88 Quotes by Stella Adler

life beats down and crushes the soul and art reminds you that you have one

The thing that makes you say, "I want to do something" - that is the beginning of talent.

You have to do something. If you do something, you become somebody. Even a daffodil does something, has a profession. It gives off scent, professionally.

You have to understand your best. Your best isn't Barrymore's best or Olivier's best or my best, but your own. Every person has his norm. And in that norm every person is a star. Olivier could stand on his head and still not be you. Only you can be you. What a privilege! Nobody can reach what you can if you do it. So do it. We need your best, your voice, your body. We don't need for you to imitate anybody, because that would be second best. And second best is no better than your worst.

Actors need a kind of aggression, a kind of inner force. Don't be only one-sided, sweet, nice, good. Get rid of being average. Find the killer in you.

Acting is in everything but the words.

You cannot afford to confine your studies to the classroom. The universe and all of history is your classroom.

Your job as actors is to understand the size of what you say, to understand what's beneath the word.

When you most succeed, you do so by seeming not to act at all.