Rodrigo Santoro Quotes

Having a persona people recognize, it's the thing that probably gets you paid the most - but it's also the thing that virtually every actor in the world doesn't want. 'Cause, like, no one would believe me if I wanted to play something ultra-realistic, like a gangster or something.

It's so funny, you go to acting school thinking you're going to learn how to be other people, but really it taught me how to be myself. Because it's in understanding yourself deeply that you can lend yourself to another person's circumstances and another person's experience.

In every character you play, as much as you hate to admit it as an actor, but there's an element of you that you bring to it.

It was the moment I learned acting is not acting out. After that light went on, I spent the rest of my life trying to figure out how to make other people realize it.

And a lesson in this movie is dig beneath the surface. And so with my words, with my character, I purposely created a character that was away from how you've known me thus far in my career.

Sometimes acting is really cool because it forces you to exercise certain muscles in your personality that you wouldn't normally be called upon in life.

I think acting can be very frustrating, and there's no experience that doesn't make you a better actor.

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've played a prostitute now three times. I don't know how it's come about that way. It's just a matter of me growing up.

I think actors are brave souls that have to use parts of themselves that I'm just not comfortable doing anymore.

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

I started classes and it wasn't because I was like, 'I want to be an actor!' - I was really interested in the theory of what acting can be and what it's about. It's all about living in the moment and kind of being present, which is something that at that time in my life I really wanted to explore.

My job playing Sam Malone was to let the audience in, to love my bar full of people. And that informed my life.

I think every major character I've played was originally for an older woman. I have no idea what that says. I guess I'm mature for my age.

The thing I like a lot about acting is I'll never learn enough. I'll never know it inside and out.

I think being in touch with your emotions is very key as an actor, and I think experiencing life is the only way to be in touch with your emotions.

The real road, to me, was within the actor, within myself, within my own personality. How much Jeffrey can I find, and how much of Jeffrey could I access? What parts of Jeffrey have I never used for Hank or for George or Oscar? - and that was a delight.

I'm not a natural-born actor. So it's been a very slow learning curve for me.

I feel the less you project of yourself, the more you can be believable as a character. I also think it's just better for your own mental health. Then you can be a human being and change your mind, and nobody asks you questions about it!

Acting is a subtle combination of hiding and revealing yourself, and as I'm not an extrovert, this is painful for me.

To become a better actor, one needs to look inwards and understand oneself better. Then, you can create magic on screen.

To be able to be a good actress and portray other people's stories, you have to be true to yourself.

Acting-wise, I'm way more comfortable finding out new things about the actor in me and RJ as a person. There's a lot of new nuggets that I can dip in the sauce.

I think as an actor, you have to make yourself vulnerable to emotions.

With acting, a lot of it has to come from that real, honest place.