A. J. Buckley Quotes

My favorite actor who played villains - who could play anything, really - was Jimmy Cagney.

I think every leading man wants to be a character actor, and every character actor wants to be a leading man.

I'd love to play a villain in a movie, the kind of bad guy you would never think of me being able to play. Like most people, I have a darker side I'd like to explore onscreen.

I've been watching 'Californication' since the pilot aired and had always thought that it would be so much fun to guest star on.

'Entourage' is a very, very, very unique acting experience. I could go in to win 1000 Academy Awards, and it would never be as much fun as the show.

I'm completely the opposite of what I play on 'Game of Thrones.'

I really, really, really love my job, so it's not like I'm trying to quit wrestling to do movies. They just all seemed like cool things to do. I mean, I'd love to be the bad guy in an action movie because then people would get to see another side of me they don't get to see.

Coming off 'House of Cards,' playing someone so straight-laced, I was getting offered a lot of F.B.I. agents.

After 'Breaking Bad,' I couldn't see myself liking anything nearly as much.

I don't know, a lot of people go crazy about 'Breaking Bad,' but I don't like the soap opera aspect of it and only following one character. I like the context to all of it, all the pieces, like 'The Wire.' It's more about the state of things; it's not about the narrative of a person.

What's wonderful about acting is that you get to play different roles. For instance, in 'Amelie,' I played a young mother. Some of the photoshoots, you're playing a role. I like to be able to look at a photo and say, 'Wow - that isn't even me.' I enjoy being able to project.

I think they should give me a spot on 'Dallas' or 'Dynasty' or one of those shows.

'Breaking Bad' - when I started watching that show, I thought it was terrific. I love the way it was shot. I love the writing. I love the arc of Bryan Cranston's character. I just thought that was just really, really a wonderful, wonderful show.

When beautiful movie stars allow themselves to look terrible, people think they're really acting.

I auditioned for 'Westworld' thinking it was gonna be a knock-off spoof. Thank God I didn't know Anthony Hopkins was starring in it.

I always play these bad guys, and I'm really a nice guy.

Literally, my first audition after 'The Life Aquatic' was for the 'Criminal Minds' pilot.

I don't really know if I'm writing the kind of roles that Meryl Streep and Julianne Moore would play. Jessica Lange on 'American Horror Story' is a little bit more my cup of tea.

Playing tough characters just comes easy for me. It's not who I am in real life, so I love going to work and pretending to be something I'm not. I love all the action and confidence. But when I finally go do a rom-com, I hope my fans will support me.

I was in Nashville quite a bit when I shot 'Nashville,' and I was in Los Angeles when I shot in 'Supergirl'.

It's funny because as much as I've done Dr. Freeman, I guess because I shave right afterwards, people don't recognize me necessarily as Dr. Freeman, whereas a small role like 'Garden State' or 'Get Him to the Greek', which is the funniest one to me, they're like, 'Hey, you're that dude!' and you're like, 'Oh my God!' Which is awesome.

I did an episode of 'Law & Order: Criminal Intent' with Jeff Goldblum, which was fun because I've known him for years.

In movies like 'Cape Fear,' I never played verbal characters. Now, as a grown-up, I relish playing people that are not like myself. That's what I enjoy about acting.

When you're in the living room every week for nine years as one character, it's hard for some people to see you as someone else.

I love playing a villain. I think that there's something freeing about that, and it's a different kind of challenge.