Kevin Kline Quotes

Most of the comedies I’ve done have been rather farcical and extravagant.

Dogs do have feelings. I gather.

Nobody sees the same movie. I’m sure there are people who saw Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid and thought “Finally a gay movie about men who really care about each other. Thank God!” That’s not what I saw necessarily but I don’t think any two people see the same movie.

I had studied piano since I was 13, but I was surrounded by students who’d been playing since they were 5. I realized I was never going to be anything but mediocre.

Ambition without contribution is of no significance.

I don’t like talking about myself. I don’t like talking about my personal life.

I just don’t think I’m a very good singer.

But you have to trust your instincts. Because you’re not going to try it 20 different ways during rehearsal. You’ll try it two or three different ways, maybe, but then you’ve got five other scenes you’re shooting that day. You’ve got to keep going.

Nothing makes an actor feel freer and more inventive and more creative than being trusted.

I’m a real pushover for animals.

When you have satire, it has to be real. No matter how outrageous the comedy becomes, you have to believe in the characters.

I see God as a song-and-dance man. If I had my way, he’d be able to carry a tune, too. Preferably, one of mine.

Dogs do have feelings, I gather.

I think every American actor wants to be a movie star. But I never wanted to do stupid movies, I wanted to do films.

I totally related to Cole Porter’s magnetic pull to any piano that was in the room, which he was famous for doing, as was Gershwin. You couldn’t drag them away from a piano.

Lots of people fantasize about what it would be like if they were president… Most think they’d be decent and wouldn’t be corrupted at all, that they’d remain true to themselves.

We’re all animals, but we’re a different sort of animal. Maybe they’re better than us. They’re more loyal. They’re more pure. They’re more simple. They’re not neurotic. Well, there are some neurotic dogs.

People ask, ‘What’s the best role you’ve ever played?’ The next one.

I vowed I would never do a commercial, or a soap opera – both of which I did as soon as I left the Acting Company and was starving.

Hindsight. It’s like foresight without a future.

I like variety, which is frustrating. But I’ve always been picky. I was afraid Pirates would be too much like Twentieth Century, broad comedy. But my agent talked me into it. I was spoiled by the range of a repertory theater.

You know, actors are fans, too. And talent is very attractive to me.