Role Progression Quotes

My goal was always to get better roles, and in my case, performing on stage really led to great opportunities. My breakthrough came when I did Calder Willingham's 'End as a Man' on stage and was spotted by Max Arnow, who'd been the casting chief for Columbia.

I was 12 when it really hit me. I did children's theatre camp during the summers and played a fairy in 'A Midsummer Night's Dream.' The next summer, I played Clytemnestra in 'Agamemnon' and I was like, 'OK, this is amazing.'

I feel that, for each show I've been doing, there's a character that dominates. Then in the next show it plays a smaller part, and then in the next it has a sort of cameo piece. So they all have their moment.

When I was 8, my dad asked me if I wanted to audition, just for fun. I did just a little short film, and I liked it. I just kept doing it, and then I started getting bigger auditions for bigger roles.

I had been playing really interesting roles before I got great roles. Little ones - 'The Crying Game' I loved working on, and then 'Bird,' 'Ghost Dog,' so many films.

Usually, at the end of a film it's like I've finally gotten to know this person completely, and then we're done. That actually happened on the set of 'Twilight,' and then it happened again on 'New Moon.' Each time my character Bella became a different person, and I got to know that person and take her to the next level.

My character started off on 'Chicago P.D.' as the brother to Detective Jake Halstead, and then I also played on 'Chicago Fire.' So, I really worked on both shows before 'Chicago Med' even started.

It's what I've always wanted to do and each part you play gets you closer and closer to the roles that you dreamed of playing.

I really enjoy the constant change in TV. It's fun to play a character that is, hopefully, growing and developing over a long period of time.

I did the plays in middle school. I was cast as a gate in my fourth grade play, and every year I got a bigger role. Then, in 7th grade, I played Smike in 'Nicholas Nickleby,' and the casting director saw me and asked me to audition for a movie. That movie led to me getting 'Moonrise Kingdom.'

We start off wearing frilly shirts and britches and being good guys and the heroes. And then as time goes on, every English actor ends up playing bad guys. That's what we do.

When I began my journey in films, I never thought I'd be playing the lead in my films and was keen to move ahead with roles that give me scope to act.

I think it's just growth, and development, timing. I've been fortunate to be around for a long time. Allowed me to get better as an actor. Allowed me to play better roles.

The progression of roles you take strings together a portrait of an actor, but it's a completely random process.

Get yourself into every audition that you can. Even in those for smaller roles, you'll never know when someone may recommend you for a bigger one.

Now it comes to this stage of my career when I get to play the wicked witch all the time. You know you start off with Cinderella and then you end up playing the stepmothers.

I just try to play more and more difficult roles.

Sometimes you have to do a role that might not be the most interesting, but it will set you up for doing roles that you want to do.