"When I got to college, acting suddenly seemed like a very risky proposition and all my friends were going to law school or med school or Wall Street"
About this Quote
The sentence builds its pressure through contrast. Acting is framed as “a very risky proposition,” the language of investment, not art. Then come the safe, socially legible routes: law, med, Wall Street. Those aren’t just jobs; they’re cultural promises. They offer a story other people immediately respect. Miller isn’t only describing peer pressure, he’s pointing to the prestige economy that sorts ambition into “serious” and “cute,” with “cute” meaning unstable.
There’s also a subtext about belonging. “All my friends” implies consensus, a herd moving toward institutions that confer identity and adulthood. Choosing acting in that environment means opting out of a shared script, risking not just failure but social alienation: being the friend who can’t answer “So what are you doing after graduation?” with a credentialed noun.
Coming from an actor who later became widely recognized, the quote carries a quiet sting. It’s not a triumphal “follow your passion” anthem. It’s a snapshot of doubt, and that’s why it works: it admits that the leap into art isn’t romantic in the moment. It’s logistical, lonely, and terrifyingly easy to talk yourself out of.
Quote Details
| Topic | Career |
|---|---|
| Source | Help us find the source |
| Cite |
Citation Formats
APA Style (7th ed.)
Miller, Wentworth. (2026, January 17). When I got to college, acting suddenly seemed like a very risky proposition and all my friends were going to law school or med school or Wall Street. FixQuotes. https://fixquotes.com/quotes/when-i-got-to-college-acting-suddenly-seemed-like-37874/
Chicago Style
Miller, Wentworth. "When I got to college, acting suddenly seemed like a very risky proposition and all my friends were going to law school or med school or Wall Street." FixQuotes. January 17, 2026. https://fixquotes.com/quotes/when-i-got-to-college-acting-suddenly-seemed-like-37874/.
MLA Style (9th ed.)
"When I got to college, acting suddenly seemed like a very risky proposition and all my friends were going to law school or med school or Wall Street." FixQuotes, 17 Jan. 2026, https://fixquotes.com/quotes/when-i-got-to-college-acting-suddenly-seemed-like-37874/. Accessed 12 Feb. 2026.



