Paul Begala Quotes

Well, you know what they say in Hollywood - the most important thing is being sincere, even if you have to fake it.

There is no way you can get people to believe you on screen if they know who you really are through television.

I think if you're good and you can persuade people you're going to be able to do that role and ultimately the audience buys it, then it doesn't matter whether you were really a chimpanzee in disguise! You've done it.

Acting is trying to be absolutely truthful; to get audiences to believe that you are a dean, when, actually, not only are you not the dean, but if you walked into the building they'd probably throw you out. That's very hard.

We have all, at one time or another, been performers, and many of us still are - politicians, playboys, cardinals and kings.

I'm lucky that people believe me when I'm in character.

Trust the acting.

I'm an actor. I can make anyone believe anything. I don't have to know what the hell I'm talking about.

I was a terrific liar as a child, and I believe my lies. So it's a natural step into acting.

It is not whether you really cry. It's whether the audience thinks you are crying.

How can a president not be an actor?

I'm an actor, but I am an awful liar.

This to me is the secret comedy of all author interviews, down through the ages, even the good ones in the 'Paris Review' and places. They're all acting. It's like watching a person in a play.

If you're saying the same line 10 times and making it look like you just came up with it, that's acting.

I was friends with President Ronald Reagan and he once said to me, 'I don't know how anybody can serve in public office without being an actor.'

The only thing worse than a coach or CEO who doesn't care about his people is one who pretends to care. People can spot a phony every time.

Sincerity and competence is a strong combination. In politics, it is everything.

I can laugh on cue, and it sounds real. People laugh with me.

There's a tendency, especially among revolutionaries, to only show the good side of yourself and then when you come to power, the bad side comes out.

I've said before that the common perception that all good actors should be good liars is exactly the opposite; only bad actors lie when they act.

If I don't believe in a role, I can't pull it off.

It is Hillary's lot in life not to be able to fake it well.

That's what show business is, sincere insincerity.

I want people to believe me when I play a part and they are less apt to if they know a lot about me and have associations about me.

You can't make people believe in you if you play a horror part with your tongue in your cheek.