1,862 Quotes About Acting

There's a difference between playing and playing games. The former is an act of joy, the latter — an act.

...teaching is, after all, a form of show business.

There is a perfect rout of characters in every man—and every man is like an actor’s trunk, full of strange creatures, new & old. But an actor and his trunk are two different things

What I realized was: I might never have this chance again. In fact, I almost certainly would never have this chance again. Did I really want to look back and think: I could have done more, but I was afraid people would think I was lame for trying too hard? I decided to try really hard.

As Lorne says, 'Careers are made by choices.

And the faster you find friends who challenge you and sometimes make you jealous, the faster you'll grow as a comedian.

When you go to auditions and you fail to prepare, prepare to fail.'-Paula Abdul

I'm gaining weight in the role I was not even casted or stole! I put weight for the castaway I didn't even choose to play!

I was thinking about … how disarming is the ability to make people laugh. It’s a gift, mimicry, but it’s not acting; in a way it’s the opposite of acting, which is why comedians are seldom good actors. There’s an element of exaggeration in the imposture; the copy is the original painted with a broad brush and it can be grotesque, even cruel. But no one is offended. People are drawn to the funnyman who can imitate a politician or a famous actor or an ethnic type, especially his own ethnic type.