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I think Hollywood has a class system. The actors are like the inmates, but the truth is they're running the asylum.
Robert De Niro
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Interpretation

What this quote means

This quote suggests that while actors may seem confined by the industry, they actually hold significant power and influence within it.

In this quote, Robert De Niro compares Hollywood to a classical asylum where the actors, who appear to be restricted or controlled, are actually the ones in charge. The metaphor highlights the paradox of how those who seem to be seen as mere performers within the industry possess the authority and creativity that drive the entire system of filmmaking. This statement prompts us to reconsider appearances of power and control in any hierarchical structure.

Themes

HollywoodActorsPowerAsylumMetaphor

In practice

Example use cases

In a conversation about the entertainment industry, one might quote De Niro to illustrate how actors influence film production.

More from Robert De Niro

You never know what you do that could be totally out of left field, which actually might work and give something fresh to the whole scene, to the character, whatever. If you have that with a director who then knows how to shape it, either in the direction, in the moment, or in the editing, then that's good.
Robert De NiroRead
I spent lunchtime in a grave during the filming of 'Bloody Mama.' When you're younger, you feel that's what you need to do to help you stay in character. When you get older, you become more confident and less intense about it - and you can achieve the same effect.
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The mind of a writer can be a truly terrifying thing. Isolated, neurotic, caffeine-addled, crippled by procrastination, consumed by feelings of panic, self-loathing, and soul-crushing inadequacy. And that’s on a good day.
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If you're an actor, always be true to your character. If you are not an actor, have character and always be true to yourself.
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