Skip to main content

Daily Inspiration Quote by Claudia Schiffer

"I wanted to start with a very small role, to get my feet wet. I'm sure I'm not as good or as experienced as other actresses, but everybody has to start somewhere"

About this Quote

There is a quiet craftiness in this kind of humility. Claudia Schiffer is speaking as someone with instant-name recognition trying to enter a field that loves to sneer at outsiders, especially beautiful ones. So she leads with a disarming premise: not entitlement, but apprenticeship. “A very small role” and “get my feet wet” are phrases that shrink her footprint on purpose, signaling respect for the pecking order of acting and, more importantly, respect for audiences who might assume she’s buying her way onto a set.

The subtext is a negotiation with a stereotype: the supermodel as decorative interloper. By conceding she’s “not as good or as experienced,” she pre-empts the harshest criticism before it arrives, reframing any future awkwardness as part of a normal learning curve rather than proof she doesn’t belong. It’s PR, yes, but not empty PR; it’s an attempt to reclaim seriousness in a culture that often treats modeling as glamour without labor.

Context matters. In the ’90s and early 2000s, crossover attempts were a frequent tabloid storyline: model tries acting, critics roll their eyes, the public watches for either embarrassment or surprise competence. Schiffer’s line anticipates that spectacle and tries to turn it down a notch. “Everybody has to start somewhere” is the egalitarian closer: she’s asking to be judged by the same rules as any beginner, not as a fantasy, not as a punchline, not as a brand. It’s less self-effacement than strategic entry management.

Quote Details

TopicNew Job
SourceHelp us find the source
Cite

Citation Formats

APA Style (7th ed.)
Schiffer, Claudia. (2026, January 15). I wanted to start with a very small role, to get my feet wet. I'm sure I'm not as good or as experienced as other actresses, but everybody has to start somewhere. FixQuotes. https://fixquotes.com/quotes/i-wanted-to-start-with-a-very-small-role-to-get-148698/

Chicago Style
Schiffer, Claudia. "I wanted to start with a very small role, to get my feet wet. I'm sure I'm not as good or as experienced as other actresses, but everybody has to start somewhere." FixQuotes. January 15, 2026. https://fixquotes.com/quotes/i-wanted-to-start-with-a-very-small-role-to-get-148698/.

MLA Style (9th ed.)
"I wanted to start with a very small role, to get my feet wet. I'm sure I'm not as good or as experienced as other actresses, but everybody has to start somewhere." FixQuotes, 15 Jan. 2026, https://fixquotes.com/quotes/i-wanted-to-start-with-a-very-small-role-to-get-148698/. Accessed 6 Feb. 2026.

More Quotes by Claudia Add to List
Start Small: Claudia Schiffer on Learning a New Craft
Click to enlarge Portrait | Landscape

About the Author

Germany Flag

Claudia Schiffer (born August 25, 1970) is a Model from Germany.

8 more quotes available

View Profile

Similar Quotes