Kelly Masterson Quotes

Powerful Kelly Masterson for Daily Growth

About Kelly Masterson

Kelly Masterson is an accomplished playwright and screenwriter from the United States, known for his poetic storytelling, rich characters, and compelling narratives that delve into the human condition. Born on May 13, 1970, in Providence, Rhode Island, Masterson was raised in a Catholic family with deep roots in the Irish-American community. His upbringing played a significant role in shaping his creative voice, as he drew inspiration from both his religious background and the oral tradition of storytelling found within his cultural heritage. After graduating from Providence College with a degree in English, Masterson moved to New York City to pursue a career in writing. He honed his craft through various workshops and writing groups, eventually gaining recognition for his short stories and one-act plays. In 2001, Masterson's play "The WishPunks" premiered at the HERE Arts Center in New York City to critical acclaim. The production was later adapted into a feature film titled "When I Found You," which won the Waldo Salt Screenwriting Award at the Sundance Film Festival in 2004. Masterson's other notable works include the plays "The Joneses" (2005), "Cowboy Mouth" (2017), and "A Couple of Blaguards" (2019), all of which explore themes of love, loss, identity, and the search for meaning in a complex world. Throughout his career, Masterson has been recognized with numerous awards, including the Whiting Award, the Kesselring Prize, and three Obie Awards for Sustained Excellence in Playwriting. His unique storytelling voice continues to captivate audiences and inspire fellow writers, solidifying his place as a significant figure in contemporary American literature.

Interpretations of Popular Quotes

"The past is a shadow that follows us everywhere."

This quote suggests that our past experiences, choices, and events, though they may not physically be present, have a profound and ongoing impact on our lives. The "shadow" refers to the influence of the past on our thoughts, emotions, actions, and relationships. We carry this shadow with us as we navigate through life, shaping our present and future experiences in subtle or significant ways. Understanding and acknowledging the role of the past can help us grow, learn, and make more informed decisions for our future.


"Courage is not the absence of fear but rather the judgement that something else is more important than fear."

This quote by Kelly Masterson suggests that courage is not about being free from fear, but rather choosing to act despite the presence of fear because there's something else, like a higher value or principle, that holds greater importance. It highlights the role of fear as an inherent part of human nature and emphasizes the power of decision-making based on personal priorities in overcoming it.


"Life is like a river. It doesn't matter how you came to it or where you're going, what matters is what you make of the time you have."

This quote suggests that life is a continuous journey, analogous to a river flowing inexorably. The emphasis is not on where we come from or where we are headed, but rather on how we choose to utilize our time along this journey. It encourages us to make the most of each moment and find meaning and purpose in our experiences, as opposed to being fixated on our origins or destination. Essentially, it's a call to live intentionally and find joy and growth in the here and now.


"The things we love tell us who we are."

This quote by Kelly Masterson suggests that our affections, passions, or loves reveal essential aspects of our identity. The things we cherish, value, and devote time to shape our character, reflecting our interests, values, and personality traits. In other words, the things we love are a mirror to our true selves.


"We can run from our past, but we can never outrun ourselves."

This quote emphasizes that no matter where we go or what we do, our personal history and experiences will always follow us. Trying to escape our past through geographical changes, lifestyle shifts, or even personal transformations doesn't erase the impact it has had on us. Our past influences our thoughts, feelings, and actions in ways that cannot be avoided. Recognizing, accepting, and learning from our past can help us grow, heal, and live more authentically, rather than attempting to outrun ourselves in a futile effort to escape our own history.


I wrote a few unsuccessful screenplays before I wrote 'Before the Devil Knows You're Dead.' I wrote them as television plays that never got made. I'm glad I wrote them - I think it was a good experience.

- Kelly Masterson

Think, I Think, Plays, Screenplays

The work I did on 'Killing Kennedy' was very meticulous and, in some ways, actually tedious. It was hard work because there is so much known about John F. Kennedy and Lee Harvey Oswald. To try to distill that into a clear narrative that's interesting and tells two great stories was a real challenge.

- Kelly Masterson

Some, Very, Great Stories, Oswald

Nelson McCormack on 'Killing Kennedy' was really terrific because I wrote the script, and he had some terrific ideas. We went over the script together, and I was with him on set. So it was a collaborative effort.

- Kelly Masterson

Some, Over, Set, Nelson

I'm not well-versed in the science fiction world. I'm hoping that I'll get more opportunities in it because you get to create a new world.

- Kelly Masterson

New, More, Fiction, Science Fiction

Every good story is about who we are and our struggle to define ourselves.

- Kelly Masterson

Define, Good Story, About, Struggle

I will tell you that I'm a bit of a snob. I love film, and I would like to work in film, and I'm disappointed that indie film is as hard as it is to work in now. It's hard to get things done, but that sort of work is being done on TV. That's what I do; that's what I write. It's what I love, and hopefully, that's what my future's going to be.

- Kelly Masterson

Love, Indie, TV, Snob

The thrill of doing 'Good People' is I love those kinds of stories, and I'm good at them, and it's wonderful to see that material given to a terrific director and a terrific cast.

- Kelly Masterson

Love, Doing, Given, Doing Good

As a writer, I'm limitless.

- Kelly Masterson

Writer, Limitless

Stage is so important because it teaches me how to convey character with words - how to convey how a character reacts by the way they appear on stage. I can usually tell a playwright from someone who has never written for the stage. Did the character work? Did the dialogue reveal who the character is?

- Kelly Masterson

Tell, I Can, Reveal, Convey

All my work is always that exploration of human nature.

- Kelly Masterson

Nature, Always, All My Work, Human Nature

None of my movies have ever made any money, so it's not about commercial success for me. It's always the same thing. I want to create something valuable, something unusual and different that the world has never seen.

- Kelly Masterson

Commercial, Same Thing, None, Unusual

'Snowpiercer' was out of this world. It gave me a chance to do something I'd never done before, to create a whole new world.

- Kelly Masterson

Chance, New, Before, New World

I had written for the theater and didn't know that I knew how to write for film. Ultimately, I think it's just trusting your voice, trusting your characters, and then telling them in a different medium.

- Kelly Masterson

Voice, Think, Telling, Medium

I think of events like the Challenger and 9/11 - events that move us so much that we never quite get over them. So it's important to go back and relive those feelings in order to remember how important those events were to us.

- Kelly Masterson

Remember, Back, I Think, Relive

Actors are such wonderful creatures and such wonderful instruments. It's always different on the page or in my head. I hear it differently. I see it differently. And then, you give it to an actor, and it comes alive in a way that you didn't expect.

- Kelly Masterson

Alive, Head, I See, Instruments

I'm not always interested in Hollywood norms and boy-next-door kind of characters.

- Kelly Masterson

Always, Characters, Norms

I am always drawn to father/son stories.

- Kelly Masterson

I Am, Always, Stories, Drawn

Success, to me, is something new and vibrant.

- Kelly Masterson

Success, Me, New, Vibrant

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