Character Quotes | Beyond Motive 12/25

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Character Quotes

"I think every leading man wants to be a character actor, and every character actor wants to be a leading man."

"I think every leading man wants to be a character actor, and every character actor wants to be a leading man."

Bruce Boxleitner, American Actor

Character, Leading, Man

40

"I cannot think of any character below the flatterer, except he who envies him."

"I cannot think of any character below the flatterer, except he who envies him."

Richard Steele, British Dramatist

40

"There's nothing worse - I don't like listening to actors talk about the process, especially when - I mean, for me I've played a lot of guys, dudes, boys in a sense and this was a challenge for me just to play that official character."

"There's nothing worse - I don't like listening to actors talk about the process, especially when - I mean, for me I've played a lot of guys, dudes, boys in a sense and this was a challenge for me just to play that official character."

Scott Speedman, English Actor

Character, Actors, Boys, Challenge

40

"What I took out of them was that character was measured by facing up to difficult situations and that a hero was a man who would not break even under the most trying circumstances."

"What I took out of them was that character was measured by facing up to difficult situations and that a hero was a man who would not break even under the most trying circumstances."

Nelson Mandela, South African Statesman

Character, Heroism, Resilience, Courage

40

"It is definitely a challenge to play Nathan, but the more different he is from myself, the more interesting the character becomes for me."

"It is definitely a challenge to play Nathan, but the more different he is from myself, the more interesting the character becomes for me."

James Lafferty, American Actor

Character, Challenge, Play

40

"It's a dead give away of an inexperienced writer if every character speaks with the same voice."

"It's a dead give away of an inexperienced writer if every character speaks with the same voice."

Colleen McCullough, Australian Author

Character, Voice, Writer

40

"I don't think of myself as a character actress - that's become a phrase which means you've had it."

"I don't think of myself as a character actress - that's become a phrase which means you've had it."

Bette Davis, American Actress

40

"A young woman has young claws, well sharpened. If she has character, that is. And if she hasn't so much the worse for you."

"A young woman has young claws, well sharpened. If she has character, that is. And if she hasn't so much the worse for you."

Henri Matisse, French Artist

Character, Woman

40

"The real character of a man is found out by his amusements."

"The real character of a man is found out by his amusements."

Joshua Reynolds, English Artist

39

"But today I felt different, today I forgot how long it takes to get into the skin of a character and I remembered it, because today I actually got into that skin and it felt so different."

"But today I felt different, today I forgot how long it takes to get into the skin of a character and I remembered it, because today I actually got into that skin and it felt so different."

Estelle Parsons, American Actress

Character, Skin, Today

39

"The most important basis of any novel is wanting to be someone else, and this means creating a character."

"The most important basis of any novel is wanting to be someone else, and this means creating a character."

Antonio Tabucchi, Italian Writer

39

"If you give a character room to breathe, they come alive."

"If you give a character room to breathe, they come alive."

Catherine Keener, American Actress

39

"Usually I'm frustrated when I look at my films and I don't believe that I've made a real transformation beyond my usual sets of gestures and expressions. I still have this nagging feeling that it's me, that I didn't create a unique character."

"Usually I'm frustrated when I look at my films and I don't believe that I've made a real transformation beyond my usual sets of gestures and expressions. I still have this nagging feeling that it's me, that I didn't create a unique character."

Helena Bonham Carter, British Actress

Character, Feeling, Nagging

39

"In theater, the wellspring of the character comes from the doing of it, like a trial by fire, but in front of an audience."

"In theater, the wellspring of the character comes from the doing of it, like a trial by fire, but in front of an audience."

Estelle Parsons, American Actress

Character, Fire, Theater

39

"Our cultural diversity has most certainly shaped our national character."

"Our cultural diversity has most certainly shaped our national character."

Julie Bishop, Australian Politician

Character, Diversity

39

"Somehow I kept my head above water. I relied on the discipline, character, and strength that I had started to develop as that little girl in her first swimming pool."

"Somehow I kept my head above water. I relied on the discipline, character, and strength that I had started to develop as that little girl in her first swimming pool."

Esther Williams, American Actress

Character, Discipline, Strength, First

39

"If I'm really considering doing film from now on then that is the smart thing to do, or you can go either way. You can just do the same character over and over again and make a different comedy like over and over again."

"If I'm really considering doing film from now on then that is the smart thing to do, or you can go either way. You can just do the same character over and over again and make a different comedy like over and over again."

Ray Romano, American Actor

Character, Comedy, Film, Now

39

"Inside of all the makeup and the character and makeup, it's you, and I think that's what the audience is really interested in... you, how you're going to cope with the situation, the obstacles, the troubles that the writer put in front of you."

"Inside of all the makeup and the character and makeup, it's you, and I think that's what the audience is really interested in... you, how you're going to cope with the situation, the obstacles, the troubles that the writer put in front of you."

Gregory Peck, American Actor

Character, Makeup, Obstacles, Writer

39

"The country has been of better character since leaving the Buttes than E. of them, but has now a very fertile appearance. This may be said to begin about the 3rd crossing of Milk R of the line."

"The country has been of better character since leaving the Buttes than E. of them, but has now a very fertile appearance. This may be said to begin about the 3rd crossing of Milk R of the line."

George Mercer Dawson, Canadian Scientist

Character, Appearance, Country, May

39

"I try to find what is closest to me in the character. There's many sides to personality, but it's a matter of, do you entertain those specific areas of your personality, or are you afraid to entertain them?"

"I try to find what is closest to me in the character. There's many sides to personality, but it's a matter of, do you entertain those specific areas of your personality, or are you afraid to entertain them?"

Corin Nemec, American Actor

Character, Personality

39

"Your thoughts are your truth, so make them good, be good, do good."

"Your thoughts are your truth, so make them good, be good, do good."

Akiroq Brost, Canadian Author

Character, Thought, Truth, Goodness, Positivity

39

"The world is full of novels in which characters simply say and do. There are certainly legitimate genres in which this is sufficient. But in real and lasting writing the character is."

"The world is full of novels in which characters simply say and do. There are certainly legitimate genres in which this is sufficient. But in real and lasting writing the character is."

Ruth Park, New Zealander Author

Character, World, Writing, Newzealander

39

"It's important for me to see as many colors in the character as possible."

"It's important for me to see as many colors in the character as possible."

Kelly Lynch, American Actress

Character, Colors

39

"It was important to have a similar energy in my performance. To make the character too different would have just been about my ego because it didn't need to be drastically different."

"It was important to have a similar energy in my performance. To make the character too different would have just been about my ego because it didn't need to be drastically different."

Brandon Routh, American Actor

Character, Performance, Ego, Energy

39

"I'm trying to learn to smoke, which is rather weird when everyone is trying to stop. I'm not a smoker. But my character only smokes as an affectation."

"I'm trying to learn to smoke, which is rather weird when everyone is trying to stop. I'm not a smoker. But my character only smokes as an affectation."

Francesca Annis, English Actress

Character, Affectation, Trying

39

"What about Mickey Mouse? Disney tried very hard to make him a star. But Mickey Mouse is more of a symbol than a real character."

"What about Mickey Mouse? Disney tried very hard to make him a star. But Mickey Mouse is more of a symbol than a real character."

Joseph Barbera, American Cartoonist

Character, Disney, Mouse, Symbol

39

"In the end, the sum of my vices is all me."

"In the end, the sum of my vices is all me."

Melina Marchetta, Australian Author

Character, Self, Reflection, Truth, Identity

39

"The doctors say it dates back to a film where I had these huge prosthetic breasts because my character was breast-feeding. The weight of them, and of the baby, did my back in."

"The doctors say it dates back to a film where I had these huge prosthetic breasts because my character was breast-feeding. The weight of them, and of the baby, did my back in."

Anna Friel, English Actress

Character, Baby, Doctors, Film

39

"Character and emotionality don't always have to be relegated to quieter, more simple constructs."

"Character and emotionality don't always have to be relegated to quieter, more simple constructs."

Kathryn Bigelow, American Director

39

"Humble yourself, before you are."

"Humble yourself, before you are."

Fakeer Ishavardas, Indian Spiritual Leader

Character, Humility, Self, Philosophy, Respect

39

"I don't believe there is any character that one can play for that long and not bring a piece of you to it."

"I don't believe there is any character that one can play for that long and not bring a piece of you to it."

Sharon Gless, American Actress

Character, Play

39

"Character and purpose are directly linked to confidence and conviction. What links them? Courage " to be oneself, no matter what others might say."

"Character and purpose are directly linked to confidence and conviction. What links them? Courage " to be oneself, no matter what others might say."

Fennel Hudson, British Author

Character, Purpose, Confidence, Courage

39

"The advice that I usually give to young actors is that if you can create a character for the stage and keep that character fresh for at least 6 months that means you're doing the show eight times a week."

"The advice that I usually give to young actors is that if you can create a character for the stage and keep that character fresh for at least 6 months that means you're doing the show eight times a week."

Joe Morton, American Actor

Character, Actors, Advice, Months

39

"I always try to find something I admire about every character I play."

"I always try to find something I admire about every character I play."

Ben Kingsley, English Actor

Character, Play

38

"I usually start with a repulsive character and go on from there."

"I usually start with a repulsive character and go on from there."

Chester Gould, American Cartoonist

38

"And the most important thing - apart from telling a good, believable story, and being a true character - is to be someone the audience will care about, even if you're playing a murderer or rapist."

"And the most important thing - apart from telling a good, believable story, and being a true character - is to be someone the audience will care about, even if you're playing a murderer or rapist."

Anna Friel, English Actress

Character, Being, Care, Will

38

"I wouldn't like to be a character in one of my books!"

"I wouldn't like to be a character in one of my books!"

Iain Banks, Scottish Writer

38

"I've dropped myself into straightforward character pieces in order to explore that form and reap its values. But you are sort of restricted visually when your first requirement is to tell a fairly straightforward story."

"I've dropped myself into straightforward character pieces in order to explore that form and reap its values. But you are sort of restricted visually when your first requirement is to tell a fairly straightforward story."

Brian De Palma, American Director

Character, Values, First, Order

38

"I describe my plots as follows; A character is walking down the street when all of a sudden a piano falls on them. They spend the rest of the story digging out from under that piano. How they dig, how long and how well, this all depends entirely on the character."

"I describe my plots as follows; A character is walking down the street when all of a sudden a piano falls on them. They spend the rest of the story digging out from under that piano. How they dig, how long and how well, this all depends entirely on the character."

Sarah Zettel, American Author

Character, Rest, Walking

38

"Places I've lived since then had to have some kind of uniqueness and character about them. And logically Key West, and then Down Island. So, all of that stuff sort of had it's roots in New Orleans and went crazy."

"Places I've lived since then had to have some kind of uniqueness and character about them. And logically Key West, and then Down Island. So, all of that stuff sort of had it's roots in New Orleans and went crazy."

Jimmy Buffett, American Musician

Character, Key, Uniqueness

38

"I consider myself a character actor."

"I consider myself a character actor."

Brittany Murphy, American Actress

Character, Actor

38

"Well, you know, what's better? To play a character who stays stuck in the same baggage year after year, or to play a character who gets beyond that and goes to a new level?"

"Well, you know, what's better? To play a character who stays stuck in the same baggage year after year, or to play a character who gets beyond that and goes to a new level?"

Andreas Katsulas, American Actor

Character, Play

38

"When you do rap albums, you got to train yourself. You got to constantly be in character."

"When you do rap albums, you got to train yourself. You got to constantly be in character."

Tupac Shakur, American Musician

38

"Then there's going to be another project I am involved with, in fact, I'm going back to film it next week. It's a game for the Internet called Advance Warriors, and my character is Max, who is blind, but he has special powers. It will be a new game played on the Internet."

"Then there's going to be another project I am involved with, in fact, I'm going back to film it next week. It's a game for the Internet called Advance Warriors, and my character is Max, who is blind, but he has special powers. It will be a new game played on the Internet."

Jeremy Bulloch, British Actor

Character, Blind, Fact, Film

38

"The reason why parents mistreat their children has less to do with character and temperament than with the fact that they were mistreated themselves and were not permitted to defend themselves."

"The reason why parents mistreat their children has less to do with character and temperament than with the fact that they were mistreated themselves and were not permitted to defend themselves."

Alice Miller, Swiss Psychologist

Character, Children, Fact, Parents

38

"The issue for my character, and the issue of the show is, how dirty do your feet have to get without suffocating yourself in the mud in order to get an inch of what you really want done?"

"The issue for my character, and the issue of the show is, how dirty do your feet have to get without suffocating yourself in the mud in order to get an inch of what you really want done?"

Bradley Whitford, American Actor

Character, Feet, Order, Want

38

"I go through a whole process with the actors first, building and creating characters, then I encourage them to sort of live in that character when they're in the screen."

"I go through a whole process with the actors first, building and creating characters, then I encourage them to sort of live in that character when they're in the screen."

Keenen Ivory Wayans, American Comedian

Character, Actors, Building, First

38

"I'm 25, so I've already gone through what my character Ged goes through, though it's on a general scale because I haven't studied at a wizard's school."

"I'm 25, so I've already gone through what my character Ged goes through, though it's on a general scale because I haven't studied at a wizard's school."

Shawn Ashmore, Canadian Actor

Character, School

38

"Ever since I became a Muslim, I've had to deal with attempts to damage my reputation and countless insinuations seeking to cast doubt on my character and trying to connect me to causes which I do not subscribe to."

"Ever since I became a Muslim, I've had to deal with attempts to damage my reputation and countless insinuations seeking to cast doubt on my character and trying to connect me to causes which I do not subscribe to."

Cat Stevens, British Musician

Character, Muslim, Causes, Doubt

38

"It is common to distinguish necessaries, comforts, and luxuries; the first class including all things required to meet wants which must be satisfied, while the latter consist of things that meet wants of a less urgent character."

"It is common to distinguish necessaries, comforts, and luxuries; the first class including all things required to meet wants which must be satisfied, while the latter consist of things that meet wants of a less urgent character."

Alfred Marshall, English Economist

Character, Class, First

38

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