--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I wanted to be an actor, like, so, so…" description: "\"I wanted to be an actor, like, so, so bad. I took acting classes, I auditioned for Disney, and then I realized how nervous I got with remembering lines..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7d0/shawn-mendes-2786_acting_i-wanted-to-be-an-actor-like-so-so-bad-i_39496.jpg" --- # I wanted to be an actor, like, so, so bad. I took acting… ![“I wanted to be an actor, like, so, so bad. I took acting classes, I auditioned for Disney, and then I realized how nervous I got with remembering lines.” quote by Shawn Mendes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7d0/shawn-mendes-2786_acting_i-wanted-to-be-an-actor-like-so-so-bad-i_39496.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7d0/shawn-mendes-2786_acting_i-wanted-to-be-an-actor-like-so-so-bad-i_39496.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7d0/shawn-mendes-2786_acting_i-wanted-to-be-an-actor-like-so-so-bad-i_39496.jpg) > “I wanted to be an actor, like, so, so bad. I took acting classes, I auditioned for Disney, and then I realized how nervous I got with remembering lines.” [Shawn Mendes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shawn-mendes/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker reveals a deep desire to act, pursued training and auditions, but discovered intense anxiety about memorizing lines, highlighting the gap between aspiration and personal limitation. **In simple terms:** Dreams clash with performance anxiety. Key Takeaway Passion can be hindered by self‑doubt. Themes ambition self‑esteem performance anxiety learning growth vulnerability Mood determined anxious reflective Type personal anecdote career reflection When to use this quote - preparing for a role - auditioning for a major studio - taking a class to improve skills - facing stage fright - evaluating career choices Key Concepts acting audition process memory confidence Practical Applications - self‑reflection on suitability for acting - seeking coaching to manage anxiety Questions to Reflect On - What steps can you take to reduce performance anxiety? - How might you reframe nervousness as a source of energy? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Acting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/acting/) [Actor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actor/) [Actor Like](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actor-like/) [Auditioned Disney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/auditioned-disney-451567/) [Bad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bad/) [How](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/how/) [Nervous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nervous/) [Realized Nervous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/realized-nervous-451568/) [Theatre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/theatre/) [Took Acting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/took-acting/) ## Related quotes > [I met my agent through a casting director here in Wilmington after I auditioned for a Disney movie.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maddie-hasson/i-met-my-agent-through-a-casting-director-here-in-wilmington-after-i/) [Maddie Hasson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maddie-hasson/) > [That's one of the reasons I wanted to be an actor, to be like them. And there they were at my table, all talking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gavin-macleod/that-s-one-of-the-reasons-i-wanted-to-be-an-actor-to-be-like-them-and/) [Gavin MacLeod](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gavin-macleod/) > [I dropped out of school and I never took acting classes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-englert/i-dropped-out-of-school-and-i-never-took-acting-classes/) [Alice Englert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-englert/) > [One of the reasons I took up acting was to learn to be more human, to get in touch with human emotions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/masi-oka/one-of-the-reasons-i-took-up-acting-was-to-learn-to-be-more-human-to/) [Masi Oka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/masi-oka/) > [I never took acting classes, but I knew I could do it based on the skill with which I lied to my parents on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-reynolds/i-never-took-acting-classes-but-i-knew-i-could-do-it-based-on-the/) [Ryan Reynolds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-reynolds/) > [It's funny...a lot of people think I take myself seriously because I come off so serious sometimes. But it's not that I take myself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurence-fishburne/it-s-funny-a-lot-of-people-think-i-take-myself-seriously-because-i-2/) [Laurence Fishburne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurence-fishburne/) > [When I first took up an acting assignment, I knew nothing about the industry or the responsibilities attached to the profession. I just went,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ammy-virk/when-i-first-took-up-an-acting-assignment-i-knew-nothing-about-the/) [Ammy Virk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ammy-virk/) > [When I finally decided that my only hope was to go to college, I took an acting class, and once I walked onstage, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernie-hudson/when-i-finally-decided-that-my-only-hope-was-to-go-to-college-i-took/) [Ernie Hudson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernie-hudson/) > [My father came to Hyderabad to become an actor, took an acting course, and realised he was camera conscious.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vijay-deverakonda/my-father-came-to-hyderabad-to-become-an-actor-took-an-acting-course/) [Vijay Deverakonda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vijay-deverakonda/) > [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/) > [I took my first acting class at age 6 because I found out that's what Carol Burnett was doing - acting. Also she had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christine-lakin/i-took-my-first-acting-class-at-age-6-because-i-found-out-that-s-what/) [Christine Lakin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christine-lakin/) > [My mom graduated from the University of Michigan, which is a great school. Then she got her Master's from NYU. She wanted to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/big-sean/my-mom-graduated-from-the-university-of-michigan-which-is-a-great/) [Big Sean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/big-sean/) > [In spite of my parents being actors, I never took acting as a profession for granted and still don't.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shriya-pilgaonkar/in-spite-of-my-parents-being-actors-i-never-took-acting-as-a/) [Shriya Pilgaonkar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shriya-pilgaonkar/) > [It was my freshman year. I was living across the hall from a girl named Kasey Klepper, whose brother, Jordan Klepper, used to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-yeun/it-was-my-freshman-year-i-was-living-across-the-hall-from-a-girl/) [Steven Yeun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-yeun/) > [In high school, I did some musicals, but I never took acting until college. I was studying opera, classical voice, and a speech teacher…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/forest-whitaker/in-high-school-i-did-some-musicals-but-i-never-took-acting-until/) [Forest Whitaker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/forest-whitaker/) ## More by Shawn Mendes > [I think it's not about what you say; it's about what you don't say.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shawn-mendes/i-think-it-s-not-about-what-you-say-it-s-about-what-you-don-t-say/) [Shawn Mendes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shawn-mendes/) > [I'm tortured because I care.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shawn-mendes/i-m-tortured-because-i-care/) [Shawn Mendes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shawn-mendes/) > [You don't have to be afraid because we're all the same](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shawn-mendes/you-don-t-have-to-be-afraid-because-we-re-all-the-same/) [Shawn Mendes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shawn-mendes/) > [I want to graduate high school, so it's very important to me, and I'll be focusing hard on that as well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shawn-mendes/i-want-to-graduate-high-school-so-it-s-very-important-to-me-and-i-ll/) [Shawn Mendes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shawn-mendes/) > [I'm tortured because I care. I'm always upset about not doing things as good as I think I could have because I care.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shawn-mendes/i-m-tortured-because-i-care-i-m-always-upset-about-not-doing-things/) [Shawn Mendes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shawn-mendes/) > [It's hard for me to just say, 'Wow, this is amazing - I'm famous. I'm living the dream.' I sit there and think, 'I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shawn-mendes/it-s-hard-for-me-to-just-say-wow-this-is-amazing-i-m-famous-i-m/) [Shawn Mendes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shawn-mendes/) > [People made fun of my skinny legs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shawn-mendes/people-made-fun-of-my-skinny-legs/) [Shawn Mendes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shawn-mendes/) > [I believe vitamin C can fix everything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shawn-mendes/i-believe-vitamin-c-can-fix-everything/) [Shawn Mendes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shawn-mendes/) > [What I love about my fragrance Signature is that it's subtle and great to wear for any person at any time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shawn-mendes/what-i-love-about-my-fragrance-signature-is-that-it-s-subtle-and/) [Shawn Mendes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shawn-mendes/) > [Chance The Rapper is just unreal: he's changing rap and really creating this whole amazing new style.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shawn-mendes/chance-the-rapper-is-just-unreal-he-s-changing-rap-and-really/) [Shawn Mendes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shawn-mendes/) > [You have to be careful not to make music something you don't want to do. Which happens. I've gotten off the road and been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shawn-mendes/you-have-to-be-careful-not-to-make-music-something-you-don-t-want-to/) [Shawn Mendes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shawn-mendes/) > [Sometimes I get more excited for shows that I know are going to be quieter because it gets me more inspired to be more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shawn-mendes/sometimes-i-get-more-excited-for-shows-that-i-know-are-going-to-be/) [Shawn Mendes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shawn-mendes/) > [No matter what, I'm trying to have fun and, depending on the mood, fun can be on a roller coaster and playing onstage, or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shawn-mendes/no-matter-what-i-m-trying-to-have-fun-and-depending-on-the-mood-fun/) [Shawn Mendes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shawn-mendes/) > [Being a sex symbol isn't cool unless you're in love with a girl, and she calls you a sex symbol.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shawn-mendes/being-a-sex-symbol-isn-t-cool-unless-you-re-in-love-with-a-girl-and/) [Shawn Mendes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shawn-mendes/) > [I'm proud to say I'm a role model for kids.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shawn-mendes/i-m-proud-to-say-i-m-a-role-model-for-kids/) [Shawn Mendes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shawn-mendes/) [Explore all 150 Shawn Mendes quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shawn-mendes/) ## More Acting quotes > [I actually think acting is a form of self-hypnosis. 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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](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/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. 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