“I get the greatest joy from just doing anything, being an actor. Doing music, and doing what I love to do. I don't make a huge distinction between comedy and drama. I think the whole point is just trying to be as honest, from moment to moment, as you can be. If you're honest about the material, and the material is ridiculous, then you're in a comedy.” IfsThinkingTryingWholeMomentsJoyActorsComedyHonestMaterialsHugeDramaRidiculousDistinction Author:John C. Reilly
“Actors in general are pretty good bullshit artists; we're good at just chewing the fat, interacting with people. So we're good ambassadors for movies.” PeopleArtistActorsFatsBullshitAmbassadorsInteractingChewing Author:John C. Reilly
“Improvisation, the main thing is it teaches you to be in the moment and present in the moment and be reactive and proactive for what's going on. Someone gives you something - a lot of actors are a little shut off, so they're just doing, "This is my character, these are my lines, I'm going to just send it to you then you send whatever you're sending." Improvisation teaches you to really be listening.” GivingLittlesMomentsCharacterActorsLinesTeachListeningImprovisationProactive Author:John C. Reilly
“I actually envy actors who have a persona: 'This is the way I am. This is the part I play.' And do it over and over and over. To me, that's a lot easier than trying to reinvent yourself every six months.” WayTryingPlayActorsMonthsEasierSixEnvySix MonthsPersonaReinventing Yourself Author:John C. Reilly
“A lot of people that make films say, 'We need this kind of character. Who's done it before? Get them to do it again.' That is exactly what actors are pushing against. It's kind of a cliche to talk about being stereotyped in that way, but it happens.” PeopleWayNeedsKindDoneCharacterHappensFilmActorsPushingCliche Author:John C. Reilly
“I hear actors complain about being stereotyped, and a lot of the time, you have yourself to blame. Just don't take the part if you feel like it's a stereotypical part for you. You have control over your life. We don't have the old studio system, where you have to do what they tell you.” IfsFeelsActorsBlameStudiosComplainingOver You Author:John C. Reilly
“I'm not of the manor born; I've never felt entitled in that way. I just came to Hollywood to be an actor. All that lifestyle stuff is something to be managed.” WayActorsFeltStuffBornHollywoodLifestyleEntitled Author:John C. Reilly
“It's thought of as an eccentric thing for an actor to really try to maintain quality control through the whole career. Most people think, 'You just work. You just keep working.' And in some ways I wish I could be a guy who's just a workhorse.” PeopleThinkingWayTryingWholeGuyActorsWishQualityCareersEccentricQuality Control Author:John C. Reilly
“It's true that the skills required to be a conman are the same as those required for being an actor. Though those skills are in the service of something a bit more noble with acting, I hope.” ActorsBitsActingSkillsNoble Author:John C. Reilly
“Movies are this thing that came into my life, and it still feels pretend in some way. I kind of do this thing, and I never really accepted this idea that I'm a film actor. That's what I do. I feel like I'm a theater actor that started doing films. Most people have never seen me in a play. They're fun, though.” PeopleWayFeelsKindStillsIdeasPlayFilmActorsFunTheaterAcceptedFilm Actors Author:John C. Reilly
“There are a lot of actors in the world, there's a small number that actually get to work as actors, and there is a tiny group of actors that are celebrated in the way that I have been. I feel incredibly lucky.” WorldWayFeelsHas BeensActorsNumbersGroupsLuckyTinySmall Numbers Author:John C. Reilly
“This whole celebrity racket, it's not really my bag. I don't really do that stuff, and I am not looking to get famous myself. I would love it if my characters get famous, my work was well known and appreciated. But I'm an actor, not a spokes model or a celebrity or whatever that is. I don't know how to be that.” IfsKnowsWellsWholeCharacterActorsStuffKnownKnow HowModelsBagsSpokesWell KnownAppreciatedRacket Author:John C. Reilly
“I love to improvise, but I always thought "Man, it's like the final frontier for improvisational actors, to really go for something emotional, something that's not just chasing the laugh."” MenActorsLaughingEmotionalFinalsChasingFrontiers Author:John C. Reilly
“I was thinking maybe about being a lawyer. I realized I was interested in becoming a priest at one point. I was just interested in stuff where I could do something I really believed in. And then, I realized if I become an actor, I don't have to choose. I get to do everything. It's worked out so far. But what I really want to do is direct.” IfsThinkingWantActorsStuffBecomingDirectLawyerI RealizedPriests Author:John C. Reilly
“An actor's life is like a series of - it's like the first day of school happening over and over again.” FirstsSchoolLife IsActorsHappeningsSeriesLife Is LikeFirst Day Of School Author:John C. Reilly
“I was never a very dependable employee for anything. Perfect for the actor's life!” ActorsPerfectEmployeeDependable Author:John C. Reilly
“Being a father has fulfilled me in parts of my life that sustain me. It gives me a comfort and patience. All actors have this hole inside that they're trying to fill by performing. I'm anxious to keep creating, but I'm not so desperate any more because I have the love and support of my kids and wife.” GivingTryingKidsActorsFatherSupportWifeComfortCreatingGive MeHolesPerformingDesperateAnxiousFulfilledBeing A Father Author:John C. Reilly
“I considered a lot of different jobs as a kid. I thought about becoming a priest or a lawyer. My father had a big linen-supply business and I considered working for him. What dawned on me was: 'If I'm an actor, I get to do the fun parts of every job!' Without having to go to four years of law school.” IfsYearsDifferentBigsKidsSchoolJobsLawActorsFatherFunFourBecomingLawyerPriestsFour YearsLaw SchoolDifferent JobsLinen Author:John C. Reilly
“I don't really get off on the anonymous love of strangers, which I think a lot of actors do. They're lacking something in their own personal lives, so they want the adoration of autographs and all that stuff.” ThinkingWantActorsStuffStrangerLackingPersonal LifeAdorationAutographsLacking Something Author:John C. Reilly
“In Chicago it's really a case of the play's the thing - people are just so happy to be acting, you know? We were all actors - not like in New York or Los Angeles, where everyone says they are actors but they are actually waiting tables and hustling for spots in commercials.” PeopleKnowsPlayActorsWaitingActingCasesNew YorkTablesSpotsLos AngelesChicagoHustleWaiting Tables Author:John C. Reilly
“One of the reasons people find me a believable actor is that I don't seem like one of the gods from Olympus. I seem like someone who was lucky enough to be let into Olympus.” PeopleReasonEnoughSeemsActorsLuckyFind MeBelievableOlympus Author:John C. Reilly
“That's one of the difficult things of being an actor that I'm still not used to. You have to go, you have to show up at these places where you know nobody, and sometimes with really impressive, high stakes people like Roman Polanski.” PeopleKnowsStillsSometimesShowsUsedActorsDifficultStakesImpressiveDifficult Things Author:John C. Reilly
“The truth is that filmmaking is not really an actor's medium; it's really a director's medium, so all I can really control is the character that I'm playing. So I try to look for characters that are interesting and engaging and different than what I've done before and hopefully it becomes a good movie.” TryingLooksI CanDifferentDoneCharacterActorsInterestingTruth IsDirectorsMediumsHopefullyFilmmakingEngagingGood Movie Author:John C. Reilly
“You know, the truth is that us actors would all like to believe we re-invent the wheel, every time we play a character. But, we're human beings and our instruments are not violins, they are our bodies and our consciousness and our collective life experience.” KnowsBelieveHumansPlayCharacterBodyActorsHuman BeingsConsciousnessTruth IsInstrumentsWheelsCollectivesLife ExperienceViolin Author:John C. Reilly
