Daniel Mays Quotes

At drama school, I always picked the really evil roles. It's a great way to deal with your everyday emotions.

By being an actor, one can explore various personalities of a human being, be that person, behave and live that person's life, and then you are back to your normal life.

I have a lot of aggression in me that needs to come out in a not-very-precise or articulate way.

It's incredibly fun to play someone that you don't like. It exorcises your own demons in a way. It's cathartic. We all have things that we don't like about ourselves, little things. And I get to amplify those things and put them out there. It's fun and it has a cleansing effect.

Performing is my therapy, to become different people onstage.

I guess I probably make violent films partly because I can't express my anger in my real life very well.

I think I have some anger-management issues, and they end up coming out in these passive-aggressive songs that sound happy.

I can express the brooding part of myself on-screen. It's kind of fun to get to do the bratty things I really wouldn't do. And then I get to go back to my regular life.

If I didn't have writing, I'd be running down the street hurling grenades in people's faces.

I like playing Vernon Dursley in 'Harry Potter,' because that gives me a license to be horrible to kids. I hate the odious business of sucking up to the public.

Acting is like free therapy! Trying to make people laugh or cry can be inspiring.

You have license in front of the camera to do things, feel certain emotions that you don't get to in real life. It can be addicting.

I was probably 14 or 15 when I was first on stage at school doing 'Measure for Measure.' I immediately felt it was a great way of expressing oneself at a moment when I didn't think I could express myself, really. I suddenly had access to this range of emotions and thoughts and feelings that were there in me. I was surprised by that.

As an actor, if you were to simplify what acting really is, it's about letting go.

Acting has always been a way for me to express myself, and show all my vulnerabilities and flaws through my characters.

I try to bring elements of my own personality to every character I've played, but I think I'm pretty similar to the character I'm playing now. The biggest departure would have to have been Freaks and Geeks Sara, who was this sort of subordinate and shy girl.

I just find it thrilling, especially when I totally lock in to the person that I am doing and I'm really flying... I suppose I am hiding myself when I sing as these other people.

Acting is a way of living out one's insanity.

Acting gave me the opportunity to do outrageous things. It allowed me to be sad, happy, angry and lustful, even if it was just vicariously.

If I ever stopped being angry, I couldn't write anymore. How could I?

I think I cry when I'm angry. I let it go that way.

I don't think I threw myself into music because I had the best intentions; it was because I was really angry.

If I'm on a bus and someone makes my blood boil, I'll pocket those emotions and put them in a song.

There's a lot of rage... you have to express it somehow. If I didn't express it in song, I'd become incredibly violent.

Sometimes, I have played something that psychologically sticks with me, that's opposite of where I am. I guess I have a lot of anger in me.