You cheeky bugger! 😂
No, seriously. I really like this quote. Just because he’s making light of the burden that a fandom can possibly be. It comes with a certain amount of responsibility. Despite my recent quibbles, I have always thought that RA has been reasonably appreciative of the fact that there are people closely following – and supporting – his career. I don’t mind if he occasionally makes a little bit of fun of us. It means that he is aware and generally grateful. I also like that he doesn’t take being seen as a heart throb too seriously. Mind you, this quote is pretty old, so most probably the novelty of being admired by thousands of women has worn off… Maybe someone should ask that question once again…
Throw your favourite quote at me, too!
Guylty Pleasure 
I love that quote because at the time I feel that he meant it fondly. Nowadays, I’m not sure he feels the same way.
The quote I want to share is this one: http://richardarmitagequotes.tumblr.com/image/142523994264
He’s said many things over the years – obviously – but there’s something that baffled me at the time, although I’ve come to believe what he meant is that he’s a creator of an artistic portrayal. Then again, who knows. 😉
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maybe it’s that he has those emotions inside of him already, although he may have to dig deep to find them, so he’s not technically ‘pretending’ b/c they are him already, in fragmented ways.
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That sounds pretty true… method acting…?
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Thanks, Kelly. I hadn’t considered that. 🙂
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Interesting quote. My first response is – he is talking about ‘becoming the character’, therefore he is not pretending, but ‘being’. The method approach, I guess.
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Yes, you’re in the right line, Guylty. The “I’m not pretending” thing is a fairly common statement among actors (especially since they often have the label of “liar” attached to their profession). It was popularized by the acting teacher Sanford Meisner, whose techniques have some elements of “method” in them, but also have some more pragmatic aspects. He said, “Acting is behaving truthfully under imaginary circumstances.”
Its that “behaving truthfully” part that actors hold on to. They try to respond and make honest, emotionally and motivationally truthful choices and actions under the circumstances they’re playing. That gives their performances a greater ring of authenticity than what they consider “pretending”, which has a way of putting on airs, so to speak. Actors who try to behave truthfully in their work actually get less capable of pretending to be something they’re not in real life.
This behaving truthfully thing is also reflected in his “I try to forget I’m an actor, especially when acting” quote. In the moment, to think about how you’re going to act this thing can get in the way of honest, spontaneous responses. But to commit to the imaginative circumstances of the character, forgetting “actor” and entering into “character” means he tries to focus and act honestly as the character.
My apologies if I’m pedantic! I’ll stop now.
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That was not pedantic in any way – it was really interesting and insightful. And it really explains how acting is “done”. I mean, as an outsider, who has trouble keeping a straight face just when telling a little lie, I often wonder how a human being can “pretend” (for want of a better word) to be someone else. But as you describe it, it makes perfect sense. Putting themselves into the character’s shoes and imagining the circumstances. Maybe acting is the wrong word for this altogether – maybe it is better described by “REacting” – i.e. reacting to a set of imaginary circumstances. That’s what makes it believable. That’s how they *become* the character… All of that, of course, needs a high level of sensitivity, as well as a high level of concentration in order to forget their *real* existence and thoughts. Amazing skills, in any case.
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You make a good point!
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https://m.facebook.com/RichardArmitageQuotes/photos/a.506504369384756.1073741829.506488062719720/653385338029991/?type=3
This quote has remained with me ever since the first time I read it.
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Wow, that is a quote of almost aphoristic quality… Yes, the human spirit is way more impressive – and interesting in many ways. Thanks for posting that!
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Ode to Scilence.
Do I remember an Armitage quote?
Not a one that he once spoke.
I know there have been many,
But, crap, I can’t remember any.
I wish I could recall a random word,
But where RA is concerned,
I have seen and not heard.
Kathy Jones
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😂😂😂 Kathy – priceless as ever. And honest, too – sure, what do we care what the man says. As long as he looks good…
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“I know, it’s true, I did have the biggest sword among all the dwarves… I’m sorry, you can cut that out.”
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That was a very naughty, cheeky thing he said… 😂 He seemed to be going through a whole innuende phase there with Thorin. Remember the time when he talked about training his right hand???tststststs
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Oh, I miss those tiny, naughty slip ups.
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I like the quote about “us” and I’m sure he appreciates the support he gets. There are so many quotes, I love his interviews, I used to do edits with his quotes. I’ve always liked this one about the challenges of being chosen to be part of The Hobbit: https://ro.pinterest.com/pin/252483122842356120/ . There is also a quote that fires up my imagination: “Before bed, I’ll have a bath, then look at the long, linear pile of books by my bed” – I rarely imagine stories about meeting him but when I do, the pile of books its there too!
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I missed the run-up to the filming of TH, and never witnessed the controversy over him getting the role. I almost feel sorry for him, having to work at becoming Thorin, knowing that there were very adamant critics out there. (Mind you, that’s probably a reality every time they are playing a literary character.) He did very well, and it probably did help that he was aware of the criticism. It looks as if it spurred him on.
Oh, I like that “book” quote… I can relate to that. I have three “linear piles of books” beside my bed (and no bath beforehand)…
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Not sure I can beat the army of women quote. But recently he said something during the ComicBook.com Oct. 11, 2016 interview that had me howling because it answered an oft discussed question.
He was asked “How do we know you’re really English?” which I thought was rather rude but, without missing a beat, Mr. A responded, “There is one way, but I’m not going to show you. That would get a bit rude.” That completely flummoxed the interviewer who stammered and even mentioned later that he was stlll thinking about that answer.
Just thinking about it now has me chuckling all over again at the ensuing online discussions that followed.
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That was one of those double-take moments. As in “what??? did I really hear that right? Did he really say that???” I knew exactly what he meant, and I enjoyed the fact that he made that kind of slightly dubious remark…
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Lol – und eine Armee von (verliebten) Frauen ist bestimmt nützlicher……
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Killing with love, sozusagen.
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