Miriam Margolyes Quotes

I think in the past, around the time that method acting became so prevalent, it used to be that American actors were thought to be the kind that would work more from the inside out, and that the English actors worked more from the outside in.

I assume the body language no matter what in doing voiceover. There is a transformative aspect.

Actors always start with the voice and language. That's wrong. They should start with the body. The body is an actor's most important resource.

I know it might seem a little superficial, but every actor has their thing. Some people focus on the walk, but for me, it's all about the nails and the voice. Those are the two most important things.

That is one of the first things my family, my mother and my grandfather, had taught me about acting: 'Use your eyes!' Not being able to do that physical aspect of it, and having to put it all into your voice? That was a little bit of a challenge.

In film, you're always using your tools, your body, your voice, your emotions, but onstage, you use them in a different way.

Here in America, every single actor, since they were little boys, they sing and dance and perform like angels. We don't do that. We are actors who work in a theater in very classic performances or plays.

Breathing is always key in any character. When you have a character with no voice, that makes it even more important.

Body language is essential for an actress, even if you don't use your body in an athletic way. Just to be free, to use it like your voice. A body can be small and have incredible violence. A body talks.

You have an awareness of your body and how to use it and I think that if you can embody a character physically it's another really useful tool.

My No. 1 piece of advice, especially for someone who's an actor-singer-dancer - a triple threat, they're called! - people say, 'What's the most important?' I always say acting. Without knowing why you're singing or what you're singing about, it's just noise. And without knowing why you're moving your body, it's just flailing of arms.

Maybe it's a personality thing individual to me, but actors always benefit from body awareness.

Where I think the American actor is slightly at a disadvantage is in vocal technique. I don't think that words are their friend in the same way that English actors are used to using words: understanding about consonance and how to shade a vowel to show emotional color.

To be a good actor, you need to be able to emote with your body.

What is important is for me to do my best work on camera. The camera is inches away from you and sees every micromovement of every muscle of your eye. And if you're not relaxed, the camera sees it.

I find that the work I do as an actor that's most challenging commands an athleticism or, certainly, a physicality. And also a rigor, a physical rigor.

I used to pre-rehearse everything and then bring my pre-rehearsed performance to the set. Now, I'm learning to let it happen in the moment. American actors are much better at that than British actors. If I knew how to trust myself, I would have been much more relaxed. Maybe I would have less gray hairs today.

My favorite acting books are Stella Adler's 'The Art of Acting' and 'Sanford Meisner on Acting.'

If you want to be an actor, you must have total, ruthless commitment to your art. Don't be ambitious for fame or TV or movies. Art is a jealous mistress and will brook no competitors. Study all the time. Never stop reading. Never stop learning speeches. It will fill you up - define and refine you.

I'm a very physical actor.

Some characters need to be more performance-orientated; some, you have to be still.

As an actor, your whole body needs to be expressive, and unless you know the language, your expressions will not match the character you are playing. So, I am learning Tamil to the fullest.

I always try to get to the point where I can do different things with my voice.

I've never been a twerking kind of girl. I've always relied on my talent.

I'm not a method actor because it refers to a certain kind or technique of acting that I have studied about, and I know I'm not one of them.