Acting Quotes | Beyond Motive

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Acting Quotes

"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

210

"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

176

"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

155

"Acting is actually private."

"Acting is actually private."

Joan Chen, Chinese Actress

152

"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

103

"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

101

"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

88

"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

79

"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

75

"I never lost my appetite for acting."

"I never lost my appetite for acting."

Eli Wallach, American Actor

Acting, Appetite

73

"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

72

"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

71

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

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

Victoria Pratt, Canadian Actress

70

"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

68

"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

67

"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

66

"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

65

"I'm very serious about acting."

"I'm very serious about acting."

Victor Garber, Canadian Actor

65

"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

64

"Just let the wardrobe do the acting."

"Just let the wardrobe do the acting."

Jack Nicholson, American Actor

63

"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

63

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

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

Brendan Fraser, American Actor

61

"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

60

"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

60

"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

59

"I like acting for now. But after seeing Apollo 13, what I really want to do is to be an astronaut. I'm dying to go to a space camp next summer!"

"I like acting for now. But after seeing Apollo 13, what I really want to do is to be an astronaut. I'm dying to go to a space camp next summer!"

Natalie Portman, American Actress

Acting, Dying, Now, Space

58

"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

57

"Acting is like a Halloween mask that you put on."

"Acting is like a Halloween mask that you put on."

River Phoenix, American Actor

56

"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

56

"The real exertion in the case of an opera singer lies not so much in her singing as in her acting of a role, for nearly every modern opera makes great dramatic and physical demands."

"The real exertion in the case of an opera singer lies not so much in her singing as in her acting of a role, for nearly every modern opera makes great dramatic and physical demands."

Maria Jeritza, Austrian Soprano

Acting, Lies, Opera, Singing

56

"If you give an audience a chance they will do half your acting for you."

"If you give an audience a chance they will do half your acting for you."

William Hazlitt, English Critic

Acting, Chance, Will

56

"Acting is everybody's favorite second job."

"Acting is everybody's favorite second job."

Jack Nicholson, American Actor

Acting, Favorite, Job

55

"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

55

"I was 36, and I had decided to quit acting because it was so disappointing."

"I was 36, and I had decided to quit acting because it was so disappointing."

Phil Hartman, Canadian Actor

54

"A little acting debut in Spin City, with Michael J. Fox, which opened up a whole new door for me."

"A little acting debut in Spin City, with Michael J. Fox, which opened up a whole new door for me."

Heidi Klum, German Model

54

"I have been taking classes and I'm familiar with stage, but I'm not as familiar with acting on camera."

"I have been taking classes and I'm familiar with stage, but I'm not as familiar with acting on camera."

Kevin Richardson, American Musician

54

"In the end, it's acting, it's not real. But every director will tell you that you have to create conditions that create tension, because tension is what makes drama feel real."

"In the end, it's acting, it's not real. But every director will tell you that you have to create conditions that create tension, because tension is what makes drama feel real."

Paul Greengrass, British Filmmaker

Acting, Drama, End, Tension

54

"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

54

"I never dreamed that shooting a film would be so hard. There was less regulation then of child actors' hours. Even the concept of acting confused me."

"I never dreamed that shooting a film would be so hard. There was less regulation then of child actors' hours. Even the concept of acting confused me."

Tatum O'Neal, American Actress

Acting, Actors, Film

54

"Acting is a form of confusion."

"Acting is a form of confusion."

Tallulah Bankhead, American Actress

Acting, Confusion

53

"The ultimate acting is to destroy yourself."

"The ultimate acting is to destroy yourself."

Klaus Kinski, German Actor

53

"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

52

"When the target audience is American teenage kids, you can have problems. My generation prized really fine acting and writing. Sometimes you have to go back to the basic principles which underpin great visual comedy."

"When the target audience is American teenage kids, you can have problems. My generation prized really fine acting and writing. Sometimes you have to go back to the basic principles which underpin great visual comedy."

John Cleese, English Actor

Acting, American, Comedy, Kids

52

"On the stage he was natural, simple, affecting, 'Twas only when he was off, he was acting."

"On the stage he was natural, simple, affecting, 'Twas only when he was off, he was acting."

Oliver Goldsmith, Irish Poet

51

"It's sort of the most important thing for acting, is to listen to the person you're dealing with."

"It's sort of the most important thing for acting, is to listen to the person you're dealing with."

Ivan Reitman, Canadian Actor

50

"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

50

"I don't know what acting is, but I enjoy it."

"I don't know what acting is, but I enjoy it."

Anthony Hopkins, Welsh Actor

50

"I needed an outlet in high school and came across painting. I've actually been painting longer than I've been acting. A movie is a collaborative effort, and with painting you just have yourself."

"I needed an outlet in high school and came across painting. I've actually been painting longer than I've been acting. A movie is a collaborative effort, and with painting you just have yourself."

James Franco, American Actor

Acting, Effort, Painting, School

49

"I went to acting school in New York City for two years. I studied with Stella Adler."

"I went to acting school in New York City for two years. I studied with Stella Adler."

Judd Nelson, American Actor

Acting, School, Years

49

"Without wonder and insight, acting is just a trade. With it, it becomes creation."

"Without wonder and insight, acting is just a trade. With it, it becomes creation."

Bette Davis, American Actress

Acting, Creation, Trade, Wonder

48

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