81 Quotes by Laurence Olivier

Acting is illusion, as much illusion as magic is, and not so much a matter of being real.

[the only acting advice he would give] What is acting but lying and what is good lying but convincing lying?

I woke raging with desire for you…

I should be soaring away with my head tilted slightly toward the gods, feeding on the caviar of Shakespeare. An actor must act.

The actor should be able to create the universe in the palm of his hand.

I don't know what is better than the work that is given to the actor-to teach the human heart the knowledge of itself.

Acting is a masochistic form of exhibitionism. It is not quite the occupation of an adult.

Living is strife and torment, disappointment and love and sacrifice, golden sunsets and black storms. I said that some time ago, and today I do not think I would add one word.

The office of drama is to exercise, possibly to exhaust, human emotions. The purpose of comedy is to tickle those emotions into an expression of light relief; of tragedy, to wound them and bring the relief of tears. Disgust and terror are the other points of the compass.