Ian McShane Quotes

The process of doing plays will make you an actor.

I love stage work. The thing about plays is that they're perfectible. With film, you shoot that take and maybe another. During 'Spamalot,' I rewrote Act II three times.

I find talking about acting very boring, having to come out with platitudes about how terribly nice everyone is. I would much rather just do it.

Acting is not my favourite thing. I don't like wearing costumes and wigs.

My mom pushed me to take drama class.

In theater, there's a lot of work to do to build the characters. It's a great experience.

Acting is the way I make my living.

I've done a lot of theater, and I know that it's a different audience each time who doesn't know the story, and we have to tell it.

I've always really liked theater. It fascinated me. You can create a reality and get people involved in that reality. It takes place in real time.

What you learn from studying acting is that you have to have the courage to just make strong choices.

I'd love to do drama if it was interesting.

You learn an incredible amount doing theatre, not just about to behave.

In a drama, you don't make a fool of yourself.

Theater will always be a huge part of my life. The high I get from doing theater is not, quite honestly, matched by many things. I like the fact that when you step out on the stage, for that given night, for better or for worse, you are the master of the boards. I love it to death.

Acting truly is a love of mine.

I started doing drama after school, and it just developed into something that I did and I enjoyed very much.

If I have an audition, I go to the audition in character. I'm in character when I walk in the room. I mean, I'm still sweet to everyone, but I'm very much the character.

I think my best teacher and my best study was theater in general. It taught me a lot of patience and a lot of hard work, and I think that theater teaches you that you've got to know your stuff because you only get one chance.

As for acting, I took drama lessons when I was in high school.

Acting is something I love to do. I love to perform and I love the art, the craft of it.

I just happen to like the work. I like preparing for a role. I like reading. I like analyzing. I like literature. I like emotions. I like working with other actors.

Acting is really scary, but it's also challenging, fun, hard work. There's always an element of improvisation with every actor, even when something is really scripted.

I took a drama class in elementary school, and I just remember having so much fun with it. From there, I just studied, got better as I went along, and continued to grow.

I want to do drama, light comedy, the whole range.

For seven years I did very little theatre, and I have to make up some time.