For every role, you have to always find a different way to approach it, one that's specific and suits what the key is. Every role's a mystery. I think if you know what it is, you probably shouldn't even do it. Willem Dafoe More Quotes by Willem Dafoe More Quotes From Willem Dafoe The worst thing is to get involved with people who aren't passionate about what they're doing. Willem Dafoe passionateworstpeople Performing is about developing empathy, which leads us to a broader view of the world and encourages us to develop compassion; so we can comfort each other and not be so brutal with each other. Willem Dafoe empathycompassionviews I think on some level, you do your best things when you're a little off-balance, a little scared. You've got to work from mystery, from wonder, from not knowing. Willem Dafoe balanceknowingthinking I set myself challenges every time I work. Ideally I approach everything as though it's the first time - with a beginner's mind and an amateur's love. Willem Dafoe challengesmindfirsts You have to lose yourself to find yourself. Willem Dafoe losing-yourselffinding-yourselfloses When you have something to work with, then you fly with it. Willem Dafoe Great theatre is about challenging how we think and encouraging us to fantasize about a world we aspire to. Willem Dafoe theatrechallengesthinking I never act. I simply bring out the real animal that's in me. Willem Dafoe realanimal Action breeds inspiration more than inspiration breeds action. Willem Dafoe inspirationaction I guess they often cast me as the bad guy, because I'm not, er, conventional looking. I look sort of violent. I'm the odd one out, the outsider. Willem Dafoe odd-oneguylooks You can be intuitive when you've got a more expansive role. You can get into the poetry of telling the story rather than just pushing buttons. Willem Dafoe buttonsrolesstories I want to work with people who are good at what they do, and people who are passionate. Willem Dafoe passionatewantpeople Sometimes I think women are lucky because they can develop in ways men can't. The old-boy network may be oppressive to women, but it actually stunts men in terms of personal growth. Willem Dafoe menboysthinking I'm not attracted to naturalism, I'm not attracted to behavior, I'm attracted to dance. I'm attracted to gesture, I'm attracted to singing with your voice, as opposed to having a natural manner. I'm a theater actor first, so that probably influences a lot of my approach. And I think in many ways, naturalism has ruined movies. Willem Dafoe singingvoicethinking There's a real wisdom to not saying a thing. Willem Dafoe real-wisdomreal Weirdness is not my game. I'm just a square boy from Wisconsin. Willem Dafoe squaresgamesboys Film is fragmented and gets into lots of other people's hands. There are a lot of pleasures that theatre gives me. You get to perform uninterrupted. Willem Dafoe givinghandspeople When I was a kid I was very interested in the idea of the will, finding out what you're capable of. I liked those kind of challenges. Willem Dafoe challengeskidsideas I try to attach myself to people who really inspire me, and directors who are really passionate. That way, I can give myself more fully and trust the impulse behind why the film is being made, and I can be a little more irresponsible in finding out what the character is. Willem Dafoe givingcharacterpeople Sometimes you're wrong, but if I'm a repeat customer, it means I must have valued the past experiences. Willem Dafoe sometimesmeanpast
