Quotes About Acting

I used to pre-rehearse everything and then bring my pre-rehearsed performance to the set. Now, I'm learning to let it happen in the moment. American actors are much better at that than British actors. If I knew how to trust myself, I would have been much more relaxed.

What is important is for me to do my best work on camera. The camera is inches away from you and sees every micromovement of every muscle of your eye. And if you're not relaxed, the camera sees it.

There were times when I thought I had to be completely off-book and ready to give my opening night performance at the audition, but then I swung back to a more relaxed view of it. Certainly you've looked at the material and prepared it, but there's no reason to be off-book. You're not getting points for being off-book.

I feel most relaxed when I am acting or writing.

I did this scene in 'Lars and the Real Girl' where I was in a room full of old ladies who were knitting, and it was an all-day scene, so they showed me how. It was one of the most relaxing days of my life.

I don't think I've ever not had a dark side. But one of the wonderful reasons why you go into this business is that half your life you live in a fantasy, which is somebody else's life. It's actually a great release because you're not having to deal with the itty-bitty bits of life.

As far as the leading man/romantic lead, I'll tell you what, I really enjoyed my experience more than I thought or imagined I would on 'Catch and Release.' God bless them if they want to give me another shot at that. I would love to have that as something I can go to on occasion.

With films, you completely immerse yourself in a character, get into who they are, live it and then release it.

I like a good cry - it's cathartic; it's a release. But I've never been able to be so free to do that on camera the way some actors can.

When you act, you take on the attitudes and the emotions of others. There has to be a release. Most often done in conviviality. That's why there are clubs like the Players, the Friars - in London, the Garrick.

It would be interesting to explore an opportunity if Hindi filmmakers think I can fit into any character in a film.

My Hindi was not very good, but I guess people liked my accent and gave me Hindi roles.

The main advantage Sridevi and I had was that we acted in films which were South remakes. What we had done in the South, we did the same in Hindi.

When I came to know that director Sujoy Ghosh wanted me for a role in a Hindi film, I was very surprised. I had never met him before.

On hindsight, I feel I should have given more time to sports. But I really got bitten by the acting bug.

I don't believe I've ever played a hip dude. I don't think I would have the wherewithal to do that.

New York is always claiming East, and Los Angeles is always claiming West. It's in everything: acting, hip-hop, sports. But I love it. That rivalry makes you work harder.

I was a hippie. I dropped in and out of everything. Then I found acting. It really grounded me.

I'm not sure I'd hire myself in anything. I certainly couldn't be an actor. That would be terrible. For everyone.

I do focus my energy on music, but it's just the way that the industry works. I kind of have to take what I can get when it comes to acting and show up so they'll hire me. And music I get to do when I have time. It's not that I focus less, it's just the way it works.

I think I probably think about myself as an actor, which is the way most people do. I think I'm good, I don't think I'm great. I think I would hire somebody else to play me in the movie about me.

I'd never ask an actor to do something I couldn't do - not that I'm the best actor in the world - but if I can do it, then I know that anyone I hire can do these things.

Doing a good play on the stage is like eating a good meal at home - assuming your wife is a great cook or that she's hired a great cook.

The director respects what they've hired you for and chosen you for: to do the part and respect what you're doing.