Andrew Rannells Quotes

Powerful Andrew Rannells for Daily Growth

About Andrew Rannells

Andrew Rannells is an acclaimed American actor, singer, and writer, known for his versatile performances in theater, television, and film. Born on August 23, 1980, in Omaha, Nebraska, he was raised by a single mother who fostered his love for the arts. Rannells discovered his passion for acting during high school and went on to study musical theater at the University of Michigan. Early in his career, Rannells found success on Broadway, making his debut in the 2007 revival of "Cyrano de Bergerac" starring Kevin Kline. However, it was his role as Elder Price in the original cast of the musical "The Book of Mormon" (2011) that catapulted him to fame. The production earned nine Tony Awards and Rannells received a nomination for Best Featured Actor in a Musical. Television soon became another significant part of his career. He starred as Elijah Aedelstein in HBO's "Girls" (2012-2017), which earned him a Critics' Choice Television Award for Best Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series. Rannells also voiced Ezekiel Figg in the animated series "Central Park" (2020-present). In addition to his acting work, Rannells has written two memoirs: "The New York Times" bestseller "Too Much is Not Enough" (2015) and "Losing It" (2023), which chronicles his journey from Nebraska to Broadway and beyond. Rannells continues to push boundaries with his talent, combining his love for theater, music, and storytelling in various mediums. His influence extends beyond his art, inspiring a new generation of artists to follow their dreams and be true to themselves.

Interpretations of Popular Quotes

"I've never been a fan of the term 'coming out.' It implies that you were hiding, and I don't think it serves anyone to pretend who they are."

The quote by Andrew Rannells emphasizes his belief that labels like "coming out" can create a misconception about one's identity. He suggests that the term implies secrecy or hiding, which he does not agree with. Instead, he advocates for authenticity and honesty about who we are from the start. This perspective encourages individual self-expression without the need to announce it as a defining moment in our lives.


"I feel like a gay man is only as interesting as his apartment."

This quote by Andrew Rannells suggests a societal stereotype that often equates a person's personal worth or interest with their material possessions, such as their home decor. The implication is that a gay man's value or appeal is judged primarily based on the style and decor of his apartment, rather than his personality, experiences, talents, or contributions to society. This perspective reduces individuals to mere objects or status symbols, undermining the richness and complexity of their lives and identities. The quote highlights the need for societal progress in embracing people as multidimensional beings, not as mere representations of their surroundings.


"Being on Broadway has taught me two things: always take your vitamins, and never get a cat."

This quote by Andrew Rannells suggests that working on Broadway, which is a high-stress environment, requires good health and self-care (taking your vitamins). It also implies that having a cat, which can be unpredictable and require constant attention, could potentially distract or add unnecessary stress to an already busy life in the demanding world of Broadway.


"The most important thing I've learned in my career is that you can't please everyone. You're not going to be every director's dream, every producer's dream, every casting director's dream. You just have to be your own dream."

This quote by Andrew Rannells emphasizes the futility of trying to meet everyone's expectations in a career, particularly in the entertainment industry. The message is that it's impossible to satisfy every director, producer, or casting director due to their individual preferences and creative visions. Instead, the focus should be on being true to oneself, pursuing personal dreams, and striving for authenticity. Essentially, it's a call to prioritize self-expression and growth over trying to please others, as this is the key to a fulfilling career.


"I think that the most beautiful people are those who can see beyond their circumstances and aspire to realize a life of love and beauty and creativity and imagination. I guess that would be my idea of a beautiful person."

This quote by Andrew Rannells emphasizes that true beauty lies not only in physical appearance, but also in one's ability to rise above their circumstances and aspire for a life filled with love, creativity, imagination, and aesthetic appreciation. According to this perspective, a 'beautiful person' is someone who looks beyond their current situation and strives towards leading a fulfilling and inspiring life, characterized by these qualities: 1. Love - Emotional connections and caring for others and oneself. 2. Creativity - The ability to generate novel ideas or solutions, and express them in various ways. 3. Imagination - The power of the mind to form new ideas, visualize scenarios, and think abstractly. 4. Aesthetics - An appreciation for beauty in art, nature, and design. In essence, Andrew Rannells' idea of a beautiful person is someone who is not just content with their current situation but actively seeks personal growth, fosters connections, and cultivates an inner and outer world that reflects these values.


I was a little boy who watched 'Solid Gold' every week and wanted to be a 'Solid Gold' dancer. And I would do very in-depth reenactments of 'Grease 2' and 'West Side Story' with my sister Natalie in our garage. I was a very theatrical kid.

- Andrew Rannells

Week, Very, Theatrical, West Side Story

Luckily for me I have a very supportive family and a loving group of friends.

- Andrew Rannells

Loving, Supportive, Very, Luckily

I've always been a huge fan of Tina Fey's. She's a very unique storyteller and has such a great voice and sense of character and comedy, and manages to do things that are oftentimes very broad but still have a lot of heart to them.

- Andrew Rannells

Voice, Been, Very, Tina

I still can't shake the Nebraska off of me.

- Andrew Rannells

Me, Shake, Still, Nebraska

At a very early age I knew I wanted to be an actor and then more specifically that I wanted to be on Broadway and be in musicals.

- Andrew Rannells

More, Very, Very Early Age, Specifically

My mother was predominately a stay-at-home mom.

- Andrew Rannells

Mother, Mom, Stay-At-Home, Stay-At-Home Mom

When I was a kid, there were hardly any gay story lines or characters on television that I recall. Then when I was in college, 'Will & Grace' started up.

- Andrew Rannells

College, Television, Will, Hardly

My career, definitely, the early years were a little scattershot, in terms of - it was a little regional theater, it was a lot of voiceovers, it was a lot of random day jobs. I mean, it was hard. It was hard to scrap around, and once 'Hairspray' happened, then it all kind of clicked into place.

- Andrew Rannells

Career, Around, Regional, Clicked

I arrived at New York, and I went from being Andy Rannells from Nebraska to being Andrew Rannells in New York who was gay. And those were just the facts.

- Andrew Rannells

New, Nebraska, Being, Andrew

It was always my goal to be a working actor.

- Andrew Rannells

Goal, Actor, Always, Working Actor

I've certainly played those leading man or male juvenile roles, where you're not supposed to make people laugh.

- Andrew Rannells

Leading, Certainly, Roles, Leading Man

I feel very fortunate that while I had a little bit of personal panic or maybe a little internal struggle as a teenager, really coming to terms with the fact that I was gay, and also knowing I was going to have to tell my family. And, how was that going to affect things? And would it affect things? And ultimately, it did not.

- Andrew Rannells

Fact, Very, Internal, Teenager

One of the great things about 'Girls' is that each of these characters really does represent a human being. There are definitely relatable aspects to all of these folks, and certainly within my close friend group, those personalities very much exist.

- Andrew Rannells

Very, About, Aspects, Personalities

I didn't have an agent until I got 'Hairspray.' I had to get a Broadway show without an agent to get an agent.

- Andrew Rannells

Broadway, Get, Agent, Hairspray

I'm always thrilled when I get feedback from young people, particularly from 'The New Normal,' young gay people - when they say they want that when they grow up, that means a lot to me.

- Andrew Rannells

New, Normal, Always, Thrilled

There was something really special about working with Lena Dunham. I immediately felt very comfortable with her, and we spoke the same language.

- Andrew Rannells

Spoke, Very, About, None

Surround yourself with people who are going to support you regardless of what your sexual orientation is, and you can have a beautiful life filled with love.

- Andrew Rannells

Love, Orientation, Going, Surround

Even though I'm from the Midwest, the majority of my life has been spent on the coasts where being gay wasn't really much of a conversation.

- Andrew Rannells

My Life, Been, Though, Conversation

If you get into multicultural sort of casting for no other reason than to diversify, then it seems false.

- Andrew Rannells

Reason, Other, False, Casting

When I came out when I was 18, and I graduated from high school, and I felt like that was the time to officially say it, I surprised zero people in my family.

- Andrew Rannells

Say, Like, Felt, Graduated

I had to be clean-shaven all the time to play a Mormon missionary, so after I was done, I grew a mustache out of rebellion. It was actually very polarizing. I became attractive to a completely new group of people and also repulsive to a new group of people. The lesson: mustaches are divisive.

- Andrew Rannells

Play, Very, Divisive, Missionary

Coming from the theater, you know what your given circumstances are every night and who your character is. You're reenacting this one moment of their lives over and over, so you get really good at figuring out how to navigate it. TV was a huge adjustment for me because the script changes every episode, and you have a different set of circumstances.

- Andrew Rannells

Changes, TV, Episode, Figuring

I would like to tell stories through the lens of the gay person, but not just for gay people.

- Andrew Rannells

Through, Stories, Would, Lens

As an actor, you generally don't get to choose what projects you are part of, so I've been very fortunate that 'The Book of Mormon' was something I got to be part of. I don't want to be lofty, but it was groundbreaking, in many ways, for musical theater, so that was really thrilling to be part of.

- Andrew Rannells

Been, Very, Projects, Mormon

In 2011, I earned a Tony nomination for my role in 'The Book of Mormon.'

- Andrew Rannells

Role, Earned, Tony, Mormon

I live in the East Village, and occasionally people will recognize me there. When I'm in Williamsburg, I always get recognized. Midtown, not so much.

- Andrew Rannells

Will, Always, Recognized, Occasionally

Coming to New York to go to school and being very far away from my own family, I definitely found myself piecing together my sort of chosen family here, and I have friends that I'm still very close with, that we all met at the same time and have become a huge part of each other's lives.

- Andrew Rannells

Here, Other, Very, Far Away

I can't wake up at all without caffeine.

- Andrew Rannells

Wake Up, Up, Wake, Caffeine

In L.A., people will recognize me for doing 'Girls,' but have no idea that I have ever done anything on Broadway or can sing or dance or any of that stuff.

- Andrew Rannells

Doing, Will, Broadway, No Idea

There are certainly actors who I felt rivalries with, but then, as time goes on, you realize that you have to keep your eyes on your own paper because everybody's doing their own work.

- Andrew Rannells

Doing, Everybody, Certainly, Rivalries

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