Robert Taylor Quotes

On 'The Messenger,' just imagining playing the part of a soldier in that movie was kind of hard for me. And in 'Rampart,' the idea of playing a cop was even harder. It was hard to imagine myself as a cop.

I love shooting, when the character is interesting and the script is interesting, but the research beforehand is really fun. The whole process makes me anxious and restless, and I have trouble sleeping, just trying to figure out the character.

I feel so comfortable in an acting role, you know, as an actor. Maybe it's because I came into it late. If anything, I've felt frustrated that I can't carry a film because everything since 'District 9' has been supporting roles.

In my career, there have been three things that were challenging: playing gay; playing a Jewish woman; and playing Chekhov. The scariest part was playing Chekhov!

A part of being an actress that is sort of frustrating is that the writers get to tell you about your character.

I think I'm still trying to find my feet as an actor. And I know it ain't brain surgery, but it confuses me and it comes between me and my sleep a lot.

I have a really hard time watching my sister act in anything, but especially anything where it's a strong emotion.

I was offered a part in the stage version of 'Calendar Girls,' but the part is so predictable. It just makes me angry when I read the script.

Believe it or not, I always found intimate scenes hard to do.

The terrible thing about acting is the stops and starts.

Just when you think you're hitting your stride someone will shout "cut" and ask you to move your head to the left. It's such an awkward process. You try to make it passionate but it ends up being mechanical.

I've spent a lot of time playing roles that didn't really challenge me. I suppose every actor feels that way.

As with real families, my fictional family on 'Life Goes On' had its ups and downs, and as part of the fictional downers, the actors were often called to cry on cue. This absolutely terrified me, because I was a pretty happy kid who didn't have much to cry about.

It's always a long process of trying to suppress the self-doubt on set when you're acting.

I have great mood swings, maybe because of playing lots of different characters as I do. I'm like a gymnast whose muscles get too stretched. I've got better at it, but I have a lot of emotional energy.

Acting is a subtle combination of hiding and revealing yourself, and as I'm not an extrovert, this is painful for me.

I think sometimes you can think up a story, but it's because you're comfortable doing that, but when you're an actor, one of the things that you have to do is take yourself out of your comfort zone.

I would always worry that I was only going to play the girl next door or the cute girlfriend. But I've been really lucky that all my roles have been very intense and completely different kinds of characters.

I always hate it when I see the wrong person in massive roles, so for me, my biggest fear would be accepting a role I thought I wouldn't find the rhythm of.

I don't prepare myself for any character unless it is really different.

The athletic part I never struggled with. It was the promos, the talking and, being uncomfortable in front of the crowd. Especially being a 'bad guy,' having people call me names, that was hard getting used to.

I do some really intense roles and it's not good to bring them home.

When I have to do an emotional scene, I sometimes feel drained right before doing it.

I don't think you can be a good actor and want to please, because so much about performing and acting is surprising people.

I think some actors are very smart and have the tools. They know how to disconnect themselves from the characters, but I think for a lot of them, it's very difficult.