Actor Quotes | Beyond Motive

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Actor Quotes

"The reason actors, artists, writers have agents is because we'll do it for nothing. That's a basic fact - you gotta do it."

"The reason actors, artists, writers have agents is because we'll do it for nothing. That's a basic fact - you gotta do it."

Morgan Freeman, American Actor

Actor, Actors, Artists, Fact, Nothing

196

"I have always been a Malibu Man, like all actors."

"I have always been a Malibu Man, like all actors."

Nick Mancuso, Italian Actor

Actor, Actors, Man

166

"The best actors do not let the wheels show."

"The best actors do not let the wheels show."

Milan Kundera, Czechoslovakian Writer

156

"I've wanted to be an actor ever since I was a little boy."

"I've wanted to be an actor ever since I was a little boy."

Henry Darrow, Puerto Rican Actor

150

"I never said all actors are cattle; what I said was all actors should be treated like cattle."

"I never said all actors are cattle; what I said was all actors should be treated like cattle."

Alfred Hitchcock, English Director

135

"I was not what you'd call a first-class actor, but I did all right."

"I was not what you'd call a first-class actor, but I did all right."

Elia Kazan, American Director

Actor, First, Right

126

"When I played Robin Hood, I knew the great role was Alan Rickman's and it didn't bother me. I always think that leading actors should be called the best supporting actors."

"When I played Robin Hood, I knew the great role was Alan Rickman's and it didn't bother me. I always think that leading actors should be called the best supporting actors."

Kevin Costner, American Actor

Actor, Actors, Leading

119

"Is this film more interesting than a documentary of the same actors having lunch?"

"Is this film more interesting than a documentary of the same actors having lunch?"

Gene Siskel, American Critic

Actor, Actors, Film

113

"There are lots of wonderful old Italian actors. You don't need to take an Egyptian to play an Italian actor."

"There are lots of wonderful old Italian actors. You don't need to take an Egyptian to play an Italian actor."

Omar Sharif, Egyptian Actor

Actor, Actors, Old, Play

108

"There are certain stars who are not actors. I don't want to be that type."

"There are certain stars who are not actors. I don't want to be that type."

Natalie Wood, American Actress

Actor, Actors, Stars, Want

106

"My parents said, Oh, he's going to be a director someday. I wanted to be an actor."

"My parents said, Oh, he's going to be a director someday. I wanted to be an actor."

Quentin Tarantino, American Director

96

"The first movie I appeared in was Carry On Cowboy, though not as an actor. I was just riding horses."

"The first movie I appeared in was Carry On Cowboy, though not as an actor. I was just riding horses."

Richard O'Brien, English Actor

Actor, First, Horses

85

"I don't know what else I could do but pretend to be an actor."

"I don't know what else I could do but pretend to be an actor."

Alec Guinness, English Actor

81

"I wanted to be an actor when I was a kid."

"I wanted to be an actor when I was a kid."

Stanley Tucci, American Actor

81

"I think every young actor in Los Angeles went up for that role. It was between Frankie Muniz and me, and he pulled out, so I got the role."

"I think every young actor in Los Angeles went up for that role. It was between Frankie Muniz and me, and he pulled out, so I got the role."

Shia LaBeouf, American Actor

81

"I don't have any expectations as an actor and being rich and famous is not my driving force."

"I don't have any expectations as an actor and being rich and famous is not my driving force."

James D'arcy, British Actor

Actor, Being, Driving, Expectations

78

"I wasn't an actor. They they take the externals. Here I was, a kid thrown into Hollywood with a brand-new name, starring in motion pictures."

Tab Hunter, American Actor

Actor, Hollywood, Name

78

"Perhaps I'm not a good actor, but I would be even worse at doing anything else."

"Perhaps I'm not a good actor, but I would be even worse at doing anything else."

Sean Connery, Scottish Actor

78

"I was very intense. I think it's a privilege to be an actor."

"I was very intense. I think it's a privilege to be an actor."

Elia Kazan, American Director

Actor, Privilege

78

"An actor has to embody a role."

"An actor has to embody a role."

Taylor Hackford, American Director

77

"Last summer a second unit production crew went to France and shot scenes for several of this season's episodes. They shot costumed actors in and around real castles and landmarks, we couldn't possibly have duplicated here in Hollywood."

"Last summer a second unit production crew went to France and shot scenes for several of this season's episodes. They shot costumed actors in and around real castles and landmarks, we couldn't possibly have duplicated here in Hollywood."

Vic Morrow, American Actor

Actor, Actors, France, Hollywood, Production

77

"There are no small parts; there are only small actors."

"There are no small parts; there are only small actors."

Melanie Griffith, American Actress

77

"It's always strange being a kid on the set, because you're treated like an equal when you're working. But then when you break, the other actors go back to their trailers to take naps and drink beer, and I have to, like, go do school."

"It's always strange being a kid on the set, because you're treated like an equal when you're working. But then when you break, the other actors go back to their trailers to take naps and drink beer, and I have to, like, go do school."

Natalie Portman, American Actress

Actor, Actors, Beer, Being, Naps

76

"Barack Obama did tell me that I was one of Michelle Obama's favorite actors."

"Barack Obama did tell me that I was one of Michelle Obama's favorite actors."

Dwayne Johnson, American Actor

Actor, Actors, Favorite

76

"If you want a bourgeois existence, you shouldn't be an actor. You're in the wrong profession."

"If you want a bourgeois existence, you shouldn't be an actor. You're in the wrong profession."

Uta Hagen, German Actress

Actor, Existence, Profession, Want

75

"I want to prove a point. That point is, actors are artists, not narcissists necessarily."

"I want to prove a point. That point is, actors are artists, not narcissists necessarily."

William Hurt, American Actor

Actor, Actors, Artists, Want

75

"There are some actor secrets you keep sometimes, and you want to keep."

"There are some actor secrets you keep sometimes, and you want to keep."

Kevin Bacon, American Actor

Actor, Secrets, Want

74

"And I think, on the other end, there were actors who were not as good as I was, perhaps who could have hung in too, but began to blame everything on race."

"And I think, on the other end, there were actors who were not as good as I was, perhaps who could have hung in too, but began to blame everything on race."

James Earl Jones, American Actor

Actor, Actors, Blame, End, Race

74

"What I try to do as an actor is constantly find that, find ways to risk, find opportunities to fall on my face if it's going to be worth it, and then maybe I'll surprise myself."

"What I try to do as an actor is constantly find that, find ways to risk, find opportunities to fall on my face if it's going to be worth it, and then maybe I'll surprise myself."

Jeremy Irons, English Actor

Actor, Risk, Worth

74

"I have often seen an actor laugh off the stage, but I don't remember ever having seen one weep."

"I have often seen an actor laugh off the stage, but I don't remember ever having seen one weep."

Bette Davis, American Actress

73

"Cinema is a director's medium, so you're saying, "What do you want?" Being an actor is about adapting - physically and emotionally. If that means you have to look great for it and they can make you look great, then thank you. And if you have to have everything washed away, then I'm willing to do that too."

"Cinema is a director's medium, so you're saying, "What do you want?" Being an actor is about adapting - physically and emotionally. If that means you have to look great for it and they can make you look great, then thank you. And if you have to have everything washed away, then I'm willing to do that too."

Nicole Kidman, Australian Actress

Actor, Being, Cinema, Saying

73

"Yes, The Persuaders, that was great fun because one of my favourite actors is Roger Moore."

"Yes, The Persuaders, that was great fun because one of my favourite actors is Roger Moore."

Val Guest, British Director

Actor, Actors, Fun

73

"As an actor, it's fun to play guys who aren't just locked into a male pattern, but a lot of guys you're asked to play are fairly macho and have a certain rigid standard they're living by."

"As an actor, it's fun to play guys who aren't just locked into a male pattern, but a lot of guys you're asked to play are fairly macho and have a certain rigid standard they're living by."

Fred Ward, American Actor

Actor, Fun, Living, Play

73

"It's difficult being a child actor. I don't think everything beautiful has to be exploited. Some things can be beautiful and left beautiful."

"It's difficult being a child actor. I don't think everything beautiful has to be exploited. Some things can be beautiful and left beautiful."

Rick Schroder, American Actor

73

"I think it's a bigger risk following a part that plays up your looks than it is to try and carve out a career as an actor."

"I think it's a bigger risk following a part that plays up your looks than it is to try and carve out a career as an actor."

Jude Law, British Actor

Actor, Career, Risk

72

"As an actor I kind of do. I started out doing voice overs in the mid 80s when I was in grad school."

"As an actor I kind of do. I started out doing voice overs in the mid 80s when I was in grad school."

Thomas Haden Church, American Actor

Actor, School, Voice

72

"An actor is something less than a man, while an actress is something more than a woman."

"An actor is something less than a man, while an actress is something more than a woman."

Richard Burton, Welsh Actor

Actor, Man, Woman

72

"When I said I no longer wanted to be a painter, that I wanted to be an actor, the first thing I did was get a stinking job in an insurance building."

"When I said I no longer wanted to be a painter, that I wanted to be an actor, the first thing I did was get a stinking job in an insurance building."

Rod Taylor, Australian Actor

Actor, Building, First, Job

72

"You can't believe Russell Crowe is the same actor who won an Oscar one year ago for Gladiator."

"You can't believe Russell Crowe is the same actor who won an Oscar one year ago for Gladiator."

Joel Siegel, American Critic

72

"I remember that. I was talking to him and I said how great it would be if actors had a tail because I have animals and a tail is so expressive. On a cat you can tell everything. You can tell if they're annoyed. You can tell whether they're scared."

"I remember that. I was talking to him and I said how great it would be if actors had a tail because I have animals and a tail is so expressive. On a cat you can tell everything. You can tell if they're annoyed. You can tell whether they're scared."

Christopher Walken, American Actor

Actor, Actors, Animals, Talking

71

"Every actor I know wants to be a pop star."

"Every actor I know wants to be a pop star."

Michael Hutchence, Australian Musician

71

"To be able to rely completely on the actors was a very simple process for me."

"To be able to rely completely on the actors was a very simple process for me."

Stephen Hopkins, American Politician

70

"All my friends were going off to be professionals, and I said I wanted to be an actor."

"All my friends were going off to be professionals, and I said I wanted to be an actor."

Harrison Ford, American Actor

Actor, Friends, professionals

69

"Well, I think on second units it's all about execution. Because you come in there, you don't have to worry so much about the studio and all the other actors and all that."

"Well, I think on second units it's all about execution. Because you come in there, you don't have to worry so much about the studio and all the other actors and all that."

David R. Ellis, American Director

Actor, Actors, Execution, Worry

69

"It's a lot more fun for actors to cry and rant and rave, or have a drug problem or a drinking problem."

"It's a lot more fun for actors to cry and rant and rave, or have a drug problem or a drinking problem."

Jerry Orbach, American Actor

Actor, Actors, Drinking, Fun

69

"It is easier to get an actor to be a cowboy than to get a cowboy to be an actor."

"It is easier to get an actor to be a cowboy than to get a cowboy to be an actor."

John Ford, English Dramatist

68

"Because we're actors we can pretend and fake it, but I'd rather the intimate investment was authentic."

"Because we're actors we can pretend and fake it, but I'd rather the intimate investment was authentic."

Keanu Reeves, Canadian Actor

Actor, Actors, Investment

68

"The instinct to impersonate produces the actor; the desire to provide pleasure by impersonations produces the playwright; the desire to provide this pleasure with adequate characterization and dialogue memorable in itself produces dramatic literature."

"The instinct to impersonate produces the actor; the desire to provide pleasure by impersonations produces the playwright; the desire to provide this pleasure with adequate characterization and dialogue memorable in itself produces dramatic literature."

George P. Baker, American Theorist

Actor, Desire, Instinct, Literature

68

"I was an original member of the Actors' Studio."

"I was an original member of the Actors' Studio."

Eli Wallach, American Actor

68

"I had to learn how to become a real actor, I had to suffer and be rejected and face that 100 times just like every actor. It wasn't like someone handed it to me."

"I had to learn how to become a real actor, I had to suffer and be rejected and face that 100 times just like every actor. It wasn't like someone handed it to me."

Donnie Wahlberg, American Actor

68

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