Character Quotes | Beyond Motive 8/25

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Character Quotes

"Character is that sum total of moments we can't explain."

"Character is that sum total of moments we can't explain."

George Saunders, American Writer

Character, Moments

45

"I don't think, there's no possible way for me, anyway, to play a character that I haven't found some sort of sublime compassion for and I related to Deborah on a way that almost, initially, almost in a way maybe someone in the audience might."

"I don't think, there's no possible way for me, anyway, to play a character that I haven't found some sort of sublime compassion for and I related to Deborah on a way that almost, initially, almost in a way maybe someone in the audience might."

Tea Leoni, American Actress

Character, Compassion, Play

45

"The student develops an analytical as well as finely blended character. He is able to choose from a wide variety of job fields from which to embrace a career, without having to be a specialist in one particular discipline."

"The student develops an analytical as well as finely blended character. He is able to choose from a wide variety of job fields from which to embrace a career, without having to be a specialist in one particular discipline."

Philippe Perrin, French Astronaut

Character, Discipline, Career, Job

45

"The discipline of desire is the background of character."

"The discipline of desire is the background of character."

John Locke, English Philosopher

Character, Discipline, Desire

45

"I feel like I've come out of this grown up, maybe because I live through the character vicariously and she grows up so much during the course of this story."

"I feel like I've come out of this grown up, maybe because I live through the character vicariously and she grows up so much during the course of this story."

Emmy Rossum, American Actress

45

"Industry, thrift and self-control are not sought because they create wealth, but because they create character."

"Industry, thrift and self-control are not sought because they create wealth, but because they create character."

Calvin Coolidge, American President

Character, Wealth, Self

45

"I feel the other element of a western is the land, which is very important in this movie. I mean the land is another character in the piece, actually."

"I feel the other element of a western is the land, which is very important in this movie. I mean the land is another character in the piece, actually."

Tom Selleck, American Actor

Character, Land

45

"My only requirement for that first story was that there had to be a fight or an explosion on every page. Naturally, no one wanted to publish it, but I liked the character, did a few stories to keep my hand in."

"My only requirement for that first story was that there had to be a fight or an explosion on every page. Naturally, no one wanted to publish it, but I liked the character, did a few stories to keep my hand in."

Phil Foglio, American Cartoonist

Character, Fight, First

45

"I'm gonna be a character in a Happy Meal."

"I'm gonna be a character in a Happy Meal."

Claudia Christian, American Actress

45

"Never fall for a person's image and status as the may serve as a false representation of character. Watch closely the character and you'll know who a person really is."

"Never fall for a person's image and status as the may serve as a false representation of character. Watch closely the character and you'll know who a person really is."

Kemi Sogunle, Nigerian Author

Character, Integrity, Judgment, Truth

45

"It's the weirdest thing. When you go into acting, you expect to be a huge star and to be recognized... It did happen, but not in the way you expect it to... In L.A., I'm just another character actor."

"It's the weirdest thing. When you go into acting, you expect to be a huge star and to be recognized... It did happen, but not in the way you expect it to... In L.A., I'm just another character actor."

Dan Castellaneta, American Actor

Character, Acting

45

"You can tell a lot about a fellow's character by his way of eating jellybeans."

"You can tell a lot about a fellow's character by his way of eating jellybeans."

Ronald Reagan, American President

Character, Behavior, Observation, Personality

45

"In words are seen the state of mind and character and disposition of the speaker."

"In words are seen the state of mind and character and disposition of the speaker."

Plutarch, Greek Philosopher

Character, Mind, State, Words

45

"When something really extreme happens, you have to find a way to embrace that and include it in how you think about the character. Sometimes it's not easy."

"When something really extreme happens, you have to find a way to embrace that and include it in how you think about the character. Sometimes it's not easy."

David Ogden Stiers, American Actor

Character, Extreme

45

"A lot of the jokes had some build-up to some nasty stuff. But most of it was all character situations leading to what the ultimate payoff would be for that character."

"A lot of the jokes had some build-up to some nasty stuff. But most of it was all character situations leading to what the ultimate payoff would be for that character."

Shawn Wayans, American Actor

Character, Jokes, Leading

45

"So if you want to have a great video game-based movie you have to keep the mood of the game, use the normal character setup - but you have to flesh out the story and provide more background for the characters."

"So if you want to have a great video game-based movie you have to keep the mood of the game, use the normal character setup - but you have to flesh out the story and provide more background for the characters."

Uwe Boll, German Director

Character, Want

45

"Respect yourself and others will respect you."

"Respect yourself and others will respect you."

Confucius, Chinese Philosopher

Character, Respect, Self, Humanity, Truth

45

"I watch these actors who when you go to buy a pint of milk you see them smiling on the cover of 20 magazines. Then when you see them in a film it's hard to believe the character because you just see them everywhere."

"I watch these actors who when you go to buy a pint of milk you see them smiling on the cover of 20 magazines. Then when you see them in a film it's hard to believe the character because you just see them everywhere."

Charlie Hunnam, English Actor

Character, Actors, Film

45

"Do not judge a man by where he stands, but how he reached there."

"Do not judge a man by where he stands, but how he reached there."

Raheel Farooq, Pakistani Writer

Character, Judgment, Life, Truth, Observation

45

"Every man is defined by his deeds."

"Every man is defined by his deeds."

Lailah Gifty Akita, Ghanaian Author

Character, Man, Deeds, Define, Life

45

"That's sort of what I like about this character is that he's not the good guy, he's not truly the bad guy."

"That's sort of what I like about this character is that he's not the good guy, he's not truly the bad guy."

Nicholas Lea, Canadian Actor

45

"To have one's own story told by a third party who doesn't know that the character in question is himself the hero of the story being told, that's a technical refinement."

"To have one's own story told by a third party who doesn't know that the character in question is himself the hero of the story being told, that's a technical refinement."

Raymond Queneau, French Poet

Character, Being, Party, Question

45

"The last time anybody made a list of the top hundred character attributes of New Yorkers, common sense snuck in at number 79."

"The last time anybody made a list of the top hundred character attributes of New Yorkers, common sense snuck in at number 79."

Douglas Adams, English Writer

Character, Commonsense, Identity, Personality

45

"That was one of the things that interested me about the character. He doesn't want to be a hero, and has no real desire to save the earth or discover aliens. He's sniffing around looking to see what will fall in his lap."

"That was one of the things that interested me about the character. He doesn't want to be a hero, and has no real desire to save the earth or discover aliens. He's sniffing around looking to see what will fall in his lap."

Orlando Jones, American Comedian

Character, Desire, Earth, Want

45

"Now and again he spoke to those that served him and thanked them in their own language. They smiled at him and said laughing: 'Here is a jewel among hobbits!"

"Now and again he spoke to those that served him and thanked them in their own language. They smiled at him and said laughing: 'Here is a jewel among hobbits!"

J. R. R. Tolkien, English Novelist

Character, Gratitude, Respect, Service, Kindness

45

"In terms of jumping into a character's skin, I try to immerse myself in the role as much as possible to bring me closer to them. All I do is what's required to achieve what I want to achieve."

"In terms of jumping into a character's skin, I try to immerse myself in the role as much as possible to bring me closer to them. All I do is what's required to achieve what I want to achieve."

Dougray Scott, Scottish Actor

Character, Skin, Want

45

"I didn't have to audition. That's common, but it had never happened to me before. Normally, I hate auditioning. I need to stew and think... let the character develop and grow inside me."

"I didn't have to audition. That's common, but it had never happened to me before. Normally, I hate auditioning. I need to stew and think... let the character develop and grow inside me."

Casey Affleck, American Actor

Character, Hate

44

"Let no man write my epitaph... When my country takes her place among the nations of the earth, then shall my character be vindicated, then may my epitaph be written."

"Let no man write my epitaph... When my country takes her place among the nations of the earth, then shall my character be vindicated, then may my epitaph be written."

Robert Emmet, Irish Activist

Character, Country, Earth, Man

44

"This character's entirely invented, and the woman that I interviewed wouldn't recognize herself, or really anything about herself, in this book, which she hasn't read, because she doesn't read English."

"This character's entirely invented, and the woman that I interviewed wouldn't recognize herself, or really anything about herself, in this book, which she hasn't read, because she doesn't read English."

Arthur Golden, American Writer

Character, English, Woman

44

"And he said that he wrote the Bond character based on the character of David Niven. That's how he saw Bond."

"And he said that he wrote the Bond character based on the character of David Niven. That's how he saw Bond."

Val Guest, British Director

44

"Whatever you may think of Mrs. Clinton as a character, I think she believes quite strongly in public service."

"Whatever you may think of Mrs. Clinton as a character, I think she believes quite strongly in public service."

Peter Jennings, Canadian Journalist

Character, May, Public, Service

44

"I had to focus and create a character in Bagger Vance, not just do my 'Will Smith' thing and get paid."

"I had to focus and create a character in Bagger Vance, not just do my 'Will Smith' thing and get paid."

Will Smith, American Actor

Character, Focus

44

"Character is what you have left when you've lost everything you can lose."

"Character is what you have left when you've lost everything you can lose."

Evan Esar, American Writer

44

"I'd like to be known for my character."

"I'd like to be known for my character."

Soundarya, Indian Actress

44

"I think the more you do this and the more comfortable you become on stage, you start speaking more and becoming more of a character in yourself."

"I think the more you do this and the more comfortable you become on stage, you start speaking more and becoming more of a character in yourself."

Carrot Top, American Comedian

44

"I didn't know how to kill off a character unless I was able, as a narrator, to get really complicated. Because it was a big deal. I'd never killed a character before."

"I didn't know how to kill off a character unless I was able, as a narrator, to get really complicated. Because it was a big deal. I'd never killed a character before."

Rick Moody, American Novelist

44

"They've turned this character into a human being."

"They've turned this character into a human being."

Melinda Clarke, American Actress

Character, Being

44

"I don't base any character on a real person, and really don't do composites either. I make them up."

"I don't base any character on a real person, and really don't do composites either. I make them up."

Nora Roberts, American Author

44

"Usually, it gets worse and worse as they downsize your character; mine just kept getting better."

"Usually, it gets worse and worse as they downsize your character; mine just kept getting better."

Christine Baranski, American Actress

44

"I think my character's getting to the point where he can't even eat spaghetti with red sauce anymore, where he has horrible nightmares, he can't sleep anymore."

"I think my character's getting to the point where he can't even eat spaghetti with red sauce anymore, where he has horrible nightmares, he can't sleep anymore."

George Eads, American Actor

Character, Sleep

44

"I found out was, by the rhythm of my chewing, how I chewed fast, slow or what have you, I could tell the audience what my character was thinking and feeling."

"I found out was, by the rhythm of my chewing, how I chewed fast, slow or what have you, I could tell the audience what my character was thinking and feeling."

Rod Steiger, American Actor

Character, Feeling, Thinking

44

"If we take the route of the permanent handout, the American character will itself be impoverished."

"If we take the route of the permanent handout, the American character will itself be impoverished."

Richard M. Nixon, American President

Character, Will

44

"I only choose musicians who I think will emerge, can emerge, with their own character, while still going along with the tune in question."

"I only choose musicians who I think will emerge, can emerge, with their own character, while still going along with the tune in question."

Robert Wyatt, English Musician

Character, Musicians, Question, Will

44

"A man's true character comes out when he's drunk."

"A man's true character comes out when he's drunk."

Charlie Chaplin, English Actor

44

"If I stunk for some reason, you can always blame it on the character."

"If I stunk for some reason, you can always blame it on the character."

Danny Aiello, American Actor

Character, Blame, Reason

44

"No man can climb out beyond the limitations of his own character."

"No man can climb out beyond the limitations of his own character."

John Morley, British Statesman

Character, Limitations, Man

44

"Through his mastery of storytelling techniques, he has managed to separate his character, in the public mind, from his actions as president. He has, in short, mesmerized us with that steady gaze."

"Through his mastery of storytelling techniques, he has managed to separate his character, in the public mind, from his actions as president. He has, in short, mesmerized us with that steady gaze."

James Nathan Miller, American Author

Character, Actions, Mind, President

44

"There's no greater proof of an impoverished mind than its inability to be witty except at other people's expense."

"There's no greater proof of an impoverished mind than its inability to be witty except at other people's expense."

Fernando Pessoa, Portuguese Author

Character, Wit, Intellect, Respect

44

"I guess you can stay sort of true to the story; you don't have to artificially bring the character back from whatever doom you've designed for them, you can tell the story, I suppose, honestly."

"I guess you can stay sort of true to the story; you don't have to artificially bring the character back from whatever doom you've designed for them, you can tell the story, I suppose, honestly."

Garth Ennis, Irish Writer

44

"I don't act in the way other actresses act, in terms of building or creating a character. I don't transform myself into the role, I invest myself in the role."

"I don't act in the way other actresses act, in terms of building or creating a character. I don't transform myself into the role, I invest myself in the role."

Beatrice Dalle, French Actress

Character, Building

44

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