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Character Quotes

Character shows up in fiction, politics and physics.

"Character" is used two distinct ways in this collection — as a literary term about how a fictional character carries moral weight, and as a description of personal integrity tied to one's politics and work. For traits and personality more broadly, see Personality quotes.

I've been a character actress right from the beginning. I was no more like 'Cinderella' in my real life than I was like the neurotic poet in 'Cop.'

Quotes by Lesley Ann Warren

In my work, I want to convince people that I'm that character. If they know everything about Lesley Manville - private life, all of that stuff - it doesn't help. So the kind of anonymity I enjoy is key.

Quotes by Lesley Manville

I love character actors. If I'm switching channels, and something with Slim Pickens is on, or Walter Brennan, I'm stuck. I have to watch it.

Quotes by Les Claypool

I've just always had a soft spot for character actors.

Quotes by Les Claypool

I like to be able to play a character and act out a lot of things which I can't or don't do in my normal everyday life.

Quotes by Leonardo DiCaprio

I really don't know what I'm doing... I don't. It's terrible. I go in there and I learn how to be like the character and do the best I can, and that's all I really do.

Quotes by Leonardo DiCaprio

I couldn't deal with playing a character who rides motorcycles and has a leather jacket and is a tough kid, y'know?

Quotes by Leonardo DiCaprio

The depth and strength of a human character are defined by its moral reserves. People reveal themselves completely only when they are thrown out of the customary conditions of their life, for only then do they have to fall back...

Quotes by Leon Trotsky

It's not something that defines me. I'm not a half-Indian politician or a doctor politician or a gay politician for that matter... it is part of my character, I suppose.

Quotes by Leo Varadkar

It's fair to say that the policy and character of my government would be, or the government which I lead, would be very different to that of President Trump.

Quotes by Leo Varadkar

I just gravitate to movies where the mystery is the character himself. Any time you see a trailer of something where somebody is questioning 'Who am I?' I'm hooked.

Quotes by Len Wiseman

There is always that thought that you might get stuck with a character. But there's always the notion that every character is always evolving.

Quotes by Lena Headey

Everyone is complicated one way or another. But it's interesting to dig into a complicated character, to try to find that within yourself.

Quotes by Lena Olin

I was such a fan of Aziz. I watched 'Parks and Rec' like every other self-respecting hipster and loved his character so much and just thought he was so interesting.

Quotes by Lena Waithe

I've worked in the theater, television, and films. A five-hour TV series is certainly more time than a character I'd be playing in a film.

Quotes by Lennie James

I try to find what makes even the worst, most despicable character sympathetic at his or her core.

Quotes by Len Wein

The bottom line always remains the same: What is the basic humanity of the character? How do I make them resonate with the reader?

Quotes by Len Wein

The most unrealistic thing I've ever read in comics is when some group of characters calls themselves the Brotherhood of Evil or the Masters of Evil. I don't believe any character believes their goals to be truly evil.

Quotes by Len Wein

In the world of 'Power,' no good deed goes unpunished. I don't really look at it as karma in the world of 'Power.' Whenever any character thinks they're on safe ground, they get the world pulled up from under them.

Quotes by Lela Loren

If you are playing a Hispanic character who has to speak in dialect or in an accent, nail that dialect or accent. When I hear a character that's supposed to be Cuban speaking with a Mexican accent or vice versa,...

Quotes by Lela Loren

Frequently Asked Questions

What different meanings of "character" appear on this page?
Several - literary character in the sense of a written character's moral dimension, the idea that one's politics and the character of their work are inseparable, the freeing quality of dialogue comedy, and even a scientific reference to the "duality of character" in matter and radiation.
Is there a quote about writing and moral character in fiction?
Yes, one quote discusses how everything in fiction ultimately comes down to the relationship between the reader, the writer, and the characters, questioning whether a character addresses moral being in an important way. For more, see the Characters page.
Is there a quote connecting politics and creative work?
Yes, one quote states a belief that "one's politics and the character of his particular work are inseparable," reflecting a radical viewpoint. Browse the Personality page for more on how personal outlook shapes expression.
Is there a quote about comedy writing and characters?
Yes, one quote describes finding it liberating that in dialogue comedy, the characters and what they say aren't the writer themselves - just fleeting thoughts and observations rather than stated truths. For more on how characters take shape, see the Character Development page.
Is there a scientific quote about "character" here?
Yes, interestingly - one quote uses "duality of character" to describe how matter and radiation sometimes behave like waves and sometimes like particles, applying the word in a scientific rather than literary sense. For more on how character is portrayed, check out the Characterization page.

Unusually, one entry borrows the word from physics, describing the dual wave-and-particle character of matter and radiation. Continue with Characters quotes or Character Development quotes.