Quotes for All
When I think of character actors, I think of Spencer Tracy; I think of Gene Hackman, Robert Duvall. When I was a young lad watching films, my eyes were on them – watching ‘On the Waterfront,’ my eyes are on Rod Steiger and Karl Malden, not on Brando. Eddie Marsan
I have friends who are leading men, and they’re only ever allowed to play leading men of a certain type. But as a character actor, there’s a wider variety of projects available. On the big Hollywood films, all they care about is having their lead in place, so it’s actually easier for someone like me … Read more
The actors I respect are the real character actors, who are the real chameleon actors that completely change from role to role. I love Peter Sellers, Alec Guinness and Gary Oldman. They tend to be British, I guess. People who really disappear and transform, I really like that. Fran Kranz
I really am a character actor, in my heart of hearts, because I really do like developing characters and painting a past for them. Dylan McDermott
I’ve always considered myself a character actor. That’s the way I was trained, really. Dennis Quaid
I think all actors are supposed to be character actors. Dennis Farina
Dustin Hoffman said this one time, that if he hadn’t made it as a film star, he would still be happy as a character actor because he was a character actor because of his face from day one, so he would always work in the theater. Denis Leary
The great exception to that, of course, is Johnny Depp, who is absolutely the ultimate character actor. Johnny Depp is the future of the character actor and thanks to his success maybe we will see the return of an era when my sort of actor is back in vogue. It’s not in vogue for me … Read more
I admire many actors, though I don’t think there’s anyone whose career I would want to mirror sort of by the beats. What I’m really looking to do is constantly defy expectations. I’m very curious to see if you can actually have a character actor and a movie star’s career combined. David Oyelowo
I’m not actually a psychopath. I don’t look evil. People don’t normally want to put me in the same kind of things afterward, so I’m looking forward to people taking a few risks and hopefully seeing me as the character actor that I think I am. David Oakes