--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: But the one thing that I did do was…" description: "\"But the one thing that I did do was establish myself as a good actor.\" — Vincent D'Onofrio" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/386/vincent-d-onofrio-13506_actor_but-the-one-thing-that-i-did-do-was-esta_2745713.jpg" --- # But the one thing that I did do was establish myself as a… ![“But the one thing that I did do was establish myself as a good actor.” quote by Vincent D'Onofrio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/386/vincent-d-onofrio-13506_actor_but-the-one-thing-that-i-did-do-was-esta_2745713.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/386/vincent-d-onofrio-13506_actor_but-the-one-thing-that-i-did-do-was-esta_2745713.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/386/vincent-d-onofrio-13506_actor_but-the-one-thing-that-i-did-do-was-esta_2745713.jpg) > “But the one thing that I did do was establish myself as a good actor.” [Vincent D'Onofrio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vincent-d-onofrio/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He emphasizes establishing credibility as a competent performer. **In simple terms:** Build a reputation as a skilled actor. Key Takeaway Focus on honing your craft. Themes career reputation skill development Mood determined confident Type motivational professional When to use this quote - auditions - networking - career advancement Key Concepts acting professionalism Questions to Reflect On - How can you showcase your talent beyond reputation? - What steps improve you improve your acting skills? A Different Perspective Credibility alone may not guarantee success without opportunities. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Actor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actor/) [Actors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actors/) [Did Establish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/did-establish-2486663/) [Establish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/establish/) [Establish Good](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/establish-good-2972387/) [Good actor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-actor/) [One thing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/one-thing/) [Theatre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/theatre/) [Thing Did](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thing-did-719276/) ## Related quotes > [I did everything I could to establish myself, but it just didn't work that way. I'm not angry about that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-hardaway/i-did-everything-i-could-to-establish-myself-but-it-just-didn-t-work/) [Tim Hardaway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-hardaway/) > [Have only love in your heart for others. The more you see the good in them, the more you will establish good in yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paramahansa-yogananda/have-only-love-in-your-heart-for-others-the-more-you-see-the-good-in/) [Paramahansa Yogananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paramahansa-yogananda/) > [There's one thing I never did do, and that was stink.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/merle-haggard/there-s-one-thing-i-never-did-do-and-that-was-stink/) [Merle Haggard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/merle-haggard/) > [“He did his thing, and I did mine. Mine involved standing there with a sword in a bin liner waiting for something to try…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexis-hall/he-did-his-thing-and-i-did-mine-mine-involved-standing-there-with-a/) [Alexis Hall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexis-hall/) > [“I love her," I said, but I couldn't think of one thing I still did to show her.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susanna-sonnenberg/i-love-her-i-said-but-i-couldn-t-think-of-one-thing-i-still-did-to/) [Susanna Sonnenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susanna-sonnenberg/) > [“Perhaps when it comes to it, no one is just the worst thing they ever did.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-l-stedman/perhaps-when-it-comes-to-it-no-one-is-just-the-worst-thing-they-ever/) [M.L. Stedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-l-stedman/) > [“…it never comes down to a single thing you did or didn’t do or say. You might convince yourself it did, but it didn’t.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/curtis-sittenfeld/it-never-comes-down-to-a-single-thing-you-did-or-didn-t-do-or-say-you/) [Curtis Sittenfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/curtis-sittenfeld/) > [“It would be the last thing he did if he beat my dog.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/holly-hood/it-would-be-the-last-thing-he-did-if-he-beat-my-dog/) [Holly Hood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/holly-hood/) > [After I saw the first thing I ever did, I got a migraine.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claire-forlani/after-i-saw-the-first-thing-i-ever-did-i-got-a-migraine/) [Claire Forlani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claire-forlani/) > [Teaching was the most pleasant thing I did.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/earl-butz/teaching-was-the-most-pleasant-thing-i-did/) [Earl Butz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/earl-butz/) > [The best thing I ever did was give my family everything I could.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-r-allen/the-best-thing-i-ever-did-was-give-my-family-everything-i-could/) [John R. Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-r-allen/) > [The truth is a difficult thing, and did not in any pocket.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marius-bamis-b-m/the-truth-is-a-difficult-thing-and-did-not-in-any-pocket/) [Marius Bamis B M](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marius-bamis-b-m/) > [“The best thing I ever did in my life was make you mine, Stace.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristen-proby/the-best-thing-i-ever-did-in-my-life-was-make-you-mine-stace/) [Kristen Proby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristen-proby/) > [“Didn’t every new thing you did become a part of you, one of your bricks?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/augusten-burroughs/didn-t-every-new-thing-you-did-become-a-part-of-you-one-of-your-bricks/) [Augusten Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/augusten-burroughs/) > [It's going to be a symbolic thing. But for me, they did enough.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rosie-ruiz/it-s-going-to-be-a-symbolic-thing-but-for-me-they-did-enough/) [Rosie Ruiz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rosie-ruiz/) ## More by Vincent D'Onofrio > [When I was younger I used to pick things just to face the fear.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vincent-d-onofrio/when-i-was-younger-i-used-to-pick-things-just-to-face-the-fear/) [Vincent D'Onofrio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vincent-d-onofrio/) > [Then I did Mystic Pizza, just to do something I wasn't fat in.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vincent-d-onofrio/then-i-did-mystic-pizza-just-to-do-something-i-wasn-t-fat-in/) [Vincent D'Onofrio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vincent-d-onofrio/) > [ My 22-year-old \[son\] can see everything I've done, but my 15-year-old hasn't been able to see anything, at all. But yeah, I hope I'm… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vincent-d-onofrio/my-22-year-old-son-can-see-everything-i-ve-done-but-my-15-year-old/) [Vincent D'Onofrio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vincent-d-onofrio/) > [So, it's always different. Some stuff, you want to do because it's a part that you've never played. It's always for story. Sometimes there's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vincent-d-onofrio/so-it-s-always-different-some-stuff-you-want-to-do-because-it-s-a/) [Vincent D'Onofrio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vincent-d-onofrio/) > [And I have been able to establish this sort of decent reputation as being a decent character actor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vincent-d-onofrio/and-i-have-been-able-to-establish-this-sort-of-decent-reputation-as/) [Vincent D'Onofrio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vincent-d-onofrio/) > [The minute you start feeling like you've got it down, you know what you're doing, you're dead in the water.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vincent-d-onofrio/the-minute-you-start-feeling-like-you-ve-got-it-down-you-know-what/) [Vincent D'Onofrio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vincent-d-onofrio/) > [I've never played a master thief. And I think I am one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vincent-d-onofrio/i-ve-never-played-a-master-thief-and-i-think-i-am-one/) [Vincent D'Onofrio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vincent-d-onofrio/) > [Like De Niro. He's one of the best character actors we have ever had.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vincent-d-onofrio/like-de-niro-he-s-one-of-the-best-character-actors-we-have-ever-had/) [Vincent D'Onofrio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vincent-d-onofrio/) > [This haunting idea of becoming a celebrity doesn't settle well with me at all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vincent-d-onofrio/this-haunting-idea-of-becoming-a-celebrity-doesn-t-settle-well-with/) [Vincent D'Onofrio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vincent-d-onofrio/) > [Im a character actor, and I made a choice when I was young, after Mystic Pizza, not to go for the mainstream stuff, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vincent-d-onofrio/im-a-character-actor-and-i-made-a-choice-when-i-was-young-after/) [Vincent D'Onofrio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vincent-d-onofrio/) > [Acting is not a mystery. There's nothing that I know that other actors don't know. We all act, we're all actors, we all know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vincent-d-onofrio/acting-is-not-a-mystery-there-s-nothing-that-i-know-that-other-actors/) [Vincent D'Onofrio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vincent-d-onofrio/) > [When you are a character actor they trust you will go in and give them a full character and leave.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vincent-d-onofrio/when-you-are-a-character-actor-they-trust-you-will-go-in-and-give/) [Vincent D'Onofrio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vincent-d-onofrio/) > [The key is always to speak in your own voice. Speak the truth. That's Acting 101.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vincent-d-onofrio/the-key-is-always-to-speak-in-your-own-voice-speak-the-truth-that-s/) [Vincent D'Onofrio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vincent-d-onofrio/) > [I found my niche as a character actor, and I've never felt like a movie star or teen idol and never wanted to.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vincent-d-onofrio/i-found-my-niche-as-a-character-actor-and-i-ve-never-felt-like-a/) [Vincent D'Onofrio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vincent-d-onofrio/) > [It's like why people read scary books or go see scary movies. Because it creates a distance. They're scared, but they're not going to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vincent-d-onofrio/it-s-like-why-people-read-scary-books-or-go-see-scary-movies-because/) [Vincent D'Onofrio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vincent-d-onofrio/) [Explore all 50 Vincent D'Onofrio quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vincent-d-onofrio/) ## 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": "But the one thing that I did do was establish myself as a good actor.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Vincent D'Onofrio" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vincent-d-onofrio/but-the-one-thing-that-i-did-do-was-establish-myself-as-a-good-actor/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Actor" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vincent-d-onofrio/but-the-one-thing-that-i-did-do-was-establish-myself-as-a-good-actor/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/386/vincent-d-onofrio-13506_actor_but-the-one-thing-that-i-did-do-was-esta_2745713.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/386/vincent-d-onofrio-13506_actor_but-the-one-thing-that-i-did-do-was-esta_2745713.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/386/vincent-d-onofrio-13506_actor_but-the-one-thing-that-i-did-do-was-esta_2745713.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“But the one thing that I did do was establish myself as a good actor.” — Vincent D'Onofrio", "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": "Vincent D'Onofrio", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vincent-d-onofrio/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "But the one thing that I...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vincent-d-onofrio/but-the-one-thing-that-i-did-do-was-establish-myself-as-a-good-actor/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vincent-d-onofrio/but-the-one-thing-that-i-did-do-was-establish-myself-as-a-good-actor/#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 } } ] } ```