Chiwetel Ejiofor Quotes

I certainly never expected to be a professional actor. I never expected to be in movies. I thought I would probably become a teacher.

I've been working as an actor since I was 9 years old.

I've been auditioning since I was 7 years old.

In this industry, very few actors can control their career.

I just wanted to be a guy who could earn a living as an actor, and I did that for a long time.

I started to act in highschool and became a professional actor at 19.

I've always acted; in fact, I can't remember a time when I was not. When I was little, cinema was a game, then my father's job and now mine.

Once you start getting big roles as an actor, everything pays. So what are you making decisions on? It's about the director or the script or whatever. But before you reach that point, you're taking jobs with, say, a theater company, in spite of the fact that it's not paying your bills.

I had the privilege of working with so many great actors over the years.

I got my Equity card and agent before I ever went to drama school.

I want to be an actress when I grow up. Actually, I don't want to wait until I'm grown up. I want to be a child actress. I want to be an actress before I'm 13.

I have an agent and everything. I audition occasionally.

I used my television phase to save myself as an actor for the bigger screen.

It's important for me as an actor to be able to make a living.

Living in L.A., I was embarrassed to say that I wanted to be an actor.

The idea of a journeyman actor, people sort of say negatively - "Someone who never made it for real" - [but] I think a journeyman actor is the complete goal.

I'm an actor - I want to be known for that.

I never had a real job. I started acting in high school, and then I started working. So, I never got to have that experience.

Acting careers are very interesting things. They come with a lot of ups and downs. You just have to ride the waves and bide your time during the lulls, and enjoy the high times when they're there.

I've had ups and downs but always maintained I was a working actor, which is a beautiful thing.

I never not wanted to become an actress.

I slowly came to realize that this job of being an actor, you spend most of your time looking for work. That is your job. Your job is auditioning. You spend very little of your time actually working.

Working is the best way to understand and grow, as an actor, in my opinion. That's been my experience.

I always made a living as an actor when I came to California. I never had to do anything else.

I'm an actor, I'm always looking for work. I was born to do that.