Alan Ladd Quotes

What I love to do requires portraying different characters, and you have to separate your life from the role.

I think anybody can be a good actor.

An actor will use every piece of information at their disposal, or a good actor will.

There are two main jobs in acting - the first one is to be a good actor, and the second one is to convince everyone that you're a good actor.

In order to be an actor you really have to be one of those types of people who are risk-takers and have what is considered an actor's arrogance, which is not to say an arrogance in your personal life. But you have to be the type of person who wants the ball with seconds left in the game.

My acting career began on the streets of New York. When I was a cop, I played many impressive roles, from derelict to a doctor, and my life often depended on my performance.

I started off on stage because it was the only work I could get. I haven't been back for 11 years. I think any stage experience is good experience, as far as being an actor is concerned.

Acting is the only medium were people think they can just stand up and do it because they can say lines, but that is not so much the case. You have to study styles and techniques.

It's very hard to tell an actor, 'Stop acting.' It's easy to tell a non-actor, because they're embarrassed when they act. They get ashamed when they do something cliche, whereas an actor is happy.

I'm in the acting business. That's the ego business.

As an actress, emotions are my business, my stock-in-trade. As such, I've dealt with them nearly all my life.

I don't like being away from theater that long. The muscles get atrophied if you don't exercise them.

For the actors, the talent is to serve the demands that I ask of them, to do it with naturality and truth, and to be honest when we were terrified.

To me, the stand up part in my life is great. I know I can do that. When I get an acting chance, I'm really thrilled.

For me, acting is doing.

I act every day of my life.

Watching a good actor is the best way to learn.

I don't mind being identified as any character as long as I'm doing a good job as an actor. I have done all kinds of roles - from an editor, judge, police officer, murderer to a corrupt businessman.

I think all great actors - and I don't classify myself as one of them, incidentally - but I think all great actors listen well and I've learned that from a lot of the very good actors with whom I've worked - to really listen to what people say.

It's not good just to have life experience of film-making and that's all. It's hard to play a real person when you've been in jets and town cars for three years.

Nobody is a perfect actor.

I always wanted to go into acting.

All actors do that. Should do that and do that. For the most part. I say all actors. I'm exaggerating, but you know who does and who doesn't. Vince is a wonderful young actor who knows his work and did a beautiful job on this film.

I feel that I am a good actor.

So from an actor's perspective, you really have no idea how you're acting.