The thing that is always important to me is the relationships. I feel like until I get around with the actual people that I am going to be working wi…

- Michael Shannon

Plenty of people are onto the emptiness but it takes real guts to see the hopelessness.

- Michael Shannon

That's the great secret of humans: we're all the same person. The best thing to do is just go for the hug.

- Michael Shannon

Theater is the best. That's where you get the work done. You just really get in there and figure something out about a story or a character or life o…

- Michael Shannon

If you don't fight the system, you can either take advantage of the system or let the system take advantage of you.

- Michael Shannon

There are so many people who make their fortunes of the misfortunes of others. I don't know if it's because the world is too damn crowded, or what, b…

- Michael Shannon

My dad used to say, 'You have to become part of the machine to beat the machine,' and there's some validity in it. But honestly, even when I'm inside…

- Michael Shannon

I've never worried about anything in my life a fraction of the way I worry about my daughter. It's much more than hoping people like the play you're …

- Michael Shannon

If I were God, I would just be up there scratching my head, thinking, 'What the hell am I supposed to do with this?' For everyone helping an old lady…

- Michael Shannon