Willem Dafoe Quotes

I want to work with a director who becomes my brother, my father, for two months. You give yourself over to that person.

I basically put myself into directors' hands and let them tell me what to do, and the more they told me what to do, the more I liked it.

When it's a good director, you can feel when they trust you when they cast you.

I'm a director's actor, and I surrender myself to the vision and the process. I think nothing else matters then.

I always feel when you work with an artist and whenever I work with a really good photographer, I try to give him or her their own artistic freedom because that's the way you get the best work or at least the most interesting work.

When you agree to work with a filmmaker, it's important that you accept their world. It's an adventure. I like that. I throw myself into the director's arms, into their universe.

If you're lucky enough to work with great actors and creative people, they're always just going to be who they are, so I don't think there's a difference between the Brits and the Americans.

You can never tell when an artist really will take up someone's work and work with it happily.

I like it when an actor is secure enough to ask questions, and the director is secure enough not to be threatened by that.

The artist discards all theories, both his own and those of others. He forgets everything when he is in front of his canvas.

You hope and pray that you'll get involved with a director that you understand and who has the same sensibility as you do and knows how to push you and bring out the best in you.

When I work as an art director, I don't ask to see sketches from illustrators or photographers. I give them a basic idea, and then I say, 'Send it to me, it'll be fine' - I get out of the way.

I've had amazing experiences with directors who believed in me.

For me, the director is the most important thing. He is steering the boat. If you don't trust him, you won't be able to give him your all.

I say yes to everything if I like the overall thing that's being put out there. I'll do anything with David Wain.

I think it seems to be when I'm trusted, and someone just lets me have free rein - 'Do what you want, man' - that kind of confidence that directors instil in me always gets my best stuff out.

The concept of making a movie in which the director dictates is kind of exotic - and absolutely not truthful. Directing means allowing a great deal of collaboration and listening and having the ability to change your mind.

I’m an actor who’s accustomed to bringing a lot of stuff to the table, and you have to be ready because some of them will be accepted and some of them will be rejected. Then you need a generous, free, fearless, loving director like Tarantino to allow you to take those risks.

We talked a lot with the musician. And for now there are few options, and I give him few weeks to come and surprise me with something. I don't want to start and say, okay here is what I want. Because maybe he has an idea that is better than mine.

One longs for a director with a sense of imagination.

As a director, you try to find what is creative.

I'm very interested to see how this new painting will go - I know I want it big and stark, and as I said, I follow the muse, and that's when it always works perfectly for me.

My approach with actors is to try and give them whatever it is they need from me. Direction to me is about listening and responding and realizing how much they need to know from me and how much they have figured out for themselves, really.

That's a great feeling to know that I'm going into a project that I have no idea what will become of that movie, but I really trust Ang Lee. And I really trusted Ron. It's just really nice to work with people that you feel that way about.

I love to create, and to me, the ultimate freedom of expression is a blank canvas or a block of clay to capture whatever emotions your imagination gives it.