--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I was afraid I would get the Oscar for…" description: "\"I was afraid I would get the Oscar for 'Irma La Douce' because it was popular. But I didn't want to because I didn't really think it was that good.\" — ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/252/shirley-maclaine-1977_oscars_i-was-afraid-i-would-get-the-oscar-for-i_1059386.jpg" --- # I was afraid I would get the Oscar for 'Irma La Douce'… ![“I was afraid I would get the Oscar for 'Irma La Douce' because it was popular. But I didn't want to because I didn't really think it was that good.” quote by Shirley MacLaine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/252/shirley-maclaine-1977_oscars_i-was-afraid-i-would-get-the-oscar-for-i_1059386.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/252/shirley-maclaine-1977_oscars_i-was-afraid-i-would-get-the-oscar-for-i_1059386.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/252/shirley-maclaine-1977_oscars_i-was-afraid-i-would-get-the-oscar-for-i_1059386.jpg) > “I was afraid I would get the Oscar for 'Irma La Douce' because it was popular. But I didn't want to because I didn't really think it was that good.” [Shirley MacLaine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shirley-maclaine/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. She feared winning an Oscar for a popular film, doubting its merit, showing anxiety about fame versus artistic value. **In simple terms:** Fame can feel undeserved. Key Takeaway Question your worth beyond external validation. Themes celebrity self‑doubt artistic integrity Mood introspective anxious Type personal motivational When to use this quote - career decisions - award acceptance - self‑esteem - public scrutiny Key Concepts Hollywood awards public perception Questions to Reflect On - Do you value external praise or internal satisfaction? - How do you handle success you doubt? A Different Perspective Awards may not reflect personal standards. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Afraid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/afraid/) [Afraid Oscar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/afraid-oscar-2577003/) [Didn Want](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/didn-want/) [Oscars](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/oscars/) [Popular Didn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/popular-didn-1917400/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Want](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/want/) [Want Didn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/want-didn-609032/) ## Related quotes > [I would never be popular. I didn't want to be; I liked being shy. I'd never be the smartest or the hottest or the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-halse-anderson/i-would-never-be-popular-i-didn-t-want-to-be-i-liked-being-shy-i-d/) [Laurie Halse Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-halse-anderson/) > [“I want you to put 'He didn't want to ride the damn horse' on my tombstone.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abigail-roux/i-want-you-to-put-he-didn-t-want-to-ride-the-damn-horse-on-my/) [Abigail Roux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abigail-roux/) > [“I didn't want to be royalty. And I didn't want to be a One. I didn't even want to try.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kiera-cass/i-didn-t-want-to-be-royalty-and-i-didn-t-want-to-be-a-one-i-didn-t/) [kiera cass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kiera-cass/) > [“No, no, I don’t want that.” “I didn’t ask.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cherise-sinclair/no-no-i-don-t-want-that-i-didn-t-ask/) [Cherise Sinclair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cherise-sinclair/) > [I had to ask myself if the reason I had never asked to direct before was because I really didn't want to, or because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miriam-shor/i-had-to-ask-myself-if-the-reason-i-had-never-asked-to-direct-before/) [Miriam Shor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miriam-shor/) > [Even if I knew that Separation would probably win, when they announced the film, I was thinking to myself "Oh! I want this! I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philippe-falardeau/even-if-i-knew-that-separation-would-probably-win-when-they-announced/) [Philippe Falardeau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philippe-falardeau/) > [“I don't want to be with anyone except you. I didn't want her, I only want you. I only want you, Bree.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mia-sheridan/i-don-t-want-to-be-with-anyone-except-you-i-didn-t-want-her-i-only/) [Mia Sheridan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mia-sheridan/) > [If someone asked me to do something I didn't want to do or didn't think was right, I wouldn't do it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carlene-carter/if-someone-asked-me-to-do-something-i-didn-t-want-to-do-or-didn-t/) [Carlene Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carlene-carter/) > [I woke up in the morning and I didn’t want anything, didn’t do anything, couldn’t do it anyway, just lay there listening to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-siken/i-woke-up-in-the-morning-and-i-didn-t-want-anything-didn-t-do/) [Richard Siken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-siken/) > [What I said was: We want everybody to learn English because we don't want - I didn't use the word 'Spanish.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/newt-gingrich/what-i-said-was-we-want-everybody-to-learn-english-because-we-don-t/) [Newt Gingrich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/newt-gingrich/) > [I had it all - money, women, fame, cars, yachts, everything a man could want - but it didn't give my life meaning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julio-cesar-chavez-sr/i-had-it-all-money-women-fame-cars-yachts-everything-a-man-could-want/) [Julio Cesar Chavez Sr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julio-cesar-chavez-sr/) > [If you want something you didn't have before , you have to do something you didn't do before](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/spido/if-you-want-something-you-didn-t-have-before-you-have-to-do-something/) [Spido](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/spido/) > [I find myself to be quite sarcastic, and I wouldn't want to be with someone who didn't get that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrej-pejic/i-find-myself-to-be-quite-sarcastic-and-i-wouldn-t-want-to-be-with/) [Andrej Pejic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrej-pejic/) > [I've been on the side where you have nothing, and now I'm on the side where anything I want is there for me. When…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwight-howard/i-ve-been-on-the-side-where-you-have-nothing-and-now-i-m-on-the-side/) [Dwight Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwight-howard/) > [“I didn’t want to see this, didn’t want to think about this. I didn’t want to imagine him inside her. I didn’t want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephenie-meyer/i-didn-t-want-to-see-this-didn-t-want-to-think-about-this-i-didn-t/) [Stephenie Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephenie-meyer/) ## More by Shirley MacLaine > [I believe in UFOs, I believe in extraterrestrials, and I believe in angels. And maybe they'll protect all of us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shirley-maclaine/i-believe-in-ufos-i-believe-in-extraterrestrials-and-i-believe-in/) [Shirley MacLaine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shirley-maclaine/) > [I'm too direct and too unsparingly impatient.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shirley-maclaine/i-m-too-direct-and-too-unsparingly-impatient/) [Shirley MacLaine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shirley-maclaine/) > [The uninvestigated life is not worth living. I don't want to live that way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shirley-maclaine/the-uninvestigated-life-is-not-worth-living-i-don-t-want-to-live-that/) [Shirley MacLaine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shirley-maclaine/) > [There's no journey worth taking except the journey through one's self. That's the most important journey you take. I found that out as I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shirley-maclaine/there-s-no-journey-worth-taking-except-the-journey-through-one-s-self/) [Shirley MacLaine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shirley-maclaine/) > [... when things get rough, a breakthrough is just on the other side of the pain.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shirley-maclaine/when-things-get-rough-a-breakthrough-is-just-on-the-other-side-of-the/) [Shirley MacLaine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shirley-maclaine/) > [I had a video made of my recent knee operation. The doctor said it was the best movie I ever starred in.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shirley-maclaine/i-had-a-video-made-of-my-recent-knee-operation-the-doctor-said-it-was/) [Shirley MacLaine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shirley-maclaine/) > [Fear is concealed in smiles and flashing teeth. 'Please say you still love me,' the kings and queens are really saying. And, when they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shirley-maclaine/fear-is-concealed-in-smiles-and-flashing-teeth-please-say-you-still/) [Shirley MacLaine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shirley-maclaine/) > [Some people think I look like a sweet potato, I consider myself a spud with a heart of gold.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shirley-maclaine/some-people-think-i-look-like-a-sweet-potato-i-consider-myself-a-spud/) [Shirley MacLaine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shirley-maclaine/) > [Crystals are amplifying minerals. You have a crystal in a radio - it amplifies the sound waves. You have a crystal in a television…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shirley-maclaine/crystals-are-amplifying-minerals-you-have-a-crystal-in-a-radio-it/) [Shirley MacLaine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shirley-maclaine/) > [“It's useless to hold a person to anything he says wile he's in love, drunk, or running for office.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shirley-maclaine/it-s-useless-to-hold-a-person-to-anything-he-says-wile-he-s-in-love/) [Shirley MacLaine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shirley-maclaine/) > [I'd like to introduce someone who has just come into my life. I've admired him for 35 years. He's someone who represents integrity, honesty,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shirley-maclaine/i-d-like-to-introduce-someone-who-has-just-come-into-my-life-i-ve/) [Shirley MacLaine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shirley-maclaine/) > [The more I traveled the more I realized that fear makes strangers of people who should be friends.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shirley-maclaine/the-more-i-traveled-the-more-i-realized-that-fear-makes-strangers-of/) [Shirley MacLaine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shirley-maclaine/) > [If we can genuinely honor our mother and father we are not only at peace with ourselves but we can then give birth to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shirley-maclaine/if-we-can-genuinely-honor-our-mother-and-father-we-are-not-only-at/) [Shirley MacLaine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shirley-maclaine/) > [I do miss the stage. There's nothing like it, nothing. When I did my one-woman show and played the Palace and played the Gershwin…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shirley-maclaine/i-do-miss-the-stage-there-s-nothing-like-it-nothing-when-i-did-my-one/) [Shirley MacLaine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shirley-maclaine/) > [If anything interferes with my inner peace, I will walk away. Arguments with family members. All that stuff. None of it matters.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shirley-maclaine/if-anything-interferes-with-my-inner-peace-i-will-walk-away-arguments/) [Shirley MacLaine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shirley-maclaine/) [Explore all 193 Shirley MacLaine quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shirley-maclaine/) ## More Afraid quotes > [It took me 20 years to buy an electric typewriter, because I was afraid it would be too sensitive. I like to bang the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elmore-leonard/it-took-me-20-years-to-buy-an-electric-typewriter-because-i-was/) [Elmore Leonard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elmore-leonard/) > [“Carrie Fisher. “Stay afraid, but do it anyway.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabrielle-union/carrie-fisher-stay-afraid-but-do-it-anyway/) [Gabrielle Union](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabrielle-union/) > [I used to be afraid of my temper, but it turns out I don't really have one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zoe-bell/i-used-to-be-afraid-of-my-temper-but-it-turns-out-i-don-t-really-have/) [Zoe Bell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zoe-bell/) > [I get afraid of the dark if I'm in a great deal of dark, and I have to move around inside of that fear...…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emil-ferris/i-get-afraid-of-the-dark-if-i-m-in-a-great-deal-of-dark-and-i-have-to/) [Emil Ferris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emil-ferris/) > [I am not afraid of praise, for I have practiced it on myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/i-am-not-afraid-of-praise-for-i-have-practiced-it-on-myself/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [I'm a pretty fearless person. I'm afraid of, like, creepy men in white vans and sidewalks with no streetlights. But I'm not afraid to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josie-totah/i-m-a-pretty-fearless-person-i-m-afraid-of-like-creepy-men-in-white/) [Josie Totah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josie-totah/) > [I will support my party when they are right on an issue, but am not afraid to stand up to party bosses who are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darlene-senger/i-will-support-my-party-when-they-are-right-on-an-issue-but-am-not/) [Darlene Senger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darlene-senger/) > [Why am I so afraid to loose you,when you're not even mine?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/why-am-i-so-afraid-to-loose-you-when-you-re-not-even-mine/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I want to tell you, but I cant, becuase I'm afraid if I do you'll never treat me same the again](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cristina-orante/i-want-to-tell-you-but-i-cant-becuase-i-m-afraid-if-i-do-you-ll-never/) [Cristina Orante](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cristina-orante/) > [Mistakes I've made in the past make me afraid to try new things in the future. I want to be perfect.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-altucher/mistakes-i-ve-made-in-the-past-make-me-afraid-to-try-new-things-in/) [James Altucher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-altucher/) > [“Humans are naturally scared and confused beings. They not only fear the unknown, as they live fearing themselves... ☥”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luis-marques/humans-are-naturally-scared-and-confused-beings-they-not-only-fear/) [Luis Marques](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luis-marques/) > [If you are too afraid of failure, you cant possibly do what needs to be done to succeed in living a fulfilling life. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melchor-lim/if-you-are-too-afraid-of-failure-you-cant-possibly-do-what-needs-to/) [Melchor Lim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melchor-lim/) > [We cannot be afraid of the dark that they live in.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/burnie-burns/we-cannot-be-afraid-of-the-dark-that-they-live-in/) [Burnie Burns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/burnie-burns/) > [“I think the reason we're cruel sometimes is that we're afraid we're going to like something.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-berg/i-think-the-reason-we-re-cruel-sometimes-is-that-we-re-afraid-we-re/) [Elizabeth Berg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-berg/) > [I'm still with that feeling that I am afraid of doing the wrong thing, because somebody is going to punish me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eartha-kitt/i-m-still-with-that-feeling-that-i-am-afraid-of-doing-the-wrong-thing/) [Eartha Kitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eartha-kitt/) [Browse all 5,519 Afraid quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/afraid/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I was afraid I would get the Oscar for 'Irma La Douce' because it was popular. But I didn't want to because I didn't really think it was that good.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Shirley MacLaine" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shirley-maclaine/i-was-afraid-i-would-get-the-oscar-for-irma-la-douce-because-it-was/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Afraid" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shirley-maclaine/i-was-afraid-i-would-get-the-oscar-for-irma-la-douce-because-it-was/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/252/shirley-maclaine-1977_oscars_i-was-afraid-i-would-get-the-oscar-for-i_1059386.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/252/shirley-maclaine-1977_oscars_i-was-afraid-i-would-get-the-oscar-for-i_1059386.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/252/shirley-maclaine-1977_oscars_i-was-afraid-i-would-get-the-oscar-for-i_1059386.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I was afraid I would get the Oscar for 'Irma La Douce' because it was popular. But I didn't want to because…” — Shirley MacLaine", "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": "Shirley MacLaine", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shirley-maclaine/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I was afraid I would get...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shirley-maclaine/i-was-afraid-i-would-get-the-oscar-for-irma-la-douce-because-it-was/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shirley-maclaine/i-was-afraid-i-would-get-the-oscar-for-irma-la-douce-because-it-was/#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 } } ] } ```