I went into the business for the money, and the art grew out of it. If people are disillusioned by that remark, I can’t help it. It’s the truth.

Chaplin bluntly rejects the romantic myth that great art must begin in pure idealism. He frames his entry into entertainment as pragmatic—earning a living—while insisting that genuine artistry can emerge from commercial motives and professional craft. The remark also functions as a defense against moralizing audiences who want artists to be “above” money: Chaplin claims honesty over image-management. Implicitly, he argues that the marketplace and art are not mutually exclusive; sustained work, ambition, and the pressures of popular appeal can catalyze innovation. The quote underscores Chaplin’s self-awareness about show business as labor and about his own rise from poverty into a highly monetized film industry.