42 Quotes by Kathy Baker

I try to give all my characters a sense of humor, so I guess I feel like I have done comedy, but maybe I'm better known for drama.

When you're younger, the mental strain of being a successful actor, jumping from role to role, and trying to have some kind of personal life, can really be terrible.

I've heard that kind of weird backward compliment often - 'She's so talented, but not pretty.'

I want to be the only American actress who doesn't do any plastic surgery or anything. I think older faces are great.

For me, the acting part - and I have to say it makes me a little worried about my own psychological make-up - is that I just love to hide in other characters. I don't like to get up in front of people and talk as Kathy Baker. But as soon as you say 'action,' I'm lost in that character.

I worry about my face not having expression. I've never been known for glamour, so it's probably easier for me than it is for someone who has been known for her incredible beauty and glamour. I always wanted to be Geraldine Page, who was just a fabulous actress with just a nice, normal, expressive face.

The Quaker upbringing was not strict, but it was frugal. Extremely frugal. One was always encouraged to give away ones worldly goods.

I did not see myself as a leading lady. I thought I was really funny-looking and I would never be the lead, and I certainly would never do film or television. I wanted to do theater. I wanted to be the grand dame of the American stage.

I heard Tony Bennett say that when you're a big deal early on, you have to maintain that level forever, and it's very scary. You have to keep hitting those home runs, turning out hits.