Matthew Macfadyen Quotes

As an actor, you can show up on a set and be on a TV show for three or four years, or whatever it is and, by the end of it, you just want to do something else.

When I was 13 years old, a professional theater company in my town needed a kid actor. I auditioned, and I got the part, so for just a few weeks I became a member of the company and I met some professional actors.

When I'm not acting, I do like to take a year off at a time, at least if I can, just in order to keep acting exciting - otherwise I get bored very quickly.

I think I did have fantasies about being an actor. In fact, I know I did.

The thinnest I've ever been was after I had my appendix out, during the London run of The Seagull. I went down to 112 pounds and realized my brain doesn't work when I'm that thin, so I can't do my job. That's why, when I came out here, I never had that whole Hollywood pressure thing.

I've directed a couple of times in the theater, but I wouldn't make a habit of it because it's too consuming.

It's a question of finding the right thing, if I'm going to be an actor... if I have to get up eight times a week for a number of months, I want to be excited and challenged from the day I start to the day I leave.

Yeah, I was in the phase for the last ten years or so where every record I made I said OK, that's the last one, I don't want to record anymore, I don't want to do this any more, I don't want to have a public life.

I stopped directing in 2001 for four or five years, until I did the TV series 'Masters Of Horror.' I had been working steadily as a director since 1970. That's a long time. I was burned out.

Often when I finish a film I'll have that feeling inside me: 'I never want to do this ever again. I don't want to pretend anymore. I want to be myself and do that.' And then, thank God, that feeling goes away after a month or so and I'm raring to go again.

I've been acting since age 8. I just stopped enjoying it as much as I used to.

I think a lot of bands are creatively knackered when they come off tour.

I haven't appeared on stage in quite a long time and I don't have any immediate plans to do so, but I'm always interested in going back.

I worked in television; I'm the Failed Pilot Queen, I've done so many television shows, pilots, theater ... when you do it for so long, I'm telling you, you get to the point where it becomes varied because you take what's available for a number of reasons. It's just an occupational hazard.

I was in 'Seussical,' and I was in a cage onstage in a purple yarn suit singing backup, and I was like: 'I've had it. I can't do this anymore.' I will say for the record that I did love the show, but I was like: 'I want to do something else. I need a little more.'

There are times in show business when you work so much you think you will pop your cork, and then suddenly you can't find any work.

I didn't want to act in high school, because I was sick of auditioning for Nickelodeon, Disney mean girls, or the cheerleader.

I did a play back in 2005 called 'The Pillowman,' which Martin McDonagh directed, in which, at the very end of the run, I caught a case of shingles. I had something burst on my forehead, so I actually have a mark on my forehead from that experience. But it's also an internal mark as well.

My first live performance was the lead in 'Peter Pan.'

If every play was three weeks, I'd do lots of plays. It's just the idea of six months, I think, that might drive me a bit nuts.

My first performance was as one of the orphans in 'Oliver!'

Acting in soaps proved a health hazard to me and I withdrew.

The acting bug first bit when I went to see 'Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead' at the Old Vic.

When I didn't work on TV, that was OK because I was doing lots of theatre but I did begin to panic a bit.

Doing 'Hedwig' was so hard that I kind of burned out on acting.