Originally I studied as a musician, a classical pianist. That was my career before I took up acting in my late 20s. Christian McKay More Quotes by Christian McKay More Quotes From Christian McKay I am the only actor who ever had to lose weight to play Orson Welles. Christian McKay actors weight play People say to me now, Oh, youve given up the piano. How can you? Music is a virus. Christian McKay viruses piano people One of my earliest memories is of bashing the keyboard with my hands, my chubby little baby hands, and I remember the sound hitting my face. It became my toy. Christian McKay baby memories hands Never count your chickens before you can stick a fork into them. Christian McKay forks chickens sticks I was always jealous of my violinist friends and cellist friends who traveled with their instruments. Christian McKay cellists instruments jealous I personally think Chimes of Midnight is a much better film than Citizen Kane. Christian McKay citizens midnight thinking I want to record Goyescas by Granados, which has been a great love of mine since I was a teenager. Christian McKay great-love teenager records I'm told I was acting in school plays when I was a tiny little boy at the age of three, so they must have seen something then. And even when I was practicing piano eight hours a day, I was still doing school plays. Christian McKay eight boys school Film is limitless, but some stage presentations on film can look too theatrical. Christian McKay limitless film looks Like so many people, I only remembered Orson Welles as this huge, fat, bearded figure selling wine in TV commercials. So whenever anyone said I looked like Orson Welles I said that I wasnt that fat, and I would get on a diet, quickly. Christian McKay tvs wine people Some actors play themselves, don't they? Christian McKay actors play Men love women but, even more than that, men love cars. Christian McKay car men I always wanted to be an independent maverick, writing plays and putting them on myself. Christian McKay independent play writing I once met a man who was a billionaire, and I said to him: 'Are you a self-made man?' - and he turned around and said: 'No man is self-made;' and certainly, if you want to make films or get into television or even theatre, the amount of help that you need, the amount of people who need to give you a helping hand is extraordinary. Christian McKay you man people television I was at the Royal Shakespeare Company, where I thought, in my naivete, I'd stay for the rest of my career. I'd thought I'd work up through the ranks and go from spear carrier - or in my case, the eunuch, which was several rungs below the spear carrier - to King Lear. Christian McKay king rest thought work Do I have any potential as an actor? I don't know. I'm still wondering. But acting has kind of taken over. Christian McKay potential over know acting I'm very happy in my 18th century worker's cottage in Kent and playing my music for the dog-walkers paused outside. Christian McKay playing outside music happy It's more difficult playing a real-life person than a fictional character - you can go easy on yourself with a fictional character. Christian McKay yourself you easy character Now I have an agent, a manager, a lawyer, a publicist, all the king's horses and all the king's men. Christian McKay king manager lawyer men I hope I have quite a few great roles to come. Christian McKay quite come great hope
