Oliver Stark Quotes

I do struggle with how much and in which way, as an artist or celebrity, that you voice your political views.

Just like Tim Robbins is very political - and obviously, Arnold Schwarzenegger must be - I want to be able to have this public personality that's considered authoritative.

I think, in my own life, I'm pretty political. I think I have some very strong ideals, and I struggle a lot with it. I struggle a lot with feeling like, 'I have a platform; should I be saying more?'

I am an entertainer and don't believe I should use this position to preach to anyone about who they should be voting for. Others might disagree, but that's the way I feel.

I usually go with roles that I find entertaining. But every once in a while, there comes along a film that has an important social message. As actors, we have a certain responsibility toward our audience.

Artists have a responsibility to speak and to act when governments fail, and if we don't do that, we really deserve the world we get.

I'm not afraid to use my platform. I don't want to preach to people; I just want to put my opinions across about things I feel strongly about.

Though I do believe that when you live in political times it is inevitable that your art be political, I also think we need to start making activists celebrities rather than trying to make celebrities to be activists.

I think it's more important than ever to be as vocal as I can be about things I believe in outside of music.

I can't imagine myself outside any kind of social or political involvement. Yes, I'm a writer, but I live in this world, and my writing doesn't exist on a separate level. And if people know who I am and read my books, well, good; that way, if I have something more to say, then everyone benefits.

My creativity and my political work are linked. I don't do this work out of guilt or out of responsibility.

Your vote can't be separated from your faith.

Wouldn't it be grand if we thought that theater could have that impact on the political life of a country?

I wouldn't characterize my work, however, as directly political.

I feel like, as a celebrity, I have a responsibility to tell important stories.

I think it's really important for celebrities to use their power of money and fame to get their voices out there. It's funny to me that we're expected to keep quiet just because of who we are. Why do I lose my right to speak my mind because I'm famous?

I never wanted to be one of those actors with a political agenda.

I have invested the best part of my adult political life in helping to try to build up this movement and I am far from perfect but I do think I am able, through the media, to deliver a good, simple, understandable message.

If we don't bear witness as citizens, as people, as individuals, the right that we have had to life is sacrificed. There is a silence, instead of a speaking presence.

I don't feel particularly comfortable about actors using whatever power they may have to push their beliefs, unless they're extremely well informed.

I think there's a social responsibility that comes with a public platform. Because of the position that I've been put in, I think it's important to use my voice to do as much as I can.

It's my job, with the position of power that I'm in and being able to be on television, I'm supposed to stand up for the people who can't stand up for themselves.

If my work is on the stage, you can be rested assured I'm going to make use of it as a platform for activism as much as possible.

I view having celebrity as having capital, and I don't know a better way to spend that capital other then helping people.

I just genuinely feel that that's what you do when you're an artist: You stick up for the people around you.