Greg Kinnear Quotes

When I look at a character, whether he's good or bad, one scene or 10 scenes, I just have to find my way in.

You spend so much time developing a character when you do a film; so much of your work is done before you get set to shoot because you've been working on the character: the way he walks, the way he talks, what might upset him, what might make him happy.

As an actor, I'm ambivalent because I'm focused on the other person and what they're giving me, what I need to be giving them, and what the character is thinking.

If I prepare myself for a character, for a role, I always try to understand her.

As an actor, you are always looking for subtext, for layers, for what's going on underneath.

I think that different actors go about their preparation differently, but when it comes to acting, I use my imagination.

I just try not to look at any role as a comedic role or a dramatic role. I just try to stay in the movie I'm in.

I am attracted to the complexities and deeper truths of characters, and I can't name a favourite role any more than I can name a favourite food!

I'm always looking, as an actor, for activities. I think it's far more interesting to watch what people do than what they say. You always want to watch behavior, because the dialogue as written by our illustrious leaders is great. Eminently playable.

What I mostly do is take the script, analyse the hell out of it, see what's in there, see what kind of person I'm dealing with, and then forget I'm playing a father and just play a person who exemplifies all those things.

The process changes slightly from role to role. Obviously, there are different things you're called on to do. You're not digging deep for Basher Tarr like I was for Paul Rusesabagina, but at the end of the day it's still all make-believe and you still are trying as realistically as you can to depict these characters.

If I'm doing my job as an actor, the audience knows everything I know about the character.

You have to examine a scene on the page first. Then you get into the basics of acting: Who are you? Who are you talking to? How do you feel about that person?

You need supporting actors to help to tell the story. For me, I'm lucky to be a part of the films. Being an actor, I'll take any role, whether it's supporting or leading.

Every actor turns everything round to their character.

When you get to set, you don't try to play the plot; you just play the character.

When I read something, first I have an instinctual, emotional response to it. But of course, acting isn't only just feeling an instinct for what's going on in the moment with the character. You have to be able to carve it out and consider, follow, and create the whole journey that the character you play is going through.

I always approach any character I do as being right.

As an actor, your first priority is the work - immersing yourself in the role, backstory, and bringing that to screen.

To me, great writing - and when you can really make something wonderful out of it as an actor - is when your character has a sense of self-awareness. It doesn't necessarily have to arc. It doesn't have to grow.

When I act, I try to understand the character, why she's behaving like that.

As an actor, you have to find reasons why your character made her decisions, and you have to empathise with her.

It's always interesting researching characters and as I get older and the more that I work in this business, I do more and more of it because I realize how important it is.

Every actor just wants good writing.

In 'There Will Be Blood,' my character was someone who was an actor himself almost. He had a rehearsed quality about him. He was a performance artist in a way.