I'm always drawn to stories that people don't know about, particularly when they're inside of a story that everyone knows about.
Robert RedfordRead
I had just arrived in New York from California. I was nineteen years old and excited beyond belief. I was an art student and an acting student and behaved as most young actors did - meaning that there was no such thing as a good actor, 'cause you yourself hadn't shown up yet.
Interpretation
What this quote means
This quote reflects on the early experiences of a young artist in New York, highlighting excitement and the journey of self-discovery.
In this quote, Robert Redford shares his feelings upon arriving in New York as a young artist. At nineteen, he was filled with enthusiasm and eagerness, yet he acknowledges a common truth among aspiring actors: the realization that true talent emerges only after one arrives at a deeper understanding of oneself. His words capture both the thrill of pursuing art and the challenges of self-exploration inherent in the artistic process.
Themes
New YorkArtActingSelf-DiscoveryYouthJourney
In practice
Example use cases
During a graduation speech about following your dreams in the arts.
More from Robert Redford
All quotes →People say I've gone against Hollywood, but I've tried to be independent within Hollywood, tried to be my own person.
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When I was a kid, all I knew was that I felt more comfortable sitting in one chair than in another. And now I realize it was because one chair was older. I still respond directly to the age of things.
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For me, the Sundance Institute is just an extension of something I believed in, which is creating a mechanism for new voices to have a place to develop and be heard.
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Storytelling was a way to see the world bigger than the one you were looking at, and that had great appeal for me. I think, since that was part of my upbringing, it became part of me, and I wanted to pass it along to my kids and my grandkids.
Robert RedfordRead
Be careful of success; it has a dark side.
Robert RedfordRead
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