--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If I hadn't been an actor, I'd be a…" description: "\"If I hadn't been an actor, I'd be a gardener.\" — Udo Kier" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f78/udo-kier-4433_actor_if-i-hadn-t-been-an-actor-i-d-be-a-garde_3095983.jpg" --- # If I hadn't been an actor, I'd be a gardener. ![“If I hadn't been an actor, I'd be a gardener.” quote by Udo Kier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f78/udo-kier-4433_actor_if-i-hadn-t-been-an-actor-i-d-be-a-garde_3095983.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f78/udo-kier-4433_actor_if-i-hadn-t-been-an-actor-i-d-be-a-garde_3095983.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f78/udo-kier-4433_actor_if-i-hadn-t-been-an-actor-i-d-be-a-garde_3095983.jpg) > “If I hadn't been an actor, I'd be a gardener.” [Udo Kier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/udo-kier/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Even if career paths change, passions can be unexpected and simple. **In simple terms:** Acting or gardening, both fulfill creativity. Key Takeaway Embrace unexpected passions. Themes career identity creativity Mood reflective playful Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - career transition - hobbies - life planning - personal fulfillment Key Concepts self‑discovery flexibility purpose Questions to Reflect On - What hidden talents could you explore? - How does a simple job bring joy? A Different Perspective Changing fields may require new skills and risk. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Actor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actor/) [Actor Gardener](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actor-gardener-3491685/) [Been](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/been/) [Gardener](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gardener/) [Hadn Actor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hadn-actor-430917/) [Theatre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/theatre/) ## Related quotes > [It's a point of pride that no one would treat me any differently because I'm an actor than if I was a gardener.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-ruffalo/it-s-a-point-of-pride-that-no-one-would-treat-me-any-differently/) [Mark Ruffalo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-ruffalo/) > [If I hadn't been an actor, I would have been a coach, and I would have been a good one. All teaching is is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/burt-reynolds/if-i-hadn-t-been-an-actor-i-would-have-been-a-coach-and-i-would-have/) [Burt Reynolds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/burt-reynolds/) > [I don't have a burning desire to act, strangely enough. I don't know that if I hadn't been an actor as a young person,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodie-foster/i-don-t-have-a-burning-desire-to-act-strangely-enough-i-don-t-know/) [Jodie Foster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodie-foster/) > [I love working, I'd be dead if I hadn't found myself as an actor I didn't have to be successful.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dustin-hoffman/i-love-working-i-d-be-dead-if-i-hadn-t-found-myself-as-an-actor-i/) [Dustin Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dustin-hoffman/) > [If I hadn't made it as an actor, I might have wound up a hood.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-mcqueen/if-i-hadn-t-made-it-as-an-actor-i-might-have-wound-up-a-hood/) [Steve McQueen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-mcqueen/) > [If I hadn't been an actor, I probably would have been a social worker.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierce-brosnan/if-i-hadn-t-been-an-actor-i-probably-would-have-been-a-social-worker/) [Pierce Brosnan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierce-brosnan/) > [Well, if I hadn't have been an actor I would have gone on to play college sports.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-manganiello/well-if-i-hadn-t-have-been-an-actor-i-would-have-gone-on-to-play/) [Joe Manganiello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-manganiello/) > [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/) > [I have never been in, nor have I had any strong particular desire to be in, what is termed a costume drama, but I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-freeman/i-have-never-been-in-nor-have-i-had-any-strong-particular-desire-to/) [Martin Freeman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-freeman/) > [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/) > [Show me a person without prejudice of any kind on any subject and I'll show you someone who may be admirably virtuous but is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allen-lacy/show-me-a-person-without-prejudice-of-any-kind-on-any-subject-and-i/) [Allen Lacy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/allen-lacy/) > [Oh, Adam was a gardener, and God who made him sees That half a proper gardener's work is done upon his knees, So when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudyard-kipling/oh-adam-was-a-gardener-and-god-who-made-him-sees-that-half-a-proper/) [Rudyard Kipling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudyard-kipling/) > [“Weeds are job security for the gardener.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-kingsolver/weeds-are-job-security-for-the-gardener/) [Barbara Kingsolver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-kingsolver/) > [I know when I'm not dancing, and I go home, I usually work with my dad, who's an electrician. So I do stuff like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tristan-macmanus/i-know-when-i-m-not-dancing-and-i-go-home-i-usually-work-with-my-dad/) [Tristan MacManus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tristan-macmanus/) > [“Virtue? A fig! 'Tis in ourselves that we are thus or thus. Our bodies are our gardens, to the which our wills are gardeners.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/virtue-a-fig-tis-in-ourselves-that-we-are-thus-or-thus-our-bodies-are/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) ## More by Udo Kier > [I was fascinated by the story of FW Murnau, one of the most famous directors in Germany, where I come from.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/udo-kier/i-was-fascinated-by-the-story-of-fw-murnau-one-of-the-most-famous/) [Udo Kier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/udo-kier/) > [The vampire or the bad guy, that's what people do remember. Lars von Trier, like Guy Maddin, their films are made for a group…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/udo-kier/the-vampire-or-the-bad-guy-that-s-what-people-do-remember-lars-von/) [Udo Kier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/udo-kier/) > [Good movies are difficult to make, and good trash is even harder to make.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/udo-kier/good-movies-are-difficult-to-make-and-good-trash-is-even-harder-to/) [Udo Kier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/udo-kier/) > [My dream would be to play the villain in a James Bond movie, or opposite Arnold Schwarzenegger. I like everything exaggerated.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/udo-kier/my-dream-would-be-to-play-the-villain-in-a-james-bond-movie-or/) [Udo Kier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/udo-kier/) > [I was in 'Iron Sky,' the first one, and I liked it very much. I liked the technology being used. The technology has such…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/udo-kier/i-was-in-iron-sky-the-first-one-and-i-liked-it-very-much-i-liked-the/) [Udo Kier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/udo-kier/) > [I'm a totally desert person.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/udo-kier/i-m-a-totally-desert-person/) [Udo Kier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/udo-kier/) > [The interesting part about 'Iron Sky' was crowdfunding. It was financed in a very special new way. Timo Vuorensola is an amazing, concentrated person…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/udo-kier/the-interesting-part-about-iron-sky-was-crowdfunding-it-was-financed/) [Udo Kier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/udo-kier/) > [I was brought up in Germany, born in 1944, and there was nothing to eat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/udo-kier/i-was-brought-up-in-germany-born-in-1944-and-there-was-nothing-to-eat/) [Udo Kier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/udo-kier/) > [The good thing about films is, you never know how good they will be. If there was a formula, there would only be good…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/udo-kier/the-good-thing-about-films-is-you-never-know-how-good-they-will-be-if/) [Udo Kier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/udo-kier/) > [Gus van Sant I met at the Berlin film festival, and he came up to me. He had a little film in the festival…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/udo-kier/gus-van-sant-i-met-at-the-berlin-film-festival-and-he-came-up-to-me/) [Udo Kier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/udo-kier/) > [If everybody would love each other, there would be no war.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/udo-kier/if-everybody-would-love-each-other-there-would-be-no-war/) [Udo Kier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/udo-kier/) > [Lars von Trier, Wim Wenders, Werner Herzog: They all write, which is much better because it's their baby, and they know what they want.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/udo-kier/lars-von-trier-wim-wenders-werner-herzog-they-all-write-which-is-much/) [Udo Kier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/udo-kier/) > [If you have a smaller role, but if you work with a great director, they make it unforgettable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/udo-kier/if-you-have-a-smaller-role-but-if-you-work-with-a-great-director-they/) [Udo Kier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/udo-kier/) > [I'm a very quiet person actually.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/udo-kier/i-m-a-very-quiet-person-actually/) [Udo Kier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/udo-kier/) > [I have a lot of palm trees, because they say to me holidays and ocean. I grew up very poor and I had an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/udo-kier/i-have-a-lot-of-palm-trees-because-they-say-to-me-holidays-and-ocean/) [Udo Kier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/udo-kier/) [Explore all 111 Udo Kier quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/udo-kier/) ## 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": "If I hadn't been an actor, I'd be a gardener.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Udo Kier" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/udo-kier/if-i-hadn-t-been-an-actor-i-d-be-a-gardener/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Actor" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/udo-kier/if-i-hadn-t-been-an-actor-i-d-be-a-gardener/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f78/udo-kier-4433_actor_if-i-hadn-t-been-an-actor-i-d-be-a-garde_3095983.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f78/udo-kier-4433_actor_if-i-hadn-t-been-an-actor-i-d-be-a-garde_3095983.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f78/udo-kier-4433_actor_if-i-hadn-t-been-an-actor-i-d-be-a-garde_3095983.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“If I hadn't been an actor, I'd be a gardener.” — Udo Kier", "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": "Udo Kier", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/udo-kier/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "If I hadn't been an actor,...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/udo-kier/if-i-hadn-t-been-an-actor-i-d-be-a-gardener/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/udo-kier/if-i-hadn-t-been-an-actor-i-d-be-a-gardener/#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 } } ] } ```