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Parenting & Family Quote by Tim Robbins

"I'm not gangly; I'm very coordinated. I do have a bit of a baby face. But I guess that just means I'll be working longer"

About this Quote

Robbins is doing the classic actor two-step: disarm the room with self-deprecation, then quietly reclaim control of the narrative. The line starts as a rebuttal to a casting shorthand - “gangly” reads like an industry label, the kind that turns a body into a type. “I’m very coordinated” isn’t just about physicality; it’s about competence. He’s pushing back against the idea that his shape dictates his range, insisting on skill over silhouette.

Then he pivots to “baby face,” a phrase that usually lands as a liability for men expected to project authority or grit. Robbins treats it like a known fact rather than a wound, which is the trick: he names the critique before someone else can weaponize it. The punchline - “that just means I’ll be working longer” - reframes youthfulness as longevity. In a business where women are punished for looking young or aging “wrong,” a male actor can flip the same trait into career insurance. The subtext is bluntly gendered, even if the delivery stays breezy.

Context matters: Robbins came up in an era of strong typecasting, when casting directors often reduced performers to a few physical adjectives and a “vibe.” His comment shows an actor thinking like a long-game professional. It’s not vanity; it’s strategy. He’s acknowledging the marketplace’s superficial logic while exploiting it, turning what could be a limiting read into an argument for durability - the rare Hollywood virtue that only becomes visible once you survive long enough to benefit from it.

Quote Details

TopicWitty One-Liners
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Citation Formats

APA Style (7th ed.)
Robbins, Tim. (2026, January 15). I'm not gangly; I'm very coordinated. I do have a bit of a baby face. But I guess that just means I'll be working longer. FixQuotes. https://fixquotes.com/quotes/im-not-gangly-im-very-coordinated-i-do-have-a-bit-154919/

Chicago Style
Robbins, Tim. "I'm not gangly; I'm very coordinated. I do have a bit of a baby face. But I guess that just means I'll be working longer." FixQuotes. January 15, 2026. https://fixquotes.com/quotes/im-not-gangly-im-very-coordinated-i-do-have-a-bit-154919/.

MLA Style (9th ed.)
"I'm not gangly; I'm very coordinated. I do have a bit of a baby face. But I guess that just means I'll be working longer." FixQuotes, 15 Jan. 2026, https://fixquotes.com/quotes/im-not-gangly-im-very-coordinated-i-do-have-a-bit-154919/. Accessed 7 Feb. 2026.

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I am not gangly I am very coordinated I have a baby face
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Tim Robbins (born October 16, 1958) is a Actor from USA.

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