I don't want to play the same person twice, that's not why I wanted to act. Jennifer Jason Leigh More Quotes by Jennifer Jason Leigh More Quotes From Jennifer Jason Leigh I loved acting as a kid because I was kind of shy, so it brought me out of myself. Jennifer Jason Leigh shy acting kids I love Polaroids and I have a Polaroid camera collection from the '50s. Jennifer Jason Leigh polaroids collections cameras I feel like I turned down a lot of things that I wish I hadn't. But you never know when you're younger. I don't have regrets about certain things I turned down. Those films would have required things of me that would have been challenging, and they ended up being really good movies. But I was never a careerist, I never thought in those terms. I'd be like, "Oh, I'm tired. I don't want to work." Jennifer Jason Leigh being-real tired regret I've had guys, when I've been single, come date me and I've found out they were expecting some kind of whirlwind, some dramatic crazy person-- and that's just not me. I'd much rather be in a movie that people have really strong feelings about than one that makes a hundred million dollars but you can't remember because it's just like all the others. Jennifer Jason Leigh crazy strong people I worked with great, brilliant directors. I've been so lucky. It's terrible to compare anyone, because you can't. But I can just tell you that this experience was just a truly magnificent experience for everyone involved. Jennifer Jason Leigh brilliant lucky directors I love being in therapy. It's just constantly fulfilling for me. Jennifer Jason Leigh therapy fulfilling love-is I used to hang out by the food table at parties because you don't have to talk to anybody. If you do then you can talk about the food. Jennifer Jason Leigh used party tables Acting for kids is like playing house, you know? But growing up in Hollywood, it just made it seem possible. Jennifer Jason Leigh growing-up house kids Children accept their world as the world. I grew up like kids that I went to school with. Their parents were either shrinks or actors. Jennifer Jason Leigh kids children school I like a movie that the audience actively has to participate in, and not just casually observe. Whatever my part in it, just as an audience member, I find that exciting. Jennifer Jason Leigh members audience exciting I just don't want to talk about my personal life. I feel like it's mine, I'm not trying to promote it. It's nice to have things that are your own, that you value enough that you don't have to use to sell a movie. Jennifer Jason Leigh nice use trying I hate parties. I don't like big crowded things. Jennifer Jason Leigh bigs party hate I've never done anything that I felt was crossing the line for me. But everybody has to make that decision individually. Like, I've never shot heroin to play a heroin addict. I've never turned a trick to play a prostitute. Whatever. You draw the line where you feel it could be harmful. Jennifer Jason Leigh heroin done decision Writing, producing and directing, I must say, is incredibly satisfying and gratifying. Jennifer Jason Leigh satisfying writing You try to find the internal life, but a lot of it is creating it through physical behavior and figuring out the voice when you create as much of a past as you would in a naturalistic piece. But it's fun, because it's like you're learning something, learning some kind of physical skill. Jennifer Jason Leigh fun trying past I'm not necessarily less gratified by films where you're given less room to maneuve. Because I love a great script, and I love to respect it, and I love to try to give a director what he needs and wants, especially having directed now. [Laughs.] I'm much more open to try to give him what he wants and figure it out. I like working with directors I respect and admire, obviously. And everybody has their own way. Jennifer Jason Leigh trying giving laughing I like as much time as I can get and I'll do whatever I think is helpful to prepare for a role. Sometimes it's practical research, meaning if I had to write shorthand, I'd learn how to write shorthand. Or if I have to know how to dance a certain way, I would learn that. And then there's just research of talking to people similar to the characters I'm playing. And there's stuff that I just feel is inspiring, whether it be music or a painting or a photograph. I've used a lot of Nan Goldin's photos in the past to inspire me. I use certain paintings and pieces of music. Jennifer Jason Leigh writing character past I loved acting as a kid because I was kind of shy, so it brought me out of myself. Acting for kids is like playing house, you know? But growing up in Hollywood, it just made it seem possible. It wasn't like some idea of going to Hollywood; it was in my backyard. I lived two blocks from Grauman's Chinese Theatre growing up. It was what people did. It's an industry town. So it wasn't some far-off fantasy, it was like "Oh yeah, when you grow up, you do this because that's what people do here." Jennifer Jason Leigh growing-up block kids Even when you think you can detach yourself from the characters, you don't. Because you're spending so much time trying to realize this person and make them real that they do infect you, in a way. And you do take them home and live with them, even if you think you're turning the character off. But in order to pull off a role convincingly, you wind up thinking about that person all the time, and it does sort of creep into you. And then there are things that you'll respond to, or react to in a very different way than you would normally. Jennifer Jason Leigh real home character Even if the role is very far away from me, to try and make it as nakedly me as possible is an intriguing notion. Jennifer Jason Leigh intriguing far-away trying
