Quotes by Matthew Macfadyen

About Matthew Macfadyen:

David Matthew Macfadyen is a BAFTA award-winning English actor, known for his roles as MI5 Intelligence Officer Tom Quinn in the BBC television drama series Spooks, Fitzwilliam Darcy in the 2005 film of Pride & Prejudice and Daniel in the Frank Oz comedy Death at a Funeral. He is also known for portraying John Birt in the political drama Frost/Nixon, as well as Detective Inspector Edmund Reid in the BBC series Ripper Street. In 2015 he starred in the Sky Living series The Enfield Haunting as Guy Lyon Playfair.
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

As much as I long for a sort of security and consistency sometimes, I do enjoy sort of being busted around. I really don't know what's happening sometimes next week, let alone this year.

Matthew Macfadyen

I was quite a shy child. I would get terribly nervous and throw up before my birthday party. And then I would be fine. I feel the same now. I get nervous, then it's fine.

Matthew Macfadyen

It must be odd, being recognisable. I would hate to lose that anonymity. It happened for a while with 'Spooks.' No one notices me now.

Matthew Macfadyen

There's always a concern as an actor that you'll be boring unless your character is swinging from a chandelier.

Matthew Macfadyen

I wouldn't want to leave it so long before doing a play again, I get very stolid and sluggish if I do too much telly.

Matthew Macfadyen

It's a real skill to be able to publicise yourself.

Matthew Macfadyen

Nobody's just arrogant. I've met people who are embattled and dismissive, but when you get to know them, you find that they're vulnerable - that that hauteur or standoffishiness is because they're pedaling furiously underneath.

Matthew Macfadyen

People like to think that actors are terribly worried about ghosts of other actors in the parts they play. But you just have to get on with it.

Matthew Macfadyen

The actor in me would always like to be more dashing, or slimmer, or have nicer hair.

Matthew Macfadyen

I'd auditioned for the National Youth Theatre and I didn't get a place and it was terrifying.

Matthew Macfadyen

I've worried more and more as the years have gone on. The more you're seen to be doing well, the more stress there is. You feel you ought to consider things more, and be more fussy - there's further to fall. All these little worries.

Matthew Macfadyen

I did four or five years in telly, and by the end of it was drained. I was a bit sick of myself. I didn't feel like an actor anymore. That sounds silly, but when you're doing a play you're using different muscles, and it blew all the cobwebs away.

Matthew Macfadyen

It must be odd, being recognizable. I would hate to lose that anonymity.

Matthew Macfadyen

Some British actors are snobby about telly, and I don't understand that.

Matthew Macfadyen

You'd never play Hamlet if you started worrying about who's played it before you.

Matthew Macfadyen

I would hate not to do a play every couple of years. I think it's not me.

Matthew Macfadyen

I can't throw books away. My wife is always telling me to get rid of some.

Matthew Macfadyen

I try to be fussy about the parts I play. I think that's quite prudent, it means you're stretching different muscles, and you're scaring yourself by doing something which is out of your comfort zone.

Matthew Macfadyen

I just loved the whole idea of being an actor.

Matthew Macfadyen

What's exciting is there's a curtain that divides the audience from this other world. You want to see behind.

Matthew Macfadyen

Author Bio

  • NameMatthew Macfadyen
  • DescriptionBritish actor
  • BornOctober 17, 1974
  • CountryUnited Kingdom
  • ProfessionActor