I like connecting with people, and that's what good art is, a point of connection. There's nothing better, on stage or on film, than feeling like you've achieved that. Ruth Negga More Quotes by Ruth Negga More Quotes From Ruth Negga I've gone into auditions and I think they have an assumption about me when they see my photo and then I open my mouth and they say, 'Where exactly are you from? And you were born in Ethiopia? But you're Irish, but you also kind of sound English. That's really strange.' They want to put you in a box in LA, that's how they tend to do it there, so if you don't fit in that box, it makes it more difficult. Ruth Negga mouths want thinking When you work with directors who really love actors, who love their contribution, it feels amazing. But sometimes when you work with directors, you feel like youre in the way. Ruth Negga actors directors way Never think that one voice is too small to be heard. Ruth Negga thinking I grew up in a lot of different places, so I pick up accents pretty quickly. Ruth Negga accents grew-up different Ninety percent of my roles, I've had to fight for. It's only a really small percentage of people who get handed roles. But that can be quite scary. The good thing about auditioning is that you get to test yourself and see if you can play this character - you're also auditioning yourself. I enjoy seeing what the chemistry is between the people you might be working with. Ruth Negga fighting character people I am not hugely famous; I am not a name. For me, it's not the size of the role, it's the material and the people you are working with. Ruth Negga roles names people You don't come to see a Greek play and not want blood and gore and depth of feeling from your boots up. Ruth Negga greek play blood If people want to invade your privacy, they want to invade your privacy. I find it chilling, and I find it awful, and it makes me really nervous. It hasn't happened to me much, but when you have a taste of it, it's bitter. Ruth Negga awful want people There's a pressure on actors to get somewhere before it's over. But everyone wants longevity, don't they? It's a career. Why be that flash-in-the-pan, taking every job out of worry it'll soon be over? Ruth Negga careers worry jobs I've always been very talkative, very chatty, quite hyperactive. I grew up with a lot of cousins, and most of them were boys. Four in particular and I were the demolition squad. Havoc. Ruth Negga cousins always talkative squad I work best when there's a safety trampoline of kindness. Ruth Negga best safety kindness work I think if we don't understand history, if we don't keep referring back to it, we become complacent. And complacency, as we all know, it leads to repeating history. Ruth Negga understand think know history The god of theater laughs in your face at planning. You can't plan as an actor; there's no way, because so much of it is dependent on other people's choices and decisions that you're at the whim of fate, really. Ruth Negga face you god people I'm interested in the idea that we all start off as these lovely little babies with all this potential but that circumstances mean that we don't always live the life we should. Ruth Negga live start circumstances life Violence in film and television is an ongoing conversation, and I like eavesdropping on it, but I'm never sure what my opinion is. I like watching creative violence, but I don't know. Ruth Negga know opinion violence conversation I don't like the term 'colour-blind' - because I don't want people to be blind to my colour. Ruth Negga colour blind want people Stories about race and identity pique my interest for obvious reasons. That's in my body, my brain, my history, my memories - it's all part of my toolbox as an actor. Ruth Negga identity brain memories history I think a lot of actors feel like outsiders or miscreants. This profession provides an opportunity to play out all the different parts of ourselves. Ruth Negga feel think play opportunity When you connect to someone on a human level, and you get to know about them, you can begin to love the things that make them different. That's when fear dissipates, and that's when we can live the life that we're all supposed to be living. Ruth Negga you fear love life I'm not in any rush to get anywhere. There's a pressure on actors to get somewhere before it's over. But everyone wants longevity, don't they? It's a career. Why be that flash-in-the-pan, taking every job out of worry it'll soon be over? Ruth Negga everyone job pressure worry