actors-from-scotland

"I would love to have the energy and the youth to be able to do this full time for the rest of my life, but my knees are telling me it’s time"

"You know when you get cast, at some point you are going to have to hand back that sonic screwdriver and it is all going to come to an end, but nothing quite prepares you for it"

"I had to wrestle with myself – I fell in love with that show. I’ll miss it, but I was ready to move on"

"It’s loud. But it’s very cool and exciting to be in the middle of this huge thing – there’s haters, there’s lovers, it’s all going on"

"The fans are truly the final character and beating heart of this show"

"Bill and Babe came to visit while we were filming, and the excitement on set that day was palpable- Babe and Bill were coming! By the time I arrived there was a huge semicircle of people listening to them chat with Tom Hanks. I introduced myself to Babe and he did likewise before looking me up and down. Then he asked how I was getting on with the accent. "Fine," I replied. "Let me hear it," he said, and so I took a deep breath and did my best Philly accent. "No, your Philly accent," Babe said. He must have seen the disappointment on my face because he didn't let it hang in the air too long before breaking into a laugh and giving me a slap on the back. "I'm only messing wicha, you did fine." That moment has to rank among the proudest in my life."

"Memories are important. They are the little pockets of nostalgia we dip into now and again just to remember what the past tasted like and sometimes it was good. In this way, we can build up a whole ladder of memories and reach a whole other world whenever we want it. It's comforting, it's an escape, but why not?"

"The people who are involved in the development of making films and television are not necessarily the most imaginative of people, to be honest. Well, they're not! I'm not being generically rude. But it's just a fact."

"The fan base will always hold a place in my heart, because they have always been so great to me, and I never forget it or take it for granted."

"I take it all in stride - one day at a time - and just try to do a good job! I think it's important also to focus on being true to your character and not let all the hype get to you...just tell the story, and hopefully you'll be interesting to the audience."

"The thing about sci-fi is that it’s complete escapism. I think nowadays, people really need that; they thirst for it."

"We need great teachers out there because people need great role models. It’s one of those things that you look back and think about those really great teachers that we had and some who … didn’t make an impact on me and I think we learn more from them of what not to do. But, nowadays, I think the respect factor has to be added back into the school system and that comes from at home. The respect for teachers should be there. Education and healthcare are the two most important things if you think about it."

"Going in and out of a song, you know you might just be good enough to improvise a little bit when you’re playing live when you haven’t recorded a song, but then you get a chord and you say, oh, that little bit that I’m playing there, that doesn’t fit quite right, you know, or there’s something missing in that chord. It’s like putting a microscope on the song, you know, and polishing it to the way that you wanted, that’s what I think. I think things like … there was one chord this time, and we’re using good guitars, but nothing sounded right. Slightly out of tune. As you move from the top of the neck to the bottom of the neck, you’d never have noticed it when you were playing live, but when you’re recording it it becomes so so intricate that I think it’s a great way to get into the song"

"As an actor, if you’re lucky enough to get any roles then that’s a good thing. If you can choose a little bit, then even better. I try and read things that are coming up and see what looks interesting. Things morph over the years as you get more and more interested in different things."

"I use it to receive scripts, and send e-mails. But I prefer pigeon! They’re much more friendly, and you can talk to them as well!"

"Theatre is like broad brush painting, where you can go anywhere with your brush. But film is like painting with one of those little, pointy brushes, a stroke here and a stroke there. I love that as well. You have to internalise everything and get it right deep inside. And when you feel you get it right, it’s almost orgasmic! It’s a lovely experience."

"As an actor – I’d been an actor for many years before I did Doctor Who – you have an effect on an audience. You hear them laugh, you hear them cry in the theatre, or every now and again if you do a telly or a film, you bump into someone in the street and they might say something nice. But working with the fans and meeting them all around the world, they come to you and tell you that ‘you got me through my childhood’, ‘I had an unhappy childhood but Doctor Who was there for me’. I’ve met scientists who said ‘I became a scientist, I became a doctor because of you and Doctor Who’ and you think ‘wow, I was only trying to learn the lines and not bump into the monsters’. I didn’t realise that there was this other effect. So it’s very touching, moving and humbling. I’d say that."

"To have been chosen when you're in your thirties to play someone who's 120, and then to find when you were in your early fifties you were going to play the same character at your then-age, that is, in your early fifties, in fact I don't think I've come out of the trauma. But the interesting think about that it's an absolutely unique challenge for an actor; I can't think of anyone who's been asked to do that, or indeed been given the opportunity, and I'll always be grateful for that."

"There's a moment in one scene of the new film where tears almost appear in his eye. These are crocodile tears, but for all those in the movie, and perhaps watching the movie itself, they'll see he is apparently moved -- and of course, he is. He can just do it. He can, as it were, turn it on. And I suppose for him, it's also a bit of a turn-on -- the pure exercise of power is what he's all about. That's the only thing he's interested in and the only thing that can satisfy him -- which makes him completely fascinating to play, because it is an evil soul."

"A lot of people in America think that I’m Irish. Then, of course, in The Mummy the character that I played was supposed to be quintessentially English. And then after The Hurricane people out there are really confused. They now think I’m Canadian... well, sort of"

"Film is more appealing in a lot of ways, especially with the relationship with the audience. They’ve paid to come and see it, they’re more prepared to see characters develop. With television, there’s a different criteria. You still want to have all the qualities of film but there are things you have to work against. It’s much quicker, it has to be more dynamic in maintaining an audience’s interest."

"There is something liberating about just having what you need, on your bike... A tent, a roll mat, a little bit of food, a bit of petrol in your tank and a vague idea of where you're going and that's all you need."

"I'm sorry, but when you're 12, you don't need a new mobile phone every few months just because a new one comes out."

"Carole E. Barrowman: The one thing that will send John over the edge, even in public, is if he sees someone being rude or mean or just being disrespectful to an elderly person. Definitely this relationship [with his grandmother Murn] has been a defining one, I think, in his life. […] You cannot underestimate how big a fan of Doctor Who John was when he got that part. He heard about it in Covent Garden when he was with my daughter Claire and he literally ran up a wall."

"Eve Myles: He walks into a room and he demands attention without doing a single thing. He's an incredible singer, he's a wonderful dancer, he's a wonderful actor. That, and he's a smashing presenter 'cause he's great with people. It's not work to John. […] John Barrowman is always going to be an entertainer in some form or another. He was going to be either on the stage, or the screen, or a presenter, or a writer… something that allows him to make other people feel good. […] His family are everything to him. And he'd be the first person to say, if someone would say something that wasn't true or that was upsetting him or somebody that he cared for or loved, he'd be the first one there."

"Fern Britton: He is famously straight-talking. What you see is what you get and he's not afraid to fight for what he believes in. And behind the showbiz manier he's a man who absolutely believes in practicing what he preaches. He has no conflict in having a faith and being gay. Despite encountering prejudice, he still has a great energy and appetite for life. He's a man now equally comfortable as West End star, quiz show host, worrier of small animals, friend to aliens, talent show judge, and sometime companion to the world's most famous time traveller. You could be forgiven to think that this love affair with fame and the fiercely ambitious drive that took John from a theme park in the States to a saturday night staple on BBC1 means that John must have a ruthless side. But, breaking news, John Barrowman really is the nicest man in television and it's his parents and their Christian values that he has to thank for that. He is such an exuberant and energetic performer, who's faith underpins his zest for life. Behind this much-loved showbiz performer there's a man with a heart of gold."

"Stephen Amell: It's not that he pulls pranks. He's not like a prankster. It's not like all of a sudden I go put on the Arrow suit and it's filled with A535 or something like that. Although that would be pretty funny. It's more that there's just… You know, you've been to a panel? John's panels typically are called Anything Goes. Anything goes! Anything! John Barrowman gets away with more stuff than I've ever seen anyone get away with just because there's never a filter. So the expectation is: he really could be behind me right now. Would anybody be surprised? Exactly. He can always be around the corner. That's how I live my life. Barrowman is always standing behind me waiting to strike. Yeah, he's just a good guy. To pick your favourite thing or the funniest thing that John Barrowman has done is like picking your favourite flavour of ice cream. You can… but they're all so good! Why would you want just one? And to that end I've learned a lot of lessons from John. And I mean principally… I mean A) How to be the lead of a show. You know, he was the first guy that I really got to… I got to pick his brain. God, there's nothing I can say about him that can't be turned into something filthy. I hadn't been the lead of a show, so to hear about his experiences on Torchwood and then just in general to watch the way that he carries himself, to watch the level of respect he has for the crew, to watch the fact that his energy never changes, right? If they held a camera on John and we were on stage, I want you to tell me: is it ten o'clock on monday morning or is it four o'clock on friday morning? Tell me. You can't! 'Cause he's always the same. He always brings that same level of energy and professionalism and just joy to work and he carries that through with, you know, he and I hanging out in Palm Springs or we have these Con weekends. It's just great. I love John. I miss him."

"Willa Holland: Most of the time you've just got to sit back and watch John do John 'cause it's just one of the most amazing things you could ever witness in your life. And then a lot of times he brings you into it and you can't say no. It's kind of 50/50 at the end of each take. But regardless, every time we work together it's pretty hard to focus on the job at hand. For example, when we were shooting the scene where I actually was shooting him, we did a few rehearsals and I can't remember exactly what he was doing but it was kind of the look on his face and just this weird smile that he would give to me and I just could not take it seriously. It's kind of amazing. I mean, just picture John."

"James Marsters: I love John Barrowman. I think he's a great guy. He saved my ass more than once. Really, properly saved my job on that show one time: On the first episode during that kissing/fighting scene I blew a gag. When we went through the glass, I took the wrong angle and I got cut. But I didn't want anyone to know that I blew the gag because if you blow the gag, they're gonna send a stuntman in and you'll never get back on the set. So, the next day comes and I'm still bleeding through the costume. And John spots it and he comes up and he goes, "Dude, go to your trailer. I'll get you a doctor. Just go. Go, go, go." And the director is like "Where are you going?" so John goes to talk to him. Then he got his own personal physician to come and stitch me up, helped me take the stain out of my costume, get me back on set – no one knew anything. So, John is the man! In all honesty, I'd rather kiss John than anybody else I ever had to kiss 'cause I trust that man. I really don't feel sexy when I'm filming a love scene, it's always quite surgical because of the lighting and camera angles and it's just a very strange situation especially for me. Because if someone says "Okay, kiss him!" and then shouts "Action!" and you are getting paid for it, what is your profession? […] So for me it really is a very uncomfortable day whenever you shoot that stuff. And so what you really want is someone that you trust and feel comfortable with and someone who you really think has your back as a friend. Some people like to pull pranks and make fun of you in these situations. […] Now, on the other end of it you get John Barrowman: Usually John is exactly that prank kind of guy – on my very first day on the set we were in the meeting room at the [BBC] headquarters and I watched him just being all over the female members of the cast who to me seemed really annoyed. And I remember thinking, Holy shit! If he comes on to me like that tomorrow, I'm gonna clock him. And then I'm gonna lose my job! Okay, I'm gonna have to communicate this right now. So I went over to Naoko and showed her some self-defence moves I know – like hitting the solar plexus or stamping on those beautiful little bones we all have at the top of the foot. And they all – the whole cast, including Naoko – turned to me like "Who let this stupid, immature, homophobic American in our world?" I just was instantly embarrassed, oh my god. And so I was really not looking forward to going to work the next day just because I'd made such an ass of myself, you know. And John comes up to me that day and he was like "Hey, man, how're you doing? So, uh, most of this is fight anyway but, you know, as far as the kiss is concerned, do you want to save it for the day and keep it fresh or do you want to rehearse it? What are you most comfortable with, man?" —He was totally there for me. To make me comfortable, to make sure everything worked. He just completely changed gears because he understood what my needs were. That guy is a real leader. Apparently his dad used to run a factory and he would go watch his dad be a factory leader every day and he always wanted to be like his dad. He really is. I mean, I don't know his dad, so this is far out. But as far as being able to lead a group of people, that's John. So, the short answer being: I'd rather kiss John than probably most of the actresses I've kissed in my life! However, a little note for all you guys: shave! It hurts. You kiss a guy with a good beard and he's got a little stubble, even a little bit of stubble, and it's like sandpaper! So, yeah, I'm thinking of waxing."

"Bernard Cribbins OBE: He's a bit like Tigger. He bounces around a lot [laughs]. I first met him in Anything Goes in 1989. All I saw were teeth on this very tall good-looking young man, and this broad Glaswegian accent."

"Jodie Prenger: We are still in a generation where people are scared of who they really want to be. And the way John is just proud and so comfortable in himself, I think is great. I think it is giving people total inspiration to be who they are. He is genuinely just your regular guy with a big heart that loves doing what he does."

"I love Christmas. I work in Pantomime over the christmas period. On christmas eve I always say to the audience: "Let's celebrate the birth of a child and the start of a new beginning. Let's all sing Silent Night." And we all start singing and halfway through it everybody on the stage is just in tears. Calm comes across everybody. And there is no judgement, there is no anger. It is everybody sitting and thinking about one tiny thing but thinking about it all together and being one with each other. It's just incredible."

"Myleene Klass: You've got to be incredibly, incredibly brave to be yourself — that's what's great about John. He can sing, he can dance, he can act, he can do it all. He's got this sort of cheeky persona, he knows how to laugh, he knows how to enjoy life. But I think that stems from somewhere a lot deeper, and that's his real closeness to his family. And that becomes apparent immediately. He is such a positive person and it's infectious."

"You have to work hard in the industry. I didn't come into the industry and into the business and to do what I do to become famous. But I knew in the back of my head that if fame came along with it, that was a blessing. I love when someone recognizes me or wants an autograph. But for me it was about working rather than being a "star"."

"I would love to lecture to women on men. I'd tell them everything about men: gay, straight, bi, how we're all the same, how we're all bastards."

"Two men as two women and as a man and a woman can have a loving relationship and make a commitment. And that's what marriage is about."

"You can be in the public eye all the time and still have a private life, but the important thing is to keep in touch with the people who put you there."

"Personally, in my home life it's the same, but professionally it's different. I'm not having to fight or push as much to get in to be seen for TV shows or for films. The calls are coming in. Also the fans are great. I love them and I am one myself."

"It's taken me 30 years to get this way, and I don't intend to let go. I work hard, but I play hard, too, and that's the one part of me that nobody sees. But I intend to be around for a long time yet."

"I would wish that people would accept people for who they are, not be judgemental, allow people to live their lives and enjoy themselves and that would be my wish for people."

"I've kind of made Jack a hero that I would like to have looked up to as a little boy because as a little boy, I knew I was gay but I didn't know what it was. Didn't know who to talk to about it. … I wanted kids to like him, and I wanted women, men, I wanted everyone to like him. But first I wanted people to hate him. I wanted them to think he was arrogant and pushy and too sure of himself. And I wanted them to follow the arc of the change he went through in the final episodes of Doctor Who."

"David Tennant: It was great when John came on set because he's John! In all honesty, having John around is always enormous fun. He's a constant… he's like a Roman candle of effervescent life. And that goes back to a story I am not telling you as well since there's children in the room."

"When I first came into the industry I thought, why do you need to know if I'm gay? Why do you need to have a definition of somebody before you find out who they are and what they are as a person and what they can do in the performance of their job? What they do in their bedroom or who they love does not define who they are as an individual or human being! Because we all love different people. There are so many young men and women in society at the moment who have that struggle. But not they are tormented inside; it is because of what they are hearing around them. And these people who claim to be Christians are telling these young men and women that they are wrong. That they are evil. That they should not love. That they were not made this way. How dare you make that judgement? It hurts me and it upsets me when I hear people who say they are Christians who aren't saying very nice things about other people"

"Cher had just been to see Sunset Boulevard. She hunted me down the next day through management to ask me out to dinner. I wouldn't break my first date with Scott which felt like the chance of a lifetime, so after a pause she said, "Fine, bring him." I drove my car, Scott rode his bike. Scott parked his bike down the street. And we all met up, and we had dinner with Cher, and we had a fab time. At the end of the evening she said to me: "Walk me to my car, you'll love it." As we're walking to the car arm in arm, the photographers just come out of… the bushes, you name it. And we walk to the car and she leanes over and she goes "When I get in the car, give me a kiss." And I'm like "Fine." – What gay man wouldn't want to give Cher a kiss? So we kiss and they catch it just at that moment. The next day in the tabloids I was her new toyboy. But little did they know that the boy with the bicycle who walked out after us went and unhooked his bike, I put her in the car, went off, got my Jag, opened the trunk, put his bike in the trunk and I took him home. That would've been the story! —And he stayed. For 18 years now."

"My start, my childhood, was less than auspicious. But when I was young, we didn’t know we lacked anything, because we had nothing to compare it to — and there's a freedom in that. I had a very hard working mother and father, I think of them both a great deal. I got my break — big break — when I was five years old. And it's taken me more than seventy years to realize it. You see, at five, I learned to read. It's that simple, and it's that profound. I left school at thirteen, I didn’t have a formal education, and I believe I would not be standing here tonight, without the books, the plays — the scripts. It's been a long journey from Fountainbridge to this evening — with you all. Though my feet are tired, my heart is not."

"There are women who take it to the wire. That's what they are looking for, the ultimate confrontation. They want a smack."

"When I spoke about Bond with Fleming, he said that when the character was conceived, Bond was a very simple, straightforward, blunt instrument of the police force, a functionary who would carry out his job rather doggedly. But he also had a lot of idiosyncrasies that were considered snobbish — such as a taste for special wines, et cetera. But if you take Bond in the situations that he is constantly involved with, you see that it is a very hard, high, unusual league that he plays in. Therefore he is quite right in having all his senses satisfied — be it Warmth, wine, food or clothes — because the job, and he with it, may terminate at any minute. But the virtues that Amis mentions — loyalty, honesty — are there, too."

"I suppose more than anything else I'd like to be an old man with a good face, like Hitchcock or Picasso. They know that life is not just a popularity contest."

"An open-handed slap is justified – if all other alternatives fail and there has been plenty of warning. If a woman is a bitch, or hysterical, or bloody-minded continually, then I'd do it."

"That's here on CBS, where the 'C' stands for 'Classy' and the 'BS' speaks for itself."