Acting Quotes | Beyond Motive

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Acting Quotes

"Acting is the most personal of our crafts. The make-up of a human being - his physical, mental and emotional habits - influence his acting to a much greater extent than commonly recognized."

"Acting is the most personal of our crafts. The make-up of a human being - his physical, mental and emotional habits - influence his acting to a much greater extent than commonly recognized."

Lee Strasberg, American Director

Acting, Being, Habits, Influence

64

"And I've been lucky in that I haven't had another job besides acting in the last five years."

"And I've been lucky in that I haven't had another job besides acting in the last five years."

Nicholas Lea, Canadian Actor

Acting, Job, Years

56

"Go learn the language. Go take some acting lessons. Start from zero like everybody else."

"Go learn the language. Go take some acting lessons. Start from zero like everybody else."

Roselyn Sanchez, Puerto Rican Model

Acting, Language

48

"Acting is actually private."

"Acting is actually private."

Joan Chen, Chinese Actress

43

"Macbeth is a very popular play with audiences. If you want to sell out a theater, just mount a production of Macbeth. It's a short play, it's an exciting play, it's easy to understand, and it attracts great acting."

"Macbeth is a very popular play with audiences. If you want to sell out a theater, just mount a production of Macbeth. It's a short play, it's an exciting play, it's easy to understand, and it attracts great acting."

Ian McKellen, English Actor

Acting, Audiences, Play, Popular

36

"Acting is not about being someone different. It's finding the similarity in what is apparently different, then finding myself in there."

"Acting is not about being someone different. It's finding the similarity in what is apparently different, then finding myself in there."

Meryl Streep, American Actress

35

"Initially I probably didn't even call it acting, but dressing up or something. As a kid I think you fully imagine the world in which you want to inhabit, so you put some clothes on and just kind of freely imagine this world, and it's a total imaginary world."

"Initially I probably didn't even call it acting, but dressing up or something. As a kid I think you fully imagine the world in which you want to inhabit, so you put some clothes on and just kind of freely imagine this world, and it's a total imaginary world."

Hugo Weaving, Nigerian Actor

Acting, Clothes, Want, World

34

"I firmly believe lyrics have to breathe and give the audience's ear a chance to understand what's going on. Particularly in the theater, where you have costume, story, acting, orchestra."

"I firmly believe lyrics have to breathe and give the audience's ear a chance to understand what's going on. Particularly in the theater, where you have costume, story, acting, orchestra."

Stephen Sondheim, American Composer

Acting, Chance, Theater

29

"I went whole hog at the actor's lifestyle - really embraced it. I had by then known how much I loved acting already, because I discovered acting from a teacher in the seminary - that's the first place I ever did it, in the seminary."

"I went whole hog at the actor's lifestyle - really embraced it. I had by then known how much I loved acting already, because I discovered acting from a teacher in the seminary - that's the first place I ever did it, in the seminary."

Peter Jurasik, American Actor

27

"I came to acting in a very circuitous way."

"I came to acting in a very circuitous way."

Victoria Pratt, Canadian Actress

27

"I always think that a director who knows about the technical side, but cares about the acting performances and casting as well, is ahead of the game."

"I always think that a director who knows about the technical side, but cares about the acting performances and casting as well, is ahead of the game."

Bob Balaban, American Actor

26

"For 50 years, acting was the reason I got up in the morning."

"For 50 years, acting was the reason I got up in the morning."

Jack Klugman, American Actor

Acting, Reason, Years

24

"Acting in 'Star Wars' I felt like a raisin in a giant fruit salad, and I didn't even know who the cantaloupes were."

"Acting in 'Star Wars' I felt like a raisin in a giant fruit salad, and I didn't even know who the cantaloupes were."

Mark Hamill, American Actor

21

"Acting allows me to explore new worlds, to discover characters by delving into their lives, and ultimately to become someone else entirely."

"Acting allows me to explore new worlds, to discover characters by delving into their lives, and ultimately to become someone else entirely."

Pierce Brosnan, Irish Actor

21

"You know one of the things about going from modeling to acting is it's so much more fulfilling. With modeling, you get your picture taken, which is great, good for you, you know? But in acting, you're able to reach in and show a little bit more of yourself."

"You know one of the things about going from modeling to acting is it's so much more fulfilling. With modeling, you get your picture taken, which is great, good for you, you know? But in acting, you're able to reach in and show a little bit more of yourself."

Tom Welling, American Actor

21

"The ultimate acting is to destroy yourself."

"The ultimate acting is to destroy yourself."

Klaus Kinski, German Actor

21

"I never lost my appetite for acting."

"I never lost my appetite for acting."

Eli Wallach, American Actor

Acting, Appetite

20

"I think I have been very lucky as far as my acting career goes."

"I think I have been very lucky as far as my acting career goes."

Natasha Henstridge, Canadian Actress

20

"My first paid acting job was a movie called Fandango. It also starred Kevin Costner."

"My first paid acting job was a movie called Fandango. It also starred Kevin Costner."

Judd Nelson, American Actor

Acting, First, Job

19

"Working with a great director is like getting a master class in acting."

"Working with a great director is like getting a master class in acting."

Swoosie Kurtz, American Actress

18

"Literally, I think I've quit acting three or four times, only for a few days. Maybe for a few weeks."

"Literally, I think I've quit acting three or four times, only for a few days. Maybe for a few weeks."

Mark Ruffalo, American Actor

18

"Just let the wardrobe do the acting."

"Just let the wardrobe do the acting."

Jack Nicholson, American Actor

17

"With any part you play, there is a certain amount of yourself in it. There has to be, otherwise it's just not acting. It's lying."

"With any part you play, there is a certain amount of yourself in it. There has to be, otherwise it's just not acting. It's lying."

Johnny Depp, American Actor

Acting, Lying, Play

17

"I moved here to California when I was 13 to pursue my acting career."

"I moved here to California when I was 13 to pursue my acting career."

Christina Milian, American Musician

17

"I'm very serious about acting."

"I'm very serious about acting."

Victor Garber, Canadian Actor

17

"Acting is everybody's favorite second job."

"Acting is everybody's favorite second job."

Jack Nicholson, American Actor

Acting, Favorite, Job

16

"The difference - the fundamental difference between theater acting and film acting is that film acting is disjunctive."

"The difference - the fundamental difference between theater acting and film acting is that film acting is disjunctive."

James Lipton, American Educator

Acting, Difference, Film, Theater

16

"It always makes me sad when I think of how I saw Wagner wasting his vitality, not only by singing their parts to some of his artists, but acting out the smallest details, and of how few they were who were responsive to his wishes."

"It always makes me sad when I think of how I saw Wagner wasting his vitality, not only by singing their parts to some of his artists, but acting out the smallest details, and of how few they were who were responsive to his wishes."

Anton Seidl, Hungarian Celebrity

Acting, Artists, Singing, Vitality

15

"Maybe subconsciously I've kept activism separate from acting because it's important to me in a more profound way."

"Maybe subconsciously I've kept activism separate from acting because it's important to me in a more profound way."

Blythe Danner, American Actress

Acting, Activism

15

"When strangers start acting like neighbors... communities are reinvigorated."

"When strangers start acting like neighbors... communities are reinvigorated."

Ralph Nader, American Lawyer

Acting, Neighbors, Strangers

15

"When an actor plays a scene exactly the way a director orders, it isn't acting. It's following instructions. Anyone with the physical qualifications can do that."

"When an actor plays a scene exactly the way a director orders, it isn't acting. It's following instructions. Anyone with the physical qualifications can do that."

James Dean, American Actor

15

"There is some sadness for me now about acting because it used to be that there was a reverence for actors."

"There is some sadness for me now about acting because it used to be that there was a reverence for actors."

Estelle Parsons, American Actress

Acting, Actors, Now, Sadness

15

"You know, acting is very fascinating. But being an actress is not, because you become so concentrated on yourself."

"You know, acting is very fascinating. But being an actress is not, because you become so concentrated on yourself."

Beatrice Wood, American Artist

14

"I'm not acting, but I am acting."

"I'm not acting, but I am acting."

Tracey Gold, American Actress

14

"Acting is standing up naked and turning around very slowly."

"Acting is standing up naked and turning around very slowly."

Rosalind Russell, American Actress

14

"I didn't actually begin professionally acting until I was 30."

"I didn't actually begin professionally acting until I was 30."

Katey Sagal, American Athlete

13

"I'm less needy about needing to express myself through acting. I have many different lives outside of this that are extremely fulfilling."

"I'm less needy about needing to express myself through acting. I have many different lives outside of this that are extremely fulfilling."

Richard Gere, American Actor

13

"One of the first things I learned about acting was, the only person you compete against is yourself."

"One of the first things I learned about acting was, the only person you compete against is yourself."

Ed Harris, American Actor

13

"If laws acting upon private interests can not always be avoided, they should be confined within the narrowest limits, and left wherever possible to the legislatures of the States."

"If laws acting upon private interests can not always be avoided, they should be confined within the narrowest limits, and left wherever possible to the legislatures of the States."

Martin Van Buren, American President

Acting, Laws, Limits, States

13

"Forget acting. It's all about rock 'n' roll."

"Forget acting. It's all about rock 'n' roll."

Brendan Fraser, American Actor

13

"When I'm not involved in an acting job I try to run 10 miles a day."

"When I'm not involved in an acting job I try to run 10 miles a day."

Joan Van Ark, American Actress

Acting, Day, Job

13

"A musical would be fantastic. The soundtrack would be great and I'd like to do acting."

"A musical would be fantastic. The soundtrack would be great and I'd like to do acting."

Melanie Chisholm, English Musician

12

"Acting is not being emotional, but being able to express emotion."

"Acting is not being emotional, but being able to express emotion."

Robert Quillen, American Journalist

Acting, Being, Emotion

12

"Acting has to do with saying it as if you meant it, so for me the words are always very important. It's very important for me to know my lines, know them so well that I don't have to think about them."

"Acting has to do with saying it as if you meant it, so for me the words are always very important. It's very important for me to know my lines, know them so well that I don't have to think about them."

Christopher Walken, American Actor

Acting, Saying, Words

12

"Acting is a total physical, emotional sensation."

"Acting is a total physical, emotional sensation."

Armand Assante, American Actor

12

"I think I had a shyness about me, I think I discovered acting as a way to break out of that and as a way of belonging, a sense of being special."

"I think I had a shyness about me, I think I discovered acting as a way to break out of that and as a way of belonging, a sense of being special."

Michael C. Hall, American Actor

Acting, Being, Sense, Shyness

12

"I started taking acting classes when I was twelve."

"I started taking acting classes when I was twelve."

Lindsay Wagner, American Actress

12

"Everyone thinks acting is easy. It's far from easy, but it's the most gratifying thing I do."

"Everyone thinks acting is easy. It's far from easy, but it's the most gratifying thing I do."

Eli Wallach, American Actor

12

"Acting? No, it is not for me. I would be terrible."

"Acting? No, it is not for me. I would be terrible."

Kim Carnes, American Musician

12

"I see myself as a comic but the acting helps sell tickets for gigs."

"I see myself as a comic but the acting helps sell tickets for gigs."

Alan Davies, British Actor

12

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