Deborah Joy Winans Quotes

My parents weren't keen on the giving up of school at the beginning to go into singing and dancing, but once they saw I was serious about it, they gave support. I was quite stubborn about my decision, and in the end, they realised it was for the best.

I think my parents wanted me to be whatever I wanted to be. But I do remember them - when I first moved out to L.A. - sending me applications to grad school for teaching.

From the age of 12, I had an understanding that singing was something I loved to do more than anything, and I did say to myself, 'Why not?' But there were definitely some doubts along the way.

When I did make the decision to focus on acting, I think my mother was just relieved for me that I had finally started to focus.

I think my parents love that I want to do something a little different than what they do.

When I finally decided that my only hope was to go to college, I took an acting class, and once I walked onstage, I just knew I was home.

I saw leaving college as an opportunity to do something different with my life. I always thought that becoming an academic was going to be my path.

I was watching TV at age 9 or 10, and my mom said that I came from the front room and I told her that I want to act. And she said if you want to do this at 18, then you can. It was a very simple story, yet, I do not even remember the conversation that I had with my mother. Until she reminded me of the story many years later.

All I have to say is basically if performing, singing, acting, and dancing is what you want to do, then you just have to do it - no matter where it is.

I had to decide between doing 'Issaq' and continuing school and I chose 'Issaq.'

At 17, I realized that it's going to be a tough decision to make, but I had the clarity of thought to walk out of cricket and try my luck in acting.

When I stopped playing hockey and started acting, the last person I was going to ask for help was my dad. He's the king of being like, 'I don't know. It's good work if you can get it. Good luck.'

I was a good student. For a while, my parents did make me cope with school and films simultaneously. But after a point, this wasn't practical. I had to choose between studies and films. I chose films.

When I was 18, I was moving to New York to start college at The New School. I had done a year of college in Toronto and wasn't happy there. I didn't have any friends in New York City, but I applied and got in. It was pretty overwhelming, but everyone in New York is so ambitious and creative.

My parents wanted me to be a doctor, and they weren't very happy at the idea of me choosing acting as a career. Everyone in my family went to university - my older brother is a lawyer - but when they saw me for the first time at the theatre, they thought, 'OK.' They like it very much now.

My parents, once I made it clear to them that I wanted to do science, they were totally sympathetic.

I started studying at 26. Before that, I never thought of acting as something that I would ever try.

I knew that I wanted to be an actor; how to go about it was the question. I went to Australia for my studies; from there I told my dad that I also want to do a course in performing arts, but my father refused. So I completed my studies and came back. But I kept poking him, saying that acting is something that I want to do.

Although I did end up trying out several different fields before committing to acting, I knew in the deepest part of heart that I wanted to be an actress.

I dabbled a little bit in acting in high school, and then I forgot about it completely. And then at about 25 I went to a class. I don't think anybody in my family thought it was an intelligent choice. I don't think anybody thought I'd succeed, which is understandable. I think they were just happy that I was doing something.

I knew I wanted to be an actress, but I hadn't ever really told anyone. I'd always got quite good grades, so people assumed I would go and do a 'normal' job. My dad took me to my first audition for drama school and picked me up without anyone knowing, really.

I told my parents I wanted to be an actor, and they were getting ready for a life of unemployment, so they're just happy I'm in work!

Modelling was never in my plan. Never.

When I was a senior, I got accepted into the Julliard School for Dance, but ultimately decided to move to L.A. to act, so that was a fun conversation with the parents. I truly have some of the greatest parents ever.

I finished high school, moved to Nashville for college, and set out to break into the music business. Every night when I called home with news of my experiences, my mom and dad would encourage me to keep taking those small steps.