J. K. Simmons Quotes

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.

When I started acting, I made a conscious decision that I wanted to be a character read and not a leading man. I didn't want to do the same thing again and again. I wanted to push and challenge myself. I find and embrace new and unique challenges in all mediums.

I guess the reason I wanted to be an actor was that it felt like it would offer something different all the time.

As an actor, it's good to try to do new things, I think.

The cool thing about doing films and being different characters is that it's new everyday and new every project. So, you're always learning something different and you get to do research.

As an actor, you want to push yourself.

I don't have a specific type of role that I aspire to play or aspire to act. I really like a challenge and I really like doing things that are different because if I had to do the same thing all the time, then I don't think I would be an actor.

I don't want to get pigeon-holed into a certain kind of character. I love action roles and the hero, but I want to keep trying something new.

I've become so earthy. And I never was earthy. I'm doing all kinds of different roles which are not at all like the intellectual and the legal mind of Ben Stone.

It'll be interesting to see if I ever have to play a typical, bland romantic interest. I'm quirky, and playing it kind of straight and bland doesn't interest me a whole lot.

The exciting part of acting, I don't know how else to explain it, are those moments when you surprise yourself.

As an actor, you express certain things because they need to be expressed, and then you don't really feel a need to do it again. I want to feel something else, you know?

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 rarely repeat playing the same role in a show. I figured I'd plumbed 90 percent the first time around, so let's move on to something where I'm starting from scratch.

My remit has always been: I want to do something different from the last thing I've done.

I had opportunities to stay on shows for long periods of time, and maybe financially that would have been good, but I feel good about trying to keep doing things that are a little bit different than what I've done.

I think anytime you can show different colors and portray something that you haven't had a chance to do is always really refreshing as an actor.

There was a time during 'Gone Girl' that I'd come home, and I'd say, 'I get to be every part of being a woman in this role.' For me, I feel it much more as a springboard for the work I'm going to take on thereafter.

That's one of the things we love about being an actor. We get to change things up all the time to remain fresh.

A really fun part of getting to be an actor is exploring those parts of yourself that you wouldn't otherwise explore.

I tend to pick projects that give me a sense of freshness. So my filmography, especially after hitting my 30s, has become a lot more diverse.

I've always looked for roles that were far removed from me.

That's one of the really cool things about being an actor. You get to explore all different parts of yourself.

I'm fascinated with acting now. In retrospect, I was only beginning to chip off the tip of the iceberg with how far I can go or what I was exploring inside of me that I hadn't touched in a while as far as emotional headspaces.

I absolutely love working on musicals, but anytime I finish a project, I want to move on to something completely different.