James Dean

An actor must interpret life, and in order to do so must be willing to accept all the experiences life has to offer. In fact, he must seek out more of life than life puts at his feet.

The only way to make a scene realistic is to do it the way you know it would really happen.

I used to fly around quite a bit, you know? I took a lot of unnecessary chances on the highways. And I started racing, and now I drive on the highways, I'm extra cautious because no one knows what they're doing half the time. You don't know what this guy is going to do or that one.

I don't want anything seventy-thirty. Fifty-fifty's always good enough for me. I don't want to have to give anybody seventy; I don't want anybody to give me seventy. I want fifty.

An actor should be judged by his performance only.

You try to be yourself, do only what you've always done and like to do, and right away, you're tagged as an oddball.

You can do 'Hamlet' while performing cartwheels... as long as the audience sees your eyes - you can make the performance real.

When an actor plays a scene exactly the way a director orders, it isn't acting. It's following instructions. Anyone with the physical qualifications can do that.

To my way of thinking, an actor's course is set even before he's out of the cradle.

To me, acting is the most logical way for people's neuroses to manifest themselves, in this great need we all have to express ourselves.

I want to be a Texan 24 hours a day.

I think the one thing this picture shows that's new is the psychological disproportion of the kids' demands on the parents. Parents are often at fault, but the kids have some work to do, too.

Studying cows, pigs and chickens can help an actor develop his character. There are a lot of things I learned from animals. One was that they couldn't hiss or boo me.

The cinema is a very truthful medium because the camera doesn't let you get away with anything. On stage, you can even loaf a little, if you're so inclined.

The only greatness for man is immortality.

But you can't show some far off idyllic conception of behavior if you want the kids to come and see the picture. You've got to show what it's really like, and try to reach them on their own grounds.

The gratification comes in the doing, not in the results.

Death can't be considered because, if you're afraid to die, there's no room in your life to make discoveries.

Racing is the only time I feel whole.

Being an actor is the loneliest thing in the world. You are all alone with your concentration and imagination, and that's all you have.

Being a good actor isn't easy. Being a man is even harder. I want to be both before I'm done.

I'm a serious-minded and intense little devil, terribly gauche and so tense I don't see how people stay in the same room with me. I know I wouldn't tolerate myself.

Trust and belief are two prime considerations. You must not allow yourself to be opinionated.

My purpose in life does not include a hankering to charm society.

Only the gentle are ever really strong.