--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The first thing I ask when Im offered a…" description: "\"The first thing I ask when Im offered a part is, Whos the director? which is something they never understand in Los Angeles.\" — Swoosie Kurtz" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9de/swoosie-kurtz-28994_asks_the-first-thing-i-ask-when-im-offered-a_993695.jpg" --- # The first thing I ask when Im offered a part is, Whos the… ![“The first thing I ask when Im offered a part is, Whos the director? which is something they never understand in Los Angeles.” quote by Swoosie Kurtz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9de/swoosie-kurtz-28994_asks_the-first-thing-i-ask-when-im-offered-a_993695.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9de/swoosie-kurtz-28994_asks_the-first-thing-i-ask-when-im-offered-a_993695.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9de/swoosie-kurtz-28994_asks_the-first-thing-i-ask-when-im-offered-a_993695.jpg) > “The first thing I ask when Im offered a part is, Whos the director? which is something they never understand in Los Angeles.” [Swoosie Kurtz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swoosie-kurtz/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. She values the creative vision of a director over the prestige of a role, emphasizing artistic guidance. **In simple terms:** She cares about the director's vision. Key Takeaway Prioritize artistic leadership. Themes career artistic vision film industry Mood thoughtful critical Type professional advice When to use this quote - choosing roles - evaluating projects - collaborating with directors - seeking mentorship Key Concepts creative control leadership decision making Questions to Reflect On - What does a director bring to a project? - How does this priority affect career growth? A Different Perspective May overlook other important factors like script quality. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Cinema](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cinema/) [Director](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/director/) [Directors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/directors/) [Film](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/film/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Los angeles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/los-angeles/) ## Related quotes > [The first thing I ask when I'm offered a part is, Who's the director? which is something they never understand in Los Angeles.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swoosie-kurtz/the-first-thing-i-ask-when-i-m-offered-a-part-is-who-s-the-director/) [Swoosie Kurtz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swoosie-kurtz/) > [Honestly, one of my favorite things about a director is when they understand what an actor brings to their role.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-messina/honestly-one-of-my-favorite-things-about-a-director-is-when-they/) [Chris Messina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-messina/) > [The truth is, writing and directing are two very different jobs. They're not even remotely the same job. It took me a while, as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/drew-goddard/the-truth-is-writing-and-directing-are-two-very-different-jobs-they/) [Drew Goddard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/drew-goddard/) > [I have hardly ever worked with the same director twice. But when you have worked with a director before, you understand his behavior.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-douglas/i-have-hardly-ever-worked-with-the-same-director-twice-but-when-you/) [Michael Douglas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-douglas/) > [As a director, you have to understand what is happening - if I don't understand it, you can't make changes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marjane-satrapi/as-a-director-you-have-to-understand-what-is-happening-if-i-don-t/) [Marjane Satrapi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marjane-satrapi/) > [My husband is a director, and I understand what it takes to direct. It's a skill set where you have to be able to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melissa-rosenberg/my-husband-is-a-director-and-i-understand-what-it-takes-to-direct-it/) [Melissa Rosenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-rosenberg/) > [That is always really fun when you get to work with a director you understand and uses references you can identify with.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/travis-beacham/that-is-always-really-fun-when-you-get-to-work-with-a-director-you/) [Travis Beacham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/travis-beacham/) > [You hope and pray that you'll get involved with a director that you understand and who has the same sensibility as you do and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-modine/you-hope-and-pray-that-you-ll-get-involved-with-a-director-that-you/) [Matthew Modine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-modine/) > [“Art directors speak in pictures. 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A woman director makes one bad independent film and her career is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-wolf/there-was-an-interesting-article-in-los-angeles-magazine-about-women/) [Dick Wolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-wolf/) > [There was always a part of me that wanted to be an old-time director. But I couldn't do that. I'm not a pro.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-scorsese/there-was-always-a-part-of-me-that-wanted-to-be-an-old-time-director/) [Martin Scorsese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-scorsese/) > [The director's job should give you a sense of music without drawing attention to itself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taylor-hackford/the-director-s-job-should-give-you-a-sense-of-music-without-drawing/) [Taylor Hackford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taylor-hackford/) > [A successful director is someone who has the combination of skills that you can learn, but there's also an intuitive sensibility that they bring…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-heinrichs/a-successful-director-is-someone-who-has-the-combination-of-skills/) [Rick Heinrichs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-heinrichs/) ## More by Swoosie Kurtz > [To me, getting notes, honing the part, and refining the role is the real fun of the play.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swoosie-kurtz/to-me-getting-notes-honing-the-part-and-refining-the-role-is-the-real/) [Swoosie Kurtz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swoosie-kurtz/) > [I'd love to do a musical. I have a little list of them in my head.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swoosie-kurtz/i-d-love-to-do-a-musical-i-have-a-little-list-of-them-in-my-head/) [Swoosie Kurtz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swoosie-kurtz/) > [I love to be directed, and I can glean something from almost anyone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swoosie-kurtz/i-love-to-be-directed-and-i-can-glean-something-from-almost-anyone/) [Swoosie Kurtz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swoosie-kurtz/) > [The first thing I ask when I'm offered a part is, Who's the director? which is something they never understand in Los Angeles.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swoosie-kurtz/the-first-thing-i-ask-when-i-m-offered-a-part-is-who-s-the-director/) [Swoosie Kurtz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swoosie-kurtz/) > [It's great that I don't have to apologize about being over 26.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swoosie-kurtz/it-s-great-that-i-don-t-have-to-apologize-about-being-over-26/) [Swoosie Kurtz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swoosie-kurtz/) > [There is a hidden epidemic threatening the lives of millions of Americans...hunger. 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They're in front of a mirror so if you look at just the right angle,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swoosie-kurtz/i-keep-both-of-my-tonys-on-my-mantle-they-re-in-front-of-a-mirror-so/) [Swoosie Kurtz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swoosie-kurtz/) > [I try to tell myself I’m not schizophrenic. But when I’m not acting, I’m not alive. Everyday is just not heightened enough for me.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swoosie-kurtz/i-try-to-tell-myself-i-m-not-schizophrenic-but-when-i-m-not-acting-i/) [Swoosie Kurtz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swoosie-kurtz/) > [My heart was beating out of my chest.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swoosie-kurtz/my-heart-was-beating-out-of-my-chest/) [Swoosie Kurtz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swoosie-kurtz/) > [I am heartbroken that this movie would cause anyone pain. It should be a source of joy. The story is a metaphor about how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swoosie-kurtz/i-am-heartbroken-that-this-movie-would-cause-anyone-pain-it-should-be/) [Swoosie Kurtz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swoosie-kurtz/) > [“I wanted to tell you something, she says, but it slipped under a chair.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swoosie-kurtz/i-wanted-to-tell-you-something-she-says-but-it-slipped-under-a-chair/) [Swoosie Kurtz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swoosie-kurtz/) [Explore all 19 Swoosie Kurtz quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swoosie-kurtz/) ## More Asks quotes > [If you ask an introvert a question, wait until she thinks about it. Introverts think before speaking, not through speaking. If you want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-helgoe/if-you-ask-an-introvert-a-question-wait-until-she-thinks-about-it/) [Laurie Helgoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-helgoe/) > [I don't wear a watch because I want my arms to weigh the same. 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If you were a director you'd like to work in Hollywood too.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roman-polanski/why-did-erich-von-stronheim-leave-germany-why-did-hitchcock-leave/) [Roman Polanski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roman-polanski/) > [There is nothing more I ask of this life than this moment, exactly so. And suddenly forever seems like too short a time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-andreas/there-is-nothing-more-i-ask-of-this-life-than-this-moment-exactly-so/) [Brian Andreas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-andreas/) > [Success will come when the societal attitude changes and not a single woman in America asks herself the question 'What did I do?'.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-biden/success-will-come-when-the-societal-attitude-changes-and-not-a-single/) [Joe Biden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-biden/) > [The most fundamental question we can ever ask ourselves is whether or not the universe we live in is friendly or hostile.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/the-most-fundamental-question-we-can-ever-ask-ourselves-is-whether-or/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [The rich people are apparently leaving America. They're giving up their citizenship. These great lovers of America who made their money in this country-when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-sanders/the-rich-people-are-apparently-leaving-america-they-re-giving-up/) [Bernie Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-sanders/) > [There is a way to be a woman, ask for what we deserve and be able to negotiate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tracee-ellis-ross/there-is-a-way-to-be-a-woman-ask-for-what-we-deserve-and-be-able-to/) [Tracee Ellis Ross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tracee-ellis-ross/) > [For someone to ask 'Who did you play for' and to be able to answer a single name 'Liverpool' that would be brilliant...I don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-carragher/for-someone-to-ask-who-did-you-play-for-and-to-be-able-to-answer-a/) [Jamie Carragher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-carragher/) > [I have no hesitation in saying that although the American woman never leaves her domestic sphere and is in some respects very dependent within…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexis-de-tocqueville/i-have-no-hesitation-in-saying-that-although-the-american-woman-never/) [Alexis de Tocqueville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexis-de-tocqueville/) > [Ask God for temp'rance. That's th' appliance only Which your disease requires.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/ask-god-for-temp-rance-that-s-th-appliance-only-which-your-disease/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [I don't know how to say it exactly. Only...I want to die as myself. Does that make any sense?' he asks. I shake my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzanne-collins/i-don-t-know-how-to-say-it-exactly-only-i-want-to-die-as-myself-does/) [Suzanne Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzanne-collins/) > [Physicist Isador Isaac Rabi, who won a Nobel Prize for inventing a technique that permitted scientists to probe the structure of atoms and molecules…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-saul-wurman/physicist-isador-isaac-rabi-who-won-a-nobel-prize-for-inventing-a/) [Richard Saul Wurman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-saul-wurman/) Browse all 7,138 Asks quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The first thing I ask when Im offered a part is, Whos the director? which is something they never understand in Los Angeles.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Swoosie Kurtz" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swoosie-kurtz/the-first-thing-i-ask-when-im-offered-a-part-is-whos-the-director/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Asks" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swoosie-kurtz/the-first-thing-i-ask-when-im-offered-a-part-is-whos-the-director/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9de/swoosie-kurtz-28994_asks_the-first-thing-i-ask-when-im-offered-a_993695.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9de/swoosie-kurtz-28994_asks_the-first-thing-i-ask-when-im-offered-a_993695.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9de/swoosie-kurtz-28994_asks_the-first-thing-i-ask-when-im-offered-a_993695.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The first thing I ask when Im offered a part is, Whos the director? which is something they never understand…” — Swoosie Kurtz", "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": "Swoosie Kurtz", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swoosie-kurtz/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The first thing I ask when...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swoosie-kurtz/the-first-thing-i-ask-when-im-offered-a-part-is-whos-the-director/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swoosie-kurtz/the-first-thing-i-ask-when-im-offered-a-part-is-whos-the-director/#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 } } ] } ```