"There's always somebody older, richer, more desperate than you"
About this Quote
As an actress and tabloid-era celebrity, Alley is speaking from a culture where status is currency and insecurity is the interest rate. Hollywood sells the fantasy that proximity to wealth and youth equals safety. The quote quietly torches that myth: even at the top, there’s someone with deeper pockets and shakier footing, someone willing to do more, bend more, say yes faster. “Older” adds a clock to the equation, suggesting that desperation isn’t just personal weakness; it’s time pressure. When the runway shortens, people sprint.
The subtext is almost tactical: stop measuring yourself against the next rung, because the ladder is crowded with people who look “ahead” but are actually cornered. It’s empathy and self-defense at once. Alley frames ambition as a room full of mirrors - and reminds you the scariest reflection isn’t the richer person. It’s the one who needs it more.
Quote Details
| Topic | Witty One-Liners |
|---|---|
| Source | Help us find the source |
| Cite |
Citation Formats
APA Style (7th ed.)
Alley, Kirstie. (2026, January 16). There's always somebody older, richer, more desperate than you. FixQuotes. https://fixquotes.com/quotes/theres-always-somebody-older-richer-more-92770/
Chicago Style
Alley, Kirstie. "There's always somebody older, richer, more desperate than you." FixQuotes. January 16, 2026. https://fixquotes.com/quotes/theres-always-somebody-older-richer-more-92770/.
MLA Style (9th ed.)
"There's always somebody older, richer, more desperate than you." FixQuotes, 16 Jan. 2026, https://fixquotes.com/quotes/theres-always-somebody-older-richer-more-92770/. Accessed 12 Feb. 2026.





