Acting Quotes | Beyond Motive 6/10

top of page

Acting Quotes

"I'm just starting to scratch the surface of what really makes me happy and it's taken me a while to admit that acting like a little child and being a jerk and a punk is fun."

"I'm just starting to scratch the surface of what really makes me happy and it's taken me a while to admit that acting like a little child and being a jerk and a punk is fun."

Leonardo DiCaprio, American Actor

Acting, Being, Fun, Punk

42

"I think when you take away all, like, the premieres and press stuff and all the special effects, then you just come down to the fact that it's all about acting, and I think that has been the best bit for me."

"I think when you take away all, like, the premieres and press stuff and all the special effects, then you just come down to the fact that it's all about acting, and I think that has been the best bit for me."

Emma Watson, British Actress

Acting, Fact, Press

42

"I have no complaints with the whole childhood acting thing, because I wanted to do it."

"I have no complaints with the whole childhood acting thing, because I wanted to do it."

Tina Yothers, American Actress

Acting, Childhood, Complaints

42

"Not taboo - it's just that straight actors still risk their careers commercially and economically. They have to please the crowd - they're movie stars; their image is their industry. It goes beyond acting."

"Not taboo - it's just that straight actors still risk their careers commercially and economically. They have to please the crowd - they're movie stars; their image is their industry. It goes beyond acting."

Ang Lee, Chinese Director

Acting, Actors, Careers, Risk

42

"I don't like acting things; I like feeling things."

"I don't like acting things; I like feeling things."

Dougray Scott, Scottish Actor

Acting, Feeling

42

"Of all the things I do, acting is the thing that grabs most, but there's another level on which it strikes me as being a little silly. In the end you're dressing up and deciding to be somebody."

"Of all the things I do, acting is the thing that grabs most, but there's another level on which it strikes me as being a little silly. In the end you're dressing up and deciding to be somebody."

Jane Asher, British Actress

Acting, Being, End, Silly

42

"Acting is a matter of giving away secrets."

"Acting is a matter of giving away secrets."

Ellen Barkin, American Actress

Acting, Giving, Secrets

42

"Acting is invigorating. But I don't analyse it too much. It's like a dog smelling where it's going to do its toilet in the morning."

"Acting is invigorating. But I don't analyse it too much. It's like a dog smelling where it's going to do its toilet in the morning."

Liam Neeson, Irish Actor

42

"I'm enjoying it, but I still don't know why I'm hooked on acting."

"I'm enjoying it, but I still don't know why I'm hooked on acting."

Stephen Rea, Irish Actor

42

"On a film, I was always acting. I was either changing my clothes really quickly and wiping off the lipstick and putting on the other lipstick and then working constantly, constantly."

"On a film, I was always acting. I was either changing my clothes really quickly and wiping off the lipstick and putting on the other lipstick and then working constantly, constantly."

Maggie Gyllenhaal, American Actress

Acting, Clothes, Film

42

"We are always acting on what has just finished happening. It happened at least 1/30th of a second ago. We think we're in the present, but we aren't. The present we know is only a movie of the past."

"We are always acting on what has just finished happening. It happened at least 1/30th of a second ago. We think we're in the present, but we aren't. The present we know is only a movie of the past."

Tom Wolfe, American Journalist

Acting, Past, Present

42

"This nation loves singing and loves acting."

"This nation loves singing and loves acting."

Kate Smith, American Musician

Acting, Nation, Singing

42

"Anything that loosens you up and makes you freer is good, because that's what acting and performing is all about - being free. It gives you a better connection to the audience."

"Anything that loosens you up and makes you freer is good, because that's what acting and performing is all about - being free. It gives you a better connection to the audience."

Brett Somers, Canadian Actress

Acting, Being, Connection

42

"I remember the first reading of the script we had and everybody was sitting around the table. I was very impressed with the level of acting that was in the room, particularly with Jennifer who has so much responsibility."

"I remember the first reading of the script we had and everybody was sitting around the table. I was very impressed with the level of acting that was in the room, particularly with Jennifer who has so much responsibility."

Victor Garber, Canadian Actor

Acting, First, Reading, Responsibility

42

"Still, it's tough trying to combine my acting career with my college career."

"Still, it's tough trying to combine my acting career with my college career."

Beverley Mitchell, American Actress

Acting, Career, College, Trying

42

"Now my drug is writing or acting, being creative."

"Now my drug is writing or acting, being creative."

Scott Caan, American Actor

Acting, Being, Now, Writing

41

"I'm acting for the pleasure of it."

"I'm acting for the pleasure of it."

David Morse, American Actor

Acting, Pleasure

41

"Movie magic is movie magic and acting magic is acting magic."

"Movie magic is movie magic and acting magic is acting magic."

Ben Kingsley, English Actor

41

"I know very little about acting. I'm just an incredibly gifted faker."

"I know very little about acting. I'm just an incredibly gifted faker."

Robert Downey, Jr., American Actor

Acting, Robert Downey, Jr.

41

"But then acting is all about faking. We're all very good at faking things that we have no competence with."

"But then acting is all about faking. We're all very good at faking things that we have no competence with."

John Cleese, English Actor

Acting, Competence

41

"Film acting is really the trick of doing moments. You rarely do a take that lasts more than 20 seconds. You really earn your spurs acting onstage. I needed to do that for myself. I would hate to say at the end of everything that I never did a stage play."

"Film acting is really the trick of doing moments. You rarely do a take that lasts more than 20 seconds. You really earn your spurs acting onstage. I needed to do that for myself. I would hate to say at the end of everything that I never did a stage play."

Sam Shepard, American Playwright

Acting, End, Film, Hate

41

"And because performing for a game involves real acting. The way they create a game is very similar now to how they create a film. I've always wanted to stretch my acting skills, and the timing being what it is, I couldn't say no."

"And because performing for a game involves real acting. The way they create a game is very similar now to how they create a film. I've always wanted to stretch my acting skills, and the timing being what it is, I couldn't say no."

Josie Maran, American Model

Acting, Being, Film, Now

41

"There are all kinds of other things I could do, things I would probably like, but only acting would give me emotional fulfillment."

"There are all kinds of other things I could do, things I would probably like, but only acting would give me emotional fulfillment."

Mira Sorvino, American Actress

Acting, Fulfillment

41

"I've been not only articulating the dissatisfaction with Albany, I've been acting on it. I've been very aggressive in bringing public integrity cases and public corruption cases and bringing cases against sitting legislators."

"I've been not only articulating the dissatisfaction with Albany, I've been acting on it. I've been very aggressive in bringing public integrity cases and public corruption cases and bringing cases against sitting legislators."

Andrew Cuomo, American Politician

Acting, Corruption, Integrity, Legislators

41

"Sometimes, when you're acting, you are so in the moment that you don't even remember what just happened."

"Sometimes, when you're acting, you are so in the moment that you don't even remember what just happened."

Kristin Davis, American Actress

41

"Acting is what happens on the way."

"Acting is what happens on the way."

Mira Sorvino, American Actress

41

"While making Genevieve, I learned there could be a lot more to a film than just acting in it."

"While making Genevieve, I learned there could be a lot more to a film than just acting in it."

Dinah Sheridan, English Actress

41

"I like to use all of myself, and acting wasn't doing that."

"I like to use all of myself, and acting wasn't doing that."

Stanley Tucci, American Actor

41

"I stopped acting because I had other passions I wanted to pursue."

"I stopped acting because I had other passions I wanted to pursue."

Tina Yothers, American Actress

41

"In Hitchcock's eyes the movement was dramatic, not the acting. When he wanted the audience to be moved, he moved the camera. He was a subtle human being, and he was also the best director I have ever worked with."

"In Hitchcock's eyes the movement was dramatic, not the acting. When he wanted the audience to be moved, he moved the camera. He was a subtle human being, and he was also the best director I have ever worked with."

Bruce Dern, American Actor

Acting, Being, Eyes

41

"Acting doesn't suffice."

"Acting doesn't suffice."

Rod Taylor, Australian Actor

41

"Stardom is only a by-product of acting. I don't think being a movie star is a good enough reason for existing."

"Stardom is only a by-product of acting. I don't think being a movie star is a good enough reason for existing."

Natalie Wood, American Actress

Acting, Being, Reason

41

"I never really considered acting as a career until I moved to New York."

"I never really considered acting as a career until I moved to New York."

Michael C. Hall, American Actor

41

"I started acting when I was about 18. I was a model for a couple of years before that."

"I started acting when I was about 18. I was a model for a couple of years before that."

Catherine Bell, British Model

41

"Acting is always a challenge."

"Acting is always a challenge."

Robert Downey, Jr., American Actor

Acting, Challenge, Robert Downey, Jr.

41

"I didn't go to acting school, but I've been observing my fellow man for 66 years now, and I would think that's the best school there is."

"I didn't go to acting school, but I've been observing my fellow man for 66 years now, and I would think that's the best school there is."

Wilford Brimley, American Actor

Acting, Man, Now, School

40

"As for acting, I took drama lessons when I was in high school."

"As for acting, I took drama lessons when I was in high school."

Megan Gallagher, American Actress

Acting, Drama, School

40

"I always wanted to go into acting."

"I always wanted to go into acting."

Rupert Grint, English Actor

40

"It's fun being able to suit up and go and kick butt and not have to worry about memorizing dialogue. It's a whole different way of acting because you're not depending on the words at all, you're really depending on everything else that you have."

"It's fun being able to suit up and go and kick butt and not have to worry about memorizing dialogue. It's a whole different way of acting because you're not depending on the words at all, you're really depending on everything else that you have."

Kelly Hu, American Actress

Acting, Being, Fun, Words

40

"Acting is all about timing. I mean, who has better timing than the MCs?"

"Acting is all about timing. I mean, who has better timing than the MCs?"

Coolio, American Musician

40

"And writing I think is a gift that you have, the same as acting, in a way."

"And writing I think is a gift that you have, the same as acting, in a way."

Matthew Vaughn, American Producer

Acting, Writing

40

"My favorite way of getting out of doing chores is by acting like I'm asleep. But it never works."

"My favorite way of getting out of doing chores is by acting like I'm asleep. But it never works."

Devon Werkheiser, American Actor

Acting, Favorite

40

"I'm not sure that acting is something for a grown man to be doing."

"I'm not sure that acting is something for a grown man to be doing."

Steve McQueen, American Actor

40

"The thing about acting is you don't want to let on how enjoyable it is or then everybody would want to become an actress. But it really is. It's a pleasure to go and exchange your identity."

"The thing about acting is you don't want to let on how enjoyable it is or then everybody would want to become an actress. But it really is. It's a pleasure to go and exchange your identity."

Gena Rowlands, American Actress

Acting, Identity, Pleasure, Want

40

"So if I keep making mistakes on Broadway or tape or film, producing, directing or acting, I can go along and do it - so long as I'm not investing too much capital in these things."

"So if I keep making mistakes on Broadway or tape or film, producing, directing or acting, I can go along and do it - so long as I'm not investing too much capital in these things."

Jackie Cooper, American Actor

Acting, Film, Mistakes

40

"Yeah, I had actually tried to stop acting before I made Dead Man Walking."

"Yeah, I had actually tried to stop acting before I made Dead Man Walking."

Sean Penn, American Actor

Acting, Man, Walking

40

"In general, I find that for videos the acting is more realistic."

"In general, I find that for videos the acting is more realistic."

Tara Strong, Canadian Actress

40

"I didn't want to start acting like a cartoon."

"I didn't want to start acting like a cartoon."

Rachael Leigh Cook, American Actress

40

"To stay interested in acting, I have to keep trying stuff I've never done before."

"To stay interested in acting, I have to keep trying stuff I've never done before."

Jessica Lange, American Actress

40

"I have a theory about that, if you have to say something, if you have encourage for one second a prospective acting student - he should not go in to acting."

"I have a theory about that, if you have to say something, if you have encourage for one second a prospective acting student - he should not go in to acting."

Dabney Coleman, American Actor

40

bottom of page