Ewan Mcgregor Quotes

I'm lucky enough that financially I don't have to feel obliged to go for the bigger stuff. I like the stories and scripts to dictate if I want to do them.

- Ewan McGregor

Lucky, Like, Stories, Dictate

Sometimes I feel like doing smaller budget stuff. When I did 'Young Adam', for instance, I'd come out of 'Black Hawk Down' and 'The Island', and I really wanted to be on a small film set. I wanted to be on something intimate and small again, and then 'Young Adam' cropped up in a pile of scripts I was sent.

- Ewan McGregor

Small, Doing, Smaller, Film Set

I don't pay much attention to career or what other people think. I've always been quite arrogant.

- Ewan McGregor

Career, Think, Always, Much Attention

I'm just looking for that moment to drop my Jedi knickers and pull out my real light saber.

- Ewan McGregor

Moment, Real, Drop, Just Looking

The script, I always believe, is the foundation of everything. And if you don't connect to that foundation, if you don't believe in that and feel that you wanna spend three, four months of your life exploring it, then all of the other elements are secondary.

- Ewan McGregor

Believe, Feel, Other, Secondary

From there I did a one year theatre acting course in Fife, and then three years of drama school in London.

- Ewan McGregor

London, Year, Then, Fife

I want to wear skinny jeans when I'm in my 70s. Why not? Who cares?

- Ewan McGregor

Want, Cares, Wear, Why Not

I'm sure it's not great fun for them, or for any parent, when their child says they want to be an actor, 'cos it's quite an uncertain business and it can be terribly hard for most actors.

- Ewan McGregor

Business, Parent, Sure, Great Fun

I'm just into making quality stuff if I can, with interesting people and good scripts. But it's very important that it's about something and that it says something. Otherwise, I don't know what the point is, really.

- Ewan McGregor

Good, Very, About, Scripts

So, no, I'm not trying to crack into Hollywood, although I'll make films there if they're good scripts.

- Ewan McGregor

Good, Hollywood, Films, Scripts

Then I left school at 16 and worked in Perth Repertory Theatre, which was quite nearby where I lived. And I worked there for about six or seven months, as part of the stage crew.

- Ewan McGregor

Six, Which, Months, Repertory

I think the script is the key. Regardless of how great everybody else is working on a film, if you're working on a script that you don't think is great, you're not gonna be able to make a great film. Whereas if the script is great, then you can.

- Ewan McGregor

Think, Everybody, I Think, Whereas

When you take away the phone and e-mail and you don't have a million things to run around to, it allows your mind the space to think more expansively about the things that matter.

- Ewan McGregor

Mind, Think, Away, E-Mail

I've played in pipe bands in Scotland, and I've always played guitars and drums and stuff.

- Ewan McGregor

Always, Pipe, Drums, Guitars

Mainly I was able to perform with music - I played the French horn, I would sing, and I was a drummer in the pipe band. So I think it was a way to show off.

- Ewan McGregor

Think, I Think, Perform, Pipe

Producing good stuff can be quite tough, and it involves a lot of frustration, but I always like things to be jolly and happy, and I forget that's actually not the point at the end of the day.

- Ewan McGregor

Always, Like, Involves, Jolly

When I was a kid I was much happier watching old movies than kids' TV, and I ended up watching all the old Ealing comedies.

- Ewan McGregor

Kid, Old, TV, Old Movies

I've always been really uninterested in politicians and the acts of the Houses of Parliament, or government as an idea. But I'm interested in politics in that I'm a member of the world, and I have strong feelings of right and wrong, but I can't get into the ins and outs of it.

- Ewan McGregor

Strong, Politics, Been, Feelings

My feeling about seeing the world is that it's going to change you necessarily, just the very fact of being out there and meeting people from different cultures and different ways of life.

- Ewan McGregor

Fact, Going, Very, Different Cultures

You can be playing a line some way and the director wants you to change that, or you can disagree. But I always think that the creative conversation between director and actor is what leads to good work.

- Ewan McGregor

Think, Some, Always, Conversation

I worked as a waiter when I was 15 and got a chance to appreciate good, simple food. There's nothing better than a boiled egg with toast.

- Ewan McGregor

Chance, Egg, Nothing, Toast

Ultimately, you have to not worry about people thinking you should have played him differently. You're the one playing the part so it has to be yours.

- Ewan McGregor

Worry, Part, About, Yours

I don't think having separate bathrooms is a key to a successful marriage, if you love one another.

- Ewan McGregor

Love, Think, Having, Key

Giving kids whatever they ask for is disastrous parenting. There's no sense of something earned. I'm sorry, but when you're 12, you don't need a new cell phone every few months just because a new one comes out.

- Ewan McGregor

Giving, No Sense, New One, Disastrous

I remember in Shallow Grave I remember a few times when we'd only have to do one take. But when you did have to do more than one, you'd build on the one you'd done.

- Ewan McGregor

I Remember, More, Grave, Shallow

I got married because I fell in love with this woman. I had a baby with her because we wanted to have children. But that's not because of some philosophical ideal at all, no.

- Ewan McGregor

Love, Woman, Some, Philosophical

A lot of parents tell their children that if they want to be an actor, that's fine, but they should do something else first, so they've got something to fall back on. It doesn't work like that, as far as I'm concerned.

- Ewan McGregor

Back, Tell, Concerned, As Far As

Once you've agreed the script, you must be willing to go as far as it needs to go on set.

- Ewan McGregor

Needs, Once, Set, As Far As

I'm fiercely proud to be Scottish.

- Ewan McGregor

Proud, Fiercely, Scottish

Everything you do on set is directly related to your imagination when you read the script for the first time.

- Ewan McGregor

Set, Your, Read, Directly

I left halfway through my third year to start Lipstick On Your Collar, which was the first thing I ever did.

- Ewan McGregor

Through, Collar, Which, The First Thing

Drama school can't make you a brilliant actor, but you can do stuff for three years - you're not going to be fired. You should just go for it all, even the stuff you think is codswallop.

- Ewan McGregor

Think, Fired, Brilliant, Drama School

I love acting and don't find it to be very hard. I recognize when I've nailed it, and I can be very proud of myself.

- Ewan McGregor

Love, Proud, Very, Nailed

I'm not a guy who takes films for strong political messages.

- Ewan McGregor

Strong, Political, Films, Messages

I love skiing, scuba diving and hang-gliding.

- Ewan McGregor

Love, Skiing, I Love, Diving

I find that the acting's getting easier - with experience, everything is more instinctual.

- Ewan McGregor

More, Find, Getting, Easier

I think rehearsal can be important if it's done in a way that works. Often, rehearsal can be a waste of time.

- Ewan McGregor

Think, Waste, I Think, Waste Of Time

I was born in '71, so I remember bits of glam rock on 'Top of the Pops' toward the late '70s, but I had no idea what kind of world it was. I didn't like the music, either.

- Ewan McGregor

I Remember, Like, Glam, No Idea

I think it's quite tricky for actors to release albums. It's difficult, because I'm an actor, you know, I'm not a musician. I love singing, but I don't have a big repertoire of songs that I've written; I mean, I've got a few, but nothing that I could fill an album with, and I don't want to do it just for the sake of it.

- Ewan McGregor

Love, Big, Albums, Sake

It's just fantastic to go out and meet people in the world and get to really remote places.

- Ewan McGregor

World, Places, Meet, Fantastic

I've done nudity in lots of things before. It's something that's never particularly bothered me.

- Ewan McGregor

Done, Before, Particularly, Bothered

I never imagined it wouldn't work out for me. I had that absolute certainty in myself that has seen me through, I think, and my parents were absolutely behind me all the way.

- Ewan McGregor

Think, Behind, Through, Certainty

For all of the hurtling towards climate change, there's also a lot more understanding of it than there was when we were kids. They don't call environmentalists tree huggers any more, so there's hope!

- Ewan McGregor

Change, Tree, More, Climate Change

The other two things are... well, I had a huge appetite for old black and white movies on BBC 2. At the weekends they used to run matinees, and the more romantic the better.

- Ewan McGregor

Other, Weekends, BBC, Appetite

As a child I was taken to the pantomime or the theatre and I would always, always fall in love with somebody on the stage. And want to have sex with them.

- Ewan McGregor

Love, Want, Always, Pantomime

I find politicians so desperately boring. I don't trust them and don't believe in them.

- Ewan McGregor

Trust, Boring, Find, Politicians

If you want to produce really horrible, obnoxious kids, say yes to them all the time.

- Ewan McGregor

Want, Say, Yes, Obnoxious

I played music all through school and I kind of performed that way.

- Ewan McGregor

Music, School, Through, Performed

Success is tricky to deal with, both professionally and in your personal life.

- Ewan McGregor

Success, Success Is, Deal, Professionally

I really want to play Princess Leia. Stick some big pastries on my head. Now that would be interesting.

- Ewan McGregor

Play, Big, Some, Princess

I don't do things lightly; I don't take a job then just phone it in - I've never done that.

- Ewan McGregor

Never, Things, Take, Phone

At school there was no acting to be had other than school plays which I did now and again.

- Ewan McGregor

Other, Which, Plays, School Plays

I found my partner, my life partner, and I really am in love with my wife, and we have a lovely time, and we share a long history together and children together, and that's it.

- Ewan McGregor

Love, My Life, Lovely, Partner

If you're suddenly doing something you don't want to do for four years, just so you've got something to fall back on, by the time you come out you don't have that 16-year-old drive any more and you'll spend your life doing something you never wanted to do in the first place.

- Ewan McGregor

Doing, Back, By The Time, Suddenly

I like to dance, but it's not my weekend activity. I'm not a clubber.

- Ewan McGregor

Weekend, Activity, Like, Dance

I'm in a position where I can do many things most people just daydream about.

- Ewan McGregor

Most, Things, About, Daydream

I trained in the theatre and I love the theatre. I get such a thrill seeing anything in the theatre.

- Ewan McGregor

Love, Theatre, I Love, Thrill

It's not my job to try and alter the director's style - he's in charge, and I'll always give him my trust.

- Ewan McGregor

Trust, Give, Always, Alter

No, no I'm not, no, but I just think... when people are naked it tells you a lot about their relationships.

- Ewan McGregor

Think, Naked, About, Relationships

I certainly have no plans to leave London. It's a great town.

- Ewan McGregor

Plans, Town, Certainly, London

I like the idea of being a sculptor. Just me alone, making something - that solitary existence.

- Ewan McGregor

Alone, Making, Sculptor, Solitary

The thing about parenting rules is there aren't any. That's what makes it so difficult.

- Ewan McGregor

Difficult, About, Makes, Rules

I was nine years old when I made up my mind that that was what I definitely wanted to do.

- Ewan McGregor

Mind, Wanted, Definitely, Nine

Conservative's the last thing I am.

- Ewan McGregor

I Am, Last, Am, Conservative

I left it for seven years before going back on stage. I know now not to leave it so long.

- Ewan McGregor

Back, Going, Before, Seven

It's important, that spirit of youth, and when you're 16 that can get you kickstarted.

- Ewan McGregor

Important, Spirit, Get, Youth

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