Spencer Tracy Quotes

I think the toughest thing about being an actor in a film is to be with a director who doesn't know what they want. And that can be really, really frustrating.

I'd love to direct a film, but I don't think I have the temperament for it. I'm very hyper, and I want things to be done ASAP. If I turn director, I might end up killing my actors.

The frustrating part of being a movie actor is waiting in your trailer to do two takes of a scene you've prepared for two months.

I get very irate with actors when they talk about how distressing it all is. I mean, it's only acting. Please.

Producing is a world of compromise and actors are utterly spoiled all the time.

Being on set is a hard thing. A lot of people are like, 'Oh, you get to make a movie, and it's all fun.' But the reality is, it's a lot of hours. It's a lot of reshoots; it's a lot of waiting. And you can become increasingly agitated by the amount of time that you are waiting. But that's real.

As an actor, I love working with directors. As much as I love working with other actors.

I think actors are getting so much more power these days, but I'm not. I stay very much away from the decisions, the way in which things are orchestrated, what's been changed. I just try to stay completely in the role as the actor and as the character.

I think movie sets can often be stressful, and people take themselves very seriously.

There was a moment when we were casting 'Groundhog Day' when Bill Murray was not at the top of my list. He'd been getting crankier and crankier. By the end of 'Ghostbusters II', he was pretty cranky. I thought, 'Do I want to put up with this for twelve weeks?'

In the life of a director - these days in particular - when it really does take so long to do a movie, with a few exceptions, actors may never work with a director again, even if they're great friends.

I am a director's actress in general - I depend a lot on them.

I don't like losing but I've mellowed. I maybe have a short fuse but it goes away quicker now.

Producing is the hardest of the three because there is almost no closure. Every time you solve a problem, another one pops up. Directing is second, and acting is the most fun.

A certain amount of impatience may be useful to stimulate and motivate us to action. However, I believe that a lack of patience is a major cause of the difficulties and unhappiness in the world today.

To get a movie star, you have to give them two hours of screen time.

Other actors like to rehearse on film-they like 30 or 40 takes. When you get an actor like that, it becomes difficult for me because I'm ready to quit after number two.

A lot of times, they can't hire actors just because there's this obligation that the audiences don't know who they are, and it's about making money. For me, the project that felt like all of it was 'Rachel Getting Married' because I had such a good time on that movie. Jonathan Demme, to me, is one of the most actor-friendly directors.

In relationships, particularly love relationships, people are impatient.

In most cases, I think most executive producers and studio executives really do their best to accommodate you. At least, that's been my experience in most cases.

Working with actors who are directors is magnificent. Because they understand the art form intimately, and they know exactly how everything works.

I don't have a temper. There's no fist through the walls.

When I went to Warner Bros., there was a woman named Bonnie Lee who was an executive who helped me to get to 'Pee-wee's Big Adventure.'

A lot of directors don't really like actors.

When I have a new idea, I'm charged up and want to start the film immediately, but I simply don't have the patience to wait for stars.