I’ve always been in the theater. I’ve always gone to it. That’s been my way to cope. Early on in my career, I remember running - fleeing - to the theater as a way of coping with all the meshugaas that was going on for me. Al Pacino More Quotes by Al Pacino More Quotes From Al Pacino I learned to wrestle, I learned defensive fighting at a young age, because when someone hit me, I would throw up and fall down. Al Pacino fighting age fall Vanity is my favourite sin. Al Pacino favourite vanity sin I used to say I wanted to genuflect to a woman, put her up on a pedestal higher and higher, way up beyond my grasp...Then I'd find another one. Al Pacino pedestal used way Francis Ford Coppola did this early on. You tape a movie, like a radio show, and you have the narrator read all the stage directions. And then you go back like a few days later and then you listen to the movie. And it sort of plays in your mind like a film, like a first rough cut of a movie. Al Pacino movie cutting play I hope the perception is that I'm an actor, I never intended to be a movie star. Al Pacino actors stars perception The actor becomes an emotional athlete. Al Pacino emotional actors athlete I found out how temperamental I am, yes. And that sometimes that can be kind of off-putting. Al Pacino be-kind kind sometimes Everything changes with age. The parts change with age, your feelings about them change, roles that I would've wanted to play 10 years ago, I don't want to play now. Al Pacino play feelings years A lot of acting is private time. Al Pacino acting Shakespeare's plays are more violent than 'Scarface.' Al Pacino violent play inspirational I want to be a great actor someday, and I've decided there's no use philosophizing; the only way is to work at my craft. Al Pacino actors acting use The literal, basic thing of the stage is really like a magnet. It brings me back to earth. Al Pacino magnet stage earth If I find something and feel as though I can contribute to [it] in a way and feel I'm in it, whatever that means, I'm expressing something that I feel is a way to exercise my talent and help communicate a role as a human being in a movie, I will do that. Al Pacino roles exercise mean When you perform with a live audience, the audience comes back to you, so that you and the audience are giving to each other, in a sense. It's an extraordinary thing. It's wild turf up there. Al Pacino extraordinary-things audience giving I'm constantly striving to break through to something new. You try to maintain a neutral approach to your work, and not be too hard on yourself. Al Pacino break-through strive trying You need some insecurity if you're an actor. It keeps the pot boiling. I haven't yet started to think about retiring. I was shocked when I heard about Paul Newman retiring at age 82. Most actors just fade away like old soldiers. Al Pacino insecurity retirement thinking I don't need bodyguards. I'm from the South Bronx. Al Pacino bodyguard bronx needs People are always asking me to do Shakespeare - at home, at colleges, on film locations, in restaurants. It's like playing a piece of music, getting all the notes. It's great therapy. Al Pacino college home people I didn't go for the needle at all. I never cared for drugs, because I saw what they did to most people. I thought that was the end of the road. Al Pacino saws drug people Did you know I started out as a stand-up comic? People don't believe me when I tell them. That's how I saw myself, in comedy. Al Pacino saws believe people