Henry Ian Cusick Quotes

It makes it fun. When an actor plays a character, you want what that character wants. Otherwise it doesn't look authentic. So I really want to defeat Jimmy - I mean Jimmy as the character.

I believe in the fact that to portray a character convincingly, you need to live that character, own that character. You have to be earnest with every line that you deliver. However, it doesn't mean that you have to cut off your true self.

I don't worry so much about the audience. I want them very much to be involved and enjoy the movie, but I try to just inhabit the character in a full way, where I can create a personal stake.

As an actor, I usually try and keep my motivation within the context of what the character is going through.

It was important to have a similar energy in my performance. To make the character too different would have just been about my ego because it didn't need to be drastically different.

I try to think what the character is thinking. Then, hopefully, I begin to feel it. I act and react not because I'm recalling a dog killed by a fire engine, but because I'm concentrating on what the character is going through.

I'm not the kind of actor that can go completely cold into an emotional scene. I have to transport myself emotionally by whatever means possible, and that basically means you carry the situation with you all week, all episode or all day beforehand.

I think substitution is a huge part of acting, but I don't personalise my work that much.

I'm an emotional actor. When I'm doing a scene, I really believe it. I live the part as long as I'm in the scene.

First of all, the actor needs to get out of the character's way. You follow the character without judgment or prejudice or preconceived ideas.

For me, acting is a series of impressions rather than trying to find one line through to the end, which risks becoming more of a presentation.

I don't really approach stories to make them different from other stuff I've seen, I just try to get into the character, into his or her head. Try to make it as funny, as scary or as wild as I can so that I really like it.

I don't believe actors who say they don't bleed into their characters. It's absolutely impossible not to.

If I don't fall in love with my characters, I cannot shoot.

Everything I've ever learned about acting - and I went to theater school - was about playing what the character wants and throwing yourself fully into going after what the character wants.

Besides the mistakes that are pointed out, I love the way readers become involved with the characters. When readers start asking about character motivations instead of concentrating on the special effects, it means you're connecting with them on a personal level.

I feel like a good director provokes you to ask questions about your character, but doesn't answer them for you.

I immerse myself right into my character whether or not I'm relating to people live as an actor on stage or whatever.

People say: 'Oh, it's only acting,' but it's not ever just acting. At least not with me.

You don't want to play a character you can't inhabit or commit to fully.

Every actor turns everything round to their character.

Almost every character I've ever played - and sometimes this is very conscious and sometimes it's not - I need to find what they love.

I never really absorbed myself in a role like some actors do.

You've got to bring yourself to any character you do.

I find that I kind of have to sink into the character.