"'Born to play? Hmmm. Probably Romeo... or Hamlet, I guess. Also, I'd be a great Alexander the Great"

David Carradine’s response blends humility with a subtle wit, as he muses on which roles he might have been destined to embody on stage or screen. Citing the iconic Shakespearean characters Romeo and Hamlet as possible parts he was “born to play,” Carradine aligns himself with the most classic and emotionally complex figures in Western drama. Choosing Romeo, a symbol of youthful passion, impetuosity, and tragic innocence, suggests a self-awareness of his own ability to communicate intense emotion, vulnerability, and romantic folly. Hamlet, conversely, is the archetype of existential angst and introspection, a prince plagued by doubt and moral ambiguity. To identify with Hamlet is to identify with a profound inner life, as well as with the challenge of bringing psychological depth and ambiguity to a performance.

Carradine, however, does not earnestly settle on one or the other. His wry hesitation, “Hmmm. Probably Romeo... or Hamlet, I guess.”, conveys both a respect for the tradition of acting and an understanding that the art form often projects roles onto performers, not the other way around. There’s a playfulness in the uncertainty, a recognition that any actor might be asked, or ask himself, which roles were truly suited to his craft. The addition of “Also, I'd be a great Alexander the Great” introduces a shift. Carradine moves outside Shakespeare’s canon to an historical conqueror, signaling both a sense of ambition and perhaps a lightly ironic grandiosity. Alexander the Great conjures images of vast power, charisma, and hunger for conquest, attributes that differ from Romeo’s innocence and Hamlet’s melancholy, yet speak to Carradine’s range and confidence in his artistic versatility.

Altogether, Carradine’s remarks reveal a performer’s self-knowledge, a playful engagement with theatrical tradition, and a willingness to consider both limitations and possibilities inherent in the art of acting. The answer is less about naming a single destined role and more about savoring the infinite choice and challenge performance offers.