Jennifer Yuh Nelson Quotes

As an actor, you know when you've got great material in front of you. When you're working, you think, 'Is this the one? The one that everyone will respond to and be moved by?' You pray that you have told the story well... that your peers will see it and audiences will love it.

Actors put ourselves in awkward positions all the time.

Mostly I work really unconsciously, and I think if the scenes are really well written, which they are, and if I just throw myself into it, I don't really think about it.

People think memorizing lines is hard, when that's the last thing you worry about. You get that done, and then you've got to worry about the internal stuff, which is the challenging part.

I love acting. It's an interesting challenge to make something that doesn't exist appear like it's happening, and to do it in a real way.

There's always a sense of newness with acting, because every role, you come to every role fresh.

I like collaborating with actors. I love finding that moment where it all comes together.

Good actors can tell you more about your play than 1,000 hours alone at your desk.

I love acting and really taking on another person, another life.

There's a tremendous amount to be gained from being a performer, and being an artist, and being an actor.

When a performance isn't working, it's usually because the actor is trying to do something and they're not able to express their idea very well. It's a muddled expression.

Everything, I think, about acting is based on imagination.

I love an acting challenge, and I love getting to sit down with my script and do all my drama work.

You know, working as an actor, I'm always working within my own imagination.

I don't really prepare for each role the same way.

The job of an actor is the same in all of them, really. I mean, you're just creating a character that you hope people will believe, so it doesn't make that much of a difference really.

As an actor, you wouldn't be able to play a character if you were worried about the reaction to what you're doing.

A lot of what acting is paying attention.

On the whole, actors shout when they don't know what they're doing, trying to make an impact.

As actors, you play people who are not yourselves!

Most of my training at graduate school was geared towards drama, so I feel good about it, and I can do it, but it requires a lot more work from me. I feel like with drama... well, with all acting, really, you need to honor the truth of the situation.

One of the exciting and enjoyable aspects of acting is being in the environment with another actor.

I'm an actor and my job is to interpret.

Writing and directing might be a red herring, and really I'm just re-examining what it is to act, to do it well and do it properly.

I believe that acting in any medium is the same thing, it's discovering the truth in where you are.