Actor Quotes

Actors have bodyguards and entourages not because anybody wants to hurt them - who would want to hurt an actor? - but because they want to get recognized. God forbid someone doesn't recognize them.

In the years since I worked with John Hughes, there were many years where I literally had hundred of doors slammed in my face because I wasn't that kid anymore, and I wasn't a character actor, and I wasn't a leading man, and I wasn't whatever Hollywood was looking for.

I think I've been lucky, being my frequent appearances on Court TV have brought to me another level than just the actor guy.

I want to be an actor, I am just not very comfortable talking about myself.

Having been an actor and a writer for so long - 20 years or so - I felt that it would be daft to go to one's grave without having directed. It's a natural extension of writing and acting, and so I knew it would happen one day.

When I first started out, I was a bad actor.

I knew an actor's career goes up and down and back up again. Your standing in this business can't be your whole identity; otherwise, you're doomed.

The auditioning process is one in which the actor gets very little information about almost every element of it.

In other words, I wouldn't like to be an actor if I could only be real. I like to get wild, behaviorally wild, and it's crazy to think of any form where it's just one way.

It's nice to establish yourself as an actor first and a singer second. Proof is such a tremendous piece of work, and I'm incredibly lucky to be a part of it. I'm sure that the musicals will happen in the future, though.

Becoming an actor? If it's not a calling, don't do it. It's too hard.

In the theatre, the actor is given immediate feedback.

When I shoot actors, I have that dilemma. I want the actor to be good, and sometimes I have to push them to a place that isn't pleasant. I always think: 'Is it worth doing for the sake of the movie?' But I have to remember the bigger picture.

Being an actor on a movie set is like going to the playground at recess.

I'm a writer. An amateur photographer. An actor.

If I could change on thing about myself, I would: Have better knees. Mine are shot because of injuries. You're only as good as your legs, whether you're an athlete or an actor.

In Europe an actor is an artist. In Hollywood, if he isn't working, he's a bum.

The thing about Canada is, you're not really considered a Canadian actor unless you do something with the CBC.

Sometimes when an actor says something almost perfect, but you know you have to edit it, if you tell them to change something immediately, it will come out great.

I think I have more of a director's brain than an actor's brain, in a way.

I've been offered lots of movies. There's always some actor who's doing a project and would like to have me do it. But you look at the project and think, 'Gee, there are a lot of good directors who could do that.' I'd like to do something only I can do.

The actor's popularity is evanescent; applauded today, forgotten tomorrow.

Fifteen years before I became a screen actor, I was in the theatre. A lot of my work was comedy, which I loved doing. It's harder.

Show me a great actor and I'll show you a lousy husband. Show me a great actress, and you've seen the devil.

Transitioning to being an unemployed film actor is different, but it's fun and I've been looking forward to it for a while.

A brick layer, lays bricks... I'm an Actor, that's what I do.

Each action of the actor on the stage should be the visible concomitant of his thoughts.

But when you're a working actor - and that's what you keep saying in your head, how blessed you are to have a job - and you are working with heavyweights, working with the best guys in TV, it's pretty cool. Exhausting, but cool.

And I have been able to establish this sort of decent reputation as being a decent character actor.

We had a very energetic floor manager and he was always jumping around all over the place. The director would send down messages like, Can you tell that actor to calm down?