Quotes About Acting

'Zubaan' is the first film I had signed as a lead. It was an opportunity I was waiting for, coming at a time when I was getting shortlisted for roles but was unable to make the final cut.

The hardest thing about acting is all of the other things you have to think about besides performing... Your image, your team, networking - not to mention the mental strength you need to be able to stay unaffected by the rejection that every actor experiences.

I guess the first big name I worked with was Sissy Spacek, and that was really interesting just because she's so incredible and I learned so much from just watching her. But she's also so unassuming that I loved working with her. It wasn't like working with a star, it was Sissy. Not a big deal.

For me, 'The Crystal Skull' was something I'd never done before, and I loved every minute of it. Working with Harrison Ford as well - he's a cowboy from Montana, the most unassuming man you'll ever work with, fabulous guy, and I loved it.

It just seemed like an unattainable dream to go down to Los Angeles and to land a professional working, acting gig on a show that you really love with a character you really connect with. That doesn't seem possible; that seems insane.

As an actress people always tease me like: if there's anything you can do to make yourself unattractive you will do it.

Most female actresses will have a very difficult time being made unattractive.

Watching 'Girls,' it was really angering for me at first, because I really had spent decades hiding unlikable, unattractive Jewish girls in likable, attractive, non-Jewish actors and characters.

If you do too much acting in a lead part in a feature film where you're 40 ft. high, it's rather unattractive. You can see the acting. And it's actually the right thing to do to bring as much of yourself, I believe, to the part as you possibly can - to minimize the amount of theatrical stuff that you need to do.

In fact, I didn't realize I was 'unattractive' - in inverted commas - until I started acting. It was, 'Oh no, you're not right for the part - we're looking for a pretty girl.'

When I was in high school, I would perform every year in those plays and there was something I really loved about it. But I was completely unaware that you could sort of get into an acting career.

The condition of being an actress can be unbearable.

I worked on dramas before, I love sinking my teeth into something dramatic or a period piece, but there's something so fun about doing a comedy. When you go to set and your only job is to make people laugh, there's an unbelievable energy on set.

Oh, I'm dying to play Donald Trump someday, just because he's an unbelievable character. I'm a character actor; that's what you look for: outsized human beings.

I remember, when I started acting officially, I was unbelievably green. My first audition tapes were just horrendous.

I'm sure it's not great fun for them, or for any parent, when their child says they want to be an actor, 'cos it's quite an uncertain business and it can be terribly hard for most actors.

Whenever I get on stage, I feel safe and in control. Life can be so uncertain, but on stage, I always know how a drama or crisis is going to end. Acting is a great comfort blanket and has gotten me through countless personal crises. I am a firm believer that the show must go on.

I'm doing another Churchill. I did a Churchill for HBO and that was up to 1939 and there's talk of the war years. They were going to do it this fall, but the script wasn't going to be ready.

I am a musician and am so thankful for that. I have no experience of war. But I find a similarity between performing music onstage and acting - a reality of emotion.

In February 1953, I was making a second picture with Jeff Chandler, one called War Arrow. Jeff was a real sweetheart, but acting with him was like acting with a broomstick.

I love doing comedy. Absolutely love it. After 'Wedding Crashers,' people suddenly realized that it was something I could do.

Seriously I suspected I was a good actor, though I didn't know it during 'Monsoon Wedding'. Now I realize the more I learn the less I know about acting... and life.

I mean, I do wear a wedding ring and take it off when I shoot.

I'd like to do 'My Best Friend's Wedding, ' 'Pretty Woman, ' Meg Ryan type stuff. Romantic comedies. I'd love to do some action stuff as well.