Lance Henriksen Quotes

Powerful Lance Henriksen for Daily Growth

About Lance Henriksen

Lance Henriksen, born on May 5, 1940, in New York City, is an esteemed American actor, voice actor, and musician who has left an indelible mark in the film industry with his versatile performances spanning over five decades. Raised in Minnesota, Henriksen was exposed to various forms of art due to his parents' interest in theater. This early exposure ignited a passion within him that would eventually lead him to acting. His professional journey began in the 1960s, with small roles on television and stage. However, it was his portrayal of Detective Larry Drake in the police drama series "Cade's County" (1973-1977) that brought him initial recognition. The role also led to a significant turning point when he was cast as the android Bishop in Ridley Scott's seminal science fiction film, "Alien" (1979). This iconic role catapulted Henriksen into international stardom and opened doors for more diverse roles, such as the enigmatic Frank Black in the television series "Millennium" (1996-1999). Throughout his illustrious career, Henriksen has displayed an uncanny ability to embody complex characters with emotional depth and intrigue. His notable works include roles in "The Terminator" franchise, "Aliens," "Near Dark," "Pumpkinhead," and the critically acclaimed drama "The Quick and the Dead." Beyond acting, Henriksen is also a skilled musician who has collaborated with musicians such as Peter Gabriel and Tina Turner. Today, Lance Henriksen continues to captivate audiences with his compelling performances and multifaceted talent. His contributions to film and television have cemented his status as one of the most respected actors in the industry.

Interpretations of Popular Quotes

"Fear is the cheapest room in the house. I would like to see you living in better conditions."

This quote by Lance Henriksen suggests that fear is a state of being that one should aspire to overcome, as it often leads to a life lived passively and without growth. He encourages us to strive for a more fulfilling existence, one that is not confined or dictated by the paralyzing effects of fear. Instead, he invites us to move beyond these self-imposed limitations and step into a life full of courage, adventure, and personal development.


"You can always tell what kind of a person a man is by the way he treats his inferiors, not his equals."

Lance Henriksen's quote underscores that a person's character can be discerned through their interactions with those who are subordinate to them, rather than those considered as equals. This suggests that true compassion, respect, and integrity are demonstrated in how one treats others when they hold more power or influence. It implies that kindness and empathy are universal values and serve as an important measure of a person's moral compass.


"The greatest trick the Devil ever pulled was convincing the world he didn't exist."

This quote suggests that often, the most dangerous or influential deceptions are those that go unacknowledged. In this case, the "Devil" is metaphorical and represents any force (such as fear, ignorance, or oppressive systems) that manipulates people by making them believe it doesn't exist, thereby remaining hidden and powerful. This notion can be applied to real-world situations where individuals or groups may deny or downplay the impact of harmful forces in order to maintain control over others, ultimately reinforcing a state of complacency or ignorance.


"The truth is always shocking when it's first seen, but it becomes more and more acceptable as time goes by."

Lance Henriksen's quote emphasizes that people may initially find the truth unsettling or difficult to accept due to its unexpected nature. However, as we grow accustomed to its reality over time, it becomes less shocking and more acceptable in our understanding of the world. This suggests that embracing new truths and perspectives can take effort, but with patience and an open mind, they eventually become part of our personal and collective wisdom.


"I don't think people realize how fragile we are or how much power they have to hurt us with their words."

Lance Henriksen's quote highlights the delicate nature of human beings and emphasizes that our emotions can be profoundly affected by other people's words. This insight implies that while we may underestimate our own vulnerability, others have the ability to cause significant pain or discomfort through their choice of language. It encourages us to recognize the impact of our communication on those around us and use our words carefully and thoughtfully.


As a kid, there was a painting of 'Appeal to the Great Spirit' that I would see when I would get oatmeal bowls out of the cupboard. This painting, it was so real to me that it frightened me.

- Lance Henriksen

Spirit, Kid, Bowls, Oatmeal

One of my favorites of all time was with Jim Jarmusch, called 'Dead Man.' I was in that with Johnny Depp. I ride really well, and I shoot a gun really well. I love the genre. Once I did Westerns, I was hooked.

- Lance Henriksen

Love, Gun, Favorites, None

What's frustrating to me is when, on a low-budget movie, people don't take chances. A big-budget movie, that script's your bible; nobody's going to risk going off the page. But when you're doing a very low-budget film, why not take some chances, intellectually, artistically?

- Lance Henriksen

Doing, Some, Very, Chances

I'm a good guy. I love playing bad guys, but good guys that have a good thing going on, I like that, too. I don't like passive good guys.

- Lance Henriksen

Love, Bad, A Good Thing, Passive

In a way, being born is a sort of ecological contagion. When you have longevity of family, we remember our grandfathers and maybe our great-grandfathers. We somehow don't have the capacity in modern life to remember further than that. All of the ramifications of their lives have an effect on us, and we're not aware of it.

- Lance Henriksen

Life, Maybe, Our, Longevity

When I do a horror or a fantasy film it all boils down to something in the script that surprises me. It could be a big thing or a small moment. If it's there I'll do it.

- Lance Henriksen

Small, Big, Horror, Surprises

You do your work as fully as you can, and the ones who hear the sound join in.

- Lance Henriksen

Work, Sound, Your, Fully

To me rites of passage through life, that's a wonderful, beautiful thing.

- Lance Henriksen

Beautiful, Through, Passage, Beautiful Thing

I've always known from the beginning of my acting career that you only get an acting job if you've got something to learn about it. If you don't do it well, you'll be condemned to doing the same role over and over and over again. If you do it mediocre, you'll have to do it again.

- Lance Henriksen

Career, Doing, Role, Acting Career

My feeling is, I do a lot of low-budget films. I don't do low-budget acting. I have no interest in just goofballing my way through, thinking, 'Ah, no one's ever going to see this anyway.'

- Lance Henriksen

Through, Going, Films, Low-Budget

But to this day - I'm very literate now, I love to read, I read constantly - words don't resonate the way they do to a person with a formal education. They're like a maze, a puzzle that has to be opened up.

- Lance Henriksen

Love, Education, Very, Resonate

In the late 1960s, I ended up in Telluride, Colorado. It wasn't like the country club that it is now. It was very raw. Skiing was there, but snowboarders have now entirely overrun it.

- Lance Henriksen

Country, Skiing, Very, Entirely

I always wanted to be an actor, even when I was a little kid. When I used to run away from home, I'd go to movies and sit all night watching Kirk Douglas. When I was 16, I tried getting into the Actors Studio, and they told me to get lost. I said 'I'll come back when I'm a man,' and I came back when I was 30.

- Lance Henriksen

Kid, Away, Studio, Douglas

I really like playing good guys, of course. Although, people make mistakes in their lives, and you could say that the mistakes make us who we are, by how we respond to them. I just don't want to play boring good guys, but I don't have that problem, anyway.

- Lance Henriksen

Mistakes, Play, Good Guys, Respond

You can't do every movie - although I do a lot of them - and the thing I'm longing to do is... it's not that I think I'm funny... but I long to do a situation comedy.

- Lance Henriksen

Think, Movie, I Think, Longing

In every respect, fantasy is like doing abstract paintings.

- Lance Henriksen

Doing, Fantasy, Like, Abstract

The thing I hate most in acting is asking permission to do things. What you really want to do is say, 'This is my need; this is what's going to get me further; this is what's going to be alive. I don't ever say, 'Do you mind if...?' I just come in and do it.

- Lance Henriksen

Asking, Alive, Get, Permission

Corporate nationalism to me is a little bit like what would have happened if Hitler had won. It's scary stuff. It's totalitarianism in a different from, under a different flavour.

- Lance Henriksen

Like, Had, Little Bit, Nationalism

I appreciate the idea that anybody would think of me as a star. But I'm really not career oriented in the sense that I want to be a star. It's not in me. It's not what I do. In fact, I'm amazed that I've even gotten this far.

- Lance Henriksen

Career, Think, Fact, Amazed

Charles Bean is a brilliant director. I come in with an idea and try to do it, but I fall on my face. And then, he says, 'Wait a minute, there was a little moment in there. Let's try that moment and expand in that direction.'

- Lance Henriksen

Wait, Director, Brilliant, Expand

I liked 'Scream of the Banshee' because it was a real challenge. I thought, 'How am I going to pull off this character?' But, I also thought, 'Oh, man, I'm going to go for it.' He's got all the defects of character that an actor loves to play. So, I had a really great time.

- Lance Henriksen

Thought, Play, Great Time, Scream

I have never gauged myself against anyone else.

- Lance Henriksen

Never, Against, Anyone, Anyone Else

You know something, if you're not acting, you're not an actor - you've gotta work. No way around it.

- Lance Henriksen

Work, Know, Actor, Gotta

I don't think in words; I think in pictures, in images.

- Lance Henriksen

Words, Think, I Think, Images

Growing up, I think I always had a sense of art: a sense that there was poetry in the world. I didn't know where I was going to find it. I didn't know where I was going to fit in, that was for sure. But I kept moving forward. There wasn't a future in anything other than movement.

- Lance Henriksen

Other, I Think, Had, Moving Forward

If you're searching for quotes on a different topic, feel free to browse our Topics page or explore a diverse collection of quotes from various Authors to find inspiration.