Quotes from Harry Dean Stanton

You want people to feel something when you tell a story, whether they feel happy or whether they feel sad.

I liked 'Repo Man.' Satire.

I took speech training. I took a few voice lessons in college.

The void, the concept of nothingness, is terrifying to most people on the planet. And I get anxiety attacks myself. I know the fear of that void. You have to learn to die before you die. You give up, surrender to the void, to nothingness.

There is no answer. That's what Buddhism says. The Void, oblivion, no answer. To be in that state is an enlightened state.

I met Dylan on 'Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid.' We buddied around for quite a while after that. We jammed together; he liked my Mexican songs.

You want people walking away from the conversation with some kernel of wisdom or some kind of impact.

I was singing the blues when I was six. Kind of sad, eh?

The first film I ever remember - I think my mother took me to it - was called 'She Married Her Boss' with Melvyn Douglas.

Sam Shepard is a brilliant writer.

You get older. In the end, you end up accepting everything in your life - suffering, horror, love, loss, hate - all of it.

'Pretty In Pink' was a huge hit for me.

But I'm not imaginative. I couldn't look into the future, like Star Wars or Robots or anything like that.

I play myself all the time, on camera and off. What else can I do?

Every actor is a character actor.

I have to wait and see what happens. Because nobody's in charge.

It's just so frustrating when you're in a supporting role because you only get to express a part of yourself.

I just want to say, good night, sweet prince, may flights of angels sing thee to thy rest.

People know you as an actor, and labels are so comfortable for people. That syndrome is always hard to get past.

My father and mother were not that compatible. I don't think they had a good wedding night, and I was the product of that. We weren't close.

I would've preferred to blossom earlier in life.

Everything changes every day.

I'm just dealing with what's happening, with what is. Joy, happiness, good, bad, all those terms are meaningless to me.

Speech lessons probably did more for my singing voice - they teach you breathing, resonance.