--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When you're working as an actor, you…" description: "\"When you're working as an actor, you don't think that when you get out of school, it's going to be so hard to get a job. Just to get a job. Any job. Wh..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/41a/viola-davis-1174_actor_when-you-re-working-as-an-actor-you-don_163033.png" --- # When you're working as an actor, you don't think that when… ![“When you're working as an actor, you don't think that when you get out of school, it's going to be so hard to get a job. Just to get a job. Any job. Whatsoever. You don't think that people are going to see you in a certain way.” quote by Viola Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/41a/viola-davis-1174_actor_when-you-re-working-as-an-actor-you-don_163033.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/41a/viola-davis-1174_actor_when-you-re-working-as-an-actor-you-don_163033.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/41a/viola-davis-1174_actor_when-you-re-working-as-an-actor-you-don_163033.png) > “When you're working as an actor, you don't think that when you get out of school, it's going to be so hard to get a job. Just to get a job. Any job. Whatsoever. You don't think that people are going to see you in a certain way.” [Viola Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/viola-davis/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Acting careers often face harsh reality; early optimism fades as competition and typecasting intensify. **In simple terms:** Acting is tougher than school suggests. Key Takeaway Prepare for setbacks and diversify skills. Themes career expectations reality typecasting Mood candid encouraging Type advice realistic When to use this quote - auditioning - career planning - managing public image - overcoming stereotypes Key Concepts industry dynamics self‑branding resilience Questions to Reflect On - How can actors sustain motivation? - What strategies combat typecasting? A Different Perspective Success isn’t guaranteed; many actors struggle despite talent. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Actor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actor/) [Certain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/certain/) [Hard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hard/) [Hard job](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hard-job/) [Job Just](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/job-just/) [Job Whatsoever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/job-whatsoever-1783725/) [Just Job](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/just-job/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [School](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/school/) [Theatre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/theatre/) [Way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/way/) [Working actor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/working-actor/) ## Related quotes > [When you're working as an actor, you don't think that when you get out of school, it's going to be so hard to get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/viola-davis/when-you-re-working-as-an-actor-you-don-t-think-that-when-you-get-out-2/) [Viola Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/viola-davis/) > [A job is just a job at the end of the day, and work sometimes comes from the most unlikely places.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-bucatinsky/a-job-is-just-a-job-at-the-end-of-the-day-and-work-sometimes-comes/) [Dan Bucatinsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-bucatinsky/) > [If something happened where I couldnt write music anymore, it would kill me. Its not just a job. Its not just a hobby. Its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hans-zimmer/if-something-happened-where-i-couldnt-write-music-anymore-it-would/) [Hans Zimmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hans-zimmer/) > [I would be lying, if I said that sometimes it is just a job that you show up for because you're getting paid, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julianne-moore/i-would-be-lying-if-i-said-that-sometimes-it-is-just-a-job-that-you/) [Julianne Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julianne-moore/) > [“But really, it’s probably just easiest to keep doing what I’m doing. You know how it goes. At first it’s just for the time…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-yu/but-really-it-s-probably-just-easiest-to-keep-doing-what-i-m-doing/) [Charles Yu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-yu/) > [A job is not just a job. It’s who you are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jude-law/a-job-is-not-just-a-job-it-s-who-you-are/) [Jude Law](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jude-law/) > [A job is not just a job... it's who you are. If you want to change who you are,first you have to change what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jude-law-repo-men/a-job-is-not-just-a-job-it-s-who-you-are-if-you-want-to-change-who/) [Jude Law (Repo Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jude-law-repo-men/) > [I have friends who are movie stars, and I think it's just as hard a job as being a working actor. But it's a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-mcdormand/i-have-friends-who-are-movie-stars-and-i-think-it-s-just-as-hard-a/) [Frances McDormand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-mcdormand/) > [When I don't have a movie, I don't take a job just for the sake of working. I just sit it out until I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-spielberg/when-i-don-t-have-a-movie-i-don-t-take-a-job-just-for-the-sake-of/) [Steven Spielberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-spielberg/) > [I still take way more jobs than I turn down, and the reason that I turn down a job is that I just can't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dallas-roberts/i-still-take-way-more-jobs-than-i-turn-down-and-the-reason-that-i/) [Dallas Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dallas-roberts/) > [To me, the writer's main job is to just make the story unscroll in such a way that the reader is snared - she's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-saunders/to-me-the-writer-s-main-job-is-to-just-make-the-story-unscroll-in/) [George Saunders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-saunders/) > [There are real tricks to getting a job that I just don't like or understand - it feels too close to pandering. I've tried…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/f-murray-abraham/there-are-real-tricks-to-getting-a-job-that-i-just-don-t-like-or/) [F. Murray Abraham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/f-murray-abraham/) > [I couldn't do an acting job just to be working. It really had to have some soul to it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcia-cross/i-couldn-t-do-an-acting-job-just-to-be-working-it-really-had-to-have/) [Marcia Cross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcia-cross/) > [I understand my role in this life, and my job is just to hurt people and get them out of there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jorge-masvidal/i-understand-my-role-in-this-life-and-my-job-is-just-to-hurt-people/) [Jorge Masvidal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jorge-masvidal/) > [My job is to find great ideas, exaggerate them, and spread them like hell around the business with the speed of light...And to put…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-welch/my-job-is-to-find-great-ideas-exaggerate-them-and-spread-them-like/) [Jack Welch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-welch/) ## More by Viola Davis > [I look back at pictures of myself and I remember thinking, "I was so fat when I was growing up. I was 165 pounds…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/viola-davis/i-look-back-at-pictures-of-myself-and-i-remember-thinking-i-was-so/) [Viola Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/viola-davis/) > [I am not a glam woman - this definitely is a mask I put on for the public.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/viola-davis/i-am-not-a-glam-woman-this-definitely-is-a-mask-i-put-on-for-the/) [Viola Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/viola-davis/) > [I was bullied at school. The black girl in Central Falls, Rhode Island, in 1973. There'd be 8 or 10 boys; I would count…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/viola-davis/i-was-bullied-at-school-the-black-girl-in-central-falls-rhode-island/) [Viola Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/viola-davis/) > [That's why there's so much bad acting out there, because you could see actors watching themselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/viola-davis/that-s-why-there-s-so-much-bad-acting-out-there-because-you-could-see/) [Viola Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/viola-davis/) > [I want my work to reflect my level of gifts and talent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/viola-davis/i-want-my-work-to-reflect-my-level-of-gifts-and-talent/) [Viola Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/viola-davis/) > [I don’t want anyone putting any limits on me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/viola-davis/i-don-t-want-anyone-putting-any-limits-on-me/) [Viola Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/viola-davis/) > [ I think that's why August \[Wilson\] named her Rose \[in "Fences"\]; I really do. She's a rose in her sweetness and her kindness and… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/viola-davis/i-think-that-s-why-august-wilson-named-her-rose-in-fences-i-really-do/) [Viola Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/viola-davis/) > [I suffered from low self-esteem for much of my life. And now to feel like maybe something that I'm projecting or saying could mean…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/viola-davis/i-suffered-from-low-self-esteem-for-much-of-my-life-and-now-to-feel/) [Viola Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/viola-davis/) > [I tell my daughter every morning, 'Now, what are the two most important parts of you?' And she says, 'My head and my heart.'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/viola-davis/i-tell-my-daughter-every-morning-now-what-are-the-two-most-important/) [Viola Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/viola-davis/) > [I started a production company out of necessity, the need for great narratives for actors of color.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/viola-davis/i-started-a-production-company-out-of-necessity-the-need-for-great/) [Viola Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/viola-davis/) > [That's always the biggest surprise when people meet me: how buoyant I am and how fun and light I am.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/viola-davis/that-s-always-the-biggest-surprise-when-people-meet-me-how-buoyant-i/) [Viola Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/viola-davis/) > [When you're working as an actor, you don't think that when you get out of school, it's going to be so hard to get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/viola-davis/when-you-re-working-as-an-actor-you-don-t-think-that-when-you-get-out-2/) [Viola Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/viola-davis/) > [ It was hard, that confrontation scene \[in "Fences"\], that was a hard one. I felt like it was relentless, I never felt like I… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/viola-davis/it-was-hard-that-confrontation-scene-in-fences-that-was-a-hard-one-i/) [Viola Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/viola-davis/) > [I am addicted to any facial product that's anti-aging.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/viola-davis/i-am-addicted-to-any-facial-product-that-s-anti-aging/) [Viola Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/viola-davis/) > [I’m a black woman who is from Central Falls, Rhode Island. I’m dark skinned. I’m quirky. I’m shy. I’m strong. I’m guarded. I’m weak…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/viola-davis/i-m-a-black-woman-who-is-from-central-falls-rhode-island-i-m-dark/) [Viola Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/viola-davis/) [Explore all 279 Viola Davis quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/viola-davis/) ## 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": "When you're working as an actor, you don't think that when you get out of school, it's going to be so hard to get a job. Just to get a job. Any job. Whatsoever. 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