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Actor Quotes

The craft, nerves, and quiet discipline of acting.

These actor quotes capture the appeal of the work itself over the discomfort of interviews, the rehearsal room as the real proving ground, and the personal risk of choosing acting as a career in the first place. See Character for more on building a role.

One of the first lessons you learn as an actor is to listen.

Quotes by John Frankenheimer

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

Quotes by John Ford

Being idly hanging around, and that's not good for an actor to do.

Quotes by John de Lancie

You scratch a preacher a little bit, and you'll get an actor.

Quotes by John Cullum

Part of my mission as an actor has been to define what an American is.

Quotes by John Cho

I'm not a natural-born actor. So it's been a very slow learning curve for me.

Quotes by John Cho

I'm not an activist, I'm an actor. I don't want to be an activist.

Quotes by John Cho

I don't call myself an actor, I call myself an entertainer, because I don't just do one thing.

Quotes by John Barrowman

I have no regrets, except perhaps one: I should have tried harder to be a better actor.

Quotes by Joel McCrea

I never pretended to be a great actor.

Quotes by Joel McCrea

I knew from the time I could walk that I wanted to be an actor.

Quotes by Joely Fisher

I couldn't be a cameraman or a designer or an actor - I have to be a director because I learned how to do that from my dad.

Quotes by Joe Wright

'Hanna' was nice. It was Saoirse Ronan's idea. Usually, the director casts the actor, but in this case, the actor cast the director.

Quotes by Joe Wright

Being an actor has always been my dream.

Quotes by Joe Taslim

I'm a character actor so I've jumped around to all kinds of things.

Quotes by Joe Mantegna

I don't like to repeat myself as an actor.

Quotes by Joe Lando

I'm an extraordinarily anxious person. I'm a typical actor: narcissistic and paranoid and all them things.

Quotes by Joe Gilgun

I'm a ballplayer, not an actor.

Quotes by Joe DiMaggio

I'm not really trying to be too much of an actor or anything.

Quotes by Jody Hill

As an actor, or as a person, I like to do things that are challenging.

Quotes by Joanne Froggatt

Frequently Asked Questions

What do these quotes reveal about the life of an actor?
They touch on the simple joy of the work itself, the contrast between acting and being interviewed, the importance of rehearsal, and how big a personal shift becoming an actor can be. For more reflections on identity, see our Being quotes.
Is there a quote about enjoying the work of acting itself?
Yes — it says, "One of the things I enjoyed the most is just working as an actor."
Does one quote compare acting to being interviewed?
Yes. It says, "I believe it's easier to be an actor. Somehow, interviewing seems to be intrusive on people's lives." For more on the craft of acting, check out our Character quotes.
Is there a quote about the importance of rehearsal?
Yes — it states, "The rehearsal is where it all happens for an actor." If you enjoy quotes about dedication to a craft, our Always quotes are worth a look.
Does one quote describe becoming an actor as a big life change?
Yes, it says, "My becoming an actor was a massive shift for me, and a terrifying one." For more on embracing big life changes, see our Good quotes.

Browse Being or Good for more perspectives on performance and identity.