Skip to content

Actor Quote by Will Smith

“I had to focus and create a character in Bagger Vance, not just do my 'Will Smith' thing and get paid.” quote by Will Smith — Download Open image

“I had to focus and create a character in Bagger Vance, not just do my 'Will Smith' thing and get paid.”

About This Quote

Source Film: The Legend of Bagger Vance (2000)

Focus on authentic character creation rather than relying on personal brand for success.

In simple terms: Prioritize genuine work over fame.

Key Takeaway

Stay true to the craft.

Themes

authenticity craftsmanship discipline

Mood

reflective serious

Type

philosophical inspirational

When to use this quote

film production
theatre
personal branding

Key Concepts

acting creative integrity

Questions to Reflect On

How do you stay authentic under pressure?
What does “not my Will Smith thing” mean for you?

A Different Perspective

Balancing artistic integrity with commercial pressures can be tough.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★ 4.6 out of 5 (6 ratings)

Actor Bagger Bagger Vance Character Character Bagger Create Character Focus Paid Vance Just

More by Will Smith

A rapper is about being completely true to yourself. Being an actor is about changing who you are.

Image

Goofy was the word that was used most often by my sisters because I've been this tall ever since I was 12 years old.

Image

Everybody need a partner to stand right by their side. Not only down for the good times. But also down through the bad times.

Image

Thomas Jefferson was a real poet. He was slick with that 'pursuit' of happiness because the 'pursuit' puts it back on you.

Image

I have fun. I enjoy my life. And I was hardwired for a deep connection between service, God, and happiness. You kind of need…

Image

Believing in yourself is the first step to accomplishing any goal. If you think you're going to fail, you probably will.

Image

You might be [outshining me in many ways]. But if we get on a treadmill, there are two things: you're getting off first or…

Image

Black people playing tennis, next white people will be tap dancing!

Image

Anything can go away. There's no such thing as safety and security. You can do things that give you the illusion of safety and…

Image

You be as truthful as you can to a specific situation, and it will become universal.

Image

Listen to these words, they are very inspirational.

Image

Life is lived on the edge.

Image

Explore all 305 Will Smith quotes

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…

Image

When you step out and do a song in a musical, the easier thing to do is make it funny. But when those transitions…

Image

I once told someone I could act. They totally bought it. I've been getting away with it ever since.

Image

There has got to be a way for me to have a role on TV or in film that is just as normal as…

Image

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…

Image

I'm an actor, so I'm never going to feel like I've done enough.

Image

I am tired of our characters being so incomplete. When do we ever save the day in a film? When does a Latino actor…

Image

When I was 13, I auditioned for the theater school, and I was there for four years. In the meantime, I did my first…

Image

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…

Image

failure in the theater is more public, more brilliant, more unreal than in any other field.

Lillian Hellman

Image

I'm a character actor - always have been, always will be - and historically, character actors don't come into their own until later in…

Image

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…

Image

Browse all 21,590 Actor quotes