--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I start at square one with every role. If…" description: "\"I start at square one with every role. If I let myself feel pressure, it would crush me. The truth is that everyone pays attention to who's number one ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/db2/tom-hanks-1717_actors_i-start-at-square-one-with-every-role-if_802735.jpg" --- # I start at square one with every role. If I let myself… ![“I start at square one with every role. If I let myself feel pressure, it would crush me. The truth is that everyone pays attention to who's number one at the box office. And none of it matters, because the only thing that really exists is the connection the audience has with a movie. Sometimes…” quote by Tom Hanks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/db2/tom-hanks-1717_actors_i-start-at-square-one-with-every-role-if_802735.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/db2/tom-hanks-1717_actors_i-start-at-square-one-with-every-role-if_802735.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/db2/tom-hanks-1717_actors_i-start-at-square-one-with-every-role-if_802735.jpg) > “I start at square one with every role. If I let myself feel pressure, it would crush me. The truth is that everyone pays attention to who's number one at the box office. And none of it matters, because the only thing that really exists is the connection the audience has with a movie. Sometimes that's a palpable thing, but other times it's not. No actor has control of that. All you can control is your own passion for doing the work in the first place.” [Tom Hanks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-hanks/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Focus on personal passion over external validation; audience connection matters most. **In simple terms:** Passion drives work, not fame. Key Takeaway Cultivate inner drive. Themes passion audience connection self-control Mood reflective inspirational Type career personal growth When to use this quote - acting career - project work - personal development Key Concepts intrinsic motivation creative process Questions to Reflect On - How to stay passionate amid criticism? - What defines true success? A Different Perspective External pressures can still impact opportunities. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Actors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actors/) [Attention](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/attention/) [Audience](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/audience/) [Connections](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/connections/) [Crush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/crush/) [Doing The Work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doing-the-work/) [First place](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/first-place/) [Movie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/movie/) [Office](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/office/) [Passion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/passion/) [Pressure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pressure/) [Theatre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/theatre/) ## Related quotes > [The truth is that everyone pays attention to who's number one at the box office. And none of it matters, because the only thing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-hanks/the-truth-is-that-everyone-pays-attention-to-who-s-number-one-at-the/) [Tom Hanks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-hanks/) > [I could have evaded the FBI a lot longer if I had been able to control my passion for hacking.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-mitnick/i-could-have-evaded-the-fbi-a-lot-longer-if-i-had-been-able-to/) [Kevin Mitnick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-mitnick/) > [Anger is momentary madness, so control your passion or it will control you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/anger-is-momentary-madness-so-control-your-passion-or-it-will-control/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [He who is himself crossed in love is able from time to time to master his passion, for he is not the creature but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stefan-zweig/he-who-is-himself-crossed-in-love-is-able-from-time-to-time-to-master/) [Stefan Zweig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stefan-zweig/) > [I have to control my passion more as a manager than I did as a player.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paolo-di-canio/i-have-to-control-my-passion-more-as-a-manager-than-i-did-as-a-player/) [Paolo di Canio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paolo-di-canio/) > [You do the work and you want people to see it; but, um while I'm doing the work, the result doesn't matter at all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-depp/you-do-the-work-and-you-want-people-to-see-it-but-um-while-i-m-doing/) [Johnny Depp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-depp/) > [I get an opportunity to communicate with the audience about the movie that I've made. I get the chance to bring attention to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harrison-ford/i-get-an-opportunity-to-communicate-with-the-audience-about-the-movie/) [Harrison Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harrison-ford/) > [Most movies don't have the ability to find an audience. So the movie plays out very quickly in a lot of theaters to get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-ziskin/most-movies-don-t-have-the-ability-to-find-an-audience-so-the-movie/) [Laura Ziskin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-ziskin/) > [I think awards are good for the movie. They can bring a new audience to the movie. I've always claimed that things like that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-mcdormand/i-think-awards-are-good-for-the-movie-they-can-bring-a-new-audience/) [Frances McDormand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-mcdormand/) > [I used to throw up before I went on stage, every time. Even though it's only 200 people in the audience, and a movie…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-kinnaman/i-used-to-throw-up-before-i-went-on-stage-every-time-even-though-it-s/) [Joel Kinnaman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-kinnaman/) > [You want the audience to get your movie, and you want the audience to like it. It's as simple as that. If they don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judd-apatow/you-want-the-audience-to-get-your-movie-and-you-want-the-audience-to/) [Judd Apatow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judd-apatow/) > [My constant endeavour is to offer something new to the audience. Every movie I pick, including 'Loafer', which offers a strong mother sentiment, tries…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/varun-tej/my-constant-endeavour-is-to-offer-something-new-to-the-audience-every/) [Varun Tej](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/varun-tej/) > [I'm very conscious of what I consider to be the first audience of any movie that I make. It's those people whose reactions I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niki-caro/i-m-very-conscious-of-what-i-consider-to-be-the-first-audience-of-any/) [Niki Caro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niki-caro/) > [I don't feel any pressure. I'm not nervous about going out there and pitching.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cc-sabathia/i-don-t-feel-any-pressure-i-m-not-nervous-about-going-out-there-and/) [CC Sabathia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cc-sabathia/) > [I do feel pressure from the outside world a little bit just because everybody wants new music, which is really nice. It just proves…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alessia-cara/i-do-feel-pressure-from-the-outside-world-a-little-bit-just-because/) [Alessia Cara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alessia-cara/) ## More by Tom Hanks > [I've worked with people who are much further to the left than I am and much further to the right than I am. At…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-hanks/i-ve-worked-with-people-who-are-much-further-to-the-left-than-i-am/) [Tom Hanks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-hanks/) > [In the 1998 Oscars, I found myself in the bathroom in a stall, next to Tom Selleck. So I leaned over and I said…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-hanks/in-the-1998-oscars-i-found-myself-in-the-bathroom-in-a-stall-next-to/) [Tom Hanks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-hanks/) > [Mass-market movies have become about one thing. They kind of declare themselves right off the bat. . . . But when I go to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-hanks/mass-market-movies-have-become-about-one-thing-they-kind-of-declare/) [Tom Hanks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-hanks/) > [If you look at romantic comedies as pieces of commerce, the audience is looking for wish fulfillment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-hanks/if-you-look-at-romantic-comedies-as-pieces-of-commerce-the-audience/) [Tom Hanks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-hanks/) > [Some people are cowards... I think by and large a third of people are villains, a third are cowards, and a third are heroes.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-hanks/some-people-are-cowards-i-think-by-and-large-a-third-of-people-are/) [Tom Hanks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-hanks/) > [I try to do what I call the three E's - educate, entertain, and enlighten. If you don't entertain, no one will show up.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-hanks/i-try-to-do-what-i-call-the-three-e-s-educate-entertain-and-enlighten/) [Tom Hanks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-hanks/) > [But actors with political views are a dime a dozen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-hanks/but-actors-with-political-views-are-a-dime-a-dozen/) [Tom Hanks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-hanks/) > [We're part of a greater humanity and we can actually affect the world by the choices we make once we leave the theater.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-hanks/we-re-part-of-a-greater-humanity-and-we-can-actually-affect-the-world/) [Tom Hanks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-hanks/) > [Saying no to something is actually much more powerful than saying yes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-hanks/saying-no-to-something-is-actually-much-more-powerful-than-saying-yes/) [Tom Hanks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-hanks/) > [If things were easy to find, they wouldn’t be worth finding.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-hanks/if-things-were-easy-to-find-they-wouldn-t-be-worth-finding/) [Tom Hanks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-hanks/) > [Reading a script is usually as exciting as reading a boilerplate legal document, so when you read one that makes you feel as if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-hanks/reading-a-script-is-usually-as-exciting-as-reading-a-boilerplate/) [Tom Hanks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-hanks/) > [Let's not pretend there isn't a huge industry driven by the choices made by editors and writers who decide what a story is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-hanks/let-s-not-pretend-there-isn-t-a-huge-industry-driven-by-the-choices/) [Tom Hanks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-hanks/) > [It just so happens that my body type and my lifestyle gives me a preclusion for high blood sugars.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-hanks/it-just-so-happens-that-my-body-type-and-my-lifestyle-gives-me-a/) [Tom Hanks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-hanks/) > [Are you crying? There's no crying. There's no crying in baseball.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-hanks/are-you-crying-there-s-no-crying-there-s-no-crying-in-baseball/) [Tom Hanks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-hanks/) > [My son is a gentleman and a professional who is pursuing something difficult. Yet the only thing he has ever asked me for is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-hanks/my-son-is-a-gentleman-and-a-professional-who-is-pursuing-something/) [Tom Hanks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-hanks/) [Explore all 213 Tom Hanks quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-hanks/) ## More Actors quotes > [Women still, when they have breast cancer, go to work; they still lead their lives. They have to. I just did what I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/monica-potter/women-still-when-they-have-breast-cancer-go-to-work-they-still-lead/) [Monica Potter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/monica-potter/) > [I'm trying to write a film with my friend. I'd love to get the thrill of speaking actors making my work even funnier.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-howard/i-m-trying-to-write-a-film-with-my-friend-i-d-love-to-get-the-thrill/) [Russell Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-howard/) > [A lesser complaint: hair extensions. There are moments on 'All My Children' when half the women actors, young and old, seem to be afflicted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/camille-paglia/a-lesser-complaint-hair-extensions-there-are-moments-on-all-my/) [Camille Paglia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/camille-paglia/) > [I'm very used to working with first time actors - you can just look back at 'E.T.' with Drew Barrymore, and Christian Bale from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-spielberg/i-m-very-used-to-working-with-first-time-actors-you-can-just-look/) [Steven Spielberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-spielberg/) > [Forget the credit, they (male actors) take all the money as well. We don't get paid even one-third of what male actors get. It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kangana-ranaut/forget-the-credit-they-male-actors-take-all-the-money-as-well-we-don/) [Kangana Ranaut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kangana-ranaut/) > [I love film people and actors and I am in the right world because I am one of those people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ewan-mcgregor/i-love-film-people-and-actors-and-i-am-in-the-right-world-because-i/) [Ewan McGregor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ewan-mcgregor/) > [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/) > [What we're supposed to do as actors is be able to portray real human beings and emotions. And if you grow up in this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-browning/what-we-re-supposed-to-do-as-actors-is-be-able-to-portray-real-human/) [Emily Browning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-browning/) > [When we watch a film as actors, you have to understand that we always see much more than what's on screen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kunal-khemu/when-we-watch-a-film-as-actors-you-have-to-understand-that-we-always/) [Kunal Khemu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kunal-khemu/) > [As actors, you become an expert at starting over.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lupita-nyong-o/as-actors-you-become-an-expert-at-starting-over/) [Lupita Nyong'o](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lupita-nyong-o/) > [The whole concept of stage fright is fascinating. Actors get stage fright, but they wouldn't be on the stage in the first place if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-greene/the-whole-concept-of-stage-fright-is-fascinating-actors-get-stage/) [Robert Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-greene/) > [No actor wants to choose - they just want all of the options available to them all the time; we tend to be pretty…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gillian-jacobs/no-actor-wants-to-choose-they-just-want-all-of-the-options-available/) [Gillian Jacobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gillian-jacobs/) > [A rapper is about being completely true to yourself. Being an actor is about changing who you are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-smith/a-rapper-is-about-being-completely-true-to-yourself-being-an-actor-is/) [Will Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-smith/) > [I've been a professional actor for almost 40 years.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-perlman/i-ve-been-a-professional-actor-for-almost-40-years/) [Ron Perlman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-perlman/) > [American actors are coy. We all have pricks and cunts, or are you different from the rest of us?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-greenaway/american-actors-are-coy-we-all-have-pricks-and-cunts-or-are-you/) [Peter Greenaway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-greenaway/) [Browse all 11,394 Actors quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actors/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I start at square one with every role. If I let myself feel pressure, it would crush me. 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