Actor Opportunities Quotes

Until recently, Hollywood offered only a handful of roles to actors of color. The majority of my opportunities have fallen into two categories: Scary Black and Funny Black.

We need better and stronger roles for female actors.

People on series are now given a lot more opportunities, sometimes more than film actors.

I think it's always hard to find great roles, no matter what age you are. So I always say to people, 'You have to remember that Hollywood is in the business of making movies that they can sell tickets to; they're not in the business of finding great roles for actors.'

Initially, women only had to portray married wife roles on TV, but now there are show that are offering other roles to portray for women. Earlier, all drama used to revolve only around married women, which is not the case now. Even the male actors have a good opportunity for better roles now.

On 'Platoon' I was offered in 1984 a very tiny part that Ivan Kane would go on to play. Then the financing fell out, and the film was scuttled for two years.

When I first did a U.S. pilot season, there were very few British actors schlepping around town trying to get into television. That was 1999.

In western countries, there are roles written for older actors. Films are made on them, including love stories.

I wasn't offered a role in 'Expendables 1,' and I'm a guest star in 'Expendables 2.'

I want to keep doing different things. I'd like to do a more personal, dramatic movie next, I think. But as long as it's about characters and good writing and good parts for actors, that's what's important.

Luckily, I have been offered the chance to play a South American, Hispanic and even a character from the Middle East in films. There are also a lot of TV series in the U.S. that have a strong presence of actors from India.

The way the recession has affected Hollywood, a lot of actors that had robust opportunities before in film no longer have such plum options, so cable has done a good job of becoming a happy medium for artists deemed film actors.

There's a huge raft of roles that actors in our culture perform, and you can see any one of about three Hamlets in a year. It's not something to be completely daunted by.

I guess maybe someone at 'Dexter' saw the 'Mad Men' stuff and thought, 'He can do this.'

I think Australia focuses on people that had a big start at home, like 'Home and Away' or 'Neighbours' graduates, and the truth is those shows are pretty white for the most part. The diverse actors go straight to the States because that is where more diverse stories and opportunities are being presented.

You have to remember that Hollywood is in the business of making movies that they can sell tickets to, they're not in the business of finding great roles for actors.

I remember the great work that Norman Lear did. That was an incredible heyday to be a black actor.

Television's grown up a lot. It's a little more adult, which I think is a good thing. It allows actors to tell more complex stories. I'm happy to see where it ends up.

I think when average-size people start taking roles that were meant for dwarfs, that's a little frustrating because there aren't that many roles out there for height-challenged actors.

My hope is that shows like 'Fresh Off the Boat' open the door for even more of those kinds of characters for Asian actors and actresses.

I've been offered lots of movies. There's always some actor who's doing a project and would like to have me do it.

'Quantum Leap' gave me a huge opportunity as an actor. The nature of the role and it's demands allowed people to perceive me as a versatile actor, and the wide success of the show around the planet gave me a certain notoriety that helped me get other work.

As actors, if you get a pilot on HBO or on USA, your odds are good that it's going to get picked up.

There are so many good actors who just keep waiting for good opportunities.

I have been fortunate to get different types of work, but by and large till 90s for actors like me there were not many opportunities besides playing brother of the heroine or friend of the hero or young college villain after the earlier new wave was consumed by television.