--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: As you get older, you suffer fools less…" description: "\"As you get older, you suffer fools less easily. That's why there's all those cranky character actors. I'm an exception. I'm a sweetheart.\" — Willem Dafoe" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8c3/willem-dafoe-4486_actors_as-you-get-older-you-suffer-fools-less-e_778973.jpg" --- # As you get older, you suffer fools less easily. That's why… ![“As you get older, you suffer fools less easily. That's why there's all those cranky character actors. I'm an exception. I'm a sweetheart.” quote by Willem Dafoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8c3/willem-dafoe-4486_actors_as-you-get-older-you-suffer-fools-less-e_778973.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8c3/willem-dafoe-4486_actors_as-you-get-older-you-suffer-fools-less-e_778973.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8c3/willem-dafoe-4486_actors_as-you-get-older-you-suffer-fools-less-e_778973.jpg) > “As you get older, you suffer fools less easily. That's why there's all those cranky character actors. I'm an exception. I'm a sweetheart.” [Willem Dafoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willem-dafoe/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. With age, tolerance for foolishness diminishes, leading to frustration with certain actors; the speaker claims personal exception as a kind-hearted individual. **In simple terms:** Older people get less patient with fools. Key Takeaway Recognize personal growth and maintain kindness. Themes aging patience character self-awareness humor Mood reflective humorous insightful Type personal philosophical When to use this quote - workplace dynamics - creative industries - personal relationships - mentor-ment Key Concepts psychology of aging emotional intelligence personal identity Questions to Reflect On - How do you balance honesty with kindness? - What strategies help maintain patience? A Different Perspective Self‑identification as an exception may ignore broader patterns of behavior. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Actors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actors/) [Character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character/) [Character actors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character-actors/) [Cranky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cranky/) [Cranky Character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cranky-character-5414388/) [Easily Cranky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/easily-cranky-6006099/) [Exception](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/exception/) [Fool](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fool/) [Older Suffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/older-suffer-3037586/) [Suffer Fools](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/suffer-fools-448669/) [Suffering](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/suffering/) [Sweetheart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sweetheart/) ## Related quotes > [I aspire to be an instrument of the director. I'm happiest like that. The stronger the director, the more I'm willing to give them.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willem-dafoe/i-aspire-to-be-an-instrument-of-the-director-i-m-happiest-like-that-2/) [Willem Dafoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willem-dafoe/) > [The older I get, the less I suffer fools gladly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathleen-turner/the-older-i-get-the-less-i-suffer-fools-gladly/) [Kathleen Turner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathleen-turner/) > [As you get older, you can suffer from painful hips, and our joints wear a lot quicker than for people of average height.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warwick-davis/as-you-get-older-you-can-suffer-from-painful-hips-and-our-joints-wear/) [Warwick Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warwick-davis/) > [ Not only did he \[Dean Acheson\] not suffer fools gladly, he did not suffer them at all. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lester-b-pearson/not-only-did-he-dean-acheson-not-suffer-fools-gladly-he-did-not/) [Lester B. Pearson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lester-b-pearson/) > [I don't suffer fools, and I like to see fools suffer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/florence-king/i-don-t-suffer-fools-and-i-like-to-see-fools-suffer/) [Florence King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/florence-king/) > [I suffer migraines. I do not suffer fools.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-lockhart/i-suffer-migraines-i-do-not-suffer-fools/) [E. Lockhart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-lockhart/) > [This may come as a shock to some of you, but I have a slightly volatile personality. I don’t suffer fools well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tucker-max/this-may-come-as-a-shock-to-some-of-you-but-i-have-a-slightly/) [Tucker Max](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tucker-max/) > [“I neither suffer myself, nor other fools, gladly.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alec-guinness/i-neither-suffer-myself-nor-other-fools-gladly/) [Alec Guinness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alec-guinness/) > [Don't suffer fools or you'll become one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-ferriss/don-t-suffer-fools-or-you-ll-become-one/) [Tim Ferriss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-ferriss/) > [ \[Maggie Smith\] brings new meaning to the phrase "doesn't suffer fools." She has just the most amazing, dry timing of anyone ever, I think.… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-lowe/maggie-smith-brings-new-meaning-to-the-phrase-doesn-t-suffer-fools/) [Rob Lowe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-lowe/) > [So many, though reluctant to admit it. Shun clever men, and rather suffer fools.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ivan-krylov/so-many-though-reluctant-to-admit-it-shun-clever-men-and-rather/) [Ivan Krylov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ivan-krylov/) > [I suffer fools gladly because I am one of them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-secombe/i-suffer-fools-gladly-because-i-am-one-of-them/) [Harry Secombe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-secombe/) > [Several people have told me that my inability to suffer fools gladly is one of my main weaknesses.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edsger-dijkstra/several-people-have-told-me-that-my-inability-to-suffer-fools-gladly/) [Edsger Dijkstra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edsger-dijkstra/) > [Suffer fools gladly; they may be right.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/holbrook-jackson/suffer-fools-gladly-they-may-be-right/) [Holbrook Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/holbrook-jackson/) > [Stick to your knitting (what you're good at), don't compromise, and don't suffer fools.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-campbell/stick-to-your-knitting-what-you-re-good-at-don-t-compromise-and-don-t/) [Simon Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-campbell/) ## More by Willem Dafoe > [I was doing community theater, and I was always interested in acting, but I was also interested in sports. I was interested in a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willem-dafoe/i-was-doing-community-theater-and-i-was-always-interested-in-acting/) [Willem Dafoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willem-dafoe/) > [I knew very little about 'Spider-Man'. I grew up more in the 'Superman' generation. 'Spider-Man' - I didn't know so much. But it is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willem-dafoe/i-knew-very-little-about-spider-man-i-grew-up-more-in-the-superman/) [Willem Dafoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willem-dafoe/) > [When you have something to work with, then you fly with it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willem-dafoe/when-you-have-something-to-work-with-then-you-fly-with-it/) [Willem Dafoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willem-dafoe/) > [When I was a kid I was very interested in the idea of the will, finding out what you're capable of. I liked those…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willem-dafoe/when-i-was-a-kid-i-was-very-interested-in-the-idea-of-the-will/) [Willem Dafoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willem-dafoe/) > [Film is an editor's medium. You can create very good raw material and they can make it horrible, or you can do not so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willem-dafoe/film-is-an-editor-s-medium-you-can-create-very-good-raw-material-and/) [Willem Dafoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willem-dafoe/) > [I'm more interested in talking about what I do. And I don't think people are interested in my personal life. I've never had a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willem-dafoe/i-m-more-interested-in-talking-about-what-i-do-and-i-don-t-think/) [Willem Dafoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willem-dafoe/) > [ Mounting those red stairs \[in Cannes\] is something I've done with a very different intention many times. So it's interesting any time you witness… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willem-dafoe/mounting-those-red-stairs-in-cannes-is-something-i-ve-done-with-a/) [Willem Dafoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willem-dafoe/) > [In films you do a scene, you play around with it and unless you're doing a lot of reshooting, which no one has the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willem-dafoe/in-films-you-do-a-scene-you-play-around-with-it-and-unless-you-re/) [Willem Dafoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willem-dafoe/) > [For every role, you have to always find a different way to approach it, one that's specific and suits what the key is. Every…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willem-dafoe/for-every-role-you-have-to-always-find-a-different-way-to-approach-it/) [Willem Dafoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willem-dafoe/) > [Celebrity is okay as long as you know it's not about you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willem-dafoe/celebrity-is-okay-as-long-as-you-know-it-s-not-about-you/) [Willem Dafoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willem-dafoe/) > [All the time, as an actor, you want to be asking what's next and where things are going. If you're not asking those questions,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willem-dafoe/all-the-time-as-an-actor-you-want-to-be-asking-what-s-next-and-where/) [Willem Dafoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willem-dafoe/) > [I'm learning in my old age that the only thing you can do to keep your sanity is to stay in the moment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willem-dafoe/i-m-learning-in-my-old-age-that-the-only-thing-you-can-do-to-keep/) [Willem Dafoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willem-dafoe/) > [I was watching 'Wild at Heart,' and I can honestly say I did nothing for that apart from show up!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willem-dafoe/i-was-watching-wild-at-heart-and-i-can-honestly-say-i-did-nothing-for/) [Willem Dafoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willem-dafoe/) > [Truth is, generally I like film festivals; somewhere at some level there's an exchange of ideas.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willem-dafoe/truth-is-generally-i-like-film-festivals-somewhere-at-some-level/) [Willem Dafoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willem-dafoe/) > [I don't think people are interested in my personal life. I've never had a Hollywood life. I've always been a worker.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willem-dafoe/i-don-t-think-people-are-interested-in-my-personal-life-i-ve-never/) [Willem Dafoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willem-dafoe/) [Explore all 110 Willem Dafoe quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willem-dafoe/) ## More Actors quotes > [Women still, when they have breast cancer, go to work; they still lead their lives. They have to. I just did what I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/monica-potter/women-still-when-they-have-breast-cancer-go-to-work-they-still-lead/) [Monica Potter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/monica-potter/) > [I'm trying to write a film with my friend. I'd love to get the thrill of speaking actors making my work even funnier.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-howard/i-m-trying-to-write-a-film-with-my-friend-i-d-love-to-get-the-thrill/) [Russell Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-howard/) > [A lesser complaint: hair extensions. There are moments on 'All My Children' when half the women actors, young and old, seem to be afflicted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/camille-paglia/a-lesser-complaint-hair-extensions-there-are-moments-on-all-my/) [Camille Paglia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/camille-paglia/) > [I'm very used to working with first time actors - you can just look back at 'E.T.' with Drew Barrymore, and Christian Bale from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-spielberg/i-m-very-used-to-working-with-first-time-actors-you-can-just-look/) [Steven Spielberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-spielberg/) > [Forget the credit, they (male actors) take all the money as well. We don't get paid even one-third of what male actors get. It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kangana-ranaut/forget-the-credit-they-male-actors-take-all-the-money-as-well-we-don/) [Kangana Ranaut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kangana-ranaut/) > [I love film people and actors and I am in the right world because I am one of those people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ewan-mcgregor/i-love-film-people-and-actors-and-i-am-in-the-right-world-because-i/) [Ewan McGregor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ewan-mcgregor/) > [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/) > [What we're supposed to do as actors is be able to portray real human beings and emotions. And if you grow up in this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-browning/what-we-re-supposed-to-do-as-actors-is-be-able-to-portray-real-human/) [Emily Browning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-browning/) > [When we watch a film as actors, you have to understand that we always see much more than what's on screen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kunal-khemu/when-we-watch-a-film-as-actors-you-have-to-understand-that-we-always/) [Kunal Khemu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kunal-khemu/) > [As actors, you become an expert at starting over.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lupita-nyong-o/as-actors-you-become-an-expert-at-starting-over/) [Lupita Nyong'o](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lupita-nyong-o/) > [The whole concept of stage fright is fascinating. Actors get stage fright, but they wouldn't be on the stage in the first place if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-greene/the-whole-concept-of-stage-fright-is-fascinating-actors-get-stage/) [Robert Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-greene/) > [No actor wants to choose - they just want all of the options available to them all the time; we tend to be pretty…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gillian-jacobs/no-actor-wants-to-choose-they-just-want-all-of-the-options-available/) [Gillian Jacobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gillian-jacobs/) > [A rapper is about being completely true to yourself. Being an actor is about changing who you are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-smith/a-rapper-is-about-being-completely-true-to-yourself-being-an-actor-is/) [Will Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-smith/) > [I've been a professional actor for almost 40 years.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-perlman/i-ve-been-a-professional-actor-for-almost-40-years/) [Ron Perlman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-perlman/) > [American actors are coy. We all have pricks and cunts, or are you different from the rest of us?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-greenaway/american-actors-are-coy-we-all-have-pricks-and-cunts-or-are-you/) [Peter Greenaway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-greenaway/) [Browse all 11,394 Actors quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actors/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "As you get older, you suffer fools less easily. That's why there's all those cranky character actors. I'm an exception. I'm a sweetheart.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Willem Dafoe" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willem-dafoe/as-you-get-older-you-suffer-fools-less-easily-that-s-why-there-s-all/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Actors" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willem-dafoe/as-you-get-older-you-suffer-fools-less-easily-that-s-why-there-s-all/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8c3/willem-dafoe-4486_actors_as-you-get-older-you-suffer-fools-less-e_778973.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8c3/willem-dafoe-4486_actors_as-you-get-older-you-suffer-fools-less-e_778973.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8c3/willem-dafoe-4486_actors_as-you-get-older-you-suffer-fools-less-e_778973.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“As you get older, you suffer fools less easily. That's why there's all those cranky character actors. I'm an…” — Willem Dafoe", "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": "Willem Dafoe", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willem-dafoe/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "As you get older, you suffer...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willem-dafoe/as-you-get-older-you-suffer-fools-less-easily-that-s-why-there-s-all/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willem-dafoe/as-you-get-older-you-suffer-fools-less-easily-that-s-why-there-s-all/#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 } } ] } ```