Explore Quotes by Matthew Macfadyen

It must be odd, being recognisable. I would hate to lose that anonymity. It happened for a while with 'Spooks.' No one notices me now.

It's a real skill to be able to publicise yourself.

I wouldn't want to leave it so long before doing a play again, I get very stolid and sluggish if I do too much telly.

I've worried more and more as the years have gone on. The more you're seen to be doing well, the more stress there is. You feel you ought to consider things more, and be more fussy - there's further to fall. All these little worries.

I'd auditioned for the National Youth Theatre and I didn't get a place and it was terrifying.

Apart from earning an awful lot of money, why would you go to Hollywood?

I was quite a shy child. I would get terribly nervous and throw up before my birthday party. And then I would be fine. I feel the same now. I get nervous, then it's fine.

I try to be fussy about the parts I play. I think that's quite prudent, it means you're stretching different muscles, and you're scaring yourself by doing something which is out of your comfort zone.

The security comes, as an actor, in knowing that you're not in control. If you try to control your career, or how people perceive you, you'll make yourself unhappy, because life doesn't work like that. So much is luck. It's much better to let yourself off, to think, 'There's nothing I can do.'

You'd never play Hamlet if you started worrying about who's played it before you.

The actor in me would always like to be more dashing, or slimmer, or have nicer hair.

No one will guide you in the right direction, in the end you have to learn for yourself. You have to grow up yourself.