Genuine Acting Quotes

A really great actor, in a lucky performance, can transform himself or herself. I've seen actors do that. But often it's a mechanical transformation, which isn't as interesting, and you've got to be careful how you go about something like that, I think.

To me, acting is simple. People put other things in front of it, but it's staying in truth.

Honestly, I don't aspire to be a huge movie star. I really just fell in love with acting... Everything I do on-screen is very subtle.

When I'm on camera, I have to do things pretty much the way I do things in everyday life. It gives the audience someone real to identify with.

The worst acting is about imitation.

I like Will Smith because his acting is for real.

All I try to do is as earnestly and as acutely as I can, conceive a character and try to portray this character just honestly. If the humor is within the absurdity and the awfulness of situations, then let it be seen that way.

I try not to do scenes a certain way, because then I become conscious of it, and it dosen't come off as realistic. I try to make it so that I'm not really aware of what I'm doing.

Acting truly is a love of mine.

I like working with an actor who doesn't do the oneupmanship. One who has no trick and gives a true, honest performance.

When you're portraying someone, whether they're real or fictional, you have to find some kind of hook where it feels real to you because if you don't believe it yourself, then no one else is going to believe it.

When you're acting on TV, you want to keep it real.

I've always really been a fan of scenes in which you're able to be as natural as you want.

I think it's critical in any character you play that it really is about reacting instead of acting. You can always tell when a person is acting.

As sophisticated as the technology gets, the less sophisticated you have to become as an actor.

I would want the audience to simply see the character I portray in each movie in its true essence because I feel acting is all about truthfully portraying the character.

I always look for reality. I look for plain truthful roles.

I know when an actor is giving it his/her all and when they're just phoning it in.

The moment I do any puppy dog acting, I think the joke is dead. It's in the truth of how I play it, and the real painful honesty that I approach my performance with.

The more comfortable you are, and the more you can relax, the more truthful your performance is.

I like to see people put themselves into films, which is part of the reason why I love Woody Allen films so much - I believe his actors' work. I have a feeling that many actors in his films are similar to their characters, and I like that.

Most of the performances I see on TV and in movies are so self-conscious and overacted. I would think a natural actress would be welcome.

Acting's not about nose jobs and liposuction. It's about being truthful to what you're doing.

I'm a big believer in playing truth and not doing things for effect. It's not about whether you look pretty or glamorous. It's about whether people connect. That's important to me in any work I do. For me, the key is always trying to find the connection between the audience and the character I'm playing.

Pretty much all children are helpful to act with; they lack any guile when they act.