Albert Brooks Quotes

I don't think there's a lot of actors out there right now who really know what they're doing at all.

I think Nat's an amazing actor... He understands things about acting that most people don't.

He who is incapable of feeling strong passions, of being shaken by anger, of living in every sense of the word, will never be a good actor.

Good acting is good acting, however you learn it. Some people who haven't studied are amazing. Some people like Leonardo DiCaprio are naturally gifted - he's learned technique by working with people early on.

When I see an emotion being enacted by a great actor, I always feel I can never do that.

My ability to bring different characters to life is what has helped me advance in my career, and I would say as far as looks are concerned, well, I suppose that would be the icing on the cake, but acting comes first and foremost.

All over the world, actors and actresses are chosen for their performing skills. Not how they look or what they wear. It is all about how they act, how they emote.

Sometimes directors come to me when I have to play some horrible thing, scary or hysterical or crying; they ask, 'Did you study somewhere to be an actress?' No, this is life. That's why I think I don't want to say you need a really bad experience to be a good artist, but bad experiences in your life say something.

Emotional power is maybe the most valuable thing that an actor can have.

I can be a horrible actor, but I make a move that makes a money I'm secured a job.

Like any other actor, I draw on life experience.

One of the reasons why I went to the Yale School of Drama is because I felt that I was acting off of instinct, but sometimes that is not reliable. When you're not feeling it, what do you do? So, going to grad school was about getting the tools to just use my instrument to the best of my ability.

I always hated when the studios just kind of said that anybody can act. You look at people like Spencer Tracy, Henry Fonda - and I'm just talking about the male actors - there aren't a lot who can act. It's a very special talent, and I wish it were recognized as a very special talent.

I feel like I'm a good actor, but I wouldn't call myself a gifted actor.

In acting, you draw so much on your private life.

You're not cast because you're like someone or because you're sympathetic to them. You're cast because you can act.

To me, there are things you're good at and things you're not so good at. For some reason, I'm good at darker characters. It has to do with how you look.

I'm convinced that I've been hired for jobs because I can cry on cue.

It's funny because, if you're not an actor, people always tend to say, 'How do you memorize all those lines? Is that really hard?' I'm always like, 'That's just a small part of it. I have to seek my craft and my emotions' - you know, all this gross, actor-y stuff.

Now that I'm acting, I've realized that I don't have a lot of barriers. Certain actors have a hard time with anger or with joy or with whatever, and, I don't know, I don't seem to have those barriers.

I'm a big believer that an actor should be able to pick up any piece of material and act it, the way a good musician can.

I am happy that I am getting roles to prove my acting calibre.

Even great actors who transform who they are still go to a really honest place; I think that's sort of that special skill that actors have.

I sort of thought acting was just about arranging your face into emotions. I didn't realise it was about actually allowing yourself to feel the feelings, then letting your face follow. That was a big learning curve.

For me, Domhnall is an acting teacher as much as anything. If I turn out to be half the actor he is, I'll be happy.