David Strathairn

“I'm not a big 'me' guy.”

“I'm interested in the things that are not easily defined.”

“It's the stuff that is not said that is the most interesting.”

“I've always been attracted to the 'less is more' school of playing.”

“Every character has an integrity, even if they're a villain.”

“The more you get to play, the more you are able to stretch and try different things.”

“The more you learn about the real world, the more intriguing it becomes.”

“To go into a movie and not be a 'movie star' is a good place to be.”

“The most powerful thing you can do is to be present.”

“The most interesting thing about acting is when you're playing a character that has a point of view that is different from your own.”

“I'm a character actor, and I've always been a character actor.”

“The stage is a great teacher. It's a place where you're forced to be in the present moment.”

“It's about the story. It's always about the story.”

“The word 'celebrity' has kind of been co-opted... it's a word that no one really wants to be.”

“I think the best thing a director can do is create a playground for the actors.”

“The job of the actor is to be a part of the storytelling and not the story itself.”

“You want to be a part of a story that has a resonance, that leaves a residue.”

“I think that the power of art is the power to wake us up, to sharpen our sensibilities, to make us more aware.”

“You have to have a certain amount of faith in the director's vision.”

“It's a great challenge to be in a lead role. You're on the set, every day. It's not what I'm used to.”