Sophie Thompson Quotes

I just try not to look at any role as a comedic role or a dramatic role. I just try to stay in the movie I'm in.

I don't play roles, I play characters. There is a vast difference between the two.

A good part's a good part. You can play serious and funny moments with a well-written role.

I'm just an actor. If it's drama, I add as much humour as the part will stand. And if it's a comedy, add as much drama as you can, so it balances out; you don't wanna be too serious.

I never really thought about what characters I play. I always just wanted different characters.

I don't mind being identified as any character as long as I'm doing a good job as an actor. I have done all kinds of roles - from an editor, judge, police officer, murderer to a corrupt businessman.

I am really not of the school of naturalism. I like style, and you can use more style in theater than in film roles. I love to sink my teeth into a part.

Each character I play has different dimensions. I'm not interested in words that pull them together.

I would have to say that I have to concentrate more when I'm doing comedy. There are so many details that make up any character, but developing a character for a dramatic role seems to come more naturally.

I think I would not be described as a character actor in that I don't take on characteristics which are very alien to me.

Well, I've always been a character actor, you know, and you always get your share of character actors who are bad guys. So it never surprises me. And if it's good writing, you can find your way into the part well enough.

There is a little bit of me infused in every character I play.

When you get to set, you don't try to play the plot; you just play the character.

I realise that certain actors project their own image onto the screen - those who are the same on as they are off. But I've never had the necessary statistics to be able to do that sort of thing, and so, anyway, I always wanted to be a character actor.

I think actors always find the dialogue doesn't quite fit, so you always have to play with it.

I never judge the characters I'm asked to play, and I don't need to feel that they are a part of me.

Every actor just wants good writing.

Even when you are playing someone who is real, you get their mannerisms and you get their little quirks, but, it still has to be something inside of you that connects with the role, or else you will not be any good.

You can have good writing, but a great actor will make it feel and sound like great writing. You can have great writing, and mediocre actors will make it feel mediocre. Without the actors, you have nothing.

I didn't want to be stuck in Dickens period dramas because then I would never know if I was any good.

Fonda and Gary Cooper had the best sense of timing of all the actors I knew.

Usually most characters I play are quite realistic.

Yeah, I think the common denominator - and this is probably going to sound like Acting 101 - but the common denominator is belief in the character in the moment.

When you see something that is well-written, the actors can get behind it.

I always enjoy impersonating my characters in the first-person singular.