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There's only two givens with choosing acting as a profession: one is you will always be unemployed, always, and it doesn't matter how much money you make, you're still always going to be unemployed; and that you have no power.
Frances Mcdormand
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Interpretation

What this quote means

Acting is a profession marked by uncertainty and a lack of control over one's career.

Frances McDormand's quote highlights the inherent instability of the acting profession, emphasizing that regardless of success or financial gain, actors often face periods of unemployment. Additionally, it underscores the idea that actors do not possess full control over their careers, suggesting a broader commentary on the unpredictability of artistic endeavors.

Themes

ActingUnemploymentProfessionCareerArtistry

In practice

Example use cases

In a discussion about the challenges of pursuing a career in the arts, this quote can serve as a reality check for aspiring actors.

More from Frances Mcdormand

In comparison to other women in the world, perhaps I'm seen as smaller. But I've never had a problem thinking of myself as a large woman.
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It's a scary thing going into the workforce with a $50,000 debt and you've been trained as a classical theatre actor. There's always a depression in the theatre.
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That's another great thing about getting older. Your life is written on your face.
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Female characters in literature are full. They're messy: they've got runny noses and burp and belch. Unfortunately, in film, female characters don't often have that kind of richness.
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My feminist training was that this was your goal, to be a self-sufficient woman, but that is a miscalculation. It's just not the way we work. We work in dialogue with the community.
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I think that cosmetic enhancements in my profession are just an occupational hazard. But I think, more culturally, I'm interested in starting the conversation about aging gracefully and how, instead of making it a cultural problem, we make it individuals' problems.
Frances McdormandRead

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