Quotes by Neil Patrick Harris - Page 3

Mmmmmmmm. Anderson. He's dreamy. Just dreamy. I've been a fan of his since season 1 of 'The Mole.' I just thought he was so cool when he talked in this cool, low, secret-agent voice.
Neil Patrick Harris / Actor
Anderson
Low
Mole
Season
Talked
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I'm probably my biggest critic. I worry that if you spend any quality time reveling in good things then karma will slap you upside the head, so I try to stay as even keel as I'm able.
Neil Patrick Harris / Actor
Karma
Quality
Good Things
Quality Time
Slap
Trying
Worry
Time Good Quality
Critic
Upside
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If you don't have any ties to the music industry, you just love 'American Idol,' you can sit there and do exactly what you do in your living room, which is stare at them and judge them.
Neil Patrick Harris / Actor
American Idol
Idols
Judging
Living Room
Music Industry
Ties
Love Music Your
Exactly What
Idol
Love Music Living
Stare
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I always thought I'd make a good parent, but I was single and led a solitary life for many, many years. Then I met David, and he had experience with kids and wanted to have a family, too.
Neil Patrick Harris / Actor
Good Parent
Parent
Solitary
Life Family Experience
Life Family Good
David
Led
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We're in such a volatile climate right now politically. I think they didn't want Assassins to not succeed due to popular opinion and politics, versus on its own merits. I can respect that.
Neil Patrick Harris / Actor
Assassins
Climate
Opinion
Popular Opinion
Succeed
Thinking
Versus
Due
Merits
Popular
Volatile
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I don't know, on a sitcom, and in theatre especially, you have to really be listening to an audience. And if you're losing them, you can hear the sniffs, and the playbills shuffling and whatnot.
Neil Patrick Harris / Actor
Listening
Losing
Shuffling
Sitcom
Theatre
Whatnot
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I didn't want to go marching down the street with camera crews. Oy. To get married? Really? It seems like you have an agenda when you do it that way. I wouldn't want to get married to be an example.
Neil Patrick Harris / Actor
Get Married
Marching
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I often teach a graduate theater seminar on Greek tragedy in performance. I usually begin by saying that no matter what technological advances occur, the wisdom of these plays will never be obsolete.
Neil Patrick Harris / Actor
Greek
Play
Tragedy
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I enjoy darker sardonic wit more than knock-knock jokes. I spent the first healthy chunk of my career playing all-American, pleasant, average, nice people, so it's fun to have some complications there.
Neil Patrick Harris / Actor
Average
Fun
Healthy
Nice
Nice People
Pleasant
Wit
All-American
People Fun More
Chunk
Fun People More
Complications
Darker
Spent
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The makeup [for Count Olaf] took about two and a half hours every morning. The meditation was another hour and a half. I would eat a big breakfast - that was probably 45 minutes. And then it was lunch.
Neil Patrick Harris / Actor
Morning
Makeup
Two
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I've done plenty of daredeviling - from white-water rafting to bungee jumping. But I think the most fearless was hosting the Emmy Awards. It was overwhelming, and I definitely had to leave fear at the door.
Neil Patrick Harris / Actor
Awards
Jumping
Overwhelming
Plenty
Thinking
Door
Emmy
Hosting
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I loved Rent when I first heard it, but it grew on me and so did Tick, Tick... Boom. Some songs are more interesting than others and sometimes the ones that never stood out at first end up being the best to perform.
Neil Patrick Harris / Actor
Being The Best
Firsts
Interesting
Song
Tick
Perform
Boom
Rent
Stood
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I feel like with actors wanting to direct, you really only have a shot or two. You can't just make a bunch of little independent movies, and then finally one gets noticed. You have to make a really good one right away.
Neil Patrick Harris / Actor
Actors
Independent
Two
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It's nice to establish yourself as an actor first and a singer second. Proof is such a tremendous piece of work, and I'm incredibly lucky to be a part of it. I'm sure that the musicals will happen in the future, though.
Neil Patrick Harris / Actor
Actors
Lucky
Nice
Proof
Tremendous
Establish
Singer
Incredibly
Musicals
Piece
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I'm shocked at how early everything closes here. But people start earlier. I miss the late nightlife in NYC, but then again I sing and burn so much energy in the show that it's probably good - I get to go home and sleep.
Neil Patrick Harris / Actor
Home
Energy
Late
Nightlife
Nyc
Shocked
Sleep
Miss
Burn
Closes
Earlier
Go Home
Sing
So Much Energy
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Theater for me is about enduring human truth. Special effects can be part of that, but when they obscure what is the reason we come to theater - to see reflections of our confounded humanity - the theater has lost its way.
Neil Patrick Harris / Actor
Humanity
Reflection
Special
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I've been very fortunate to go from interesting chapter to interesting chapter. I've always enjoyed the process and always enjoyed working more really than the end result of what it achieves. I'm more interested in doing the work.
Neil Patrick Harris / Actor
Achieve
Ends
Interesting
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The Tonys are the once-a-year shot for all of these shows and artists who work so diligently every single performance but only for a thousand or so people at a time. This gives them the opportunity to perform to millions of people.
Neil Patrick Harris / Actor
Opportunity
Artist
Millions
Thousand
Years
Time Work Opportunity
Diligently
Work Time Opportunity
Millions Of People
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So I've done my fair share of theater. I have also been very fortunate in that I've been able to come to New York two or three times a year just to see as many shows as possible. I think the live theater culture here is incredible.
Neil Patrick Harris / Actor
New York
Fair Share
Fortunate
Live Theater
Theater
Thinking
Years
Fair
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It's good to have a lot of once-in-a-lifetimes in your lifetime. If you get the chance to skydive, go skydiving. If you're offered a part in a weird Shakespeare play in San Diego, slap on some tights and rock out some iambic pentameter.
Neil Patrick Harris / Actor
Lifetime
Play
Rocks
San Diego
Skydiving
Tights
Weird
Good Chance Your
Diego
Offered
San
Shakespeare
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I have actual strong ideas. You just have to wait for the right timing. Timing is pretty crucial here. I can't dedicate a lot of energy and efforts trying to, say, create a show that I want to produce while I'm currently on another show.
Neil Patrick Harris / Actor
Effort
Ideas
Strong
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I think it has been a weird mistake to have people with their own music careers going on and judging people because when they're too critical, it affects them. They don't want to be that honest, because they need to keep their appearance up.
Neil Patrick Harris / Actor
Appearance
Careers
Critical
Honest
Judging
Judging People
Mistake
Thinking
Weird
Affects
Music Weird People
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If I'm doing some weird tick with my mouth, or not standing still or something, I'll be the first person to notice it, and then want to change that. I think it's important just to maintain trajectory, to not just use your same tricks over and over.
Neil Patrick Harris / Actor
Important
Thinking
Use
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I don't want to have to inadvertently find a gift and go like, "What the hell is? Oh no, that's for me." And then have to pretend like I'm surprised later. If I know where they're hidden, I will not look. I love presents and I hate faking surprises.
Neil Patrick Harris / Actor
Hate
Looks
Want
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I thought the idea of 'Smurfs' lent itself to the 3-D environment pretty well, I think, better than some of the farm animal movies that have been done before. I was a fan of the 'Smurfs' and they come with their own fan base, which I thought was nice.
Neil Patrick Harris / Actor
Animal
Nice
Thinking
Base
Fan Base
Lent
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Being able to live my life transparently does empower me to feel like I can be myself more. It's easier for me to flirt with girls now that girls know that I'm gay. It almost makes it a sexier encounter than if I was trying to pretend that I was straight.
Neil Patrick Harris / Actor
Girl
Empowering
Flirting
Gay
Life Myself Me
Pretend
Empower
Flirt
Sexier
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I like [Count] Olaf's wardrobe, because the whole thing seems like it should be a period piece in many ways, and yet the date is non-specific. So I would wear cloaks and jackets, but also turtlenecks. I was a little beatnik, and kind of hipster in that way.
Neil Patrick Harris / Actor
Hipster
Littles
Olaf
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When you call someone and ask them to do something they've never done before, in different mediums I think they would be inclined to pass because they're afraid of the risk. But the creative people who populate the theater world love the challenge of new things.
Neil Patrick Harris / Actor
Creative People
Mediums
New Things
People
Thinking
World Love
Love World People
Love Done World
Inclined
Pass
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Whether it's a double take or a spit take or an extra-long pause before a reaction or a line, I try to be as cognizant as possible about the technical end of it. So I think the physical stuff works easier for me than maybe for others who are more just going on instinct.
Neil Patrick Harris / Actor
Cognizant
Instinct
Spit
Double
Pause
Reaction
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Thankfully, the meat of the Tony telecast is the performances from the shows, so the awards show kind of creates itself around the season, and then I fill in based on the vibe of the season in general. I'm happy that there'll be so many legitimately good performances on the show.
Neil Patrick Harris / Actor
Awards
Kind
Meat
Creates
Fill
Season
Thankfully
Tony
Vibe
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I'm very interested in starting to produce, and direct, and have an umbrella over an entire project in the future. I'd like to have control over what the characters do. I think as an actor, you get a little too caught up in the moment-to-moment, beat-to-beat stuff to have perspective.
Neil Patrick Harris / Actor
Character
Perspective
Thinking
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'Smurfs' just seemed like a great way to represent a young father to be, guy in a marriage, work in conflict, and I was really interested in the technical CG side of things. I'd never done a movie that I thought would be so physical and yet so precise. So I was intrigued by all of that.
Neil Patrick Harris / Actor
Conflict
Father
Guy
Intrigued
Precise
Would Be
Represent
Work Marriage Great
Great Way
Marriage Work
Seemed
Technical
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It's like, the more you commit, the happier the animators are; if you're at all iffy and concerned, then it doesn't free them up to do as much fun stuff, so you have to just go for it and, again, trust the people around you and not be seemingly guarded and numb. Throw caution to the wind a bit.
Neil Patrick Harris / Actor
Caution
Commit
Fun
Fun Stuff
Guarded
Numb
People
Wind
Animators
Go For It
Seemingly
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With the Tonys it's a little tricky because a lot of the funnier jokes are more insider, so people watching at home may not get a Julie Taymor reference the way that New Yorkers would. So you have to figure out what comedy plays to a large audience and still respect the individuals who are there.
Neil Patrick Harris / Actor
Home
New Yorkers
People
Play
Tricky
Funnier
Individuals
Insider
Julie
Large Audience
Reference
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The voiceover thing is very selfless. You go in there and they've hired you for your voice, but they know exactly what they want, and the writer's there and he knows exactly how it's supposed to be said. So you can't really argue with them, you just have to let them tell you what to do and then do it.
Neil Patrick Harris / Actor
Selfless
Voice
Want
Exactly What
Voiceover
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The TV schedule is fantastic. It allows you to have a life. Theater actors are so disciplined - especially if you're doing musicals, you have to be in shape physically, mentally, and have to be on your game all the time. That's exhausting. On TV, especially a sitcom, you have a lot of free time to play.
Neil Patrick Harris / Actor
Actors
Exhausting
Fantastic
Free Time
Games
Play
Sitcom
Life Time Your
Physically
Mentally
Life Time Game
Disciplined
Musicals
Schedule
Shape
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Rather than ignore those who choose to publish their opinions without actually talking to me, I am happy to dispel any rumors or misconceptions and am quite proud to say that I am a very content gay man living my life to the fullest and feel most fortunate to be working with wonderful people in the business I love.
Neil Patrick Harris / Actor
Men
Fortunate
Gay
Publish
Talking
Life Love Business
Content
Dispel
Fullest
Ignore
Misconceptions
Opinions
Rumors
Wonderful People
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We're trying to get as many people to become interested in seeing it, but if you like the theater and you're interested in seeing what live theater looks like in New York, you probably already set your DVR. It's gonna be a hard ask to get a bunch of college-basketball fans to tune in for three hours to watch the Tonys.
Neil Patrick Harris / Actor
New York
Basketball
Bunch
College
Live Theater
Your People Live
People Fans New
Tune
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As I learned from chapters past, it's important to try and stay in the chapter that you're in, and enjoy it while it's lasting. Not be constantly worrying about where this step will take you - living in the potential future. Like a good meal. Like a good chef's tasting meal. You don't want to wonder what's next while you're eating the foie gras.
Neil Patrick Harris / Actor
Important
Past
Worry
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The hardest part of playing the villain was the prosthetics, because I couldn't really move my face as much as I wanted to, and yet I had to move my face a lot. If I moved my face in certain ways the prosthetics would come apart, so I could do a lot of eyebrow acting, but I couldn't do a lot of nose lifting, or the corners of the nose would pop out.
Neil Patrick Harris / Actor
Acting
Eyebrows
Moving
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That movie [A Series of Unfortunate Events] told four books in two hours, and we have two hours per book. So we have eight hours to tell four books, and if people watch we'll get to tell more of them. There's only thirteen books, so there's only going to be two more seasons, but that allows for a lot of time to be in character and to maintain character.
Neil Patrick Harris / Actor
Book
Character
Two
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I think, in life, being nervous about something that's forthcoming is very helpful, whether it's an awards show or a family gathering or a job interview. If you're too calm and confident, then I think you aren't executing to the best of your ability. So I try not to let nerves get the best of me, but I welcome them because it tends to fuel me to try harder.
Neil Patrick Harris / Actor
Jobs
Awards
Thinking
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I did enjoy singing the song, called "The Count", which is Count Olaf's big song that he sings to the kids when they first arrive with his henchpeople. He wrote it himself, and he thinks he's really, really talented, and it's a terrible song. So we had to learn intentionally bad choreography... We did these almost Lady Gaga-ish kind of movements, which were just awful, but that made me laugh
Neil Patrick Harris / Actor
Kids
Song
Thinking
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Before babies, I worked very hard to make sure I understood my surroundings and figured out where I fit in the world, whether it was at work or whether it was in a social situation. And with kids, you just can't. The rule is you can't really do that because they dictate and they change so much so you just have to go with the flow more and be present and not have big expectations and be amused all the time.
Neil Patrick Harris / Actor
Kids
Baby
Expectations
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Our culture's adjustment to the epistemology of television is by now all but complete; we have so thoroughly accepted its definitions of truth, knowledge and reality that irrelevance seems to us to be filled with import, and incoherence seems eminently sane. And if some of our institutions seem not to fit the template of the times, why it is they and not the template, that seem to us disordered and strange.
Neil Patrick Harris / Actor
Culture
Irrelevance
Reality
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I find myself acting for an editor more, because there's a quick turnaround with television, so you want to try and seem like you're as frenetic as possible, while replicating your movement so you're giving the editor more opportunity to cut within the different takes. If you're so crazy that you're sitting in one take and standing in another, the editor can only choose one take or the other. But if you can wrangle yourself into the same spot over and over, then you give them more choices for you.
Neil Patrick Harris / Actor
Opportunity
Crazy
Cutting
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Coming at the acting business as a technician, I really enjoy the process of working. I really enjoy being in a rehearsal room, starting a theatre piece for the first time. I really enjoy shooting in front of the crew, and I really love going on location. I think all that is just so exciting. So I've never really been drawn into the fame of being an actor, which in L.A., is part and parcel of the deal. I think for a lot of people, especially kids, it's hard to not get wrapped up in the world of the perks that the job brings.
Neil Patrick Harris / Actor
Kids
People
Thinking
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I still audition a lot - it depends on the medium. For film, I audition just like everyone else, because it's a different set of casting directors. For television and theatre - well, for theater, there's some auditioning that has to happen, just for them to know that you can sing it, and how you'd take on the part. But for TV, things are getting a little better with, "Would you like to be a part of this?" But that's really for one - night things. It sounds like a pompous answer, if I say people are calling me to ask me to do things.
Neil Patrick Harris / Actor
Night
People
Theatre
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Neil Patrick Harris Quotes - Page 3

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