"More and more, when I single out the person out who inspired me most, I go back to my grandfather"
About this Quote
The phrasing matters. "When I single out the person" admits that inspiration is typically a crowded field, then narrows it to one figure with a deliberate, almost ceremonial act of selection. "Go back" does double duty: it’s memory as return, but also values as return - a retreat from the churn of contemporary culture toward something steadier. The small stumble in "the person out who" feels like spoken language preserved on the page, which fits an actor known for command but also for his candor about vulnerability. It suggests this isn’t a polished aphorism; it’s a lived recalibration.
Context sharpens the subtext. Jones’s career is a monument to voice - Darth Vader, Mufasa, the gravitas of stage and screen - yet he often spoke about early struggles with speech. Invoking his grandfather reads as an origin story without self-mythologizing: the person who modeled endurance, dignity, or patient encouragement before applause existed. In a celebrity culture that treats inspiration as a brand partnership, Jones offers a counterproposal: the most consequential mentorship is often unpaid, unfilmed, and familial.
Quote Details
| Topic | Grandparents |
|---|---|
| Source | Help us find the source |
| Cite |
Citation Formats
APA Style (7th ed.)
Jones, James Earl. (2026, January 16). More and more, when I single out the person out who inspired me most, I go back to my grandfather. FixQuotes. https://fixquotes.com/quotes/more-and-more-when-i-single-out-the-person-out-121755/
Chicago Style
Jones, James Earl. "More and more, when I single out the person out who inspired me most, I go back to my grandfather." FixQuotes. January 16, 2026. https://fixquotes.com/quotes/more-and-more-when-i-single-out-the-person-out-121755/.
MLA Style (9th ed.)
"More and more, when I single out the person out who inspired me most, I go back to my grandfather." FixQuotes, 16 Jan. 2026, https://fixquotes.com/quotes/more-and-more-when-i-single-out-the-person-out-121755/. Accessed 12 Feb. 2026.



