--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I was never strategic really, but back…" description: "\"I was never strategic really, but back when I was starting out no one cared. In the acting community, box office didn't matter. I really think it was a..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/117/winona-ryder-1469_acting_i-was-never-strategic-really-but-back-wh_1384457.jpg" --- # I was never strategic really, but back when I was starting… ![“I was never strategic really, but back when I was starting out no one cared. In the acting community, box office didn't matter. I really think it was a mistake when they started paying people like $20 million to do a movie because now it's all people think about. Is she worth it? Is he worth it?” quote by Winona Ryder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/117/winona-ryder-1469_acting_i-was-never-strategic-really-but-back-wh_1384457.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/117/winona-ryder-1469_acting_i-was-never-strategic-really-but-back-wh_1384457.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/117/winona-ryder-1469_acting_i-was-never-strategic-really-but-back-wh_1384457.jpg) > “I was never strategic really, but back when I was starting out no one cared. In the acting community, box office didn't matter. I really think it was a mistake when they started paying people like $20 million to do a movie because now it's all people think about. Is she worth it? Is he worth it?” [Winona Ryder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winona-ryder/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. She critiques the shift toward high salaries in acting, noting that earlier, box office performance mattered less and that the focus on pay now overshadows artistic value. **In simple terms:** High pay now dominates, sidelining artistic merit. Key Takeaway Prioritize art over money. Themes art money industry trends Mood critical thoughtful Type industry critique career advice When to use this quote - film production - career decisions - budget discussions Key Concepts acting box office valuation Questions to Reflect On - Should actors accept high pay for less meaningful work? - How does money affect creative choices? A Different Perspective High salaries can distort artistic priorities. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Acting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/acting/) [Community](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/community/) [Mistake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mistake/) [No one cares](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/no-one-cares/) [Office](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/office/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Starting out](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/starting-out/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) ## Related quotes > [I came up around people who took acting seriously, who cared about acting, cared about the theater and, in the '70s, made movies that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurence-fishburne/i-came-up-around-people-who-took-acting-seriously-who-cared-about/) [Laurence Fishburne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurence-fishburne/) > [I really enjoyed being on movie sets, and I had fun with the people, but I didn't really think about acting or care, or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gaby-hoffmann/i-really-enjoyed-being-on-movie-sets-and-i-had-fun-with-the-people/) [Gaby Hoffmann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gaby-hoffmann/) > [I have a fine level of recognition in the business and among the acting community now, so I consider myself one of the lucky…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-seymour-hoffman/i-have-a-fine-level-of-recognition-in-the-business-and-among-the/) [Philip Seymour Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-seymour-hoffman/) > [When 'Joy Luck Club' came out, I kind of became a role model for the Asian acting community. I started to talk at colleges…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-tom/when-joy-luck-club-came-out-i-kind-of-became-a-role-model-for-the/) [Lauren Tom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-tom/) > [I love the acting community at Cambridge. It's really quite committed and serious, since the days of Derek Jacobi and Ian McKellen right through…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-hiddleston/i-love-the-acting-community-at-cambridge-it-s-really-quite-committed/) [Tom Hiddleston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-hiddleston/) > [Acting is a community where you come in and out of each other's lives. I'm slightly envious of the Golden Age of Hollywood. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-waterston/acting-is-a-community-where-you-come-in-and-out-of-each-other-s-lives/) [Katherine Waterston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katherine-waterston/) > [I think there may have been somewhat of a backlash against me because I have been successful too easily. I think there's been some…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-wahl/i-think-there-may-have-been-somewhat-of-a-backlash-against-me-because/) [Ken Wahl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-wahl/) > [I tried bull-riding... I wasn't good at all: I don't think I ever got eight seconds anywhere. But then, after that, I discovered acting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wes-studi/i-tried-bull-riding-i-wasn-t-good-at-all-i-don-t-think-i-ever-got/) [Wes Studi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wes-studi/) > [People are mystified by it and so they kind of think, the acting community thinks they're gonna be replaced by CG characters and animators…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-serkis/people-are-mystified-by-it-and-so-they-kind-of-think-the-acting/) [Andy Serkis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-serkis/) > [In the acting community in New York we call 'Law & Order' 'grad school,' because everyone eventually does a 'Law & Order.' My first…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dallas-roberts/in-the-acting-community-in-new-york-we-call-law-order-grad-school/) [Dallas Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dallas-roberts/) > [I transitioned into theater and acting when I was about 9, community theater and musicals, being, like, chorus-kid-number-78 or whatever. But I just loved…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tatiana-maslany/i-transitioned-into-theater-and-acting-when-i-was-about-9-community/) [Tatiana Maslany](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tatiana-maslany/) > [It's really up to the acting community to be willing to be educated about what performance capture is in order to fully appreciate it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-serkis/it-s-really-up-to-the-acting-community-to-be-willing-to-be-educated/) [Andy Serkis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-serkis/) > [When I started acting... the community was largely Chinese-American or Japanese-American, so even then I felt like a minority in the minority.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cho/when-i-started-acting-the-community-was-largely-chinese-american-or/) [John Cho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cho/) > [I've never crossed over to be a big star. I'd like to be in a big $100 million movie, though. 'Cause I was in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-willard/i-ve-never-crossed-over-to-be-a-big-star-i-d-like-to-be-in-a-big-100/) [Fred Willard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-willard/) > [I don't really look forward to movie stardom or doing a $200-million movie or winning an Academy Award.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachael-taylor/i-don-t-really-look-forward-to-movie-stardom-or-doing-a-200-million/) [Rachael Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachael-taylor/) ## More by Winona Ryder > [It's also a question of finding good material and interesting roles. I'm not the only actress out there, and good parts just don't fall…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winona-ryder/it-s-also-a-question-of-finding-good-material-and-interesting-roles-i/) [Winona Ryder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winona-ryder/) > [I was unusual looking - I didn't have the look of that time. If you look at 'Lucas' - and, basically, my first five…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winona-ryder/i-was-unusual-looking-i-didn-t-have-the-look-of-that-time-if-you-look/) [Winona Ryder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winona-ryder/) > [I definitely count my blessings. I feel like I've had such a great ride. Early on, to be able to work with some of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winona-ryder/i-definitely-count-my-blessings-i-feel-like-i-ve-had-such-a-great/) [Winona Ryder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winona-ryder/) > [If a film is well made, then great, whatever it's about.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winona-ryder/if-a-film-is-well-made-then-great-whatever-it-s-about/) [Winona Ryder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winona-ryder/) > [Honestly, if it wasn't for 'Beetlejuice,' where would I be? That movie was a big thing for me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winona-ryder/honestly-if-it-wasn-t-for-beetlejuice-where-would-i-be-that-movie-was/) [Winona Ryder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winona-ryder/) > [ I remember realizing, when I did Little Women \[1994\], that that was the only time girls that age were being written about. It was… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winona-ryder/i-remember-realizing-when-i-did-little-women-1994-that-that-was-the/) [Winona Ryder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winona-ryder/) > [I remember when I first started being in magazines, I had pretty thin skin. I was this nerd that read books and stayed home…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winona-ryder/i-remember-when-i-first-started-being-in-magazines-i-had-pretty-thin/) [Winona Ryder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winona-ryder/) > [But I've always felt a need to have a life which is completely separate - at least as far as possible - from the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winona-ryder/but-i-ve-always-felt-a-need-to-have-a-life-which-is-completely/) [Winona Ryder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winona-ryder/) > [“(My parents) had always instilled in me that it was way cooler to be an individual and to be unique and that you don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winona-ryder/my-parents-had-always-instilled-in-me-that-it-was-way-cooler-to-be-an/) [Winona Ryder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winona-ryder/) > [I was raised to believe that religion is a beautiful thing, but it's fiction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winona-ryder/i-was-raised-to-believe-that-religion-is-a-beautiful-thing-but-it-s/) [Winona Ryder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winona-ryder/) > [All we want is to be treated like human beings, and not to be patronized, or experimented on like guinea pigs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winona-ryder/all-we-want-is-to-be-treated-like-human-beings-and-not-to-be/) [Winona Ryder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winona-ryder/) > [With 'Ed Wood,' I sobbed. With 'Frankenweenie,' I was crying. With 'Edward Scissorhands,' I always cry. There's always an incredible amount of purity, even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winona-ryder/with-ed-wood-i-sobbed-with-frankenweenie-i-was-crying-with-edward/) [Winona Ryder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winona-ryder/) > [I love getting older. I think it has to do with always being the kid on set.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winona-ryder/i-love-getting-older-i-think-it-has-to-do-with-always-being-the-kid/) [Winona Ryder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winona-ryder/) > [I've always been super-private and protective of certain experiences and certain friends.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winona-ryder/i-ve-always-been-super-private-and-protective-of-certain-experiences/) [Winona Ryder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winona-ryder/) > [Usually, the roles that you get offered that are the mom roles are very much the mom role.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winona-ryder/usually-the-roles-that-you-get-offered-that-are-the-mom-roles-are/) [Winona Ryder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winona-ryder/) [Explore all 238 Winona Ryder quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winona-ryder/) ## More Acting 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/) > [Many Republicans have always reminded me of professional WWF wrestlers. They come into the ring all pumped up and acting like they're invincible and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-feig/many-republicans-have-always-reminded-me-of-professional-wwf/) [Paul Feig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-feig/) > [I'm a big fan of all the Boston guys that are acting - Matt Damon , Ben Affleck, Mark Wahlberg - they made a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenny-wormald/i-m-a-big-fan-of-all-the-boston-guys-that-are-acting-matt-damon-ben/) [Kenny Wormald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenny-wormald/) > [Acting is a grind, just like music is a grind. Sometimes it takes longer than what you can give.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/big-sean/acting-is-a-grind-just-like-music-is-a-grind-sometimes-it-takes/) [Big Sean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/big-sean/) > [It was only when I started making short films in college and I was looking for girls to play the me-ish parts that I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lena-dunham/it-was-only-when-i-started-making-short-films-in-college-and-i-was/) [Lena Dunham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lena-dunham/) > [Writing is something I took up rather than anything I had an inclination toward. I like acting -delivering someone else's message - but writing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-martin/writing-is-something-i-took-up-rather-than-anything-i-had-an/) [Steve Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-martin/) > [I can still function when I don't have that balance I crave. I had a tendency to be precious about acting, thinking of it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-regan/i-can-still-function-when-i-don-t-have-that-balance-i-crave-i-had-a/) [Laura Regan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-regan/) > [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/) > [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/) > [It definitely helps to have the acting experience going into singing, because when you're singing, you have to portray the emotion you were feeling…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-newman/it-definitely-helps-to-have-the-acting-experience-going-into-singing/) Ryan Newman > [The show was number one in the ratings, Gordon Russell was our head writer, the story lines were magnificent and the acting most exciting.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-storm/the-show-was-number-one-in-the-ratings-gordon-russell-was-our-head/) [Michael Storm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-storm/) > [I've done so many other projects where you're in a room with a reader and you're acting your lines out: 'We have to get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-cummings/i-ve-done-so-many-other-projects-where-you-re-in-a-room-with-a-reader/) [Jim Cummings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-cummings/) > [I do not believe in public shaming. I do believe that young adults go to college to learn things, and that this process will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-weingarten/i-do-not-believe-in-public-shaming-i-do-believe-that-young-adults-go/) [Gene Weingarten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-weingarten/) > [Poetry has, in a way, been my bridge to my acting career.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/omari-hardwick/poetry-has-in-a-way-been-my-bridge-to-my-acting-career/) [Omari Hardwick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/omari-hardwick/) [Browse all 12,062 Acting quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/acting/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I was never strategic really, but back when I was starting out no one cared. In the acting community, box office didn't matter. I really think it was a mistake when they started paying people like $20 million to do a movie because now it's all people think about. Is she worth it? Is he worth it?", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Winona Ryder" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winona-ryder/i-was-never-strategic-really-but-back-when-i-was-starting-out-no-one/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Acting" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winona-ryder/i-was-never-strategic-really-but-back-when-i-was-starting-out-no-one/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/117/winona-ryder-1469_acting_i-was-never-strategic-really-but-back-wh_1384457.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/117/winona-ryder-1469_acting_i-was-never-strategic-really-but-back-wh_1384457.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/117/winona-ryder-1469_acting_i-was-never-strategic-really-but-back-wh_1384457.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I was never strategic really, but back when I was starting out no one cared. In the acting community, box…” — Winona Ryder", "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": "Winona Ryder", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winona-ryder/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I was never strategic really, but...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winona-ryder/i-was-never-strategic-really-but-back-when-i-was-starting-out-no-one/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winona-ryder/i-was-never-strategic-really-but-back-when-i-was-starting-out-no-one/#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 } } ] } ```