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

92

"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

91

"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

84

"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

79

"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

76

"Acting is actually private."

"Acting is actually private."

Joan Chen, Chinese Actress

71

"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

63

"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

54

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

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

Victoria Pratt, Canadian Actress

53

"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

52

"I never lost my appetite for acting."

"I never lost my appetite for acting."

Eli Wallach, American Actor

Acting, Appetite

52

"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

48

"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

46

"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

46

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

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

Brendan Fraser, American Actor

46

"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

45

"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

44

"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

44

"I'm very serious about acting."

"I'm very serious about acting."

Victor Garber, Canadian Actor

43

"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

42

"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

42

"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

42

"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

41

"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

41

"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

40

"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

40

"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

38

"Just let the wardrobe do the acting."

"Just let the wardrobe do the acting."

Jack Nicholson, American Actor

37

"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

36

"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

36

"The ultimate acting is to destroy yourself."

"The ultimate acting is to destroy yourself."

Klaus Kinski, German Actor

36

"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

35

"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

35

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

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

Rosalind Russell, American Actress

35

"Acting is everybody's favorite second job."

"Acting is everybody's favorite second job."

Jack Nicholson, American Actor

Acting, Favorite, Job

33

"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

33

"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

33

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

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

River Phoenix, American Actor

32

"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

32

"Every man has inside himself a parasitic being who is acting not at all to his advantage."

"Every man has inside himself a parasitic being who is acting not at all to his advantage."

William S. Burroughs, American Writer

Acting, Being, Man

32

"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

32

"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

31

"From there I did a one year theatre acting course in Fife, and then three years of drama school in London."

"From there I did a one year theatre acting course in Fife, and then three years of drama school in London."

Ewan McGregor, Scottish Actor

Acting, Drama, London, School

31

"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

31

"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

31

"I took acting lessons when I was 19, 20, and I had my writing."

"I took acting lessons when I was 19, 20, and I had my writing."

Michael Ironside, Canadian Actor

Acting, Writing

31

"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

30

"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

30

"I'm not done with acting but do find my hands full with my current responsibilities. Soon, sometime soon."

"I'm not done with acting but do find my hands full with my current responsibilities. Soon, sometime soon."

Christopher Knight, American Actor

29

"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

29

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