Caitlin Fitzgerald Quotes

Sometimes the character will go into a completely different direction than I expected once the cameras start rolling. That's what I love about what I do.

I personally take cues directly from the script, then I like to surprise the other actors. But you must maintain control on a level and see how far you can go up, down or out emotionally. You have to balance the craft with spontaneity.

With acting, you wanna see if you can get into trouble without knowing how you're gonna get out of it. It's like the exact opposite of war, where you need an exit strategy. When you're acting, you should get all the way into trouble with no exit strategy, and have the cameras rolling.

I tend not to have any references to anything. I just jump into the script in front of me. If you reference too much, you have no idea if the performances are right.

I'm attracted to roles that are unpredictable, and if I can get my hands on something like that, I'm thrilled. I like performances where you don't know what's coming, moment to moment.

What's interesting about the process of acting is how often you don't know what you're doing.

Being on 'The Following' is constantly flying by the seat of my pants. The story can change and the character can change at a moment's notice.

As an actor, you don't know what is going to come next.

I don't think I would be a good actor! People enjoyed 'Dancing With the Stars' because I was myself, and every time they told me to say something, I would say my own words, so I don't think I could follow a script well!

The great thing about being an actor is things happen to you very quickly. I like to put myself in the way of surprise.

I've always found that acting has been quite a hard thing to pre-manage because so much of it is spontaneous and the circumstances so uncontrolled.

To try to create a character without a whole lot of information can be taxing. At the same time, it's fun to just stay on your toes and let the next bit of dialogue come in, and turn the page as you read the next script and see what they have in store for you next.

You work on a play or movie, you have the whole script, so you're constructing a performance based on the bible that you have. In TV, you don't, so to actually invest in that and let that be the exciting part is terrifying and certainly leaves room for mistakes, looking back.

I was a theater actor back in the U.K., and you knew the whole play, so you could plot your storyline and character. And then I did 'Lost' and didn't know, and it was kind of frustrating, but I enjoyed it.

It's more fun in a way to do ensemble scenes, where you know your background, you know the scene, but you can't prepare because someone else is going to say something that is going to lead you off.

I like having the script before I start. With new plays, you're constantly developing as you're doing it. It's really frightening. You don't quite know how it's going to end up.

There's nothing obvious or predictable in acting. That's what it means to be in this profession.

The strange thing about being an actor is it's almost a little dangerous to invest in an idea. I think once you invest in the idea of where someone is going, then you're not fully open to being able to play the opposite of that if that's what the character is going to do.

You can't really plan with acting!

As an actor, I've been taught to just stay with your scene partner, and whatever they do, let it affect you, be spontaneous.

You have to run, an awful lot, on instinct. Even on 'Veep,' it's not like you get weeks of rehearsal to break out what's going on in the scenes.

With acting, you have to just tell the truth in each moment.

I am neither a method actor nor a trained one. So, I don't generally prepare for any role. Becoming the character and being in that moment are most important.

I have always felt that acting in a film is very challenging in itself. But when it comes to performing live, I think that is more challenging.

For me, you have to do as much work as you can beforehand and, once you get on stage or set, throw it out the window because you need to be collaborative. You shouldn't have too many ideas about where it goes before you get into the room with the director and other actors.