I’m just kind of odd. There are dark forces in the world, and if you pay attention to what’s going on around you, you end up incorporating it into the storytelling. Maybe it’s some aspect of myself that’s coming through that people are seeing, that I am in fact a quiet psycho. Michael Shannon Read Quote
My dad used to say, ‘You have to become part of the machine to beat the machine,’ and there’s some validity in it. But honestly, even when I’m inside the machine, you still see me. I stick out a little bit. Michael Shannon Read Quote
I started acting because I was miserable and crazy and wanted to be someone else, to run around and scream in front of people without getting in trouble. Michael Shannon Read Quote
The stage is a routine. It keeps you grounded, like a metronome. I find that soothing. Michael Shannon Read Quote
I’ve always been happy just to be working. It doesn’t really matter for me how many people are familiar with my name or my picture, or whatever. Michael Shannon Read Quote
I enjoyed living in Chicago and doing plays for little or no money. I never actually thought that I would leave Chicago, originally. I wasn’t one of those people that had a plan to pack up the van and drive out to Hollywood. I didn’t want to. Michael Shannon Read Quote
Well, I think anybody who’s had a baby can tell you that once you have a baby, they kind of become the main focus. I don’t think there’s gonna be a lot of room for anything else. Michael Shannon Read Quote
One of the reasons I got into acting to begin with is that I was trying to figure out how life worked. It was interesting to me to try and follow how other people, real or imaginary, would deal with problems, because I was trying to deal with my own problems. Michael Shannon Read Quote
You can’t escape this feeling of disintegration. The world is fragile. But you also can’t let it ruin your life. I’m actually a pretty composed person. I guess people imagine I spend my life thinking about crazy, sinister things but I don’t, really. It’s not like I’m trying to exorcise any demons. Michael Shannon Read Quote
