Essie Davis Quotes

Powerful Essie Davis for Daily Growth

About Essie Davis

Essie Davis, born Elizabeth Davis on April 7, 1970, in Sydney, Australia, is an acclaimed actress known for her versatility and profound performances in both film and theatre. Raised in a family of artists – her father was a painter and her mother an actress – Essie's creative spirit was nurtured from an early age. She attended the National Institute of Dramatic Art (NIDA) after graduating from high school, where she honed her craft and developed a deep love for storytelling. Her career took off with roles in various Australian television shows before she gained international recognition for her portrayal of Nancy Bird-Walton in the film Beneath Hill 60 (2010). However, it was her role as Shirley Barrett in the horror-comedy film The Babadook (2014) that cemented Essie's status as a formidable actress. Her performance earned her numerous awards, including the AACTA Award for Best Actress and nominations at the British Independent Film Awards and Saturn Awards. In addition to her screen work, Essie has had an illustrious career in theatre, performing in productions such as Uncle Vanya (2013) and Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead (2008). Her dedication to the craft and her ability to embody complex characters have earned her a place among Australia's most respected actors. Essie Davis continues to captivate audiences with her performances, blending vulnerability and strength in a way that resonates deeply with viewers. Her work serves as a testament to the power of storytelling and the transformative potential of art.

Interpretations of Popular Quotes

"Life's full of twists and turns and sometimes you end up somewhere completely unexpected."

This quote by Essie Davis emphasizes the unpredictability and fluid nature of life. It suggests that our journey through life is not a straight path, but rather a winding road with many unexpected turns and twists. The quote encourages us to embrace the unexpected, as it often leads to new experiences, growth, and personal discoveries. It reminds us that while we may have plans or goals, life has a way of taking us in directions we might not anticipate – but these detours can sometimes lead to the most meaningful destinations.


"I always knew that I was going to be an actor, it was just part of my DNA."

This quote indicates that acting is a deeply ingrained and essential aspect of Essie Davis's identity. It suggests she felt destined or predisposed for a career in acting from the very beginning, as though it was an intrinsic part of her being.


"I think there is something very freeing about being able to step into another person's skin and tell their story."

This quote by Essie Davis highlights the liberating aspect of empathy and imagination, as it allows us to transcend our personal experiences and delve into the lives of others through storytelling. By stepping into another person's shoes, we can gain new perspectives, foster understanding, and share untold narratives that enrich our collective human experience. This process not only breaks down barriers but also deepens our empathy and compassion for one another, making us more connected as a global community.


"I would always rather be on stage than off it."

This quote by Essie Davis highlights her deep passion for stage acting, indicating that she prefers performing live on stage to any other situation or environment. The intensity of the connection with an audience, the immediate feedback, and the shared energy that comes from live theater make it more appealing to her than working offstage or in other mediums such as film or television. This profound enthusiasm for live performance reflects a true devotion to her craft and a desire to continually immerse herself in the unique experience of stage acting.


"There's nothing like the thrill of live performance, when you can feel the energy from the audience and feed off it."

This quote highlights the unique and electrifying experience that comes with a live performance. For performers like Essie Davis, there is an incomparable thrill in engaging directly with an audience – sensing their energy, feeding off their emotions, and creating a shared moment that transcends mere entertainment into a memorable, immersive event. This interplay between performer and spectator amplifies the artistic experience for both parties, making live performances a vital aspect of human connection and cultural expression.


I think every character rubs off on you a little bit.

- Essie Davis

Character, Think, I Think, Rubs

Everyone has a point of view about corporal punishment.

- Essie Davis

View, Everyone, Punishment

I've sung before, first in a band in high school and then in a band in Norway, but never in a musical.

- Essie Davis

Never, High, Musical, Norway

One of the things I have loved so much about the career that I have had is that pretty much every character I have played is diametrically opposite to the one before it.

- Essie Davis

Career, Pretty, Before, Diametrically

Even though I love fashion and the red carpet dresses are a great, fun, glorious thing, I don't really have my finger on the pulse, as Phryne Fisher does, of the fashion industry.

- Essie Davis

Love, Red, Industry, Fisher

Phryne Fisher could walk down the red carpet; Essie Davis is something else.

- Essie Davis

Could, Something Else, Davis, Fisher

I think the unemployment rate for actors is pretty much the same in Sydney, London and New York. In all three cities, there are more actors than there are jobs. But I do think that there are far more acting opportunities in London and New York than in Sydney, where there are approximately seven actors that you see over and over again in every play.

- Essie Davis

Play, London, I Think, Unemployment Rate

The news is so instantly available to us without delay, interpretation, or a filter. What is hot right now is streamed live without context or perspective.

- Essie Davis

News, Right, Available, Context

I'm incredibly ambitious, but I feel I've got a fantastic career, and I love the anonymity. I love that no one knows who I am.

- Essie Davis

Love, Career, Feel, Anonymity

Goals are essentially private things.

- Essie Davis

Private, Things, Essentially, Goals

'The Slap' is not like anything else. It's an incredibly well-written novel that has been turned into a great and intriguing series that reveals both less and more about each character than you learn in the book. It's a novel that has been given a second chance to live.

- Essie Davis

Second Chance, Been, Turned, Well-Written

Even if the Tonys aren't as glitzy as the Oscars, being a part of the ceremony is no less exciting.

- Essie Davis

Part, Exciting, Even, Ceremony

I miss my friends in London, and I really miss New York. But I also miss the stability of staying in one place and being able to just open a drawer if you've run out of sticky tape and chuck a new roll in the holder.

- Essie Davis

London, Roll, Staying, Stability

'The Custodian' was my first film, and there were so many lessons to learn in that week. It was really fun, but for me, I look at it as a training film, and I'm not really proud of my work in it.

- Essie Davis

Proud, Learn, Week, Custodian

Parenting is meant to be just a natural part of life. You just think you know how to do it but, of course, it's much more complicated than that.

- Essie Davis

Think, Natural, Meant, Meant To Be

I'm just a very fortunate actor who has not been typecast.

- Essie Davis

Actor, Been, Very, Typecast

I always knew I wanted to go to NIDA. I think I was very fortunate, and I do doubt myself often, but I didn't see any possibility of me not going to NIDA. I believed in myself, and I believed that, if you really do want something, you get it.

- Essie Davis

See, I Think, Very, Possibility

I have learnt a lot about theatre, and I would like to know the same about film.

- Essie Davis

Theatre, Same, Lot, Learnt

Acting is embarrassing.

- Essie Davis

Acting, Embarrassing

There are some jobs that you go for because achieving them would take your career in a direction that you would like it to go, but mostly, I want to play the roles and have had the great good fortune and opportunities to play some fantastic roles and been very, very fortunate.

- Essie Davis

Play, Some, Very, Good Fortune

Trying to get over to the 'on camera' side of things has been hard work.

- Essie Davis

Over, Been, Side, Camera

People who don't know how old I am can cast me as the woman in 'Girl with a Pearl Earring' and can cast me as Stella in 'Streetcar Named Desire,' and they are miles apart.

- Essie Davis

Woman, Desire, Named, Apart

I don't know if I want to walk down the street and have everyone staring. I think that would be awful. I'm a pretty shy person, really.

- Essie Davis

Think, Pretty, I Think, Staring

I wanted to be an actor, but only because I wanted to be everything, and that was the only way I could be a marine biologist as well.

- Essie Davis

Actor, Could, Wanted, Biologist

Being a mother impacts every aspect of your life. It's a rite of passage which gives you an entirely different outlook on things.

- Essie Davis

Passage, Being, Which, Outlook

I've really had a great career. It's been part fortune and part my own choices that steered my own career into playing the great roles that I've played on stage in Australia and at the National and West End in London and on Broadway.

- Essie Davis

Career, London, Been, Steered

I never said I wanted to be a movie star.

- Essie Davis

Never, Movie, Wanted, Movie Star

I'm a fan of mindfulness, and if colouring in is a way of reaching mindfulness, then I think it's great. But I'm amazed that anyone has the time to do that. I certainly don't.

- Essie Davis

Think, I Think, Certainly, Mindfulness

Film directors don't come to the theatre in Sydney. In London and New York, they do.

- Essie Davis

Theatre, New, Sydney, Film Directors

I have children, and they demand my full and complete attention. They get that when I'm at home, even during the night, but it is really hard, and I do wonder how a lot of women do it without bawling their eyes out every day.

- Essie Davis

Eyes, Every Day, Without, Wonder

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