Simon Helberg

“Failing passionately is a success in its own right.”

“I've learned over time that human beings tend to want to do more than they have the courage to do or that the social contract will allow them to do.”

“Stephen Frears is brilliant and has made movies that inspired me for my whole life.”

“I have great instincts, like the instincts of a squirrel. You know, like when you're driving and a squirrel stops in the middle of the road.”

“As an actor, you always want to root for your characters.”

“Playing piano well is one thing, but attempting to play at concert level accompanying Meryl Streep while Stephen Frears is filming you in front of hundreds of people is - well - psychotic.”

“When I was young, I believe I met Nicolas Cage. I think I was probably eight, and I remember seeing him at somebody's house - it was an event, and he happened to be there.”

“I grew up surrounded by sketch comedy.”

“I actually struggled through teaching myself to cook because I'm completely ignorant in the kitchen. So I did really macho things like trying to make my own curry. Really hardcore stuff.”

“I would say Mick Jagger plus Mr. Furley equals Howard Wolowitz.”

“There's a lot of closeted nerds out there.”

“In America, the first thing people say is, 'What do you do?'”

“I think working for the audience, for me, is the most fun. It's really a chance for something to work towards. It's where everything kind of comes together, and you have to make it work. You have all these people who are sitting there, wanting to have a good time and wanting to laugh. You really have no choice but to pull 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.”

“My parents tried to convince me that school won't always be there, but auditions will. I said, 'Really? Are they tearing down NYU?'”

“Every time we do anything artistic, the way it's perceived is always going to be different from the way that we had intended it to be because it's subjective.”

“I think there's a freedom in freeing yourself of the baggage of ability.”

“When you see someone putting themselves out there, particularly when you see someone is failing and failing so passionately, it brings up this bittersweet connection to our mortality.”

“I do have sometimes a difficult time watching myself.”

“My dad was one of the original members of the Groundlings, and I watched him as an actor have ups and downs, and I watched my mom as a casting director have ups and downs.”