James Franco

“My style is casual-chic? Casual-messy?”

“The general view is that actors start on soaps and then maybe graduate to prime-time television or film; normally you don't see a film actor going to do a soap.”

“My favorite role ever was Alien in 'Spring Breakers'.”

“Of course there are some actors that are better than others and performances that are better than others, but they're always embedded in the greater film. They are mediated through the work of so many other people: the director directs, the lighter sets the scene, the editors edit, the music gets put to it.”

“When I research a role it does get a little crazy and maybe even a little stupid.”

“Reviews about film acting are very... tricky, because movies are such a collaborative thing.”

“I don't need a vacation in the traditional sense, like I would if I had a job I hated.”

“If the work is good, what does it matter? I'm doing it because I love it. Why not do as many things I love as I can? As long as the work is good.”

“I don't go on vacation. I don't really need vacation.”

“I feel like because I've done more gay characters, gay scenes, or gay projects than most straight actors, people see it as some sort of mission. It's more of a case-by-case basis, and just trying to capture figures that I love. I guess that a lot of the figures that I love were gay.”

“School allowed me to have outlets so that some of the pressure was taken off the acting. Every role in every movie, I used to live or die by. Once I had these new outlets, I relaxed a lot more.”

“I love to bring humour into my work. Because comedy is not a huge part of the art world. And big-business film takes itself very seriously.”

“Acting is an art form and you want to take roles that are challenged and it's more of a challenge I think to play dark characters. Not that I want to always play those, but it is a challenge and challenges are rewarding and fun.”

“Directing, editing, and everything about filmmaking has definitely changed me as an actor.”

“The first piece of art that I ever bought-when I could afford it-was a Warhol sketch from the period when he was just getting out of doing commercial work and more into art. It's a sketch of a young guy's face. I guess the gallery that I bought it from thought I would like it because the young guy kind of looked like James Dean.”

“When we were doing 'Freaks and Geeks', I didn't quite understand how movies and TV worked, and I would improvise even if the camera wasn't on me. I thought I was helping the other actors by keeping them on their toes, but nobody appreciated it when I would trip them up. So I was improvising a little bit back then, but not in a productive way.”

“It had happened. I had brought the dream out into reality and it had dissolved. It was just a dream and had found no purchase in the real world where it was dependent on other people for its realization. I wished that I could have sucked my words back inside where they had lived a colorful life of promise, had been nurtured by hope, and had never been tested”

“I might have to stumble a little bit more in public than others, but that's fine, I don't mind, I've developed a thick skin.”

“You work really hard to make it, and maybe you get some acclaim, but then you realize there are certain limitations as an actor.”

“I get like six or so hours of sleep a night.”