Donna Lynne Champlin Quotes

Stevie Van Zandt could not walk on to a set and act. I don't know how actors do that! It's the scariest thing in the world.

It's hard to be on TV, it's really hard.

I'm not very good when I'm given scripts.

I'm a very shy person, and I never tried to do theater. I've been asked many, many times by the most incredible authors in America to do theater. And I always said no, not knowing what it is to be on the stage and to do theater.

I think it's hard for quieter, more introverted people to get into acting.

It is important for an actor to learn how to face a live audience.

I didn't stutter when I was reading lines in a script. When I got away from myself, I didn't have that problem.

I did Shakespeare in college and the nerves I got doing Shakespeare are the same nerves I get doing 'Mad Men.'

I think if I were to go back on stage I might be in great danger of acting.

I could never do stand-up because it's that thing of having to get up on stage. And out of every 10 jokes you tell, nine of them have to get a really good response.

I need to do more on stage. I've got to get my fix!

Got through it without fluffing, that's the main thing any actor can hope for.

People ask me, 'How do you remember your lines?' That's nothing. That is the least of my concerns.

I was never that good on stage with live improv. I was much better on film or writing something and then thinking about it. I was too in my head when I was on stage.

The hardest part of acting is not when I'm acting, It's when I'm not.

I have a hard time retaining the lines. Even on set I make mistakes but I'm okay with that.

I used to teach kids when I was younger. When I was about 14 or 15 I started teaching children drama and something that I used to say to them was, 'Don't be afraid.' People would be afraid of forgetting their lines or something.

You can't be a proper comic unless you've been out on stage and felt the fear.

Acting itself is quite scary. Some people say that actors are show-offs, very egotistical and all that kind of stuff, but it is quite scary.

I like playing on stage, don't get me wrong.

I'm terrified of learning lines, and I've always been terrified that I won't learn them.

I had some friends that tried it down there, and I went to a couple of open mics, and I just kind of got this... this sick urge to try it instead of just watching it.

I like auditioning! A lot of people hate it, but I like it.

Being on stage a lot is quite physical.

You'll never see a good performance out of me, in terms of a character, when the camera isn't rolling.