--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The normal state of an actor is unemployed." description: "\"The normal state of an actor is unemployed.\" — Terry O'Quinn" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ab0/terry-o-quinn-14978_actor_the-normal-state-of-an-actor-is-unemploy_3176055.jpg" --- # The normal state of an actor is unemployed. ![“The normal state of an actor is unemployed.” quote by Terry O'Quinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ab0/terry-o-quinn-14978_actor_the-normal-state-of-an-actor-is-unemploy_3176055.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ab0/terry-o-quinn-14978_actor_the-normal-state-of-an-actor-is-unemploy_3176055.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ab0/terry-o-quinn-14978_actor_the-normal-state-of-an-actor-is-unemploy_3176055.jpg) > “The normal state of an actor is unemployed.” [Terry O'Quinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-o-quinn/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Actors often face periods without work, making unemployment a typical part of the profession. **In simple terms:** Actors are frequently jobless. Key Takeaway Prepare financially and diversify skills. Themes career uncertainty employment creativity Mood realistic reflective Type career advice When to use this quote - auditions - freelance projects - networking - training programs Key Concepts gig economy artistic labor Questions to Reflect On - How do actors sustain themselves? - What alternative paths exist? A Different Perspective Job scarcity can be severe in niche markets. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Actor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actor/) [Actor Unemployed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actor-unemployed-822348/) [Normal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/normal/) [Normal State](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/normal-state-282299/) [State](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/state/) [State Actor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/state-actor-5800507/) [Theatre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/theatre/) [Unemployed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/unemployed/) ## Related quotes > [As an actor, we're unemployed a lot, so I'm familiar with the stress of trying to get a gig, and sometimes you take shows…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-douglas/as-an-actor-we-re-unemployed-a-lot-so-i-m-familiar-with-the-stress-of/) [Aaron Douglas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-douglas/) > [You spend most of your time as an actor unemployed, so you're not going to hear me complaining that I haven't had a day…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sendhil-ramamurthy/you-spend-most-of-your-time-as-an-actor-unemployed-so-you-re-not/) [Sendhil Ramamurthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sendhil-ramamurthy/) > [War is the normal state of the people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benito-mussolini/war-is-the-normal-state-of-the-people/) [Benito Mussolini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benito-mussolini/) > [“Ketosis is a normal physiological state. I would argue it is the normal state of man. It’s not normal to have a McDonald’s and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/travis-christofferson/ketosis-is-a-normal-physiological-state-i-would-argue-it-is-the/) [Travis Christofferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/travis-christofferson/) > [“Normal is a state of mind. No one’s as picture perfect as they look. Some just cover the cracks better.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-daltry/normal-is-a-state-of-mind-no-one-s-as-picture-perfect-as-they-look/) [Sarah Daltry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-daltry/) > [The freedom of individuals from compulsion or coercion never was, and is not now, the normal state of human affairs. The normal state for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-e-williams/the-freedom-of-individuals-from-compulsion-or-coercion-never-was-and/) [Walter E. Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-e-williams/) > [“It was evident from the general tone of the whole party, that they had come to regard insolvency as the normal state of mankind,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/it-was-evident-from-the-general-tone-of-the-whole-party-that-they-had/) [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) > [Zen is not a particular state but the normal state: silent, peaceful, unagitated. In Zazen neither intention, analysis, specific effort nor imagination take place.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taisen-deshimaru/zen-is-not-a-particular-state-but-the-normal-state-silent-peaceful/) [Taisen Deshimaru](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taisen-deshimaru/) > [“It is only by this moderation that there is effected an early return (to man's normal state).”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lao-tzu/it-is-only-by-this-moderation-that-there-is-effected-an-early-return/) [Lao Tzu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lao-tzu/) > [Uncertainty is the normal state.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-stoppard/uncertainty-is-the-normal-state/) [Tom Stoppard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-stoppard/) > [Normal military trade is undoubtedly part of the normal State-to-State relations.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/li-peng/normal-military-trade-is-undoubtedly-part-of-the-normal-state-to/) [Li Peng](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/li-peng/) > [I want Israel to be a normal state, part of the international community, part of the free world, but unique in terms of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tzipi-livni/i-want-israel-to-be-a-normal-state-part-of-the-international/) [Tzipi Livni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tzipi-livni/) > [“Entropy is the normal state of consciousness—a condition that is neither useful nor enjoyable. To avoid this condition, people are naturally eager to fill…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mihaly-csikszentmihalyi/entropy-is-the-normal-state-of-consciousness-a-condition-that-is/) [Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mihaly-csikszentmihalyi/) > [We all hope we have something else to do. We're going to be unemployed actors. It's a consistent state of being a professional actor,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-o-quinn/we-all-hope-we-have-something-else-to-do-we-re-going-to-be-unemployed/) [Terry O'Quinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-o-quinn/) > [I've never believed unemployment numbers because the way that they calculate unemployment makes no sense whatsoever. It's not how many people are unemployed. It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suze-orman/i-ve-never-believed-unemployment-numbers-because-the-way-that-they/) [Suze Orman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suze-orman/) ## More by Terry O'Quinn > [I like New York in the spring and in the fall. It's one of the best cities to walk that I've ever been in.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-o-quinn/i-like-new-york-in-the-spring-and-in-the-fall-it-s-one-of-the-best/) [Terry O'Quinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-o-quinn/) > [It's easier to be healthy in Hawaii than it is, almost anywhere else I've lived. You spend a lot of time outside, in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-o-quinn/it-s-easier-to-be-healthy-in-hawaii-than-it-is-almost-anywhere-else-i/) [Terry O'Quinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-o-quinn/) > [I know 'Lost' used to drive people mad trying to anticipate what was happening or what something meant.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-o-quinn/i-know-lost-used-to-drive-people-mad-trying-to-anticipate-what-was/) [Terry O'Quinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-o-quinn/) > [Things like Facebook and Twitter, all that stuff, are about, 'I'm here! Here I am! I'm somebody special!'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-o-quinn/things-like-facebook-and-twitter-all-that-stuff-are-about-i-m-here/) [Terry O'Quinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-o-quinn/) > [I spend a lot of time in Los Angeles, but I probably wouldn't say it's my favorite city.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-o-quinn/i-spend-a-lot-of-time-in-los-angeles-but-i-probably-wouldn-t-say-it-s/) [Terry O'Quinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-o-quinn/) > [There's no particular formula for 'Lost.' I mean, I think there were a few attempts to follow it and copy it, but it's a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-o-quinn/there-s-no-particular-formula-for-lost-i-mean-i-think-there-were-a/) [Terry O'Quinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-o-quinn/) > [The reality is that most of us actors have to take work that we would rather not at some time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-o-quinn/the-reality-is-that-most-of-us-actors-have-to-take-work-that-we-would/) [Terry O'Quinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-o-quinn/) > [I'm always looking for work. There are only two states of being an actor, so if I'm not working, I'm looking for employment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-o-quinn/i-m-always-looking-for-work-there-are-only-two-states-of-being-an/) [Terry O'Quinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-o-quinn/) > ['Heaven's Gate' I remember, because it was the first movie I ever was cast in.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-o-quinn/heaven-s-gate-i-remember-because-it-was-the-first-movie-i-ever-was/) [Terry O'Quinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-o-quinn/) > [I think when you get to a certain age, older people become more emotional than younger people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-o-quinn/i-think-when-you-get-to-a-certain-age-older-people-become-more/) [Terry O'Quinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-o-quinn/) > [I think that you only occasionally have to play evil because everything you're doing is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-o-quinn/i-think-that-you-only-occasionally-have-to-play-evil-because/) [Terry O'Quinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-o-quinn/) > [I don't think I could play a character that I couldn't relate to somehow. I'm not unfamiliar with frustration, anger, shame, helplessness and a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-o-quinn/i-don-t-think-i-could-play-a-character-that-i-couldn-t-relate-to/) [Terry O'Quinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-o-quinn/) > [I'm not sure it's possible to stay in Hawaii. It's kind of impractical.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-o-quinn/i-m-not-sure-it-s-possible-to-stay-in-hawaii-it-s-kind-of-impractical/) [Terry O'Quinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-o-quinn/) > [I developed more as an actor in the course of 'Lost' than I had in any period in my career before because they trusted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-o-quinn/i-developed-more-as-an-actor-in-the-course-of-lost-than-i-had-in-any/) [Terry O'Quinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-o-quinn/) > [The people I meet on the street satisfy my need to make contact with the fans. I love to meet them and I never…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-o-quinn/the-people-i-meet-on-the-street-satisfy-my-need-to-make-contact-with/) [Terry O'Quinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-o-quinn/) [Explore all 44 Terry O'Quinn quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-o-quinn/) ## 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 normal state of an actor is unemployed.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Terry O'Quinn" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-o-quinn/the-normal-state-of-an-actor-is-unemployed/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Actor" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-o-quinn/the-normal-state-of-an-actor-is-unemployed/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ab0/terry-o-quinn-14978_actor_the-normal-state-of-an-actor-is-unemploy_3176055.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ab0/terry-o-quinn-14978_actor_the-normal-state-of-an-actor-is-unemploy_3176055.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ab0/terry-o-quinn-14978_actor_the-normal-state-of-an-actor-is-unemploy_3176055.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The normal state of an actor is unemployed.” — Terry O'Quinn", "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": "Terry O'Quinn", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-o-quinn/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The normal state of an actor...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-o-quinn/the-normal-state-of-an-actor-is-unemployed/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-o-quinn/the-normal-state-of-an-actor-is-unemployed/#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 } } ] } ```