Malcolm McDowell quotes

Malcolm McDowell is an English actor, acclaimed for his intense and versatile performances in film, television, and theater. His breakthrough came with the controversial movie "A Clockwork Orange," which made him an international star. He continues to captivate audiences with his dynamic roles and distinctive screen presence. Here are 19 of his quotes:

Once you commit to something, you've got to commit the whole way. Try and make the best of it.

Malcolm McDowell

The definition of insanity in Texas is so insane that it's impossible to be insane in Texas.

Malcolm McDowell

The thing is, I've never been a handsome leading-man type, so let's not kid ourselves.

Malcolm McDowell

The Roman Empire, like any other empire, was made up purely of bureaucrats, the army, the priests and everything else, and he systematically goes from one institution to the other, trying to provoke them and trying to get an action out of them, and this is why in our view the misconception is that Caligula was completely mad... Anyway, he tries to destroy the institutions. Of course, naturally, he never fails. I mean, he does fail, simply because it's impossible to destroy a bureaucracy, and I think that is a very relevant point for modern-day audiences.

Malcolm McDowell

I think we're all a little afraid of the dark. If you lived in the country, as I did, there's nothing quite like country dark, which was really black. And as a child, your imagination runs wild.

Malcolm McDowell

If you look a little punkish, then they're going to give you the parts. And if you play an iconic villain early on in your career, you tend to get asked to play one over and over and over again.

Malcolm McDowell

Different directors offer you different things, and it's not necessarily the most obvious things.

Malcolm McDowell

You know, I've had an incredible career and I'm blessed.

Malcolm McDowell

My favorite actor who played villains - who could play anything, really - was Jimmy Cagney.

Malcolm McDowell

I love doing every role I do!

Malcolm McDowell

I'd love to do radio plays. I think that one should be open to everything and shouldn't limit oneself.

Malcolm McDowell

People think of him [Caligula] as a revolutionary or a figure of fun or a madman. There are so many aspects to him that we know really little about him, just the information that was given to us through a historian, a Roman historian called Suetonius, and he was from the other side of the family, so Suetonius paints Caligula as a very wicked madman, and that's the only reason that Suetonius considers why he did so many, on the face of it, crazy things. My interpretation of the character is not quite like that.

Malcolm McDowell

Let's not get too precious about it: actors are not heart surgeons or brain surgeons. We are just entertaining people.

Malcolm McDowell

You've always got to work with the best if you can, and of course, the best are the best because they're different. They expect certain standards, and they're usually very difficult people to work with.

Malcolm McDowell

The most nurturing of directors can make you feel too comfortable, and you don't really push for that extra whatever.

Malcolm McDowell

An actor cannot be a censor. I'm there to interpret.

Malcolm McDowell

I just love a challenge, and always have, and will do anything to make it interesting. I'll try anything, really, as long as it's a challenge and you can have some fun doing it.

Malcolm McDowell