I am not a has-been. I am a will-be.
- Thread starter amedal
- Start date
In movies, tv etc. the noun phrase "a has-been" means a person whose career "has been" great but "is not any more". They are still famous, but only for things they did in the past. Their career is "over".
"Lauren Bacall is a has-been. She hasn't made a new movie in 5 years".
Apparently someone made a statement like that about her publicly, and the movie star decided to invent a new term implying her career "will be" great again in the future. Putting it into the same format, that would make her a will-be".
"Lauren Bacall is a has-been. She hasn't made a new movie in 5 years".
Apparently someone made a statement like that about her publicly, and the movie star decided to invent a new term implying her career "will be" great again in the future. Putting it into the same format, that would make her a will-be".
you mean it's not a quote at all?
No, I don't mean that. I don't understand why you say that. I guess what I wrote was confusing. Sorry.
I said her quote seems to be a reply to someone who called her "a has been". Her quote repeat that phrase "a has-been" and invents an opposite term "a will be".
I said her quote seems to be a reply to someone who called her "a has been". Her quote repeat that phrase "a has-been" and invents an opposite term "a will be".
I've also heard people make the joke, "He's not a has-been, he's a never-was."
A has-been is a common term for someone who was famous but no longer is popular, or is no longer getting roles.
A never-was is not a common term, but it would be someone who aspired to be an actor but never had success.
A will-be is not a common term either, but it would be someone who aspires to be an actor and who has not yet had success, but who is going to be successful in the future.
I have no idea whether the Lauren Bacall quote is true.
A has-been is a common term for someone who was famous but no longer is popular, or is no longer getting roles.
A never-was is not a common term, but it would be someone who aspired to be an actor but never had success.
A will-be is not a common term either, but it would be someone who aspires to be an actor and who has not yet had success, but who is going to be successful in the future.
I have no idea whether the Lauren Bacall quote is true.
And just to add... a "wanna-be" is a common expression for someone who would like to be famous or imagines that they are already famous.