Patricia Norris Quotes

It's always interesting researching characters and as I get older and the more that I work in this business, I do more and more of it because I realize how important it is.

A character who is thought-out is not born, he or she is contrived. A born character is round, a thought-out character is flat.

The strange thing is, if I was speaking to drama students about the thing that you should do if you're lucky enough to know or to meet the character that you're playing, I'd say, 'It's obvious: you quiz them diligently about their experience.'

Costume design is so important and really helpful, and I really love that aspect of character development, just figuring it out.

I generally don't feel the need to do more research than is necessary to play the part for me, to inform me.

I love spending time researching a character and reading about them.

I love those preliminary conversations about who a character is. You try on wigs, shoes and clothes. It's preferable when it's not about looking pretty. It can get a little dull to just be cute. We talk about things like, maybe my character can't afford these Christian Louboutins.

I try to begin with a strong grasp of my characters. Even if it's schematic, I need it clear in my head who these people are.

I do build my own backstory as an actor. It's important to know where your characters have come from in order to know where they're going - in order to exist in that state of being.

I design for the movie and the character as well as the person wearing the costume. I show the ideas to the actor, then do fittings for shape and technical things such as movement in the costume. Once the costume in this form is on the actor, you have a sense of their connection with it. I then take it to the next level with the final fit.

I try to build a full personality for each of our cartoon characters - to make them personalities.

I design all of the costumes for my movies, actually.

I've got to write about my character every day. I've got to find out where he lives, what bus he catches to school, and stuff like that. You've got to know every little thing about him so when you do it, it feels natural.

My favorite part about working in theater is the rehearsal process. I absolutely love the rehearsal process. Working out the characters, figuring the character out, and the relationships between the different characters. I love all of that, which, unfortunately in film, you get very little opportunity to have.

When you're building a character, or at least when I'm building a character, you start saying, 'How am I going to make people like him?'

I had a lot of fun with my costume designer.

I like to take a character and develop it.

You always have to create the character from the ground up.

Developing characters is a strange thing. In the beginning they are abstract and I wonder how to move on from there.

I think for everyone it's good to have your own personal work on a character and a film before you even start rehearsing, to have an inner life.

Don't set pen to paper until you know your main characters inside out. Create files detailing their appearances, likes, dislikes, and personal background. You may not use all the information, but it is a crucial step in planning your story.

I try to do as much as possible for every character. Some of them, it is easier to do the research because you have either real examples that you work with, maybe some specific person that inspires you in that case, or the performances from other people, or the characters, or a character from a book.

What I'm really trying to do is create unique characters.

I think that the most important thing for me is, how is the character that I would be reading for? Is it interesting? Is there stuff to do? Are there things that you can do with the character? How can you play it out? Just those kinds of things that are very important for an actor. Also, a good director and good dialogue.

For me, plot always comes out of character, so I had to be sure of my characters.