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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.

The writer creates the role on the page and then the actor takes it and makes it their own.

Quotes by Joanna Kerns

As an actor, I just want to keep mixing it up.

Quotes by Jimmy Smits

Michael C. Hall is an incredibly detailed actor who can convey so much with just an eyebrow.

Quotes by Jimmy Smits

The first thing I wanted to be was an actor, even before I wanted to be a singer, before I discovered I could sing.

Quotes by Jimmy Cliff

If there's ever going to be a challenge for an actor, it's that character who's often evolving - which is not often the case in television.

Quotes by Jim Rash

Improv has been immensely beneficial to me as both an actor and a writer.

Quotes by Jim Rash

It is important for an actor to play different roles.

Quotes by Jim Sarbh

If I wasn't an actor, I think I would be a pastor.

Quotes by Jim Parrack

Sterling Holloway, the actor who had originally voiced Pooh, decided to retire in the mid-1980s. Disney decided that they wanted to continue this character with their 'New Adventures of Winnie the Pooh' TV series.

Quotes by Jim Cummings

I didn't want to be an actor.

Quotes by Jim Caviezel

I'm a craftsman. I'm an actor.

Quotes by Jim Caviezel

What actor wouldn't want to work with Mel Gibson?

Quotes by Jim Caviezel

We film in front of a live audience, and I was a theater actor before I got into television, so I like that.

Quotes by Jillian Bach

An actor will use every piece of information at their disposal, or a good actor will.

Quotes by Jessica Pare

I have made decisions based from purely an actor's point of view.

Quotes by Jessica Lange

Eventually, I'd love to be known as a character actor.

Quotes by Jess Weixler

The basic essential of a great actor is that he loves himself in acting.

Quotes by Jessamyn West

I got into standup because I wanted to be an actor, and then I ended up loving standup for the next eleven years.

Quotes by Jermaine Fowler

The reality is that I'm an actor from the Midwest and I was 40 movies into it before I started 'Entourage'.

Quotes by Jeremy Piven

If you say, 'You've made it,' then you kind of come to a standstill, and I don't think any actor wants to do that.

Quotes by Jenna Ushkowitz

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.