“The true test of a character is to face hard conditions with the determination to make them better.”

“Watch your thoughts, for they will become actions. Watch your actions, for they’ll become… habits. Watch your habits for they will forge your character. Watch your character, for it will make your destiny.”

“I’ve never fooled anyone. I’ve let people fool themselves. They didn’t bother to find out who and what I was. Instead they would invent a character for me. I wouldn’t argue with them. They were obviously loving somebody I wasn’t.”

I like the idea of movies having a magic element. How many times have you seen an actor in a movie who you know only as the character? It's wonderful, isn't it?

I don't have acknowledged preferences of characters.

I don't have acknowledged preferences of characters.

I don't think I'm like any of the characters I've played. They're all really far from who I am.

My hope is that people will be repulsed by the character's complete lack of ethics and obsession with consumerism - that's what I was saying about the difference between the character's message and the film's message.

But I learned that there's a certain character that can be built from embarrassing yourself endlessly. If you can sit happy with embarrassment, there's not much else that can really get to ya.

“When you do rap albums, you got to train yourself. You got to constantly be in character.”

“Our character is composed of our ideas and our feelings: and, since it has been proved that we give ourselves neither feelings nor ideas, our character does not depend on us. If it did depend on us, there is nobody who would not be perfect. If one does not reflect, one thinks oneself master of everything; but when one does reflect, one realizes that one is master of nothing.”

“All right Mister, let me tell you what winning means… you’re willing to go longer, work harder, give more than anyone else.”

“Winning is a habit. Watch your thoughts, they become your beliefs. Watch your beliefs, they become your words. Watch your words, they become your actions. Watch your actions, they become your habits. Watch your habits, they become your character.”

“Mental toughness is many things and rather difficult to explain. Its qualities are sacrifice and self-denial. Also, most importantly, it is combined with a perfectly disciplined will that refuses to give in. It’s a state of mind – you could call it character in action.”

In displaying the psychology of your characters, minute particulars are essential. God save us from vague generalizations!" (Letter to Alexander Chekhov, May 10, 1886)

“You cannot build character and courage by taking away people's initiative and independence” 

“Character is like a tree and reputation its shadow. The shadow is what we think it is and the tree is the real thing.” 

“Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man's character, give him power.” 

“There is no index of character as sure as the voice.”

"The truth is that creative activity is one that involves the entire self - our emotions, our levels of energy, our characters, and our minds."

Ideas are, in truth, forces. Infinite, too, is the power of personality. A union of the two always makes history.

What is either a picture or a novel that is not character?

Live as you like best, and your character will take care of itself. Most things are good for you; the exceptions are very rare.

Don't try so much to form your character - it's like trying to pull open a tight, tender young rose. Live as you like best and your character will take care of itself.