Sean Scully Quotes

The childhood poverty of both my parents and their minimal education did much to influence me and my two younger brothers in our education and career choices. One brother became a dentist and the other, a professor of anthropology with a Ph.D. degree.

My mother was against me being an artist. She just wanted me to marry a rich man.

Unlike my mother, who was unashamedly delighted when I decided to become an actor, I always feel that my father, had he lived longer, might have been a touch disapproving of some of my career - I think he might have tutted a bit at 'Men Behaving Badly.'

My mum and dad were incredibly supportive - although I suspect my dad would have preferred me to go the university route. However, I know they were extremely proud when I won the 2011 BAFTA Best Actor for playing comedian Eric Morecambe in 'Eric and Ernie.'

My mom is the type of mom who wonders why I haven't used my psychology degree to become a successful clinical psychologist.

My family was very supportive of my acting. They didn't really have a choice because I got jobs acting before anyone could really say anything. It paid my way through college and helped my family out.

The only reason I'm able to do music is because I'm making money on 'Community.' If I wasn't, I couldn't pay for things.

At the age of 16 I started performing with a dance band in the evenings and began earning more money than my father, but he was pleased for me.

My parents are amazing, but when I was like, 'Well, I'm going to be an actress,' and they're all doctors, that wasn't the best and easiest thing to do. I'm sure that I probably went through a year period when I wasn't telling them exactly what I was doing. But that's going to evolve.

My parents worked in the art world. They were really supportive of my music in that they allowed me to drop out of school and move out of our home, which not many parents would do.

I got alright GCSEs, but I was lost. I didn't know what to do, whether to continue with education, go to uni, go to art school - then again, I was like, 'Maybe I should just go and get a job, start early and make money.'

Dad never understood why Ridley wanted to go to art school, and then I came along six years later and wanted to do the same thing.

When I left university I was working for a documentary film company for six or seven years to the great relief of my father whose greatest waking fear was that I would become an actor.

Both of my parents graduated from high school, both attended college, both have government jobs now. They've always been very adamant about me finishing high school and finishing college.

Very few, if any, first-generation black or white or Asian kids will pursue a Ph.D. They'll pursue the professions for economic security. Many will go to law school and/or business school.

My father made bridal dresses, which he sold wholesale, and always wanted me to join him. He looked upon what I did as precarious and frivolous - except that he loved it when my name was in the papers.

My parents' greatest wish was that I graduated from college. Neither of my parents had a college education, and they really wanted me to have one.

My mom's made it clear to me that, like, there's no trust fund.

My father was horrified by my movies, yet he lent me the money to make the early ones. And I paid him back with interest.

I went to Brooklyn College as an education major. It was a big deal in the family, but really, I was living for Mom and Dad.

Nobody just leaves medical school, especially given it's fiercely competitive to get in. But I had a sister who was a doctor, another who was a pharmacist, a brother who was an engineer. So my parents already had sensible children who would be able to make an actual living, and I think they felt comfortable sacrificing their one strange child.

I got a sociology degree and then had an opportunity to go to graduate school. But I said no, because I wanted to give songwriting a shot.

One of the hard things coming from an immigrant family - or any family that doesn't believe in the arts - is that you have to disappoint your parents. That's hard for people to do if you're a good kid.

There is something embarrassing about asking for money, but if I hadn't done that, I would have not continued to be a professional musician.

I used to just do movies for alimony purposes, between plays.