You can become really pigeon-holed in this industry.

Meaning of the quote

Being 'pigeon-holed' in an industry means that people start to see you only in a certain way or as a certain type of person. This can happen to actors, where they get typecast in similar roles and have a hard time breaking out of those stereotypes. Morris Chestnut is saying that this can easily happen in the acting industry, where it's challenging for actors to show their full range of talents and skills.

About Morris Chestnut

Morris Chestnut is an acclaimed American actor known for his roles in films like Boyz n the Hood, The Best Man, and Rosewood. He has been nominated for several NAACP Image Awards and has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, cementing his status as a talented and versatile performer.

More about the author

More quotes from Morris Chestnut

I want to tell stories for everyone, primarily.

Morris Chestnut

American actor

I hate being cold and I hate being wet and around 80% percent of this film I was cold and another 60% I was cold and wet, so it wasn’t the best shoot for me.

Morris Chestnut

American actor

I enjoy what I do, but it’s more challenging than people think.

Morris Chestnut

American actor

This industry is very make-believe and you caught in a false sense of what reality is.

Morris Chestnut

American actor

Unless you are really grounded and have a true sense of reality, you can get lost in that and a lot of people do and that’s why you see so many people with successful careers but with destructive lives.

Morris Chestnut

American actor

I think the best type of action movie combines a love story with the action.

Morris Chestnut

American actor

A lot of times, women don’t get the male perspective in regards to a relationship, what men go through when they’re not really dealing well.

Morris Chestnut

American actor

You go from movies where you are wearing nice clothes and you’re trying to smell good to a movie where you are in water and you are wet all day, and you are dealing with that elements, it gets rough, but it was definitely something I wanted to try.

Morris Chestnut

American actor

It’s hard when you see a scene where it’s raining, and we have the rain machine, and you see it for 5 minutes, but that scene takes all day to shoot, and you do it with rain, and the dry off, and go back and do it again.

Morris Chestnut

American actor

I’m getting to the point where they see me as a good actor, rather than just a good guy who can act.

Morris Chestnut

American actor

I am just another fireman because the story focuses on Joaquin Phoenix’s character, but I play Joaquin’s close friend and I get burned up a little bit, but I don’t die.

Morris Chestnut

American actor

Nah, I’m not a prima donna, but I just don’t like being cold and wet.

Morris Chestnut

American actor

And I think from a male perspective, we have men talking about their feelings and it being okay.

Morris Chestnut

American actor

Producing is easier, I can just be at the set overseeing the story.

Morris Chestnut

American actor

This film is what it is. It’s a campy thriller horror movie where you go and have fun. With these types of films, you can’t take it too seriously. They are what they are.

Morris Chestnut

American actor

You have to be insane to direct.

Morris Chestnut

American actor

Oh yeah, I’m a huge romance fan. And some women like action.

Morris Chestnut

American actor

There are a lot of people in this business that don’t work consistently.

Morris Chestnut

American actor

I would like more challenging roles. I definitely would like to something that’s more challenging.

Morris Chestnut

American actor

Showtime has given new, young filmmakers – black, white, across the board – an opportunity to make films, as well as actors who want to cross over into directing.

Morris Chestnut

American actor

I’m not going to take my shirt off in every movie.

Morris Chestnut

American actor

I would never want any of my kids to go into this industry; not until they are old enough to understand and if this is something that they really want to do.

Morris Chestnut

American actor

I think that Mos Def is the best actor, but when you talk about rappers in films, I don’t really think the quality of the acting is most important because most rappers are put in movies because of the personality and people want to see that.

Morris Chestnut

American actor

It’s not always about the money.

Morris Chestnut

American actor

When you are the lead in a romantic comedy, you have to worry about people really liking you.

Morris Chestnut

American actor

Some people make a career out of doing one thing, but I wanted to diversify my body of work.

Morris Chestnut

American actor

At one point, people thought that Eddie Murphy would only reach one sector of the audience, but now everyone sees everything Eddie Murphy does.

Morris Chestnut

American actor

I did a film which was considered an independent movie with Dustin Hoffman and Andy Garcia called Confidence, and that’s the type of film I was willing to take a chance on that because of the caliber of people involved with the film.

Morris Chestnut

American actor

I’m just happy to be working consistently.

Morris Chestnut

American actor

I want viewers to relate to me on a different level, not just a sexual level.

Morris Chestnut

American actor

To me the work is so much more interesting, the parts that don’t require you just to take your shirt off.

Morris Chestnut

American actor

I’ve been in a situation where I was after the money.

Morris Chestnut

American actor

You can become really pigeon-holed in this industry.

Morris Chestnut

American actor

You start making movies and people start seeing when you go to places, and all of a sudden you are getting clothes for free and all of a sudden you are getting food for free.

Morris Chestnut

American actor