Simon Callow

“The only reason for being a professional writer is that you can't help it.”

“I think the theatre is as essential to civilization as safe, pure water.”

“Actors are pretty conventional people. We have to be.”

“The great thing about acting is that you get to be a lot of different people in one lifetime.”

“I'm a workaholic. I love every movie I've been in, even the bad ones.”

“The thing about being an actor is that you're in the service of the text.”

“There has to be a reason to go to the theatre, and it had better be a good one. We're a very distracted society.”

“I have no sense of being famous - you're just working.”

“What is wonderful about my life is that I am able to do the things I love doing.”

“I think biography is a fascinating thing, but it's not the whole story. You can never get the whole story.”

“You learn the text, and you come on and say it. I'm not a great believer in a lot of work beyond that.”

“I'm not a method actor. I'm a classical actor. I believe in the text.”