Acting Quotes | Beyond Motive 2/10

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Acting Quotes

"In Hungary, acting is a career for which one fits himself as earnestly as one studies for a degree in medicine, law, or philosophy."

"In Hungary, acting is a career for which one fits himself as earnestly as one studies for a degree in medicine, law, or philosophy."

Bela Lugosi, Austrian Actor

Acting, Career, Law, Medicine

48

"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

48

"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

48

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

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

Rosalind Russell, American Actress

48

"I loved acting when I was doing it, but getting the jobs I didn't understand because I'd never had to do it. That was a difficult lesson for me. It was very humbling and very bizarre."

"I loved acting when I was doing it, but getting the jobs I didn't understand because I'd never had to do it. That was a difficult lesson for me. It was very humbling and very bizarre."

Mariel Hemingway, American Actress

Acting, Bizarre, Jobs

47

"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

47

"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

47

"When I was first starting out, if you were acting on television, it was a real stigma."

"When I was first starting out, if you were acting on television, it was a real stigma."

Christine Lahti, American Actress

Acting, First, Television

47

"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

46

"I don't make much distinction between being a stand-up comic and acting Shakespeare - in fact, unless you're a good comedian, you're never going to be able to play Hamlet properly."

"I don't make much distinction between being a stand-up comic and acting Shakespeare - in fact, unless you're a good comedian, you're never going to be able to play Hamlet properly."

Ian Mckellen, English Actor

Acting, Being, Fact, Play

46

"One good thing about acting in film is that it's good therapy."

"One good thing about acting in film is that it's good therapy."

Denzel Washington, American Actor

Acting, Film, Therapy

46

"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

46

"Acting is the perfect idiot's profession."

"Acting is the perfect idiot's profession."

Katharine Hepburn, American Actress

Acting, Profession

46

"I never took acting classes, but I knew I could do it based on the skill with which I lied to my parents on a regular basis!"

"I never took acting classes, but I knew I could do it based on the skill with which I lied to my parents on a regular basis!"

Ryan Reynolds, Canadian Actor

Acting, Parents, Skill

45

"Method acting is a label I don't really understand, because there's a method to everybody's acting."

"Method acting is a label I don't really understand, because there's a method to everybody's acting."

Dougray Scott, Scottish Actor

45

"Acting with Denzel is like playing tennis with someone that's better than you. You either play better tennis or get blown off the court."

"Acting with Denzel is like playing tennis with someone that's better than you. You either play better tennis or get blown off the court."

Dean Cain, American Actor

Acting, Court, Play, Tennis

45

"I'm too busy acting like I'm not Naive. I've seen it all, I was here first."

"I'm too busy acting like I'm not Naive. I've seen it all, I was here first."

Kurt Cobain, American Musician

45

"You can be in an acting class all you want, but you don't fully learn until you get off that stage and in front of a camera."

"You can be in an acting class all you want, but you don't fully learn until you get off that stage and in front of a camera."

Nicholas Lea, Canadian Actor

Acting, Class, Want

45

"The minute I start to talk about acting, I realize that I can't. You know, it's an abstract thing, a little bit mysterious even if you do it for a living."

"The minute I start to talk about acting, I realize that I can't. You know, it's an abstract thing, a little bit mysterious even if you do it for a living."

Christopher Walken, American Actor

Acting, Living, Talk

45

"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

45

"When I started acting, it was really the way for me to be able to communicate."

"When I started acting, it was really the way for me to be able to communicate."

Richard Gere, American Actor

44

"I don't really look for specific types of projects any more. I'm not taking care of a career anymore. I'm just having fun acting."

"I don't really look for specific types of projects any more. I'm not taking care of a career anymore. I'm just having fun acting."

Kurt Russell, American Actor

Acting, Care, Career, Fun

44

"I've never lost my appetite for acting; it's innovative and challenging."

"I've never lost my appetite for acting; it's innovative and challenging."

Eli Wallach, American Actor

Acting, Appetite

44

"All Asian parents are into your children having a respectable, decent stable job. Acting was unimaginable to my parents."

"All Asian parents are into your children having a respectable, decent stable job. Acting was unimaginable to my parents."

Joan Chen, Chinese Actress

Acting, Children, Job, Parents

44

"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

44

"Acting is a form of confession."

"Acting is a form of confession."

Tallulah Bankhead, American Actress

Acting, Confession

44

"I don't think I have one iota of cynicism about acting."

"I don't think I have one iota of cynicism about acting."

Donald Sutherland, Canadian Actor

Acting, Cynicism

43

"Acting is very immediate."

"Acting is very immediate."

Val Kilmer, American Actor

43

"To me acting and singing are worlds apart."

"To me acting and singing are worlds apart."

Emmylou Harris, American Musician

Acting, Singing

43

"You don't have any kind of sense of being foolish when you are acting. When you're younger you don't want to look a fool, so you don't do things that might make you vulnerable."

"You don't have any kind of sense of being foolish when you are acting. When you're younger you don't want to look a fool, so you don't do things that might make you vulnerable."

Tom Wilkinson, British Actor

Acting, Being, Fool, Sense

43

"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

43

"Believe me, when an actress is told that her very name is synonymous with bad acting, she's had it."

"Believe me, when an actress is told that her very name is synonymous with bad acting, she's had it."

Piper Laurie, American Actress

43

"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

43

"I kind of fell into acting, but I have sung and trained since I was in the eighth grade."

"I kind of fell into acting, but I have sung and trained since I was in the eighth grade."

Tia Carrere, American Actress

42

"I don't think I'm proud of anything in acting."

"I don't think I'm proud of anything in acting."

Eddie Albert, American Actor

42

"Usually in a battle sequence when a bomb is going off, you forget you're acting."

"Usually in a battle sequence when a bomb is going off, you forget you're acting."

Charlie Sheen, American Actor

Acting, Battle, Forget

42

"I really enjoy singing and I really enjoy acting, but singing I've been doing since I was really young."

"I really enjoy singing and I really enjoy acting, but singing I've been doing since I was really young."

Lindsay Lohan, American Actress

Acting, Singing

42

"And I've been acting for 39 years, so I define characters differently than I did in say Miami Vice."

"And I've been acting for 39 years, so I define characters differently than I did in say Miami Vice."

Edward James Olmos, American Actor

Acting, Vice, Years

42

"The big difference with Juliette and the others in that film is that she goes beyond acting."

"The big difference with Juliette and the others in that film is that she goes beyond acting."

Olivier Martinez, French Actor

Acting, Difference, Film

42

"Sean's a better person when he's directing. He becomes a queen when he's an actor. And he's so unhappy when he's acting."

"Sean's a better person when he's directing. He becomes a queen when he's an actor. And he's so unhappy when he's acting."

Robin Wright Penn, American Actress

Acting, Actor, Queen

42

"I don't think I'm great at acting. I think I'm great at directing."

"I don't think I'm great at acting. I think I'm great at directing."

Melissa Joan Hart, American Actress

42

"It was always acting, singing and dancing that I loved."

"It was always acting, singing and dancing that I loved."

Linda Lavin, American Actress

Acting, Dancing, Singing

42

"There's a whole catalogue of actors that never went to acting school."

"There's a whole catalogue of actors that never went to acting school."

Dennis Farina, American Actor

Acting, Actors, School

42

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

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

Tracey Gold, American Actress

42

"To me acting is like a jigsaw puzzle. The jigsaw puzzle is of the sky and all the pieces are blue. Out of this you have to create a human being and put it together."

"To me acting is like a jigsaw puzzle. The jigsaw puzzle is of the sky and all the pieces are blue. Out of this you have to create a human being and put it together."

Henry Winkler, American Actor

Acting, Being, Sky

42

"Acting doesn't feel good. It's not comfortable to feel all this stuff, it's not."

"Acting doesn't feel good. It's not comfortable to feel all this stuff, it's not."

Tea Leoni, American Actress

41

"I'm very much looking forward to my 30-40 years of acting, and, as I get older, I'm really looking forward to some of the roles that are out there to play."

"I'm very much looking forward to my 30-40 years of acting, and, as I get older, I'm really looking forward to some of the roles that are out there to play."

Corbin Bernsen, American Actor

Acting, Play, Years

41

"I'm sure acting is a deeply neurotic thing to do."

"I'm sure acting is a deeply neurotic thing to do."

Ralph Fiennes, British Actor

41

"You've got to keep taking certain risks, because my priority is in acting, it's not in movie stardom."

"You've got to keep taking certain risks, because my priority is in acting, it's not in movie stardom."

Gary Sinise, American Actor

41

"The basic essential of a great actor is that he loves himself in acting."

"The basic essential of a great actor is that he loves himself in acting."

Jessamyn West, American Author

41

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