Lorraine Toussaint Quotes

We actors are superstitious creatures. We do all the homework, and we put all of the components together, but there's always one key aspect that we're not in charge of, really, and that's magic. You are always on the lookout for where and how that magic is going to ignite.

Books are magic: you never know where they're going to end up.

Art is lunging forward without certainty about where you are going or how to get there, being open to and dependent on what luck, the paint, the typo, the dissonance, give you. Without art you're stuck with yourself as you are and life as you think life is.

The god of theater laughs in your face at planning. You can't plan as an actor; there's no way, because so much of it is dependent on other people's choices and decisions that you're at the whim of fate, really.

An actor can never plan. You never know what can work in your favour or not and then maybe the whole dynamics can change.

When I'm asked about my work, I try to explain that there is no mystery involved. It is work. But things happen all the time that are unexpected, uncontrolled, unexplainable, even magical. The work prepares you for that moment. Suddenly the clouds roll in and the soft light you longed for appears.

All great work is preparing yourself for the accident to happen.

I was always curious about motivation and intention, and really, that's a lot of what acting is.

Movies are magical. Sometimes it just works, it catalyzes, and everything falls into place, and no one knows exactly how or why.

Some people are very lucky, and have the story in their heads. I've never storyboarded anything. I like the idea of chance. What makes God laugh is people who make plans.

As artists, we are so not in control most of the time of the content or the narrative of our characters, and sometimes writing takes a turn and it's not something we necessarily have control over. It's just a lot of random dumb luck, so when things click, you've just got to enjoy it.

With theatre, you have to be ready for anything.

I consider projects very deeply, but there's always a point in your life where there's a bit of randomity.

On the stage, you alone hold the key, and on the night you have to trust that the director has inspired you enough to take the material and run with it.

The imagination is part of the arsenal that actors draw from.

Acting is a strange job because your control is very limited.

Acting is an imaginative leap, really, isn't it? And imaginations prosper in different circumstances.

I always leave room for serendipity and chance.

As an actor, you don't know what is going to come next.

Anyone who has been given the gift of being opposite an actor who gives and gives, it just makes you better.

I'll tell you what I love about directing: the surprise. You never know what's going to happen with your piece until an audience weighs in.

With improvisation, I just do it. It might be a total failure but then you just throw the dice again.

It's difficult because nothing's preordained by plan and you can't control it. That's one of those joys and thrills and nerve-racking realities of being an actor. A lot has to do with luck, no matter what your talent or contribution can be.

In general, I don't know when inspiration will pop up.

As a kid, I was into music, played guitar in a band. Then I started acting in plays in junior high school and just got lost in the puzzle of acting, the magic of it. I think it was an escape for me.