Darren Criss Quotes

As a composer and as a musician I'm a true believer - and this is not to be overly diplomatic - I'm a believer that there's artistry in everything from a lawn gnome to a desk chair to a symphony to an Andy Warhol painting. There's art in absolutely everything.

- Darren Criss

Hollywood is a strange, strange thing. I feel like I've been invited to a very exclusive ball and I'm just trying to make nice with everybody and hope that if they kick me out they'll at least give me a ride home.

- Darren Criss

I'm in a real minority as far as having really supportive parents in regards to the arts. They never batted an eye as far as not letting me do that stuff. That's invaluable. I can't believe how unabashedly supportive they were about everything, between music and acting.

- Darren Criss

I've always loved Broadway, but I never thought I'd actually do it because I was never a full Broadway dancer. And I don't have a big, booming voice.

- Darren Criss

I'm this goofball. I look at myself in the mirror, and the person that I know doesn't match up to what I think people love to perceive me as.

- Darren Criss

I remember seeing 'Aladdin' when I was five or six and loving it. I looked at the big screen and said to my mum, 'Whatever this Genie guy does, I want to do.' Mum said I couldn't be a genie, but that Robin Williams, who did the voice-over in the film, was an actor. So I said, 'OK, then, I want to be an actor.'

- Darren Criss

I'm very specific and ambitious in plotting out my goals and never take no for an answer - so it's not like things just fall in my lap.

- Darren Criss

For me, I think everybody with half a heart tries to do their best to do their part of good during the holiday season.

- Darren Criss

I was inadvertently raised in the 'gay community.' I had straight parents, but I spent massive amounts of time at a very early age with gay, theater-hopeful thirty-somethings.

- Darren Criss

When I was in college, I was in the theater department, which for anyone who has been involved in any kind of theater program, you know that it's really wacky and tight-knit, a real family. Me and my good friends from college would do random shows and plays that were sometimes serious, but most of the time really goofy and funny.

- Darren Criss

I'm like any other composer. If you give me five years to write a symphony, I'm still going to be asking for more time two days before it's due.

- Darren Criss

I think people love to attach themselves to the idea of an overnight success. That may be true about me.

- Darren Criss

I mean, come on, Beyonce's the queen of pop music. She's the queen. If you could run for queen... I would put her name in the suggestion box. She's incredible.

- Darren Criss

I always shoot for the moon in my work, so that I'm happy when I land on the roof.

- Darren Criss

I never let my politics supersede my manners.

- Darren Criss

I have an unabashed adoration of cheesy pop music.

- Darren Criss

Theater is a living creature. It takes a while to break in, like a new pair of shoes.

- Darren Criss

When I play live in restaurants and cafes, I don't play my own stuff. I play jazz and 'American Songbook' standards, and I'll fuse it with top 40.

- Darren Criss

I don't shave when I'm not working.

- Darren Criss

As an actor it's your job to empathise with your character regardless of whether they have a different sexual orientation, spiritual beliefs, or anything.

- Darren Criss

Fashion is about owning whatever you're wearing, regardless of if it's a high fashion statement or not.

- Darren Criss

I'm ambitious in the sense that I raise the bar high for myself.

- Darren Criss

As a musician, I hear the harmonic value of everything - I just enjoy music.

- Darren Criss

We are a categorically obsessed culture, where we have to compartmentalize everything in reference to another thing, like, 'What does it sound like? Does it sound like this?'

- Darren Criss

I play mostly guitar, and I played drums in my brother's band for a while growing up.

- Darren Criss

I've always enjoyed fashion and dressing up for things, whether it's high fashion or play fashion.

- Darren Criss

It's always important to recognize your situation and not take it for granted.

- Darren Criss

I believe singing should be like being an actor. People shouldn't have any problem buying an actor being in a comedy or a drama or a horror film. That should be the same way with music.

- Darren Criss

I'm incredibly anal about everything that I do.

- Darren Criss

I mean, part of me would love to be a fat tenured professor of theater someday.

- Darren Criss

I don't take breaks, man, I'm always doing something.

- Darren Criss

I'm always just waiting for someone to cut me off; I'm a chatty guy.

- Darren Criss

I wish I was old Hollywood.

- Darren Criss

The cool thing about music is no one can take music away from you, writing wise.

- Darren Criss