Logo - Feel The Words

Hero Quotes

On heroes, idols, and who we choose to look up to.

These quotes look at what it means to have a hero, whether that's a musician admired from the audience or a childhood icon like Mickey Mouse who fits several roles at once. Explore more in Inspiration quotes.

Captain William Thomas Turner, hero; villain, Schwieger. As I started doing research into him and into the submarine and so forth, I found that I was growing increasingly sympathetic to him. He's a young guy, 30, handsome, well-liked by his...

Quotes by Erik Larson

I'm no hero. The world knows all too well about my mistakes. But I was never meant to play the villain.

Quotes by Erik Prince

No politician has ever used his faith to a greater result for all of humanity, and that is why, in his day, Wilberforce was a moral hero far more than a political one.

Quotes by Eric Metaxas

When I was a kid, Jacques Cousteau was my hero and the person who inspired me to become an underwater explorer. I have many other people who inspired me after him, but he is still my all-time hero.

Quotes by Enric Sala

It's a cliche, but John Lennon is my hero. He was so rebellious, so outspoken and so publicly opinionated, and I'm someone who's so private. I suppose you admire people who have the qualities you wish you had.

Quotes by Emun Elliott

Alpha heroes, even uberalpha heroes, still win readers' hearts. I like a masterful hero myself, but I also enjoy the idea that sometimes the heroine can be in charge.

Quotes by Emma Holly

When I was a boy, I always saw myself as a hero in comic books and in movies. I grew up believing this dream.

Quotes by Elvis Presley

My dad is my hero. We have a strong relationship around sport. It has been such a big part of his life and now mine, and for him to be one of my coaches is a great thing.

Quotes by Ellyse Perry

Sinbad is a great character for any actor to be able to play: impulsive, adventurous, passionate, loyal, and brave - a true hero.

Quotes by Elliot Knight

I consider everyone a hero, to be honest.

Quotes by Elliot Knight

I play Rock Band, which is Guitar Hero times ten. You can play with four people, so when you have parties, you have a real band. Nobody ever wants to sing, so I'm always the one throwing down on the...

Quotes by Elizabeth Banks

I was the hero of the young insurgent working class art movement.

Quotes by Elia Kazan

Proust is a hero of mine. I read 'A la recherche' in one go, and I'm a very slow reader. It had an astonishing impact, reading it on my own and being my main company. I think Proust is the...

Quotes by Edward St Aubyn

I have never regarded myself as a hero, but Tenzing undoubtedly was.

Quotes by Edmund Hillary

When I was racing, I had learned that you can't set stock in public adoration or your press clippings. By the time I was 26, I'd heard crowds of 100,000 scream my name, but a week later they couldn't remember...

Quotes by Eddie Rickenbacker

In the days when I was the big hero, the money wasn't much. Nobody made anything on television in those days.

Quotes by Edd Byrnes

He would still see it as his duty to shut up and get on with it, not cause any trouble. In our own time we've made a hero of the rebel, and it's more heroic to speak up.

Quotes by Eddie Campbell

When I was playing Ajax, he thinks he's a hero; he thinks he's saving people. He thinks he's helping Wade Wilson by turning him into Deadpool.

Quotes by Ed Skrein

One minute you're a slug and the next minute you're a hero, so you don't know what to think.

Quotes by Ed Belfour

My uncle was a hero, Lewis Roundtree. He was not even related to me really, but he was always called my uncle. He was like a father to me. I was closer to him than I was my father.

Quotes by Ed Bradley

Frequently Asked Questions

What do these hero quotes have in common?
These quotes explore how we relate to heroes and idols - real people, cultural icons, and even fictional characters. One captures pure personal admiration: "Because he was my hero, I would visit him for inspiration," describing visits to see a performer named Bobby. For more on that feeling of being personally inspired, see Inspiration quotes.
Is there a quote about a specific real hero?
Yes - one quote is direct and heartfelt: "Glenn Gould was my hero. Glenn Gould was my idol. I loved him." It's a simple, repeated declaration of admiration for a named figure.
Do any of these quotes mention fictional heroes?
Yes. One quote points out that a hero doesn't have to come from real life: "Whether it's as the hero of an adventure story, as teacher and friend, as icon on watch, shirt or hat - everyone knows Mickey Mouse," showing how a cartoon character can fill the same role as a real-life hero.
Do heroes stay heroes forever, according to these quotes?
Not necessarily - one quote takes a more cynical, cyclical view: "The idol of today pushes the hero of yesterday out of our recollection; and will, in turn, be supplanted by his successor of tomorrow." It suggests admiration is often temporary rather than permanent, which touches on ideas found in Legacy quotes too.
Where can I read more about what makes someone heroic?
For related themes, take a look at Courage quotes and Sacrifice quotes.

Others point out that admiration doesn't stay fixed - today's idol eventually gives way to someone new. See also Courage quotes and Legacy quotes.