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I try to find out what there is in the character that in a way, you can’t put into words. If I could put it into words, then it wouldn’t be a performance. And if I do put it into words, as I play it, I start to get boxed in by those words.

Alan Alda

A really great actor, in a lucky performance, can transform himself or herself. I’ve seen actors do that.
ALAN ALDA

Actor Great Herself Itself Lucky Performance Really Transform
For a while in my teens, I was sure I had it. It was about getting to heaven. If heaven existed and lasted forever, then a mere lifetime spent scrupulously following orders was a small investment for an infinite payoff.
ALAN ALDA

Get Investment Live Mean Scrupulously Small Spent Sure Teen
After a while I started to think of that as an image of something that went a lot deeper than the dead dog, which is you can’t bring back anything to life.
ALAN ALDA

Anything Back Bring Dead Deeper Dog Image Something Start Think
All these things you expect meaning to come from, and sometimes it comes when you’re not expecting it.
ALAN ALDA

All Thing Come Expect Meaning Sometimes
When people are laughing, they’re generally not killing one another.
ALAN ALDA

Another General Kill Laugh One People
We’re highly social animals – I’m told by scientists that what makes us different from other animals is an acute social awareness, which is what has made us so successful.
ALAN ALDA

Acute Animal Awareness Different Highly Other Scientist Social Successful
The difference between listening and pretending to listen, I discovered, is enormous. One is fluid, the other is rigid. One is alive, the other is stuffed.
ALAN ALDA

Between Difference Fluid Listen Live Pretend Rigid Stuff
[You have to be] willing to be changed by the person you’re listening to, where you’re not just waiting for a pause so you can say your thing, but you’re actually letting them have an effect on you if they can.
ALAN ALDA

Actual Effect Let Listen Pause Person Wait Will Change
I’ve played a murderer, so certainly I think I can play a Republican.
ALAN ALDA

Certain Murder Play Republican Think
There are two things that I get a lot of pleasure from in my life, and that is, doing what I know how to do well – that really makes me happy.
ALAN ALDA

Happy Life Make Pleasure Really Thing Well
Testosterone Poisoning: … Until now it has been thought that the level of testosterone in men is normal simply because they have it.
ALAN ALDA

Level Normal Poison Simply Testosterone Until
I’m in this wonderful position where I can do what interests me. And whatever comes along that interests me, I do. The rest of the time I bother scientists about communicating.
ALAN ALDA

Along Come Communication Interest Position Scientific Whatever Wonderful
The good thing about being a hypocrite is that you get to keep your values.
ALAN ALDA

Being Good Hypocrite Keep Thing Value
When your kids turn 13, an alien being invades their bodies and doesn’t leave until they’re 20.
ALAN ALDA

Alien Body Kid Leave Thirteen Turn Until Twenty
As I am becoming older, the only thing that speeds up is time.
ALAN ALDA

Become Older Only Speed Thing Time
If you don’t listen deeply, the connection won’t take place.
ALAN ALDA

Connections Listening Waiting

I try to find out what there is in the character that in a way, you can’t put into words. If I could put it into words, then it wouldn’t be a performance. And if I do put it into words, as I play it, I start to get boxed in by those words.

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I try to find out what there is in the character that in a way, you can’t put into words. If I could put it into words, then it wouldn’t be a performance. And if I do put it into words, as I play it, I start to get boxed in by those words.

Related Topics

Popular Authors

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