I have died in so many spectacular ways, and I remember shooting them all, too. I imagine all those deaths will flash in front of me when I'm on my death bed, faced with the real thing.
John HurtRead
The first thing you have to get used to in any kind of acting is the ability to make a fool of yourself. If you haven't learnt how to make a fool of yourself, you shouldn't be on the boards. That's absolutely what it's all about.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Acting requires a willingness to be vulnerable and to embrace folly.
In this quote, John Hurt emphasizes the importance of letting go of self-awareness and embracing the absurdity that comes with acting. He suggests that to truly immerse oneself in the craft, one must be comfortable with making mistakes and appearing foolish, as this is a fundamental aspect of performance and creativity.
Themes
ActingVulnerabilityCreativityPerformanceFoolishness
In practice
Example use cases
During an acting workshop, this quote can be shared to encourage participants to take risks and step out of their comfort zones.
More from John Hurt
All quotes →Acting is an imaginative exercise. It would be odd if you didn't try to identify with the roles you play, but I think I can differentiate between where my imagination is leading me and where I actually am.
John HurtRead
I knew I wanted to act from a very young age - from about nine, really - but I didn't know how to go about it. I had no idea. The world was a much bigger place then.
John HurtRead
We are all racing towards death. No matter how many great, intellectual conclusions we draw during our lives, we know they're all only man-made, like God. I begin to wonder where it all leads. What can you do, except do what you can do as best you know how.
John HurtRead
For everything that you find dreadful, there's usually something that is rather marvelous as well.
John HurtRead
You can't lose your concentration at all. And there are times when you're on the stage, and you've got silence, which is wonderful, but you have to have the confidence to make you realize it's fine. You can't suddenly wobble and think, 'They're not interested.'
John HurtRead
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