Joan Cusack Quotes

For me, the performance was always playing different people. And so when I got older, was no longer the romantic leading movie star, it became more and more interesting for me, the characters I played, you know?

Playing dysfunctional characters or crazy characters is only fun if they're well written. So I have been lucky enough to be asked to play crazy people who are very well written.

These people I play are not usually wish-fulfillment characters.

It's better to play negative lead roles than portray just any other character on the show.

For me, it's all about smaller character-driven pieces, about finding a person that I connect with and that I'm interested in bringing to life.

I've played a lot of mothers in my movies.

I suppose there are actors who are worried about their public image. But I've never had any trouble playing unpleasant characters. It is only a part. Which is why you do it -because you are interested in exploring something you never could or would be.

There's no particular role that comes to mind that I'd like to take on, but for me, it's about playing interesting characters and not just two-dimensional ones.

With films, you completely immerse yourself in a character, get into who they are, live it and then release it.

People say that they like the characters that they believe that I am. But, I don't as much. I like the characters that I believe that I am not. Like my role on 'Law and Order.' That character unnerved people. And I loved every second of it. I want to continue growing as an actress. There are ways that I can reach quicker, or deeper, with acting.

I want to play characters that are interesting to watch.

And I thought, you know, I have to say that maybe the whacked out mother is my new favorite role, but I don't want to just do it and become Nurse Ratchett.

I think it's fair to say I'm attracted to playing characters who are rather intense.

Some actors can distance themselves from the parts they play, but I fall into the category who use bits of themselves.

You have to love the guy that you play, even if you play the villain, you've got to love him.

I look for characters that offer me opportunities to explore some aspect of the human condition. I think a lot of actors would say that and would look for that. I've been lucky enough to find projects that let me do that.

I would say that a lot of the characters I've been attracted to are very vulnerable and they expose themselves emotionally. Not so much in 'The Fighter,' not so much in 'The Master' - I think those are different.

That's what acting is about - for me, at least - tackling different personas and characters.

Today's films are so technological that an actor becomes starved for roles that deal with human relationships.

The actor's job is to put themselves in the shoes of the character they are trying to portray as truthfully as possible.

If you see my filmography, I have mostly done non-glamorous roles.

I am sure that I don't want to take up stupid roles. And by stupid, I refer to those which doesn't have any sense. A role should have some life in it, right?

I think it's necessary to identify with anything - with any character you play, there's got to be something in common, so you can link up to that person, even if it's like one tiny thing. But it's equally fun to play somebody completely different, and trying to find what that thing is to make it.

I'd like to work more, but I don't just want to do kind of generic characters. I want to do interesting characters, and I'd like to be cast against type.

I love acting, and ultimately all my characters are very different, and each character I love in a different way.