Elisabeth Shue Quotes

When I first got to New York, all I did was musicals. After a few years I had to make a conscious choice to close the door on musicals, because I was getting pigeon-holed as a musical theater performer.

'Shun security,' I advise aspiring novelists when they complain to me that they are stuck. 'Get disoriented. Maybe your agonizing writing block isn't agonizing enough. Your enemy is comfort.'

For years I've wanted to find some guys that I could work with, because I realized a long time ago that I can do a lot of things other than Aerosmith.

By the time I hit college, my secret shame was the reason I was an actor was my own words sort of dried up. I stopped writing. I stopped being able to form my own vision. That's actually what my first feature is about - looking back at two different selves.

I'd spent a year and a half without a record deal and had been doing a lot of soul-searching, a lot of self-examination and a lot of experimentation in other musical forms.

When I graduated, I sort of went from school to being a cartoonist, and I couldn't draw.

My personal challenge as an artist has been having a day job which is intellectually satisfying and fun - and thus can easily supplant the desire to make art.

I kind of had a quarter-life crisis before I did 'Rent.' I had done Glinda in 'Wicked' for a while. I had worked for Cirque Du Soleil, and then I did 'Hair.' Then I had a real quiet time, not having work, and it was a time of not only self-discovery of me as a person, but also what I wanted as an artist and actor.

I sometimes wish desperately that I could write like someone else, be someone else. No one particularly. Just if I could put the pen down on paper and suddenly come out in a totally different way.

You will face boredom and frustration your entire career as artists. You will be very frustrated seeking a voice/style that collectors can connect with. Once you accomplish that voice/style people are clamoring for, you will become bored doing it.

There was a lot of procrastination on Cameron's part because of the personal nature of 'Almost Famous.' There was a lot of deep, dark doubt about even doing it. I don't mind being a cheerleader, but I did reach my limit quite a few times. I do my own writing, so I understand, but I was pushed to the point of anger with the insecurity of it.

I think, because I didn't think of myself getting into writing and production since I was younger, I could get bored of it if I don't continue to pivot.

The first time in my career I thought it makes no sense anymore, that I'll retire.

I've done the glamour doll, song-and-dance routine, the works. I've reached a stage in my career where I'm ready to experiment.

A lot of new girls are arriving every day - let them do the glamour roles! I am done with ultra glam outfits and five song routines - hereafter, I want to do meatier roles, now that I've acted with all the biggies.

I'm a singer. I'm a musician. I'm a writer. Maybe - I don't know - I couldn't give a child what it needed.

When I first started acting, I was genuinely questioning whether or not I should be doing this.

There was this moment, particularly after I had my first child, where I felt like, 'I don't know if I'll ever make a record, or if this is always going to be something just floating around in my head.'

The Seekers have done most things that you'd want to do and when we broke up in the '60s it was partly because we sort of felt we'd done all the things that you could do. There was nothing new.

Sometimes it's really weird being an artist, and I deal with that best by being myself.

I had a desperate need to be Van Gogh or something. Some tremendous artist. Jack's so successful, what's wrong with me, why isn't this working for me? I hated myself.

I acquired quite a lot of technical skill and got quite a long way with my painting, but I never felt I was doing what New Zealand was about with my paint.

I took a long time after 'Curious' to find something I really wanted to do.

Blur' is about feeling lost, and on a personal level I would be lying if I didn't mention that this song, for me, was about feeling creatively and artistically lost in the city of all great opportunities, Los Angeles.

After the first album, I spent a lot of time being like, 'I'm not really a singer.' That kind of mentality doesn't help.