I'm not a classically trained actor. I'm not a product of Stavlovski method or anything like that.
And at NYU, I went to the Atlantic Theater Company, and they have two main points. One of them is to always be active in something instead of just feeling it. And the other is figuring out your character.
It's fascinating to work with a company of actors of such different ages, experience and talents. I'm one of a generation brought up on television whose acting is more 'naturalistic', whereas with some of the older generation it's more heightened. But I think there's room for both styles.
I thought acting was all about natural instinct but I've realised, through working with so many talented actors on 'Wild Swans' and 'Run,' that I can see the training. That's why I am back at drama school.
I feel really comfortable with going for the reality of the drama, but I'm not much for the comedy of it. You have to make people laugh, or you have to be true to the character in such a way that makes people laugh. It's a whole different thing.
I've learnt that there's acting for film, acting for theatre, and acting for an audition.
One role blends into the next role. I mean, there's strange idiosyncrasies from roles that I play that I picked up that will never go away.
Once, Naseeruddin Shah told me that the wafer shop was the best acting school that I could have attended. And I completely agree. I observed every customer very minutely and picked up some quirk or the other. Later, I used those experiences while playing different characters.
Stage actors are usually much more conscious of speaking up and making sure that everyone can hear in the back of the theatre; a film actor probably thinks of that a little less.
With some actors, you can tell, just from their different backgrounds and their different approaches to working, they would have just a natural conflict, just a sort of friction.
If you want to be an actor, you must have total, ruthless commitment to your art. Don't be ambitious for fame or TV or movies. Art is a jealous mistress and will brook no competitors. Study all the time. Never stop reading. Never stop learning speeches. It will fill you up - define and refine you.
I'm a classically trained actress, and I have many levels and colors, and 'Ventura Boulevard' is where I am planning to stretch and grow.
The idea of an actor is that you should be able to play anything.
If you want to deliver as an actor, you need to know the language. If you don't know what you are mouthing, how will you perform? For me, it is important to know the language.
I'm grateful to be in school developing my practice as an actor. In that process, it's difficult to say that you've definitively 'learned' something.
Acting has always existed alongside my normal life. It's been a case of learning on the job. I've worked in so many styles, with so many people, so I've picked bits up from everyone and everything.
The worst acting is about imitation.
Perhaps I've been perceived more as a romantic comedy actor, but overall, I enjoy acting in any shape or form.
Television is face acting, and film is eye acting.
As an actor, you strive to show versatility.
I've often said there's two kinds of actors. There's a more gregarious type and the shy type.
With comedy, I've always had a pretty good sense of what I like and how to execute it well, but drama has its own rules.
I don't think I could compare myself to Macaulay Culkin, because we're pretty much two different kinds of actors. He's done a lot of comedy. He does mostly just comedy like 'Uncle Buck' and 'Home Alone' and 'Home Alone 2.' And I've done a lot of different stuff, like sad movies, like the movie about the kid with AIDS.
My favorite acting books are Stella Adler's 'The Art of Acting' and 'Sanford Meisner on Acting.'
For me, there's nothing more valuable as an actor, or better way to learn, than getting to perform in front of a live audience, no matter where you are. Whether it's on Broadway, in Florida, or doing a tour.
