin Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-williams/) > [For me, comedy starts as a spew, a kind of explosion, and then you sculpt it from there, if at all. It comes out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-williams/for-me-comedy-starts-as-a-spew-a-kind-of-explosion-and-then-you/) [Robin Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-williams/) > [Carpe per diem - seize the check.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-williams/carpe-per-diem-seize-the-check/) [Robin Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-williams/) > [Cable is not bound because people pay for it. It's literally a choice, that's the operative word. 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There is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ebert/it-goes-to-show-you-how-we-in-the-press-so-often-miss-the-big-stories/) [Roger Ebert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ebert/) > [Okay, so I'll admit I'm curious. Big deal. We both know what that leads to. Dead cat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-elizabeth-phillips/okay-so-i-ll-admit-i-m-curious-big-deal-we-both-know-what-that-leads/) [Susan Elizabeth Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-elizabeth-phillips/) > [I don't want this to be a distraction. This has been distracting enough. I'm not going to rehash this going forward. I'm sure other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jayson-werth/i-don-t-want-this-to-be-a-distraction-this-has-been-distracting/) [Jayson Werth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jayson-werth/) > [I didn't get how big it was until I went home, turned on the television and saw it on all the news, and later…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-simon/i-didn-t-get-how-big-it-was-until-i-went-home-turned-on-the/) [Paul Simon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-simon/) > [It’s a small thing to help one animal, but to that one animal it’s a big thing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-baur/it-s-a-small-thing-to-help-one-animal-but-to-that-one-animal-it-s-a/) [Gene Baur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-baur/) > [Since I was a little child, my nose - I think it's too big.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/celine-dion/since-i-was-a-little-child-my-nose-i-think-it-s-too-big/) [Celine Dion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/celine-dion/) > [People forget that there is a big difference between coercion and persuasion. 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