--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I always felt like acting was something I…" description: "\"I always felt like acting was something I could just do if I wanted, which was wrong.\" — Rupert Penry-Jones" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2c2/rupert-penry-jones-26510_acting_i-always-felt-like-acting-was-something_280127.jpg" --- # I always felt like acting was something I could just do if… ![“I always felt like acting was something I could just do if I wanted, which was wrong.” quote by Rupert Penry-Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2c2/rupert-penry-jones-26510_acting_i-always-felt-like-acting-was-something_280127.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2c2/rupert-penry-jones-26510_acting_i-always-felt-like-acting-was-something_280127.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2c2/rupert-penry-jones-26510_acting_i-always-felt-like-acting-was-something_280127.jpg) > “I always felt like acting was something I could just do if I wanted, which was wrong.” [Rupert Penry-Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rupert-penry-jones/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The actor mistakenly believed acting was effortless, realizing it actually demands skill and dedication. **In simple terms:** Acting isn’t easy; it requires work. Key Takeaway Respect the craft, invest in training. Themes art career skill perception Mood reflective motivated Type artistic career When to use this quote - theatre auditions - film workshops - skill building Key Concepts Professional development self‑awareness Questions to Reflect On - What steps will you take to improve your craft? - How do you balance confidence with humility? A Different Perspective Talent alone isn’t enough without practice. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Acting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/acting/) [Theatre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/theatre/) ## Related quotes > [I love creating things and I feel like that's what acting is. It's just being creative.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lainey-wilson/i-love-creating-things-and-i-feel-like-that-s-what-acting-is-it-s/) [Lainey Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lainey-wilson/) > [I really like acting but, just now, the more I read a script I find myself thinking I'd like to direct rather than act.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-boyd/i-really-like-acting-but-just-now-the-more-i-read-a-script-i-find/) [Billy Boyd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-boyd/) > [I like acting too much and it's too, I'm just too busy doing that and I'm too hungry for it, to get behind the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-weisz/i-like-acting-too-much-and-it-s-too-i-m-just-too-busy-doing-that-and/) [Rachel Weisz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-weisz/) > [“...I imagined that I was about to see Ariana, and my mother, and my father, and to tell them how very, very sorry I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-k-rowling/i-imagined-that-i-was-about-to-see-ariana-and-my-mother-and-my-father/) [J.K. Rowling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-k-rowling/) > [He’d spent his life being a perfect gentleman. He’d never been a flirt. He’d never been a rogue. He hated being the center of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-quinn/he-d-spent-his-life-being-a-perfect-gentleman-he-d-never-been-a-flirt/) [Julia Quinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-quinn/) > [If I wanted to do wrong, I could not.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-bonaparte/if-i-wanted-to-do-wrong-i-could-not/) Louis Bonaparte > [Watching you walk away doesn't make me feel bitter bout love, I wonder if I wanted so much to be with the wrong person,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritu-ghatourey/watching-you-walk-away-doesn-t-make-me-feel-bitter-bout-love-i-wonder/) [Ritu Ghatourey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ritu-ghatourey/) > [“There was always something that you had to do before you could do the thing you wanted to do and even then you might…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/there-was-always-something-that-you-had-to-do-before-you-could-do-the/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [“It was as if the world was presenting her with everything she wanted ... in all the wrong ways.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eloisa-james/it-was-as-if-the-world-was-presenting-her-with-everything-she-wanted/) [Eloisa James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eloisa-james/) > [It's always nice being wanted. Even if it's by the wrong person.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tabitha-suzuma/it-s-always-nice-being-wanted-even-if-it-s-by-the-wrong-person/) [Tabitha Suzuma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tabitha-suzuma/) > [I always felt like I was born in the wrong time period. I felt like I should've been born in the mid-to-late '40s.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emilie-de-ravin/i-always-felt-like-i-was-born-in-the-wrong-time-period-i-felt-like-i/) [Emilie de Ravin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emilie-de-ravin/) > [I always felt like I could hold my own with anybody, period. And I always have strived to do my best.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-wall/i-always-felt-like-i-could-hold-my-own-with-anybody-period-and-i/) [Paul Wall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-wall/) > [That to me is what my idea of film acting should be. There shouldn't be any acting. You should just be watching a real…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-caine/that-to-me-is-what-my-idea-of-film-acting-should-be-there-shouldn-t/) [Michael Caine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-caine/) > [I think that when I was child, acting was mostly just a hobby for me. It was something that my parents encouraged me to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mara-wilson/i-think-that-when-i-was-child-acting-was-mostly-just-a-hobby-for-me/) [Mara Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mara-wilson/) > [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/) ## More by Rupert Penry-Jones > [Being rejected is not nice, and it never gets any easier no matter where you are in your career.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rupert-penry-jones/being-rejected-is-not-nice-and-it-never-gets-any-easier-no-matter/) [Rupert Penry-Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rupert-penry-jones/) > [It's always nice to have people say you're good-looking. But I do get told I'm not right for parts because I'm too good-looking.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rupert-penry-jones/it-s-always-nice-to-have-people-say-you-re-good-looking-but-i-do-get/) [Rupert Penry-Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rupert-penry-jones/) > [Our pool is outdoors, but it's heated, and I've got one of those machines that produces waves you have to swim against; like a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rupert-penry-jones/our-pool-is-outdoors-but-it-s-heated-and-i-ve-got-one-of-those/) [Rupert Penry-Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rupert-penry-jones/) > [I did a bit of modeling before I took up acting, and I was up for this big campaign - I can't remember which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rupert-penry-jones/i-did-a-bit-of-modeling-before-i-took-up-acting-and-i-was-up-for-this/) [Rupert Penry-Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rupert-penry-jones/) > [To be able to play Jack Kerouac or Sal Paradise, it's mad to me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rupert-penry-jones/to-be-able-to-play-jack-kerouac-or-sal-paradise-it-s-mad-to-me/) [Rupert Penry-Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rupert-penry-jones/) > [I pay our nanny more than I'm earning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rupert-penry-jones/i-pay-our-nanny-more-than-i-m-earning/) [Rupert Penry-Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rupert-penry-jones/) > [My parents didn't want me to be an actor. They didn't think I could take the rejection, and I have to say they were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rupert-penry-jones/my-parents-didn-t-want-me-to-be-an-actor-they-didn-t-think-i-could/) [Rupert Penry-Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rupert-penry-jones/) > [The ability to suspend reality and go into a make-believe world can be really, really difficult if there's something really big going on.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rupert-penry-jones/the-ability-to-suspend-reality-and-go-into-a-make-believe-world-can/) [Rupert Penry-Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rupert-penry-jones/) > [You just worry that your time is up. It's not that people suddenly go, 'Oh, actually they're not very good any more,' but sometimes,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rupert-penry-jones/you-just-worry-that-your-time-is-up-it-s-not-that-people-suddenly-go/) [Rupert Penry-Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rupert-penry-jones/) > [I know one thing - if I didn't have TV and theatre and radio, the world would be a much more boring place.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rupert-penry-jones/i-know-one-thing-if-i-didn-t-have-tv-and-theatre-and-radio-the-world/) [Rupert Penry-Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rupert-penry-jones/) > [Friday is my night for letting my hair down, and once a month a group of my old male friends will come down and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rupert-penry-jones/friday-is-my-night-for-letting-my-hair-down-and-once-a-month-a-group/) [Rupert Penry-Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rupert-penry-jones/) > [I've never boxed before in my life. I've had one day's training at a boxing gym, and it's an incredibly difficult sport.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rupert-penry-jones/i-ve-never-boxed-before-in-my-life-i-ve-had-one-day-s-training-at-a/) [Rupert Penry-Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rupert-penry-jones/) > [I'm worried about losing my hair. I think if I lost my hair, I'd lose a lot of parts. And I don't want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rupert-penry-jones/i-m-worried-about-losing-my-hair-i-think-if-i-lost-my-hair-i-d-lose-a/) [Rupert Penry-Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rupert-penry-jones/) > [I pay our nanny more than Im earning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rupert-penry-jones/i-pay-our-nanny-more-than-im-earning/) [Rupert Penry-Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rupert-penry-jones/) > [I have two beautiful children, a wife who loves me very much and who I love - and my career is going well, too.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rupert-penry-jones/i-have-two-beautiful-children-a-wife-who-loves-me-very-much-and-who-i/) [Rupert Penry-Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rupert-penry-jones/) [Explore all 21 Rupert Penry-Jones quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rupert-penry-jones/) ## 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 always felt like acting was something I could just do if I wanted, which was wrong.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Rupert Penry-Jones" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rupert-penry-jones/i-always-felt-like-acting-was-something-i-could-just-do-if-i-wanted/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Acting" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rupert-penry-jones/i-always-felt-like-acting-was-something-i-could-just-do-if-i-wanted/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2c2/rupert-penry-jones-26510_acting_i-always-felt-like-acting-was-something_280127.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2c2/rupert-penry-jones-26510_acting_i-always-felt-like-acting-was-something_280127.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2c2/rupert-penry-jones-26510_acting_i-always-felt-like-acting-was-something_280127.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I always felt like acting was something I could just do if I wanted, which was wrong.” — Rupert Penry-Jones", "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": "Rupert Penry-Jones", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rupert-penry-jones/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I always felt like acting was...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rupert-penry-jones/i-always-felt-like-acting-was-something-i-could-just-do-if-i-wanted/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rupert-penry-jones/i-always-felt-like-acting-was-something-i-could-just-do-if-i-wanted/#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 } } ] } ```