Tahar Rahim Quotes

What goes on between the actor and director is sacred.

All these directors, and I would include the Coen brothers and Quentin, have a very unique vision of what they want. They listen to ideas and make people feel like everyone is making the film.

I worked with Steven Spielberg on Amistad... he seemed so very secure in himself that he let me do things.

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

When I give over to somebody's vision rather than have an idea of what I need to do, it takes me to places I wouldn't have got to by myself. I'm always attracted to a strong director.

When you direct a movie, you're basically looking at a story, the way you want to look at it. You bring that director's vision, and I'm totally open for that.

You know as a director what you want, but the film is smarter than you, the film says no, the film says there's something more here.

When I sign on for a project, I'm there to give the director all the material he or she might need to tell their story, and that's the number one priority.

When the director has a vision for a piece that I've never heard before, and they can back that up with visuals, and they talk a good game, I get really interested in the world that they're trying to create.

My career is based primarily upon finding a balance with a director and their vision, and that means sublimating my own personal ego toward their material.

Every director's so different. Everybody has their own modus operandi and I love getting to know different directors in the way they work. David O. Russell is very exciting to be with because he's got a mind like quicksilver.

Going forward, I would love to work with directors like Rian Johnson and Joss Whedon; people like that who are doing big films but do have really independent voices. That's kind of what I want to focus on, is always working with people with at least an independent point of view, even if it's not an independent film.

My approach to working in movies is to empower the director to have power over me and to really support his vision because he's the guy, at the end of the day, who's going to put it all together.

From my side, I don't put pressure on the director to cater to a certain image. I am happy to do different films, and I have to stick by my director. I like to completely surrender myself to the director - that way, I think, I don't get to do the similar roles.

I am open to working with new directors as long as the script excites me.

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 have the most respect for Rick. You're always going to see a Shameik Moore and Rick Famuyiwa film.

Tim also has enough confidence so that it always looks like a Tim Burton film, but it really is collaborative. You're allowed to do it your way but of course he's always going to choose his way.

I love writing. Given a choice, after directing for all these years, and if given an army of talented directors, I would not direct at all.

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

I just love working with actors, and I love working with writers, working with designers. I feel that I am just a storyteller, and whether I am wearing the director hat or the playwright hat, it doesn't matter. And the rooms I tend to be in are pretty democratic, and the best idea wins.

I've certainly worked with really great directors who haven't acted.

You can be playing a line some way and the director wants you to change that, or you can disagree. But I always think that the creative conversation between director and actor is what leads to good work.

Ultimately when I throw myself behind a movie, I have to really believe in that director's vision.

I think that the actors that I work with feel safer with me. Because they know I understand what they go through and I don't see them as chess pieces.