--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The reason I trained so hard in school…" description: "\"The reason I trained so hard in school was so that I could be versatile and play any character. With all these in my bag, I'm like a chameleon. I alway..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/de9/rutina-wesley-10216_chameleon_the-reason-i-trained-so-hard-in-school-w_1915413.jpg" --- # The reason I trained so hard in school was so that I could… ![“The reason I trained so hard in school was so that I could be versatile and play any character. With all these in my bag, I'm like a chameleon. I always tell other young actors to go to school, or at least watch movies to learn as much as you can.” quote by Rutina Wesley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/de9/rutina-wesley-10216_chameleon_the-reason-i-trained-so-hard-in-school-w_1915413.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/de9/rutina-wesley-10216_chameleon_the-reason-i-trained-so-hard-in-school-w_1915413.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/de9/rutina-wesley-10216_chameleon_the-reason-i-trained-so-hard-in-school-w_1915413.jpg) > “The reason I trained so hard in school was so that I could be versatile and play any character. With all these in my bag, I'm like a chameleon. I always tell other young actors to go to school, or at least watch movies to learn as much as you can.” [Rutina Wesley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rutina-wesley/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Emphasizes education and versatility for actors, encouraging continuous learning and adaptability. **In simple terms:** Learn widely to become adaptable. Key Takeaway Study broadly to expand your craft. Themes growth versatility learning Mood motivational practical Type inspirational educational When to use this quote - audition prep - script analysis - networking - personal branding Key Concepts method acting career development Questions to Reflect On - How will you diversify your skills? - What resources can you use to learn new techniques? A Different Perspective Formal education may not guarantee success without practice. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Actor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actor/) [Actors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actors/) [Actors School](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actors-school-2909743/) [Chameleon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/chameleon/) [Character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character/) [Education](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/education/) [Play Character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/play-character/) [Reason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reason/) [School](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/school/) [School Versatile](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/school-versatile-2909744/) [Young actors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/young-actors/) ## Related quotes > [I always tell other young actors to go to school, or at least watch movies to learn as much as you can.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rutina-wesley/i-always-tell-other-young-actors-to-go-to-school-or-at-least-watch/) [Rutina Wesley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rutina-wesley/) > [Everyone's parents were famous actors at my school, pretty much! I think I went to school with Paris Hilton when I was three. That's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-eve/everyone-s-parents-were-famous-actors-at-my-school-pretty-much-i/) [Alice Eve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-eve/) > [If I'm going to be honest with you, when I trained at school, I feel like I was training to be a chameleon. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rutina-wesley/if-i-m-going-to-be-honest-with-you-when-i-trained-at-school-i-feel/) [Rutina Wesley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rutina-wesley/) > [Performance capture is a tool that young actors will need in the next 10, 20 years. It's on the increase, as you say. It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-serkis/performance-capture-is-a-tool-that-young-actors-will-need-in-the-next/) [Andy Serkis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-serkis/) > [If I or any other black can deliver at the box office, I'll get a lot of work. Too many young actors, regardless of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mario-van-peebles/if-i-or-any-other-black-can-deliver-at-the-box-office-i-ll-get-a-lot/) [Mario Van Peebles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mario-van-peebles/) > [When I was coming up in the '80s television, if you were on television that meant either you were a young actor just coming…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-bob-thornton/when-i-was-coming-up-in-the-80s-television-if-you-were-on-television/) [Billy Bob Thornton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-bob-thornton/) > [My education was a huge influence. I trained at the Lee Strasberg Institute at Tisch, which is a huge foundation for young actors. They…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roberto-aguire/my-education-was-a-huge-influence-i-trained-at-the-lee-strasberg/) [Roberto Aguire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roberto-aguire/) > [I say this to young actors: You don't get into this because you think you're average. You get into this because you think, 'I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-banks/i-say-this-to-young-actors-you-don-t-get-into-this-because-you-think/) [Jonathan Banks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-banks/) > [I always love working with young actors, because there's always something to learn. It's always exciting to see the next generation and how they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-mirren/i-always-love-working-with-young-actors-because-there-s-always/) [Helen Mirren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-mirren/) > [I have only really gotten by with playing versions of myself as most young actors do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amanda-seyfried/i-have-only-really-gotten-by-with-playing-versions-of-myself-as-most/) [Amanda Seyfried](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amanda-seyfried/) > [I think age is sometimes just a number. But it's a real joy. Young actors don't come with any of the baggage that we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-marie-duff/i-think-age-is-sometimes-just-a-number-but-it-s-a-real-joy-young/) [Anne-Marie Duff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-marie-duff/) > [What impresses me is the young actors with terrific talent arriving on the scene. They'd have blown us all away in the old days.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-wagner/what-impresses-me-is-the-young-actors-with-terrific-talent-arriving/) [Robert Wagner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-wagner/) > [I prefer directing to acting. There is huge freedom that comes from being behind the camera. It brings a lot of responsibilities as well,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angelina-jolie/i-prefer-directing-to-acting-there-is-huge-freedom-that-comes-from/) [Angelina Jolie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angelina-jolie/) > [Young actors are serious about their work and don't take any time out from it. I'm very serious about my work; there are probably…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miranda-otto/young-actors-are-serious-about-their-work-and-don-t-take-any-time-out/) [Miranda Otto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miranda-otto/) > [Sometimes you have to get out of your own way as an actor. Young actors tend to over prepare sometimes and over think it.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-langella/sometimes-you-have-to-get-out-of-your-own-way-as-an-actor-young/) [Frank Langella](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-langella/) ## More by Rutina Wesley > [I enjoy working with Deborah Ann, I think she's brilliant. It's been a joy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rutina-wesley/i-enjoy-working-with-deborah-ann-i-think-she-s-brilliant-it-s-been-a/) [Rutina Wesley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rutina-wesley/) > [Fiona Shaw is one of my idols. She's phenomenatastic. I just make up a word for her - that's how much I love her.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rutina-wesley/fiona-shaw-is-one-of-my-idols-she-s-phenomenatastic-i-just-make-up-a/) [Rutina Wesley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rutina-wesley/) > [Dance is in my background.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rutina-wesley/dance-is-in-my-background/) [Rutina Wesley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rutina-wesley/) > [I worked as a singing, dancing busgirl in high school.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rutina-wesley/i-worked-as-a-singing-dancing-busgirl-in-high-school/) [Rutina Wesley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rutina-wesley/) > [I still see myself on TV and think, 'Oh my God, I'm on a television, and there are millions of people watching,' and I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rutina-wesley/i-still-see-myself-on-tv-and-think-oh-my-god-i-m-on-a-television-and/) [Rutina Wesley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rutina-wesley/) > [I think that an actor shouldn't work from a place of fear, because it'll show in your work. You should work from a place…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rutina-wesley/i-think-that-an-actor-shouldn-t-work-from-a-place-of-fear-because-it/) [Rutina Wesley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rutina-wesley/) > [My grandmother is very liberal, but... she still has her opinions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rutina-wesley/my-grandmother-is-very-liberal-but-she-still-has-her-opinions/) [Rutina Wesley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rutina-wesley/) > [Id like to do a romantic comedy like Notting Hill, which is one of my favorite movies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rutina-wesley/id-like-to-do-a-romantic-comedy-like-notting-hill-which-is-one-of-my/) [Rutina Wesley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rutina-wesley/) > [You know, it cuts both ways... no one wants to lose a job, but everybody wants to work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rutina-wesley/you-know-it-cuts-both-ways-no-one-wants-to-lose-a-job-but-everybody/) [Rutina Wesley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rutina-wesley/) > [Staying in Vegas would've been too easy for me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rutina-wesley/staying-in-vegas-would-ve-been-too-easy-for-me/) [Rutina Wesley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rutina-wesley/) > [I always tell other young actors to go to school, or at least watch movies to learn as much as you can.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rutina-wesley/i-always-tell-other-young-actors-to-go-to-school-or-at-least-watch/) [Rutina Wesley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rutina-wesley/) > [I was born to be on the stage.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rutina-wesley/i-was-born-to-be-on-the-stage/) [Rutina Wesley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rutina-wesley/) > [At Julliard, they don't teach you where to move your face for the camera, you know?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rutina-wesley/at-julliard-they-don-t-teach-you-where-to-move-your-face-for-the/) [Rutina Wesley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rutina-wesley/) > [I used to love Jem and the Holograms. I think if they were doing a concert, I would stand in line to see Jem…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rutina-wesley/i-used-to-love-jem-and-the-holograms-i-think-if-they-were-doing-a/) [Rutina Wesley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rutina-wesley/) > [New York is home to me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rutina-wesley/new-york-is-home-to-me/) [Rutina Wesley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rutina-wesley/) [Explore all 67 Rutina Wesley quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rutina-wesley/) ## 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! 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/) > [I never planned to do female roles. It just happened. 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": "The reason I trained so hard in school was so that I could be versatile and play any character. With all these in my bag, I'm like a chameleon. I always tell other young actors to go to school, or at least watch movies to learn as much as you can.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Rutina Wesley" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rutina-wesley/the-reason-i-trained-so-hard-in-school-was-so-that-i-could-be/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Actor" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rutina-wesley/the-reason-i-trained-so-hard-in-school-was-so-that-i-could-be/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/de9/rutina-wesley-10216_chameleon_the-reason-i-trained-so-hard-in-school-w_1915413.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/de9/rutina-wesley-10216_chameleon_the-reason-i-trained-so-hard-in-school-w_1915413.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/de9/rutina-wesley-10216_chameleon_the-reason-i-trained-so-hard-in-school-w_1915413.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The reason I trained so hard in school was so that I could be versatile and play any character. With all…” — Rutina Wesley", "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": "Rutina Wesley", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rutina-wesley/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The reason I trained so hard...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rutina-wesley/the-reason-i-trained-so-hard-in-school-was-so-that-i-could-be/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rutina-wesley/the-reason-i-trained-so-hard-in-school-was-so-that-i-could-be/#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 } } ] } ```