--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Before I made it big I worked as a…" description: "\"Before I made it big I worked as a dishwasher, washing dishes in this place called Dishwasher House where people could just come in and do whatever the..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/736/william-h-macy-3931_actors_before-i-made-it-big-i-worked-as-a-dishw_2226173.jpg" --- # Before I made it big I worked as a dishwasher, washing… ![“Before I made it big I worked as a dishwasher, washing dishes in this place called Dishwasher House where people could just come in and do whatever they wanted to the dishes and we had to clean them with our hands till they bled. A lot of struggling actors worked there-Downey Jr., Joaquin Phoenix…” quote by William H. Macy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/736/william-h-macy-3931_actors_before-i-made-it-big-i-worked-as-a-dishw_2226173.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/736/william-h-macy-3931_actors_before-i-made-it-big-i-worked-as-a-dishw_2226173.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/736/william-h-macy-3931_actors_before-i-made-it-big-i-worked-as-a-dishw_2226173.jpg) > “Before I made it big I worked as a dishwasher, washing dishes in this place called Dishwasher House where people could just come in and do whatever they wanted to the dishes and we had to clean them with our hands till they bled. A lot of struggling actors worked there-Downey Jr., Joaquin Phoenix, Damon Wayans, Marlon Wayans, Keenen Ivory Wayans-and we actually all kind of wish we still did.” [William H. Macy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-h-macy/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Hard work in low‑status jobs can shape future success and create lasting camaraderie among peers. **In simple terms:** Early jobs teach resilience and community. Key Takeaway Value humble beginnings and the bonds they forge. Themes hard work humility community Mood reflective nostalgic Type personal career When to use this quote - acting career start - restaurant work - team building - career reflection Key Concepts social mobility networking grit Questions to Reflect On - How did those early experiences influence your later choices? - What lessons from that environment still guide you? A Different Perspective Such jobs can also be exploitative and limit growth. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Actors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actors/) [Ivory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ivory/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Phoenix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/phoenix/) [Struggle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/struggle/) [Theatre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/theatre/) [Wish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wish/) ## Related quotes > [I don't have a dishwasher, and I hate washing dishes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristanna-loken/i-don-t-have-a-dishwasher-and-i-hate-washing-dishes/) [Kristanna Loken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristanna-loken/) > [I dont have a dishwasher, and I hate washing dishes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristanna-loken/i-dont-have-a-dishwasher-and-i-hate-washing-dishes/) [Kristanna Loken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristanna-loken/) > [I was 18 when I first started working at a restaurant. I was a dishwasher. I only got the job because I wanted to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ferran-adria/i-was-18-when-i-first-started-working-at-a-restaurant-i-was-a/) [Ferran Adria](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ferran-adria/) > [When you grow up with a mother who has to wash dishes and clean hotel rooms, you know the importance of having a job,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-p-jones/when-you-grow-up-with-a-mother-who-has-to-wash-dishes-and-clean-hotel/) [Edward P. Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-p-jones/) > [I go to my mom's house and she'll make me do the dishes or clean up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabriella-wilson/i-go-to-my-mom-s-house-and-she-ll-make-me-do-the-dishes-or-clean-up/) [Gabriella Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabriella-wilson/) > [“Running the dishwasher is all well and good, but if your sink is accumulating a mountain of dirty dishes because your clean ones are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-hoffman/running-the-dishwasher-is-all-well-and-good-but-if-your-sink-is/) [Rachel Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-hoffman/) > [They're amazing, these actors who have worked on soaps for years and years and years. They know what they're doing. They don't hold you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-hill/they-re-amazing-these-actors-who-have-worked-on-soaps-for-years-and/) [Amy Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-hill/) > [Although several actors have worked in films down South, I feel unsure of whether I will be able to emote and act as exuberantly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/konkona-sen-sharma/although-several-actors-have-worked-in-films-down-south-i-feel-unsure/) [Konkona Sen Sharma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/konkona-sen-sharma/) > [I had a lot of time before I actually got my break so to speak. I was building websites for other actors. I worked…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-irvine/i-had-a-lot-of-time-before-i-actually-got-my-break-so-to-speak-i-was/) [Jeremy Irvine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-irvine/) > [Out of all the actors I have worked with, I love working with Larry Hagman the most. We were very close and it was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-eden/out-of-all-the-actors-i-have-worked-with-i-love-working-with-larry/) Barbara Eden > [My first job was playing 'Nurse 2' in a film by Ben Elton called 'Maybe Baby,' and the first actors I worked with professionally…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shelley-conn/my-first-job-was-playing-nurse-2-in-a-film-by-ben-elton-called-maybe/) [Shelley Conn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shelley-conn/) > [I wanted to be an actor ever since I was five. My grandparents - my mom's parents in New York - were stage actors.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lydia-wilson/i-wanted-to-be-an-actor-ever-since-i-was-five-my-grandparents-my-mom/) [Lydia Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lydia-wilson/) > [There's always an intellectual side to the films Ang Lee's doing and to the characters, and there's such a deep knowledge when you've worked…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jake-gyllenhaal/there-s-always-an-intellectual-side-to-the-films-ang-lee-s-doing-and/) [Jake Gyllenhaal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jake-gyllenhaal/) > [I became very close with Charles Bronson and his wife, Kim. We did 'Sea Wolf' together along with Christopher Reeve. I've been lucky enough…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-mary-stewart/i-became-very-close-with-charles-bronson-and-his-wife-kim-we-did-sea/) [Catherine Mary Stewart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-mary-stewart/) > [There is a difference when you work with actors who have worked on the stage. When we're out there in front of an audience…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-allen/there-is-a-difference-when-you-work-with-actors-who-have-worked-on/) [Karen Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-allen/) ## More by William H. Macy > [Here are the good things about independent films: They do the more interesting, chancy scripts. They're run by love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-h-macy/here-are-the-good-things-about-independent-films-they-do-the-more/) [William H. Macy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-h-macy/) > [Another mistake a director can make is not to be prepared, so you get there on the day to shoot the scene, and they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-h-macy/another-mistake-a-director-can-make-is-not-to-be-prepared-so-you-get/) [William H. Macy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-h-macy/) > [I don't know if it's fair to say that it's a bad time for movies. It seems to me that throughout the entire history…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-h-macy/i-don-t-know-if-it-s-fair-to-say-that-it-s-a-bad-time-for-movies-it/) [William H. Macy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-h-macy/) > [I do want to do TV, but I'm looking to be a creator, writer, and producer, and perhaps I could be a recurring character.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-h-macy/i-do-want-to-do-tv-but-i-m-looking-to-be-a-creator-writer-and/) [William H. Macy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-h-macy/) > [We all want to be 20 again and have that first sense of love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-h-macy/we-all-want-to-be-20-again-and-have-that-first-sense-of-love/) [William H. Macy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-h-macy/) > [It’s a shame...you just don’t see young people doing anything outside these days.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-h-macy/it-s-a-shame-you-just-don-t-see-young-people-doing-anything-outside/) [William H. Macy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-h-macy/) > [Talk about putting your money where your mouth is. It's not right. Someone's gotta say it. They said it. I applaud them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-h-macy/talk-about-putting-your-money-where-your-mouth-is-it-s-not-right/) [William H. Macy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-h-macy/) > [I think what all actors share is that, somewhere down in your solar plexus, there's this fear that you're not going to be able…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-h-macy/i-think-what-all-actors-share-is-that-somewhere-down-in-your-solar/) [William H. Macy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-h-macy/) > [I don't watch rushes. My whole thing is to try to stay in the moment with the other actor, and to let it all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-h-macy/i-don-t-watch-rushes-my-whole-thing-is-to-try-to-stay-in-the-moment/) [William H. Macy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-h-macy/) > [One of the things I did early on in film was over-enunciate and talk too loud.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-h-macy/one-of-the-things-i-did-early-on-in-film-was-over-enunciate-and-talk/) [William H. Macy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-h-macy/) > [If I like the story and it's well written, and it's a character I want to play and they'll pay me, then I decide…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-h-macy/if-i-like-the-story-and-it-s-well-written-and-it-s-a-character-i-want/) [William H. Macy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-h-macy/) > [The emotions will take care of themselves. You don't have to prod them along. As a matter of fact, you get in trouble when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-h-macy/the-emotions-will-take-care-of-themselves-you-don-t-have-to-prod-them/) [William H. Macy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-h-macy/) > [Ninety percent of the preparation we do as actors is just jive. It doesn't do anything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-h-macy/ninety-percent-of-the-preparation-we-do-as-actors-is-just-jive-it/) [William H. Macy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-h-macy/) > [When Fargo came out, I hired a publicist for the first time in my life. I thought, if ever I was going to make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-h-macy/when-fargo-came-out-i-hired-a-publicist-for-the-first-time-in-my-life/) [William H. Macy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-h-macy/) > [That's pretty much what every scene is about, getting people to see your point of view. Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-h-macy/that-s-pretty-much-what-every-scene-is-about-getting-people-to-see/) [William H. Macy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-h-macy/) [Explore all 119 William H. Macy quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-h-macy/) ## 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": "Before I made it big I worked as a dishwasher, washing dishes in this place called Dishwasher House where people could just come in and do whatever they wanted to the dishes and we had to clean them with our hands till they bled. A lot of struggling actors worked there-Downey Jr., Joaquin Phoenix, Damon Wayans, Marlon Wayans, Keenen Ivory Wayans-and we actually all kind of wish we still did.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "William H. 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