191 Quotes by John Hurt

I'd love to claim that what I have done in my life is of my doing, but it's not of my doing at all. I've blown around in the wind like a mad thing, influenced by this and that - like a piece of paper: like the boy in that scene in 'American Beauty' watching a piece of paper blowing hither and thither.

You can see the overhead structures that have been built up to the interstate. We've gotten about as far as we can go and now we have to work over the interstate.

The English National Opera does have some terrific productions, which are accessible, and they're not too ridiculously expensive.

The drink was effecting me badly. I was feeling lousy especially in the morning. Now I have a much fuller time with people. The more you don't drink the more you find you can be high as a kite anyway. I had huge fun when I was drinking. But towards the end I was not genuinely enjoying it. I drank mainly for enthusiasm, to prolong the night and the laughter and the conversation.

The difference between anger and deep remorse - remorse is much fatter. It's a deeper feeling altogether. Anger is too easy an escape for my money.

The first thing you have to get used to in any kind of acting is the ability to make a fool of yourself. If you haven't learnt how to make a fool of yourself, you shouldn't be on the boards. That's absolutely what it's all about.

You have to learn to cut your cloth accordingly. But it seems to be a human weakness. Once you start making a lot of money, you just join in with everyone else. It's like the banks, and we've seen what happens there.

Life is full of ironies and paradoxes.

You can see areas where maybe you got a bit lazy, perhaps, or you see when you were really on form. I think an actor is very like a sportsman in that respect. You have periods where you're in terrific form.