--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I didn't know any actors growing up. My…" description: "\"I didn't know any actors growing up. My dad was a builder, and we didn't know any arty types.\" — Stephen Mangan" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b67/stephen-mangan-22473_actor_i-didn-t-know-any-actors-growing-up-my-d_2654124.jpg" --- # I didn't know any actors growing up. My dad was a builder… ![“I didn't know any actors growing up. My dad was a builder, and we didn't know any arty types.” quote by Stephen Mangan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b67/stephen-mangan-22473_actor_i-didn-t-know-any-actors-growing-up-my-d_2654124.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b67/stephen-mangan-22473_actor_i-didn-t-know-any-actors-growing-up-my-d_2654124.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b67/stephen-mangan-22473_actor_i-didn-t-know-any-actors-growing-up-my-d_2654124.jpg) > “I didn't know any actors growing up. My dad was a builder, and we didn't know any arty types.” [Stephen Mangan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-mangan/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Growing up without artistic exposure shaped his perspective on creativity and work. **In simple terms:** Lack of artistic role models influenced his outlook. Key Takeaway Recognize how early environment shapes values. Themes upbringing creativity social class Mood reflective thoughtful Type personal narrative When to use this quote - career choices - art education - family influence Key Concepts Cultural capital role models Questions to Reflect On - How did your father's trade influence your values? - What artistic experiences would you add now? A Different Perspective Limited exposure may hinder artistic appreciation later. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Actor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actor/) [Actors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actors/) [Actors Growing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actors-growing-1710684/) [Any](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/any/) [Arty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/arty/) [Builder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/builder/) [Builder Didn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/builder-didn-2373962/) [Dad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dad/) [Dad Builder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dad-builder-2373961/) [Growing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/growing/) [Growing up](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/growing-up/) [Know](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/know/) [Know Actors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/know-actors/) [Theatre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/theatre/) [Types](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/types/) [Up](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/up/) ## Related quotes > [I didnt know any actors growing up. My dad was a builder, and we didnt know any arty types.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-mangan/i-didnt-know-any-actors-growing-up-my-dad-was-a-builder-and-we-didnt/) [Stephen Mangan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-mangan/) > [I grew up in a few houses because my dad was a builder, so we used to build and sell quite a lot.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louise-nurding/i-grew-up-in-a-few-houses-because-my-dad-was-a-builder-so-we-used-to/) [Louise Nurding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louise-nurding/) > [My dad was a builder, so I didn't have any connection to the arts at all. I never really considered film as a career,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-deakins/my-dad-was-a-builder-so-i-didn-t-have-any-connection-to-the-arts-at/) [Roger Deakins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-deakins/) > [I know it affected me when I saw certain actors growing up. I had a drama teacher that would take us to see plays…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-smits/i-know-it-affected-me-when-i-saw-certain-actors-growing-up-i-had-a/) [Jimmy Smits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-smits/) > [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/) > [I was always a bit arty-farty as a boy. 'Come on, Mr. Arty-Farty,' my sister used to say to me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicolas-roeg/i-was-always-a-bit-arty-farty-as-a-boy-come-on-mr-arty-farty-my/) [Nicolas Roeg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicolas-roeg/) > [Arty. To me the word's got as much venom associated with it as 'wacky'.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-kapranos/arty-to-me-the-word-s-got-as-much-venom-associated-with-it-as-wacky/) [Alex Kapranos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-kapranos/) > [My studio is not arty. It doesn't smell of turpentine, and I'm not knee-high in paper.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-ingpen/my-studio-is-not-arty-it-doesn-t-smell-of-turpentine-and-i-m-not-knee/) [Robert Ingpen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-ingpen/) > [“Some fall from grace to get Picture- Perfect !!"(pp.73. "Arty Facts")”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ankita-kapoor/some-fall-from-grace-to-get-picture-perfect-pp-73-arty-facts/) [Ankita Kapoor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ankita-kapoor/) > [“All he had to do to make me like him was need me. All he had to do to make Arty like him was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-dunn/all-he-had-to-do-to-make-me-like-him-was-need-me-all-he-had-to-do-to/) [Katherine Dunn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katherine-dunn/) > [I didn't want to be one of those arty nutcases.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-heughan/i-didn-t-want-to-be-one-of-those-arty-nutcases/) [Sam Heughan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-heughan/) > [Because I was a diminutive, arty kid, I felt like a misfit in high school - but who doesn't?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garry-trudeau/because-i-was-a-diminutive-arty-kid-i-felt-like-a-misfit-in-high/) [Garry Trudeau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garry-trudeau/) > [My tastes in all things lean towards the arty and boring. I like sports documentaries about Scrabble players, bands that play quiet, unassuming music,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-ian-black/my-tastes-in-all-things-lean-towards-the-arty-and-boring-i-like/) [Michael Ian Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-ian-black/) > [“When a beautiful blonde asks, you don't say no.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/v-t-davy/when-a-beautiful-blonde-asks-you-don-t-say-no/) [V.T. Davy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/v-t-davy/) > [I miss you a little, I guess you could say, a little too much, a little too often, and a little more each day.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reina/i-miss-you-a-little-i-guess-you-could-say-a-little-too-much-a-little/) [Reina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reina/) ## More by Stephen Mangan > [When you've lost a loved one, you realise how grateful you are for any help in those moments, and any scheme that tries to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-mangan/when-you-ve-lost-a-loved-one-you-realise-how-grateful-you-are-for-any/) [Stephen Mangan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-mangan/) > [My upbringing is so fundamentally different to my parents'. It must be strange to look at your child who not only speaks with a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-mangan/my-upbringing-is-so-fundamentally-different-to-my-parents-it-must-be/) [Stephen Mangan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-mangan/) > [Dad was a strict disciplinarian and would give us a wallop with a wooden spoon if we were out of order. But we really…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-mangan/dad-was-a-strict-disciplinarian-and-would-give-us-a-wallop-with-a/) [Stephen Mangan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-mangan/) > [I learnt a lot about how to negotiate the camera: everyone had told me an actor doesn't really need to do anything on screen,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-mangan/i-learnt-a-lot-about-how-to-negotiate-the-camera-everyone-had-told-me/) [Stephen Mangan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-mangan/) > [My mother was gentle and warm. She was the sort of person you could really open up to. I was the eldest and her…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-mangan/my-mother-was-gentle-and-warm-she-was-the-sort-of-person-you-could/) [Stephen Mangan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-mangan/) > [When I was 13, I won a scholarship to boarding school. My parents let me choose whether to go, and I decided I wanted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-mangan/when-i-was-13-i-won-a-scholarship-to-boarding-school-my-parents-let/) [Stephen Mangan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-mangan/) > [I had an inspirational teacher at my junior school: Peter Nixon. He was enthusiastic, knowledgeable and slightly scary - a good combination for a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-mangan/i-had-an-inspirational-teacher-at-my-junior-school-peter-nixon-he-was/) [Stephen Mangan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-mangan/) > [I am a passionate believer that comedy is a way of tackling some of the most dark and difficult aspects of being a human…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-mangan/i-am-a-passionate-believer-that-comedy-is-a-way-of-tackling-some-of/) [Stephen Mangan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-mangan/) > [I was in a lot of school plays, and it became the thing I did.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-mangan/i-was-in-a-lot-of-school-plays-and-it-became-the-thing-i-did/) [Stephen Mangan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-mangan/) > [I didnt know any actors growing up. My dad was a builder, and we didnt know any arty types.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-mangan/i-didnt-know-any-actors-growing-up-my-dad-was-a-builder-and-we-didnt/) [Stephen Mangan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-mangan/) > [I watch films. I play the guitar: me and some mates - I wouldn't dignify it with the term band - get together and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-mangan/i-watch-films-i-play-the-guitar-me-and-some-mates-i-wouldn-t-dignify/) [Stephen Mangan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-mangan/) > [If I wasn't an actor, I'd be a moody folk singer, sitting on stools and being very depressing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-mangan/if-i-wasn-t-an-actor-i-d-be-a-moody-folk-singer-sitting-on-stools-and/) [Stephen Mangan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-mangan/) > [Comedy is a very personal thing, and some people will find it funny, some people wont.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-mangan/comedy-is-a-very-personal-thing-and-some-people-will-find-it-funny/) [Stephen Mangan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-mangan/) > [I'm a massive sucker for music documentaries.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-mangan/i-m-a-massive-sucker-for-music-documentaries/) [Stephen Mangan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-mangan/) > [I come from an Irish working-class background but went to a posh school, and any type of pretension was quickly mocked at home. I've…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-mangan/i-come-from-an-irish-working-class-background-but-went-to-a-posh/) [Stephen Mangan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-mangan/) [Explore all 27 Stephen Mangan quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-mangan/) ## 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. 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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. 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