--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I never went to acting school. I started…" description: "\"I never went to acting school. I started in the circus, music hall, I was in a group, did kids bits. Ive always had this kind of insecurity being unedu..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7e5/rupert-graves-28007_acting_i-never-went-to-acting-school-i-started_2904494.jpg" --- # I never went to acting school. I started in the circus… ![“I never went to acting school. I started in the circus, music hall, I was in a group, did kids bits. Ive always had this kind of insecurity being uneducated.” quote by Rupert Graves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7e5/rupert-graves-28007_acting_i-never-went-to-acting-school-i-started_2904494.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7e5/rupert-graves-28007_acting_i-never-went-to-acting-school-i-started_2904494.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7e5/rupert-graves-28007_acting_i-never-went-to-acting-school-i-started_2904494.jpg) > “I never went to acting school. I started in the circus, music hall, I was in a group, did kids bits. Ive always had this kind of insecurity being uneducated.” [Rupert Graves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rupert-graves/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Despite lacking formal training, he built a performance career through diverse experiences, yet feels insecure about his education. **In simple terms:** Self‑taught performer feels unqualified due to lack of schooling. Key Takeaway Embrace experiential learning and confidence. Themes career development self‑education insecurity Mood reflective encouraging Type career personal When to use this quote - audition preparation - skill workshops - mentor seeking Key Concepts performance arts non‑traditional pathways self‑esteem Questions to Reflect On - How does informal training compare to formal? - What supports confidence in non‑academic careers? A Different Perspective The quote may romanticize struggle. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Acting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/acting/) [Acting school](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/acting-school/) [Actor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actor/) [Circus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/circus/) [Insecurity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/insecurity/) [Kids](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kids/) [Music](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/music/) [Music hall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/music-hall/) [School](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/school/) ## Related quotes > [I never went to acting school. I started in the circus, music hall, I was in a group, did kids' bits. I've always had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rupert-graves/i-never-went-to-acting-school-i-started-in-the-circus-music-hall-i/) [Rupert Graves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rupert-graves/) > [I'm entirely uneducated. I went to public school - public in the American sense - a blue-collar, working-class school. I never got a scholarship,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rupert-graves/i-m-entirely-uneducated-i-went-to-public-school-public-in-the/) [Rupert Graves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rupert-graves/) > [Quotations when engraved upon the memory give you good thoughts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winston-churchill/quotations-when-engraved-upon-the-memory-give-you-good-thoughts/) [Winston Churchill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winston-churchill/) > [Farmers, young and old, educated and uneducated, have easily taken to the new agronomy. It has been heart-warming to see young college graduates, retired…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-s-swaminathan/farmers-young-and-old-educated-and-uneducated-have-easily-taken-to/) [M. S. Swaminathan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-s-swaminathan/) > [It is a good thing for an uneducated man to read books of quotations. Bartlett's Familiar Quotations is an admirable work, and I studied…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winston-churchill/it-is-a-good-thing-for-an-uneducated-man-to-read-books-of-quotations/) [Winston Churchill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winston-churchill/) > [I know that a mother, no matter how impoverished or uneducated, will do anything to save her babies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-chen/i-know-that-a-mother-no-matter-how-impoverished-or-uneducated-will-do/) [Jane Chen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-chen/) > [“One percent of the nation owns a third of the wealth. The rest of the wealth is distributed in such a way as to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-zinn/one-percent-of-the-nation-owns-a-third-of-the-wealth-the-rest-of-the/) [Howard Zinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-zinn/) > [First of all, just because the Tea Party people appear to be generally uneducated, ignorant about the political process, ignorant about economics, confused about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-van-zandt/first-of-all-just-because-the-tea-party-people-appear-to-be-generally/) [Steven Van Zandt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-van-zandt/) > [I knew, starting in 10th grade, I wanted to be in theater and an actor. I went to acting school in Siberia, but there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrey-zvyagintsev/i-knew-starting-in-10th-grade-i-wanted-to-be-in-theater-and-an-actor/) [Andrey Zvyagintsev](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrey-zvyagintsev/) > [I went to acting school for like a year and ended up doing voiceovers and stuff. I could have done a lot more with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mic-geronimo/i-went-to-acting-school-for-like-a-year-and-ended-up-doing-voiceovers/) [Mic Geronimo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mic-geronimo/) > [My background is a small town with no movie theater. So... I always pictured myself onstage. I went to acting school and learned all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franka-potente/my-background-is-a-small-town-with-no-movie-theater-so-i-always/) [Franka Potente](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franka-potente/) > [I didn't go to film school, I went to acting school.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-s-dutton/i-didn-t-go-to-film-school-i-went-to-acting-school/) [Charles S. Dutton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-s-dutton/) > [I never went to school. I never went to acting school because I was so scared.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ursula-andress/i-never-went-to-school-i-never-went-to-acting-school-because-i-was-so/) [Ursula Andress](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ursula-andress/) > [I had spent my childhood making up adventures in my head. Then I realized when I went to acting school that there were adventures…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-marchand/i-had-spent-my-childhood-making-up-adventures-in-my-head-then-i/) [Nancy Marchand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-marchand/) > [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/) ## More by Rupert Graves > [I'm crap at interviews. I'm just not very good at sentences.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rupert-graves/i-m-crap-at-interviews-i-m-just-not-very-good-at-sentences/) [Rupert Graves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rupert-graves/) > [I never went to acting school. I started in the circus, music hall, I was in a group, did kids' bits. I've always had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rupert-graves/i-never-went-to-acting-school-i-started-in-the-circus-music-hall-i/) [Rupert Graves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rupert-graves/) > [The amount of work you need to do to become a very successful celebrity is something I'm not prepared to do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rupert-graves/the-amount-of-work-you-need-to-do-to-become-a-very-successful/) [Rupert Graves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rupert-graves/) > [It's just very dull. Talking about yourself and about something that you've got less interest in than you had, because you've always moved on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rupert-graves/it-s-just-very-dull-talking-about-yourself-and-about-something-that/) [Rupert Graves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rupert-graves/) > [You have to be savvy to be a celebrity. You have to create a personality and shove that out. It just seems fatuous to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rupert-graves/you-have-to-be-savvy-to-be-a-celebrity-you-have-to-create-a/) [Rupert Graves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rupert-graves/) > [It's interesting when you're in your thirties and you're not the same pretty boy that you were when you were 21. I think people's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rupert-graves/it-s-interesting-when-you-re-in-your-thirties-and-you-re-not-the-same/) [Rupert Graves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rupert-graves/) > [Celebritys a pain in the backside - youre always on display.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rupert-graves/celebritys-a-pain-in-the-backside-youre-always-on-display/) [Rupert Graves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rupert-graves/) > [I don't plan. I don't think, 'I have to do this kind of part 'cause I've done that kind of part.' I'm not a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rupert-graves/i-don-t-plan-i-don-t-think-i-have-to-do-this-kind-of-part-cause-i-ve/) [Rupert Graves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rupert-graves/) > [I was concerned about doing the right thing when I was a kid. I suppose as a child, youre a massive egomaniac, and you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rupert-graves/i-was-concerned-about-doing-the-right-thing-when-i-was-a-kid-i/) [Rupert Graves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rupert-graves/) > [I was a closet straight. I think I wanted to be gay because I thought it was arty and interesting. And also, I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rupert-graves/i-was-a-closet-straight-i-think-i-wanted-to-be-gay-because-i-thought/) [Rupert Graves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rupert-graves/) > [The urge to act became the overriding force in my life. It thrilled me. There's a moment with acting when you're in the groove,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rupert-graves/the-urge-to-act-became-the-overriding-force-in-my-life-it-thrilled-me/) [Rupert Graves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rupert-graves/) > [I just think the older I get, actually, the better I feel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rupert-graves/i-just-think-the-older-i-get-actually-the-better-i-feel/) [Rupert Graves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rupert-graves/) > [I kind of always wanted to act, but to get a grant I would have needed two A-levels, and I was too far away…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rupert-graves/i-kind-of-always-wanted-to-act-but-to-get-a-grant-i-would-have-needed/) [Rupert Graves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rupert-graves/) > [Not being anxious requires a level of humility, doesn't it? It does, I think. It's not all about you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rupert-graves/not-being-anxious-requires-a-level-of-humility-doesn-t-it-it-does-i/) [Rupert Graves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rupert-graves/) > [I was a dozy boy; I'd like to have been like James Dean, but I was more Arthur Askey - pathetically rebellious in a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rupert-graves/i-was-a-dozy-boy-i-d-like-to-have-been-like-james-dean-but-i-was-more/) [Rupert Graves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rupert-graves/) [Explore all 20 Rupert Graves quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rupert-graves/) ## More Acting 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/) > [Many Republicans have always reminded me of professional WWF wrestlers. They come into the ring all pumped up and acting like they're invincible and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-feig/many-republicans-have-always-reminded-me-of-professional-wwf/) [Paul Feig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-feig/) > [I'm a big fan of all the Boston guys that are acting - Matt Damon , Ben Affleck, Mark Wahlberg - they made a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenny-wormald/i-m-a-big-fan-of-all-the-boston-guys-that-are-acting-matt-damon-ben/) [Kenny Wormald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenny-wormald/) > [Acting is a grind, just like music is a grind. Sometimes it takes longer than what you can give.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/big-sean/acting-is-a-grind-just-like-music-is-a-grind-sometimes-it-takes/) [Big Sean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/big-sean/) > [It was only when I started making short films in college and I was looking for girls to play the me-ish parts that I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lena-dunham/it-was-only-when-i-started-making-short-films-in-college-and-i-was/) [Lena Dunham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lena-dunham/) > [Writing is something I took up rather than anything I had an inclination toward. I like acting -delivering someone else's message - but writing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-martin/writing-is-something-i-took-up-rather-than-anything-i-had-an/) [Steve Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-martin/) > [I can still function when I don't have that balance I crave. I had a tendency to be precious about acting, thinking of it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-regan/i-can-still-function-when-i-don-t-have-that-balance-i-crave-i-had-a/) [Laura Regan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-regan/) > [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/) > [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/) > [It definitely helps to have the acting experience going into singing, because when you're singing, you have to portray the emotion you were feeling…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-newman/it-definitely-helps-to-have-the-acting-experience-going-into-singing/) Ryan Newman > [The show was number one in the ratings, Gordon Russell was our head writer, the story lines were magnificent and the acting most exciting.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-storm/the-show-was-number-one-in-the-ratings-gordon-russell-was-our-head/) [Michael Storm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-storm/) > [I've done so many other projects where you're in a room with a reader and you're acting your lines out: 'We have to get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-cummings/i-ve-done-so-many-other-projects-where-you-re-in-a-room-with-a-reader/) [Jim Cummings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-cummings/) > [I do not believe in public shaming. I do believe that young adults go to college to learn things, and that this process will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-weingarten/i-do-not-believe-in-public-shaming-i-do-believe-that-young-adults-go/) [Gene Weingarten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-weingarten/) > [Poetry has, in a way, been my bridge to my acting career.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/omari-hardwick/poetry-has-in-a-way-been-my-bridge-to-my-acting-career/) [Omari Hardwick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/omari-hardwick/) [Browse all 12,062 Acting quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/acting/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I never went to acting school. I started in the circus, music hall, I was in a group, did kids bits. 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