--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I never believe it when people claim they…" description: "\"I never believe it when people claim they knew they wanted to be actors when they were 4 or 5 years old. I think that's rubbish. When you're that age, ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/680/tom-payne-11262_actor_i-never-believe-it-when-people-claim-the_146866.jpg" --- # I never believe it when people claim they knew they wanted… ![“I never believe it when people claim they knew they wanted to be actors when they were 4 or 5 years old. I think that's rubbish. When you're that age, you just like showing off.” quote by Tom Payne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/680/tom-payne-11262_actor_i-never-believe-it-when-people-claim-the_146866.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/680/tom-payne-11262_actor_i-never-believe-it-when-people-claim-the_146866.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/680/tom-payne-11262_actor_i-never-believe-it-when-people-claim-the_146866.jpg) > “I never believe it when people claim they knew they wanted to be actors when they were 4 or 5 years old. I think that's rubbish. When you're that age, you just like showing off.” [Tom Payne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-payne/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Early career aspirations are often superficial; genuine passion develops later, not in childhood. **In simple terms:** Childhood career dreams are usually fleeting. Key Takeaway Seek authentic passions beyond early fantasies. Themes career aspiration development authenticity growth Mood reflective pragmatic Type motivational philosophical When to use this quote - education - mentorship - personal planning Key Concepts psychology career development Questions to Reflect On - What drives your current ambitions? - How to differentiate genuine passion from fleeting interest? A Different Perspective Early claims may lack depth. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Actor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actor/) [Actors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actors/) [Age](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/age/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) ## Related quotes > [I could have been insecure in 'Yamla Pagla'... if I wanted to be. With three actors who are amazing beyond belief and are a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kriti-kharbanda/i-could-have-been-insecure-in-yamla-pagla-if-i-wanted-to-be-with/) [Kriti Kharbanda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kriti-kharbanda/) > [I have to say as an actor I have been inspired by so many British actors throughout the years.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-dicaprio/i-have-to-say-as-an-actor-i-have-been-inspired-by-so-many-british/) [Leonardo DiCaprio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-dicaprio/) > [I've had the pleasure and the great luck to work with some incredible actors over the years and you have to observe and learn…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cillian-murphy/i-ve-had-the-pleasure-and-the-great-luck-to-work-with-some-incredible/) [Cillian Murphy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cillian-murphy/) > [I've always thought that actors wanted to be pop musicians and pop musicians wanted to be actors.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-kemp/i-ve-always-thought-that-actors-wanted-to-be-pop-musicians-and-pop/) [Gary Kemp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-kemp/) > [My parents wanted to be actors. They tried for years but didn't get anywhere. Then Mum got pregnant with me and they decided to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/honeysuckle-weeks/my-parents-wanted-to-be-actors-they-tried-for-years-but-didn-t-get/) [Honeysuckle Weeks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/honeysuckle-weeks/) > [I never wanted to be one of those actors with a political agenda.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-somerhalder/i-never-wanted-to-be-one-of-those-actors-with-a-political-agenda/) [Ian Somerhalder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-somerhalder/) > [I just like showing people - and this might be at the root of everything that I've done - that I don't want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-doolittle/i-just-like-showing-people-and-this-might-be-at-the-root-of/) [Sean Doolittle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-doolittle/) > [Any image I have, it's just what I do, but it comes off as being very pretentious. When you're a bit in the public…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-waits/any-image-i-have-it-s-just-what-i-do-but-it-comes-off-as-being-very/) [Tom Waits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-waits/) > [I'm not a very emotional guy. I just move on to the next play. I've always been that way. I don't like showing much.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-snell/i-m-not-a-very-emotional-guy-i-just-move-on-to-the-next-play-i-ve/) [Tony Snell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-snell/) > [I like showing people I can do something they wouldn't have pegged me as being able to do. I've always wanted to defy expectations.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melissa-leong/i-like-showing-people-i-can-do-something-they-wouldn-t-have-pegged-me/) [Melissa Leong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-leong/) > [I like showing moms what it's really like having a baby, and how it's not Hollywood life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bethenny-frankel/i-like-showing-moms-what-it-s-really-like-having-a-baby-and-how-it-s/) [Bethenny Frankel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bethenny-frankel/) > [It may sound like showing off, but I am good in communications and in creating harmony.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/park-won-soon/it-may-sound-like-showing-off-but-i-am-good-in-communications-and-in/) [Park Won-soon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/park-won-soon/) > [I don't like showing my privacy online.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eduardo-saverin/i-don-t-like-showing-my-privacy-online/) [Eduardo Saverin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eduardo-saverin/) > [I'm not the 'look at me' kind of a person. I do not like showing off in public or written about.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/imtiaz-ali/i-m-not-the-look-at-me-kind-of-a-person-i-do-not-like-showing-off-in/) [Imtiaz Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/imtiaz-ali/) > [I really don't like showing people how I play things; it's a little embarrassing because it always looks so simple to me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-page/i-really-don-t-like-showing-people-how-i-play-things-it-s-a-little/) [Jimmy Page](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-page/) ## More by Tom Payne > ['Downton Abbey' is my worst nightmare. I just hate that whole 'Upstairs Downstairs' thing, I think it's really lazy and it doesn't represent England,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-payne/downton-abbey-is-my-worst-nightmare-i-just-hate-that-whole-upstairs/) [Tom Payne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-payne/) > [I've lived in California for years.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-payne/i-ve-lived-in-california-for-years/) [Tom Payne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-payne/) > [I had been working in England since 2005 when I left drama school.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-payne/i-had-been-working-in-england-since-2005-when-i-left-drama-school/) [Tom Payne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-payne/) > [All great leaders choose great advisors, people they really trust for their governance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-payne/all-great-leaders-choose-great-advisors-people-they-really-trust-for/) [Tom Payne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-payne/) > [Well, conventions are so cool, because I just feel like I'm giving out smiles all day, it's so fun, and you get people who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-payne/well-conventions-are-so-cool-because-i-just-feel-like-i-m-giving-out/) [Tom Payne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-payne/) > [There aren't that many actors with hair like this. And Amazon are casting Aragorn and they're doing Interview with the Vampire' on Hulu, so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-payne/there-aren-t-that-many-actors-with-hair-like-this-and-amazon-are/) [Tom Payne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-payne/) > [I wasn't thinking about awards or becoming rich. I just wanted to be able to make my living by working as an actor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-payne/i-wasn-t-thinking-about-awards-or-becoming-rich-i-just-wanted-to-be/) [Tom Payne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-payne/) > [I had an audition notice from my agent telling me the fake name of the part with a short description. I knew it was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-payne/i-had-an-audition-notice-from-my-agent-telling-me-the-fake-name-of/) [Tom Payne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-payne/) > [When you don't know how to fight you tend to put all your energy into one punch. That will tire you out quickly. You…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-payne/when-you-don-t-know-how-to-fight-you-tend-to-put-all-your-energy-into/) [Tom Payne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-payne/) > [I was on the tube the other day and it was after the Chelsea match and everyone was going crazy screaming across at each…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-payne/i-was-on-the-tube-the-other-day-and-it-was-after-the-chelsea-match/) [Tom Payne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-payne/) > [When learning boxing and martial arts, there wasn't any fakery in my training. When teaching you the basics of fighting, even though it's faked…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-payne/when-learning-boxing-and-martial-arts-there-wasn-t-any-fakery-in-my/) [Tom Payne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-payne/) > [Honestly, a lot of the time, I'm like, 'Oh, my god, I've got so many lines to learn,' that I have to focus and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-payne/honestly-a-lot-of-the-time-i-m-like-oh-my-god-i-ve-got-so-many-lines/) [Tom Payne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-payne/) > [There's no difference between a gay person and a heterosexual person at the end of the day.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-payne/there-s-no-difference-between-a-gay-person-and-a-heterosexual-person/) [Tom Payne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-payne/) > [I'm a huge Highlander' fan.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-payne/i-m-a-huge-highlander-fan/) [Tom Payne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-payne/) > [I have a new appreciation for how fit martial artists are. There is so much energy being exerted when you fight.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-payne/i-have-a-new-appreciation-for-how-fit-martial-artists-are-there-is-so/) [Tom Payne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-payne/) [Explore all 61 Tom Payne quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-payne/) ## 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": "I never believe it when people claim they knew they wanted to be actors when they were 4 or 5 years old. I think that's rubbish. 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